AL and NL balls

[horzverti]

I recently obtained these two balls and I'd like to get some more info on them. All I know is that one is an AL Reach ball and the other is an NL Spalding ball. Both were described as 1929 balls, but I think they are from the 1930s.

They seem to be in very nice condition, but I am not a ball guy so I don't know the grading standards. The individual ball pics appear a little yellowed because they were taken in low light. The picture of both balls in their cases on the base was taken with a camera flash and shows their truer, whiter color.

Can anyone here give me specifics about the period these are from and maybe their value?

Thanks

[BrandonG]

They are both the 1934 Model baseball. First baseballs to feature the red only stitching.

[horzverti]

Thanks Brandon. It is somewhat tough to find good pictures and info on the NL Heydler ball online. There are definitely more pics of the AL ball out there. I'll keep searching. I plan on buying a copy of your book in near future as well. It'll look great in the research library. Thanks again!

Curt

[thecatspajamas]

Speaking of which, hate to keep bugging you Brandon, but any updates on the book?

[BrandonG]

Speaking of which, hate to keep bugging you Brandon, but any updates on the book?

Smithsonian books is one of the interested publishers so that's good news, planning a final trip back to Cooperstown, with a stop in DC to meet with Smithsonian people and then hopefully we get this thing to print! Writing a book is hard lol.

I was going to post a thread on here soon, I NEED BOXES! AL & NL, Reach, Spalding, Rawlings.

[deebro041]

We appreciate your great work Brandon! Looking forward to the final result!
Dan

[Rawlings]

Thanks Brandon. It is somewhat tough to find good pictures and info on the NL Heydler ball online. There are definitely more pics of the AL ball out there. I'll keep searching. I plan on buying a copy of your book in near future as well. It'll look great in the research library. Thanks again!

Curt

Here you go: http://photos.bigleaguebaseballs.com/
Both are pictured. The Harridge was one I owned, so pics are much better. Since you asked for value, I'll can say that I sold the Harridge for $595 (Ebay) without box. I've seen the Heydler sell for around $300 BIN - a steal in my opinion. I missed it. I saw one other Harridge in similar condition, with box, sell for over $700 if I recall correctly.

I'm sure I've missed or forgotten other sales, but there haven't been many. Since I started adding the vintage baseballs to my collection. I've seen very few examples of either unused, unsigned in great condition or better, but I hadn't been looking for those two for very long, maybe 5 years.

[horzverti]

Here you go: http://photos.bigleaguebaseballs.com/
Both are pictured. The Harridge was one I owned, so pics are much better. Since you asked for value, I'll can say that I sold the Harridge for $595 (Ebay) without box. I've seen the Heydler sell for around $300 BIN - a steal in my opinion. I missed it. I saw one other Harridge in similar condition, with box, sell for over $700 if I recall correctly.

I'm sure I've missed or forgotten other sales, but there haven't been many. Since I started adding the vintage baseballs to my collection. I've seen very few examples of either unused, unsigned in great condition or better, but I hadn't been looking for those two for very long, maybe 5 years.

Thank you very much for the info Rawlings. Interestingly, I have been consistently informed recently that the Heydler ball is the more valuable of the two. Then again I have been hearing a range of values from $50 (from those who want to buy one or both) up to $1,500 for the pair. So the values and info is over the map.

By the way, I like your website. Lots of great pics and info.

Now that I have gathered a lot of info that I need, I am ready to give them a new home. Most likely they will be offered on eBay. I am open to negotiating a Buy it Now price for one or both. If I don't hear anything, I'll probably start them in separate auctions for 99¢ and see what happens.

Thanks to everyone for the info. I really do appreciate how much great discussion and info passes through this board.

Curt

[Rawlings]

Hey Curt,

No problem. I'd definitely say the Heydler has seemed more scarce since I've started collecting - and in any condition signed or unsigned. My post was probably a bit misleading. I saw just one sell for $300, which was a shock. The seller probably didn't know what they had.

I'd be willing to pay $700+ for a near mint, unsigned 1933 Heydler if I had the funds. I do think it's more valuable. And, it was only used for about 1 season, so it's reasonable to think it's much more scarce than that Harridge, which was used longer.

[BrandonG]

Zach, I think you got a heck of a price on the Harridge ball, I would cap the price on his at around $300 to the right person. The Heydler on the other hand is more valuable, but it needs to be sold to the right person, someone looking for the 1934 model. eBay has been funny lately, I've seen baseballs worth $75 sell for $200, and I just watched a 1936 Frick I value at $350 sell for $115. You never know who's looking or who missed it.

[Rawlings]

Hey Brandon, you definitely know better than I do. I was impressed with the final price, but I wasn't going to sell unless it got close to that, just because I know how tough it will be to replace in the future.

$300 on his seems like a good estimate to me but it's tough to tell condition/stamping from the pictures. Mine had incredible stamping, limited toning. And I agree, Ebay has been strange for these lately. It seemed dead for so long and then I was surprised the last half year or so with some impressive sales prices. Might not always reflect value, but it can show demand. A lot of luck/timing too.

Reminds me of a listing someone sent me recently, blew my mind. Am I missing something about this Cronin? http://sep11.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-bin/showitem.pl?itemid=37746

On my sale, maybe it's just the fact that ball hadn't been listed on Ebay more than a few times in the last few years, so it had greater demand. But I'm still an amateur in vintage baseball collecting so maybe I'm naive. For what it's worth I received the following offers on it, and I know there are more direct offers I can't find after a quick email search:

$595 (sale price)
$575 (Ebay)
$400 (Direct/Email)
$475 (Ebay)
$575 (Ebay)
$400 (Ebay)

I received an an even higher offer right after it sold, over $600 IIRC, but I'm having trouble finding that email. It was too late anyway. Interestingly, two of the highest offers came from Canada, which is where the ball now resides. I'm gonna' miss that ball.

[BrandonG]

Zach, All good points, you know more about vintage baseball collecting that you give yourself credit for.

And what the heck on that Cronin?!?!?! I've got like 10 Cronin baseballs I'm about ready to list on that website! That's an absurd price!

Those were all very good offers, for a ball in that condition I would say those are on the high end, but good for you, heck if someone wants it they'll pay I guess, that's obviously the case with eBay as of late. Here's a picture of my '34-'39 Harridge, It's about as mint condition as it gets, and is in my book.

[horzverti]

I just started separate auctions for the balls on eBay. I have both as Buy it Nows, but invite offers. Please feel free to ask questions or make offers.

Check 'em out!

Many thanks to all regarding the info and history shared about these baseballs. I really do appreciate it.

Curt

[BrandonG]

I can't seem to find them on eBay, can you post links?

[horzverti]

Yeah, what is up with eBay? I can't see them either. The AL Harridge ball already sold, but here is the link to the NL Heydler ball:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400284224533?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Thanks for your interest.

[Rawlings]

BrandonG, that Harridge is incredible, best I've seen. I wonder if it's the same year as mine was? I've heard that it may be possible to determine exact year on these 1934-39 Harridge baseballs based on minor variances in the Reach stamp. Maybe just a rumor.

I have no idea what happened on that Cronin, my only guess is a lot of bidders on that site must have never heard of eBay.

And it looks like that Heydler just sold! Unreal, great price on that and congrats on both sales horzverti.

It's good to see these vintage baseballs getting some serious attention.