Vintage Ball Signed, Auto Help?

[yanks12025]

Can anyone help if you know these autos or can figure out the name. They're in bad shape, but under a black light they glow better. Sorry for the bad pics, I will try to take better ones later. I believe the one auto is rabbit maranville. It's a american league ball, hich I think dates to 1912-24. Thanks

[yanks12025]

After looking at the autos and finding some names, I believe it could be a 1914 or 15 boston braves ball. But why would they sign a American League ball.

[ss]

Very nice. Can u post more photos?

[yanks12025]

Here's the ball with out the black light.

[yanks12025]

Here are more pics of it under a black light.

[yanks12025]

Guys,
I think this is a 1915 Boston braves ball. Could they have signed a american league baseball because for most of the 1915 season they played at fenway? Any thoughts, guessing not many replies because there's no drama in this thread.

[prewarsports]

Its certainly possible because it happened (your signatures appear to be authentic based on examples I have and others I have seen such as Bill James printing his signature on a Baseball which I have seen before).

If I were you I would check around and see if perhaps the Braves played the Red Sox in an exhibition game that year. If not your theory of having an American League Baseball available at Fenway is certainly possible.

Its a nice pickup and more historically significant than valuable because "signed" baseball sfrom this era basically dont exist. This is about number 40 or 50 I have ever seen in 20+ years of collecting from the entire pre-WWI period.

Rhys

[yanks12025]

Thank you Rhys
I didn't realize the other photos were so small, here are bigger ones. Can you make out any other autos. So far I think I've found Bill James, Red Smith, Paul Strand, Gene Cocreham, Dick Crutcher, Walt Tragesser, Hank Gowdy, Rabbit Maranville and I think Sherry Magee is under Rabbit.And I think Herbie Moran is the really small one on the sweet spot? Specially the really small auto by the word ball.

[ss]

Joe Connolly is a couple under Maranville.

[ss]

I think that's Otto Hess is under Connolly.

[toyman55]

what kind of black light do you use? I bought a 60 watt bulb for a clamp lamp but it does not work on my old balls? By the way no pun intended but I'm sure someone will.

[thecatspajamas]

what kind of black light do you use? I bought a 60 watt bulb for a clamp lamp but it does not work on my old balls? By the way no pun intended but I'm sure someone will.

Are you sure it's a true "black light" (longwave uv light)? A lot of the supposed black light bulbs that fit standard light sockets are just purple "party lights" and not true black lights. The key term to look for is "longwave uv"

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . I would be interested in knowing what specific light is being used too. Absolutely amazing how that light brings out some of the lightest signatures. I would love to add one for use with my autograph collection. Very cool.

[scooter729]

As was suggested above, Braves Field was under construction still in the first half of 1915 and didn't open until August, so the Braves played the first four months of the 1915 season at Fenway Park.

So it would make total sense that a 1915 Braves team would sign an American League ball. Very cool!!

[yanks12025]

Guys here's a pic of the light, I'm not sure of the brand or anything. I think I bought it from a local auction years ago. I'm not even sure it its a real black light.

[thecatspajamas]

The regular black light that I use is ancient, quite possibly older than me, but I picked it up super-cheap on eBay. My experience is that, generally speaking, the tube-type black lights tend to cast a wider, more intense light better suited to examining larger objects. The LED (usually flashlight-type) models are more portable, but tend to be either weaker or have a more narrowly focused light (so you have to hold them almost right on the object). Both are useful in different situations.

Just did a quick scouting run on the bay, and a couple of more modern options:

Handheld battery-powered tube-type bulb light (I might actually pick up one of these too, as I do get tired of being tethered by the cord on my main one):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLAZING-BLACKLIGHT-6-INCH-HANDHELD-POWERFUL-BRIGHT-UV-4-Watts-genuine-G-E-/290677826691?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43adbfa483

"Flashlight" style led (I have a similar one, though not this exact model. Good for portability, works well in complete darkness, but not as powerful as the tube-type lights):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-LED-380-400nm-UV-Ultra-Violet-Flashlight-BlackLight-Torch-Blue-/190727526317?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2c683f17ad