Thoughts on Minor League team signed balls

[RCMcKenzie]

I try and collect local baseball memorabilia and pick up an occasional Houston Buffs item. Here is a ball I just received. I don't doubt the seller's story and in hand it looks like a period Texas League ball with lots of non-famous people's signatures. When you don't have exemplars to compare, what can you do?

www.ebay.com/itm/330979899602

[Nashvol]

I have a dozen or so team-signed balls that I don't wonder about whether the autographs are authentic or not. One can take for granted that they are authentic just by verifying the ball, team, year and roster, just so long as they have a vintage about them and not from the prolific recent periods.

Adding to one's collection is one thing, and often remains authentic even if just "to me".

Selling such an item is another thing, and one would have to determine authenticy when determining a price (maybe vice-versa) based on interest. If that is what your post is about, the first thing i would wonder is: how many collectors of Houston Buffs, Texas League, or player-specific items are there?

Rarity would then be a consideration. Let me give you an example: I have three 1949 Nashville Vols signed baseballs, with only a variance of 2-3 players. I have seen 2-3 others that I know other collectors have in their possession.

My own question is this: Should I consider a team-signed 1949 Nashville Vols baseball rare? Or is it a different question oly if another one comes on the market?

Then, it really becomes a question of what a collector (presuming there is one for an item) will pay based on all the considerations above...

[HexsHeroes]

I am a huge fan of vintage minor league team signed baseballs. Some signatures are almost never encountered in a flat format, so the next best option is a team signed baseball. Even these can be rarely encountered, but when the opportunity arises, it can satisfy the need to cross another name off the want list
(at least until a flat signed item is obtained). There are many fine ballplayers who only had a cup of coffee at the major league level, but who were talented enough to last many years in the minor leagues. For me it is about the hunt and successful results. Sure, I would love all my autographs to be on flats, but I would not hesitate to acquire a team signed baseball for those items I have never encountered in a flat format.

[Nashvol]

Exactly...

[thecatspajamas]

Lots of non-famous players, but not all unheard-of. In most cases for me, with minor league balls, it becomes a case of do the "known" players match up, and then "who in their right mind would bother faking the rest?"

I do find it interesting that for all of Vern Benson's career history that the detailed, the one thing that he left out was that he actually played for the 1949 Houston team. Well, I guess he inadvertently gives that info when he lists Benson among the signers, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, nice pick-up, with bolder signatures than most I've seen from that era. And in my opinion, not a bad price either, as I've sold an unsigned Gardner ball from that era for about the same price (ball was a bit nicer condition). FWIW, the ball looks to be correct for the era as well, though that is not the box it originally came in.

[RCMcKenzie]

I based my purchase of the Buffs ball on the fact that the ball was a Texas League ball that fit in the time frame of the league president, Gardner. The autos and story/provenance are sort of a bonus and a fun addition.

I recently passed on another early 50's Buffs ball that a guy wanted $500 for. He was telling me the ball was very, very rare and I was trying to explain that I might be the only buyer at $350. He ended up telling me he would never sell the ball at any price.

[Nashvol]

Often things become very rare because the seller over values the item...

[pariah1107]

Love local history. Practically all I "collect" anymore. Sometimes you might run into one... purchased this 1950 Ellensburg Cowboys semi-pro baseball with Dean Nicholson sig at a local garage sale (w/two press photos). Dean and his father are still the winningest father/son coach duo at same school in NCAA basketball history (more than 1100 wins). I may be wrong. Many Dean signed basketballs out there but believe this is one of only a few baseballs.

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w415/pariah1107/Central%20Washington%20Basketball%201950-51/DeanNicholsonBaseball1952B.jpg

Oops that's a really big baseball!!