1940's? Tri-State League Ball - signed by?

[baseball tourist]

Any help would be most appreciated! Sigs are unfortunately quite light.

I can possibly make out (with my weak eyes):

"Ed Head"
"Gene Star"
Bill Kearn"
"Chick Drissie"

I assume this is from this league:
per wikipedia) - The most recent incarnation of the league was the post-World War II Tri-State, a Class B circuit with clubs in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. This league, which played from 1946–55, typically included clubs in Charlotte, Asheville, Knoxville, Rock Hill and Spartanburg; most of its teams were affiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems.

1946-1955

Anderson A's (1946)
Anderson Rebels (1947–1954)
Asheville Tourists (1946–1955)
Charlotte Hornets (1946–1953)
Fayetteville Cubs (1947–1948)
Florence Steelers (1948–1950)
Gastonia Rockets (1952–1953)
Greenville Spinners (1951–1952, 1954–1955)
Greenwood Tigers (1951)
Knoxville Smokies (1946–1952, 1954)
Reidsville Luckies (1947)
Rock Hill Chiefs (1947–1955)
Shelby Cubs (1946)
Spartanburg Spartans (1946)
Spartanburg Peaches (1947–1955)
Sumter Chicks (1949–1950)

[Tom Hufford]

This ball is from the 1949 Asheville Tourists, a Brooklyn Dodgers farm team playing in the Tri-State League. The team was managed by Ed Head, who had pitched a no-hitter in his first start of the 1946 season for Brooklyn. He and Gale Wade were the only two players from this Asheville team who appeared in the Majors.

The most valuable signature on this ball - were it actually written, instead of stamped - would be that of C.M. Llewellyn, President of the Tri-State League. Llewellyn pitched one inning of one game for the 1922 New York Yankees, and is a tough, tough autograph to find.

[baseball tourist]

This ball is from the 1949 Asheville Tourists, a Brooklyn Dodgers farm team playing in the Tri-State League. The team was managed by Ed Head, who had pitched a no-hitter in his first start of the 1946 season for Brooklyn. He and Gale Wade were the only two players from this Asheville team who appeared in the Majors.

The most valuable signature on this ball - were it actually written, instead of stamped - would be that of C.M. Llewellyn, President of the Tri-State League. Llewellyn pitched one inning of one game for the 1922 New York Yankees, and is a tough, tough autograph to find.

Wow! Thank you very much Tom! Great info. I like that an Ashville Tourists ball found its way to a Canadian "Baseball Tourist" :)

[scmavl]

If you decide you'd like to sell that ball for a modest sum, I live in Asheville and have season tickets to the Tourists. I'd like to give them the ball, as the owner and GM are friends of mine.