BALL HAS BEEN SOLD 1974 the year of this Cincinnati Reds signed team ball ??

[megalimey]

is 1974 the year of this Cincinnati Reds signed team ball
i am thinking its from a specific year which is 1974
the ball is loaded with signatures , many I cannot determine who they are
either because of smudging or fading
but i can decipher several which include
César Gerónimo , Tony Pérez , Johnny Bench on sweet spot ,Andy Kosco ,Clay Kirby, Ken Griffey
Pat Darcy , Ray Knight , Junior Kennedy
according to my research
Tony Pérez Andy Kosco and Junior Kennedy were only on the same roster in 1974 , I know the Reds won the World Series in 1975
it would be great if some could identify any other signatures
and confirm year

this is a SPALDING BALL with Chub Feeney NL PRESIDENT 1970–1986
some one offered me $75 for it but did not provide any info as to year , not sure if thats a fair offer ??
thanks for looking
I would like to thank every body for providing input and clarifying
some of the names and year the ball was most likley from
the ball has been sold

[Michael B]

I see Pedro Borbon below Ken Griffey. The first signature on top of one of the panels is Alex Grammas.

[muggsy]

I haven't been able to really look at the pictures yet, I'd like to, but if you know those names are together then yeah, 1974 is the only year it could be.

Reference this and it'll really help to ID the rest of the names, and be sure there's no one that "shouldn't be there."

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1974-roster.shtml

[megalimey]

I haven't been able to really look at the pictures yet, I'd like to, but if you know those names are together then yeah, 1974 is the only year it could be.

Reference this and it'll really help to ID the rest of the names, and be sure there's no one that "shouldn't be there."

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1974-roster.shtml
Maybe the signatures were gathered over a two year period?

[muggsy]

Maybe the signatures were gathered over a two year period?

Yeah, I considered that too. It does look like there might have been 1 blue pen, maybe 2?, used for almost all of the names. Then the black pen for only 2 names, right? One is Cesar Geronimo, on the Reds from 72-79. The other looks like it could be a quick Tom Carroll. He was only up in the majors in 1974 and 1975 for the Reds.

So all of the names were on the Reds some point between 1973-1975, but 1974 they were all on the team together.

[megalimey]

thanks guys for the input
I listed the ball up for sale on Net 54 , stating it is a ball signed during the 1970's not assigning any particular year
there was other stuff from the 1970's from the same estate but nothing later than 1979 ,
thanks again

[muggsy]

I think it's a team ball from 1974, with some possibility a couple could have been added in 1975. (It's doubtful a couple were randomly signed in 1973 then a team-full added in 1974.)
One other possibility though, is that it was a ball signed by Bench any time earlier, then had the '74 team sign it—but probably not from the placement of his signature.

[megalimey]

I think it's a team ball from 1974, with some possibility a couple could have been added in 1975. (It's doubtful a couple were randomly signed in 1973 then a team-full added in 1974.)
One other possibility though, is that it was a ball signed by Bench any time earlier, then had the '74 team sign it—but probably not from the placement of his signature.
thats sounds logical , thanks for the input

[JollyElm]

I imagine that's Sparky Anderson above Bench.

[JollyElm]

And Jack Billingham in that last panel.

[megalimey]

I imagine that's Sparky Anderson above Bench.

It seamed to have enough letters but i was not sure ,thanks

[Bigdaddy]

I see Ray Knight on there (on Alex Gramas panel, two below Pat Darcy), so I thought it would have to be later.

But looking up the roster, Knight was a September call-up in 1974 and then spent the '75 and '76 seasons in the minors (when the Reds won the Series), returning to the reds in 1977.

So not only is it a 1974 ball, but most likely from September of 1974. Looks like a few of the autos might have been added later.

[Bigdaddy]

SS: Sparky Anderson, Johnny Bench

First Panel: Andy Kosco, Phil Gagliano, Cesar Geronimo, Ken Griffey, Pedro Borbon, Dan Driessen

Second Panel: Alex Grammas (coach), ?, Roger Freed, Pat Darcy, Jr. Kennedy, Ray Knight, Hal King

Third Panel: Tom Carroll, Fred Norman, George Foster, Darrell Chaney, Don Gullett, Clay Kirby, Tony Perez

Fourth Panel: ?? under the logo, George Scherger (coach), Bill Plummer, Jack Billingham, Terry Crowley

[JollyElm]

This is (obviously) a guess, but looking at the '74 roster, the only player the signature across the Spalding logo could be is Roger Nelson. It looks to start with an 'R' and perhaps an 'o' and 'g' after it. Near the end, it could very well be a high 'l' (that's an L) with an 'n.' Tough one.

[muggsy]

That might be Rawly Eastwick

[JollyElm]

That might be Rawly Eastwick

I originally thought the last letter was a 'k,' and so I looked into Eastwick, but after googling Rawly's auto, it was quite different and the letter positioning (like that 'L' in the last name) doesn't seem to match the spelling of his name. He's certainly one to look at (and eliminate?), though, especially if his signature changed greatly over time.