July Autograph Pick-ups
 

H. Boardman Spalding

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added Gerald Fried to my Stanley Kubrick picture. he scored Kubricks first five movies including Path of Glory. I only need Christiana Kubrick on the dvd to have everyone I could have possibly got on it :)

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George Sisler

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Postcards

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A welcoming surprise came in the mail today. Last week I sent an email to John Schuerholz telling him about my HOF collection and that I would love to add him to it, as I expect him to join Cooperstown soon.

I love that he signed one of his business cards.

Very cool. I agree that Schuerholz is a HOFer, he's a lock in my mind. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Braves spring training site this year and he is a class act. I was glad to add him to my "future HOFer" collection as well.

Good foresight to pick him up now. Who knows if he will still be as accommodating after the call from Cooperstown comes, I do not see a reason why he would change but who can predict the future signing habits of an inductee.

Thomas Shibe - Co-Founder of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1901.

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Future Hall of Famer?

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...psd4da4fa2.jpg

Great pick up, he is a future Hall of Famer. Just look at his record as an owner, and how he along with Branch Rickey pioneered and successfully developed the minor league system to develop and keep talent within one organization.
He and Walter Briggs in my opinion are the 2 preeminent owners pre 1950 not yet in Cooperstown.

Technically the idea of a minor league system started with Roy Hedges owner of the St Louis Browns. Rickey was in his employ at the time when Hedges formulated the idea. It never came to fruition, so Rickey was able to jump at his next chance in St Louis with the Cards.

Tom C

I agree 100 % but it seems in the reference books Breadon gets a lot of the credit. I guess because he was the owner of a successful major league team and Hedges was the owner of the not quite successful Browns.

Future Hof 3x5's
 

Picked up this great little lot of Future hof autos (some strong maybes) ...

Many are dated on the reverse & several have early (rookie year briefs)
1- Mariano Rivera (dated 1995 on reverse)
2-Derek Jeter
3-Pedro Martinez
4-Roger Clemens (dated 1984 on reverse)
5-Randy Johnson (dated 1988 on reverse)
6-Craig Biggio (dated 1988 on reverse)
7-Trevor Hoffman
8-Rafael Palmeiro (dated 1986 on reverse)
9-Barry Bonds (dated 1986 on reverse)

The Mo is being donated to a framed up and donated to a friend's little league auction (OXFORD CT Babe Ruth Made Nationals), and the Pedro and Roger are staying in my collection... If anyone is interested in any others, Let me know!

Cheers!
Dave

Dave, I have all the above players IP and have to admit that mine don't look anything like those signatures. Perhaps yours are all received when they were all in the minor league? Not trying to start a fight, just more of an FYI.

Perhaps they were... I recently picked up the lot from a ver reputable autograph dealer. Many of the autographs are dated on the reverse...mo-95, clemens-84 biggio and RJ, and a few other as well.

I stand corrected, what you have, after doing a lot of research are some real rare autograph versions of some future hall of famers in their very early years. Nice pickups. I wish some of those players, like Biggio and Bonds would go back and sign like that again. The Biggio I paid nearly $100 for IP looks like slop compared to that.

I just have to show what paid sit down versions of all of those look like today, only Jeter looks similar (IMHO):

Biggio:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...44904348_o.jpg

Hoffman:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...05736311_o.jpg

Johnson:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...869205_o-1.jpg

Palmeiro:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...48787720_o.jpg

Clemans:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...psd7ad2f10.jpg

Bonds:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...28935001_o.jpg

Mariano:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...14057461_o.jpg

Pedro:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...78557461_o.jpg
Jeter
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...51206669_o.jpg

Lefty Grove signed photo by George Burke:

Nice Smoky Joe check:

Mel Ott
 

I couldn't resist this one.

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Arky
 

Bought this one from a fellow board member... Not the prettiest of signatures (or medium), but my framer was able to get creative... and it turned out pretty good...

Frank "Noodles" Hahn

I picked these up at the Bob Feller Museum Saturday. The smaller one is 3 1/2 X 5 1/2".

Thurman
 

Pretty psyched to add this on this latest acquisition...

Was in a rudimentary frame that had an old facsimile letter attesting to how the signature was acquired (letter was literally duct taped to the frame)...

Did some surfing on the web and was able to get in contact with the person whom Thurman addressed the autograph to over 35 years ago!

Nice Munson Dave!

Did anyone of you happen to pick up the Walt Disney 3x5 from Phil Sears yesterday?

Dave since my name is Kevin I'll take the munson off your hands

Klrdds: Interesting observation. But it seems that former Detroit Tigers Owner Frank Navin's name is more often mentioned as a potential HOFer, and not so much that of Walter Briggs (but whose money was without-a-doubt pivotal to Tigers/Navin's success in the early 1930's).

Agree totally about Navin, but the money talks and gets noticed in most cases.
As an aside with your location being in Michigan who do you feel is most deserving Navin or Briggs, or both?

I thought about it...Is it already gone?

I struggle with such decisions as I tend to lean more towards being a purist and think the HOF bar has been lowered too much. Personally, I would not admit either. Nor many of the executives and managers that have already been inducted. I realize that managing people and money, and building a team takes skills. But I am sure there are several former managers over the decades who did an admirable job managing wins with limited year-to-year talent for middling-to-bottom tier teams. But since pennants and world series titles were not won, they are not in the HOF. But switch those individuals with (as an example) Yankee dynasties managers, and the deep talent they had at their disposal, and we might have a different group of manager names in the HOF. Similar case for owners and executives. Those with large gate receipts could afford to buy more than those without. Those with large gate receipts could cherrypick from those without.

Now, I do believe there are some owners that do belong. Branch Rickey would be one example, as his contribution to baseball impacted the game as a whole. Guess that is why I am a quiet supporter for Frank Lefty O'Doul's induction into the Baseball HOF. Certainly not as a player, but for his contribution to Japanese baseball that now impacts the Major League level many, many decades later. Isn't that some measure of greatness? Of course, he certainly did not do it alone. So perhaps not greatness.

Ok, time to get off the soapbox. Probably should keep my mouth shut as I am far from being a deep or skilled thinker. I just know that as a kid playing ball against himself, my two opposing teams were made of the best-of-the-best, and none of the marginal HOF members. And maybe alittle as a longtime Tiger fan, and lover of Detroit baseball history.

Should either/both Navin & Briggs gain admittance into Baseball's HOF, it would give me little cause to celebrate, other the the potential monetary gains from having obtained numerous autographs examples of both over 15 or so years of collecting vintage Detroit Tigers autographs. Well, maybe alittle pride as a long time Tigers fan, and of Detroit baseball history.

I replied right after I received his email on my phone... He replied right back that it had already sold... Had to be like 2 minutes! Bummed :(

Very excited to win this non-sports autograph. This is a letter from Houdini to his friend and fellow magician Oscar Teale telling him to check out the new issues of Colliers. I love the line "If not, get them."

Also interesting about this letter is that 8 days later on May 18, 1926 Houdini would testify in front of the Senate that clairvoyants and fortune tellers were all liars and crooks. Five months after writing this letter Houdini would die:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...psb9fee8e6.jpg

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Excited to add #224 to the collection...Every players favorite owner, Charles Comiskey...:D:D:D

I saw that on Ebay and thought about picking up, but holding out for a signed letter, but love the bullseye signature. I can't wait to see what 225 is ;)

I think I have a pretty good idea what 225 might be.....

Tom C

Very nice, James! :)

Nice example of the "Old Roman" 's signature.
Congrats. Look forward to seeing your pick ups.

was close to bidding on that comiskey myself (watched the item till it ended)....held out but glad it went to a great collection.

Thanks Scott!!

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Burleigh Grimes
 

I thought this one was interesting so I had to pick it up...

1948 New York Yankees Contract between the club and Hall Of Famer; Burleigh Grimes (Scouted for the Yankees)

Whats more interesting is that all three of the signees on this contract are hall of famers

Tho not a player contract, awesome, and knowing u, a good cheap purchase, you find the deals. Great stuff

#219-
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps30ecb998.jpg

CATFISH!!!!!

Nice.

Tom C

Worked with a great team of Net54 members to land #225. Excited to add Bill Foster to the collection. :)

Great example of a hard to find HoFer with the extra writing/addition of his birthdate.
Nice pick up!!!

Very jealous, at least until Wednesday. However, as Jim mentioned, worked with a great group in the board to help add this toughie. I think it was a win-win for all parties involved.

Ah you guys jumped on that 2x bill foster sig? Nice!
At least there are a few less individuals seeking a foster now :)