Editing to say that while I was typing , making lunch and thinking , things seem to have already been sorted out. Sometimes I'm just slow
I think there's also a bit more information needed which Dan probably has or can get.
Like - What was their overall approach? There's a big difference between "we'd really love it. Might it be available" and "a relative used it give it to us"
For me another thing would possibly be their interest/understanding of the items place in the overall history of things. From the little description, I'd say it's a pretty important piece of local baseball history. Some people care about that, some just don't get it. or even care to get it.
And it's not just people but institutions that can be that way. I have some items from a top tier bike racer from 1895. When I bought it, I had the underbidder asking me to donate it to a local museum that was opening. Once they'd opened, I visited to see what the place was like. Nice people, who hadn't much of an idea about most of the items they had. And absolutely no idea who the rider was or anything he'd accomplished. Plus a fair portion of the items they had were funny in a somewhat sad way. Triangular rocks displayed as arrowheads, and a "replica" of a bleriot plane made of 2x4s and a lawnmower motor. I'll get them scans and copies eventually, but the originals are staying with me for the forseeable future.
Steve