Posted By:
Troy KinunenHey Folks
I have been contacted by Troy Kinunen of MEARS to post this for him....He said he just doesn't have time to post on the forum and go back and forth with questions.....his email is above though..I guess there were/are some questions concerning Dave Miedema..best regards ...leon
A Word From Dave Miedema
February 28 2006 at 12:06 PM Dave Grob (Login davegrob1)
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In light of recent events, I have asked Dave Miedema to provide a formal and public response to what many in the hobby have not completely had visibility on for a number of years. This information was considered by MEARS well over a year ago when we began looking into finding individuals who we felt had value to offer our organization and the hobby at large. We felt then, as we do know, that Dave Miedema is just such a person. Today, Dave’s efforts at MEARS are limited to research and cataloging both images and exemplars that support our data base efforts. In addition, he writes columns for MEARS On-Line. These duties are those that have been reached by mutual agreement between Dave and MEARS based on what he feels are best for himself and MEARS at this time.
After reading Dave’s response, and seeing what aspects of his personnel life he feels compelled to share with potentially thousands of people that do not know, have never met him and likely never will, I am quite frankly saddened and embarrassed. I am sure there will be many who will offer that Dave should have fought this vigorously at the time in both the courts and within the public eye. I would ask those who might to take Dave to task for not doing so then, consider the totality of the environment and circumstances as they existed then and not with the luxury detached retrospect. Dave has provided his e-mail address and has agreed to answer your questions. I would ask that you extend him both the personal and professional courtesy he is due by identifying yourself properly to him. My greatest hope in all this is that the hobby at large will see and acknowledge Dave Miedema for the person he is and what he has to offer. I would like to think we have done that at MEARS.
Dave Grob
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A Word From Dave Miedema
1) Comments by convicted targets as to my allegedly giving them blank LOAs,signed or otherwise, are total fiction. I never have given anyone a LOA and told them to fill in the specifics, nor have I ever written one without
viewing the item in question.
In hindsight, the problem with my old LOAs is that (given my lack of awareness at the time of what computers could and couldn't do), they were too easy to reproduce and play illicit games with after issuance. Most of my LOAs of the 1990s were typed or hand-inscribed onto a photocopied template, with areas to indicate what was being examined, what my findings were, and other comments. Someone with a good color copier could reproduce one without great difficulty, as I didn't use holograms, inventory numbers,
etc.
Another format (one titled Authenticated By Miedema) was the brainchild of a dealer familiar with many of the individuals involved, but not part of the group that was prosecuted. He had legitimate items, but felt that my LOAs.such as they were, were too plain and simple in appearance. He used a computer and printer to create an 8.5 x 11 version of this type of LOA.
Unfortunately, one of the individuals who was charged and convicted copied the format, in a smaller size, and apparently ran copies based on keeping certain items from legitimate LOAs intact (such as my signature) and omitting others (such as descriptions from the original LOA, to which a new one could be added without my knowledge). It was this individual who, upon an FBI search of his residence, was found to have several hundred signed
blanks...none of which were provided, in that blank form, by me, but all of which were rendered blank due to the wizardry of computer printing.
2) As far as my contacts with the FBI, my actual involvement was limited to helping them track down an item (bogus Wilbur Wood White Sox jersey) that was part of Ryan's last auction. The jersey had been consigned to me for
resale by a Chicago area collector not involved with the convicted parties,and, upon examination, I found the jersey to be lacking in authenticity, and was preparing to return it to him. As has been noted, health problems were part of my situation then, and one that required surgery caused me to have a man I knew live in for a few weeks to help around the house. I found out after he left that he had stolen close to a dozen jerseys from my house, one
of which was the bogus Wood that had not been returned yet due to my health problems. This man met Ryan at Wrigley Field in September of that year, and sold him the jersey, selling Ryan on it by saying that I had asked him to move it for me...not the case, of course, although this man was unaware of the jersey's problems. Thinking it was out of my collection, Ryan ran it in
the auction, and returned it to me once I mentioned to him the theft of it and my intent to return it to the owner because of its problems. He did, but it was days afterwards that the FBI came calling. I had by then sent it back to the owner/consignor...the feds were given a contact number for him and he complied with their directive.
Although discussions about a possible interview with them were started, said interview never took place...I doubt the FBI would have declined to even call me in for an official chat were I to be the hardened criminal that a few folks apparently assume.
3) The fallout really didn't escalate until SCD decided to drop me as a columnist. Their actions gave an indication of presumed guilt, despite the fact that, then nor since, have I been interviewed, nor charged, by any law enforcement officials. Also curious was the fact that the FBI memo that caused them to sever ties with me also made several mentions of Grey Flannel, but SCD took no punitive action against them. Of course, Grey Flannel was a major advertiser at the time and I wasn't.
4) Health problems did exist in that time span...I spent five years on kidney dialysis (received a transplant in May 2002), and the whole episode, coupled with some non-hobby related issues, led to a bout of clinical depression which still exists to this day, but has finally been controlled with medication. Truthfully, I felt suicidal at times, once writing a suicide note that ended up in the trash, but which was therapeutic, and staved off any ill designs I had for myself that night. Another night, I checked myself into a hospital, concerned over my state of depression. It
was not a pleasant few years, to say the least.
5) The only other mistake I'll admit to was trusting too much in people who obviously didn't deserve it...I acted in good faith with these individuals, and they, in turn, took me to the emotional cleaners. I've learned from it, and am heartened to be supported by and in the company of my friends at MEARS.
Hopefully, this will end the need to regurgitate negative press from the last century. Any questions? E-mail 'em...you know where to find me.
sox83cubs84@hotmail.com
Dave Miedema
2/28/2006