Cleaning 1909 Baseball

[Bridwell]

I have a National League 1909 baseball. On the top panel it has a red ink stamp for a local YMCA. Any way to remove the red ink?

It also has dirt from game use, that I might want to remove. Any help is appreciated.

[prewarsports]

You dont want to remove the red stamp, it was issued that way to soldiers overseas to use and they are rarer than ONL balls without the red stamp and the commissioner stamp on the side instead. If it is removed you would kill the value of a rare 1917-18 Baseball.

Here's mine.

Rhys

[khkco4bls]

wow dont touch it . that is exactly right. those are scarce.

[Bridwell]

Hi Rhys,

Thank you for that. My baseball is just like yours, except not as good condition. The "France" on the YMCA stamp was not readible until I saw your photos. Now I know mine is an ONL 1917-18 ball, as well.

Isn't this board fantastic?

[jbsports33]

Early Vintage Baseballs are not like bats or gloves, never try to clean the surface of markings on a ball this old, and the above members are right this was an original marking.

Jimmy

[BrandonG]

Why would you want to remove the YMCA logo? Its a YMCA ball, not a Major League NL Ball, if you took the YMCA logo off then you'd have a blank panel, the Spalding Horse Hide Cover logo would be missing from the top. Then you'd just have an odd ball and be erasing a piece of history...