Show your most unique item

[aquarius31]

Show your most unique item. This isn't about 'rarity' or value but rather the one that stands out as odd, cool or whatever you want to call it. I'll start with this one that I picked up a few years ago. Someone cut up a bunch of N173's and made them into this collage. Thanks to the help of a fellow board member, we were able to identify many of the players although I have no idea about the origins of the exterior photos (http://net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=152133). I doubt that this item can be restored so I put my own spin on it.

Ok, let's see yours!

[Leon]

One of my fave early pieces...An early baseball game in action...and also featured in a Ken Burns book....(and shown before, but still....)

[khkco4bls]

two of mine.John Clarkson cigar box and William demuth 1895 baseball pipe

[Scott Garner]

I've shown this before, but it certainly is unique.
It is perhaps the only known survivor from the second ever no-hitter ever pitched at historic Fenway Park on August 30th, 1916. It remains one of the main centerpieces of my no-hitter collection.

[GoCubsGo32]

I posted this story before, but without a doubt ..centerpiece of my collection.

AUG 4,2011 @ Great American Ball Park

My girlfriend got me tickets to see Paul McCartney for his Cincinnati show.I had a postcard already signed by Ringo Starr himself and when I realize my birthday gift...I knew I had to try to get Sir Paul McCartney autograph on it as well. I didn't have my hopes up since I knew the chances were very small...

We got to the ballpark early because I had never seen Cincinnati and wanted to spend some time around the city before the show.We went to the ballpark early to say hi to a friend and as we were leaving to walk downtown. We saw Paul's SUV drive by and go into a parking garage. Then the garage door was down about 80%....and all of a sudden the garage door opens and BOOM! Paul McCartney comes out to signed for me and my girlfriend!! There was less than 10 other people around besides me and my girlfriend.Those other people just so happen to be walking the street at the right time.His guard said,"You are lucky..he's ahead of schedule" Paul came up to me saw my hand was shaking with the postcard.Look at me and said,"You are shakin' my dear boy!"(I was sooo anxious and nervous!) .He wanted to make the autograph nice and didn't have anything hard to sign the postcard against...sooo Paul grabbed my hand to make it easier to sign the postcard...which he took his time to give me his best signature! I told him how much I appreciated him and how he influence my life(something like that).He look at me and said,"No problem man..." smile and gave me a wink,hahaha. I was soooo excited and in disbielf...I was shaking for about 20 mins after I met him.

My girlfriend got his autograph as well..but not nearly nice of signature.He came out only to sign for me and my gf..then quickly went back into the ballpark garage and closed the door...

I'll never forget the day that I met my idol and how nice he was to me!

Me pointing at Paul sudden arrival!

The ballpark garage door closing

BOOM PAUL!


My big fat head,lol

[aquarius31]

Wow, great stuff guys and Gary, what an awesome story!!

[TUM301]

As usual more great items and collecting stories from the 54. Keep them coming boys !!!

[daves_resale_shop]

Great story! I enjoyed reading it and appreciate you sharing!

[WWGjohn]

I picked this store display bat up a couple of years ago. I placed a regular sized bat beside it to give you some perspective. It is 5' tall and 8" in diameter. The out of ordinary things about it are that it is made of balsa, weighs 5 lbs and also is a spline bat made from 2 separate pieces. This is probably my most unusual piece.

John

[khkco4bls]

this is got to be one of my favorite pieces a mary gregory hand-painted lemonade set from 1880s

[packs]

Here's a neat little item that has survived is extraordinary condition:

An invitation to the Una Baseball Club's Calico Party in February of 1868. It even survived with the original envelope:

[WWGjohn]

Terrific lemonade set. Don't let the kids use this at their lemonade stand.

John

[bobfreedman]

The Tris Speaker ad is the only one that anyone can find any record of and will be in REA for their upcoming auction.

[39special]

I thought this was cool.Pictures and an illustration of new Comiskey Park from 1989.

[Runscott]

....

[rsn1661]

Thosue McCartney pictures are awesome! You were shaking for 20 minutes? I would have been shaking all night!

Signed Nick Daviscourt ca. 1925 portrait. Born in Ellensburg, Nicholas de Wiscourt 1889 he wrestled for the Heavyweight title twice, first in 1921 v. Ed Strangler Lewis, and again in 1935 v. Jim Browning. Both bouts he lost.

A thug in the ring and on local baseball diamonds he played semi-pro ball for Ellensburg, 1906-14. Never thought I'd add this to my local sports collection.

[slidekellyslide]

I have a ton of items that are probably unique, but this is one of my favorites. It's a postcard written by the man pictured on the front (Dan Tobey) to Louis "Dutch" Wagner, Honus Wagner's brother trying to entice him to join the Nebraska Indians.

[seattlerainiers]

Really great item, Dan.

[Bpm0014]

Great thread!

[Yi]

This photo was taken on April 17th, 1924 on opening day in Washington.

[Yi]

A truly wonderful one of a kind photo.

[packs]

Here's another cool one. This is an original Type 1 photo of the moment Joe DiMaggio extended his hitting streak to 56 games:

[3-2-count]

Original type 1 picture of Boston & Detroit battling it out somewhere between 1901 and 1911 at Huntington Avenue Grounds ballpark in Boston, Massachusetts. Accompanied by an original ticket from the same era.

[parker1b2]

I've shown this before, Game used ball from Niekro's 300th win signed and inscribed to Phil from John Cerutti, who was making his first Major League star against Phil that day. Unfortunately, the inscription has faded before I acquired it, but is slightly darker in person.

image.jpg

[parker1b2]

2nd side of ball

image.jpg

[Huysmans]

Wow, great items guys! Especially love the real early stuff!
Here's my circa 1920's Chicago Cubs chewing Tobacco tin sign. It may be the only surviver. I'd love to hear from any members that have seen another.

Cheers!

[Mountaineer1999]

Originally Posted by packs

Here's another cool one. This is an original Type 1 photo of the moment Joe DiMaggio extended his hitting streak to 56 games:

Cool Picture! The 2nd baseman sure seems slow to react. Looks like he hasn't moved and the ball is headed toward center field.

[Bumpus Jones]

I'd have to say this is one of my most unique items. Rooters heading to The Palace Of The Fans in Cincinnati for Opening Day 1908.

[Bugsy]

I have always really liked this one. The 1927 Yankees played in St. Paul on an off day. Ruth and Gehrig did a lot of barnstorming during the offseason, but I think it is particularly cool that the Yankees came through town during the middle of their 1927 season.

[Exhibitman]

Great McCartney story!

I have a similar story for my item. I think of comedy the way many others think of music. My British Invasion was in the early 1970s when five Brits and a Yank hit the airwaves. Monty Python's Flying Circus. I was smitten. I saw their movies, watched the show religiously, etc. When I heard that the boys were crossing the pond on tour I pestered my parents relentlessly until they agreed to take my 11 year old butt over to the City Center in NYC to see the show. Fast-forward 30 years and a continent away. I am in a book store in Los Angeles one Sunday morning when I hear an unmistakeable voice asking for a new book on Voltaire. Eric Idle. An actual living, breathing Python. I froze like a deer in headlights, which never happened to me before when collecting autographs, but this was a PYTHON. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, always look on the bright side of life, Sir Robin nearly fighting the giant chicken of Bristol, upper class twit of the year, Rutle in chief Eric-freakin'-Idle. My wife snapped me out of it and got me moving my legs over there, where I babbled the usual nonsense about idolizing the Pythons forever and got a signature on the back of my business card. I've gotten some good autographs in person but that one was instantly my favorite. I then commissioned an artist friend to design a custom card around my autograph. And now for something completely different:

[Mark70Z]

Love the auto and the custom card! You know, A nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh?

[almostdone]

I am always hesitant to post in threads like this because my collection is so humble compared to most but thos last year I went on a quest to create a one of one collectible centered around of of the most congenial and humble past players I have ever read about.

I used to do a lot of TTM requests and Carl Erskine went above and beyond in his generosity. I started reading about and researching him and the more I found out the more I liked. I ended up writing to him a few times and he always replied in kind. Once I didn't ask for anything but he still took the time to hand write a three page letter in return. Someone who would do this deserved a special display in my collection.

My wife purchased a smaller display from a fellow board member for me for my birthday which included a photo of Erskine, a index card answering a question regarding the record he set in the 1953 World Series by striking out 14 Yankees (since been broken) as well as a ticket stub from the game.

I found a different, larger photo on line of him that he had already signed and sent it to him to ask if he would inscribe it and write all of the strike out victims around the top edge. He wrote back he was happy to comply.

I made a frame myself and asked another board member, Dave Linardy (Dave's resale shop) if he would help mat the piece since the original one came from him. He was happy to help as well.

Here is the final product which I display proudly in my collection room. Not a lot of monetary value but definitely unique and a great conversation piece.

Hope you enjoy,
Drew

PS. If there is any other Yankee haters out there notice Mantle is listed four times.