December Pickups
 

OK, I'm jumping the gun a bit, but it's the last day in November & I thought I would kick off the December thread.
This post could be either on the memorabilia or autograph side, so I made a corporate decision to put it over here.
I recently picked up a neat 1967 signed piece that I think is pretty cool.

Two avid baseball fans decided to catch several baseball games in NY and Pittsburgh on a road trip during the week of July 4th.
Four games in 5 days- sounds like fun! :)
They started off the trip in NY and were fortunate enough to catch HOF'er Tom Seaver in his rookie season, who pitched on Monday, July 3rd and got his 7th career win.
"Tom Terrific" went on to win the 1967 Rookie of the Year Award.

While visiting NYC to attend this game, the fans both apparently stayed at The Hotel Manhattan.
As luck would have it, they must have run into both HOF Sandy Koufax and baseball broadcaster Bob Murphy at the hotel, because they managed to have both of them sign their hotel luggage tag.
Their baseball tickets and signed Hotel Manhattan luggage tag help tell an interesting story, a mini time capsule of sorts...

In 1967, Sandy Koufax signed a 10-year contract with NBC for US$1 million ($7,300,000 today) to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week (source: Wikipedia).
NBC's headquarters is NYC, not far from Hotel Manhattan, and it's very possible that Koufax was in town discussing or signing this contract.

Covering this Mets game was Bob Murphy, the main broadcasting voice of the Mets beginning in 1962, their inaugural season. Bob Murphy had an outstanding broadcasting career that spanned over 50 years with the Mets and was a recipient of the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award in 1994 by the Hall of Fame. He also was inducted into the Mets HOF in 1984.

December pickups
 

Great find and great story, Scott. Thanks for sharing!

Charles

Love it Scott.

Great start to December Scott.
One question though.
Is that Bob Murphy a different Bob Murphy than the one who was a Mets announcer from 1962 until 2003?
I thought Mel Allen did This Week in Baseball.

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Hi Mark,
Thanks for correcting me. Bob Murphy, was in fact the Voice of the Mets, & I changed my description in the post.

Sure. I just wanted to make sure, as i did not know if there were two Bob Murphys.

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Scott, great piece and signature, I'm jealous. I know that Koufax signed the NBC contract in December 1966 because I have the contract, which is dated "as of December 15", and was announced on December 29, 1966. It actually is a personal services contract, more than just the Game of the Week, which may explain his being in NY then. The quoted $100,000/year is based upon Koufax doing a lot of appearances and developing different programs, most of which never happened as Koufax wasn't comfortable in front of the camera.

Rick

Joe Jackson Photo
 

Being a Joe Jackson fan always on the lookout for his or Black Sox related items. Was able to acquire the enclosed Jackson photo via trade and quite happy it came back as an original/type 1 item from PSA. With the back stamp placing it as Sept. 29`th 1920 I think it was taken during Joe`s initial grand jury testimony were he actually admitted getting 5 K from gambler`s representatives. Also, have to thank fellow 54`ers "Forever young" and Black Betsy, Ben and Mike, for their extremely valuable input. Their help made me a more knowledgeable/confident negotiator and reminds me why I enjoy the forum so much. Keep the pieces coming guys, never get tired of seeing and reading about the board`s newest acquisitions. Hang tough......Murph

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/25/3c...9deeaede67.jpg

Thanks Rick & I appreciate the specific additional information about the nature of his 1967 contract with NBC. BTW, the contract info that I included in my post came directly from Wikipedia, but I obviously I trust your knowledge of the subject much more since Koufax is your major collecting focus.
I spent some time on the internet early this morning digging into Koufax's broadcasting career.

When I read Wikipedia's info on this topic it was obvious to me that Koufax was not in town to do a Saturday Game of the Week broadcast since the date that the luggage ticket was signed seemed to align with the game played on Monday, July 3rd.

This had me ponder why Koufax would be in NYC & I believe that you helped answer that for me. Possibly a personal appearance...
I'm wondering if perhaps Koufax and Bob Murphy got together at the hotel to discuss his new career in broadcasting?
From all that I've read, Murphy was a highly regarded, popular broadcaster.
Perhaps Sandy was looking to gain some broadcasting advice from Bob Murphy. I guess we will never know, but it's still cool to consider, nevertheless...

Great stuff Scott! Love the J.J. Murph! I just got this Horner Mathewson for my Matty collection. Used for the 1912 Philly Mfg. Base Ball Game (not mine) It's small but I love the image.

Hey Paul, hope all`s well. Nice Christy item sir, what would you estimate his age was during that shot ? Have seen that in-door board game before and it certainly covers the stars of the day, and then some. Beautiful piece, any chance you one day land one ? Bye the way, been a while since viewing your collection, really like the photos and your Matty collection is a MUST see for all. Happy hunting...….Murph

Amazing Matty Horner. Is it mounted? What's the size?

Thanks Peter & Charles.
Scott

Thanks Murph and Jeff. It's slightly smaller than 3 x 2 inches and trimmed from the full image(I'd love to have seen that!). I'd maybe guess late 20's as his age. (1909-1910). The stamp that I can see on the back comes from his later studio in Boston at Huntington Ave. which he moved to in 1911 as far as I can tell. Yes Murph, I'd love to add that game to my collection someday!

Flea Market finds
 

Back to the flea market again this past Sunday and found two oversized photo reprints of boxers Tunney and Dempsey. Not sure what they were used for but they were in a group of period (1920’s and ‘30’s) actors, politicians, musicians and gangsters and have some age to them.

Also found two Montreal Maroons and one NY Rangers beehive-like photo cards. I am not sure what they the Maroons are as they don’t have the facsimile signatures and have a type face name on the border; and 1949, 50 and 1951 Baseball Digests with Feller and DiMaggio.

December
 

This spoke right up to me at the recent November 16th Chicago show! My birthday....coinciding with this calendar.....right month---right year! Had to buy it....and then frame it....now on the wall in the sports room.

I always loved the Curious Case of Sidd Finch. I was very pleased to add this original 35mm slide shot by SI photographer Lane Stewart. I think it captures the essence of Hayden Siddhartha "Sidd" Finch.

Love Sidd Finch!! Nice pickup Mike!

That’s cool. Do you know where they did the photo shoot?

Picked up this 1927 A's photo with Gleason Speaker Cobb Wheat and Mack.

Rob I have no idea where the photo shoot occurred. Kenny that's a very cool photo. Either those A's were undersized or Mack was very tall for a catcher.

Mack was a tall catcher!
 

Although Baseball reference lists both Connie Mack and Ty Cobb as 6' 1" tall, other sources list Mack at 6' 2".

Kid Gleason is listed at 5' 7" tall. Eddie Collins was 5' 9". Zack Wheat was listed at 5' 10 " tall.

Based on the fact that the photo has Mack towering over the other players, makes me suspect that perhaps he is standing on the higher end of an incline.

Patrick

Recent pickup to add to my hometown collection, Paterson, NJ

A couple new pick ups for my World Series collection....

Got this in Mile High last night...to go with my SB I stub.

Over the weekend, from the Goldin Auction I picked up a "Richter's History of Records of Baseball" inscribed in 1914 by Francis Richter to Roy A. Thomas, who was more than a journeyman (in my opinion) center fielder for the Phillies from 1898 through 1911 (with a end of year stint for the Pirates in 1908 and a year with the Boston Doves in 1909), who then coached with Penn, where he had played collegiate ball. The lot included a photo of him in his Penn uniform. I am searching to see if there is a base ball of any type for him. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!!

Picked this 1928 Thorne photo Coveleski as NYY from Rhett Yeakley.

Another pickup for my Mets minor league program collection,

1964 Buffalo Bisons

Cool, Jim!
Odds are we were at that game, and odds are even better the Diamond Herd lost...

Three rivers stadium groundbreaking shovel
 

Three rivers stadium ground breaking shovel 1968

That’s cool! Should be a photo out there of the event to put with it.

Picked up this Fatima advertising piece in LOTG auction. Was surprised how big it is . I put an 8x10 with it to show the size

Normally I loath anything remotely related to yard work. However, I was awfully tempted by that shovel. Great pick up, I m more than a bit jealous. In the listing it stated, "THE MEANS IN WHICH THIS SHOVEL WAS OBTAINED WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE WINNING BIDDER ONLY." Can you share the shovels provenance?

I had been watching it for a while and finally pulled the trigger. It came from Joe O'Toole family

The baseball Hall in its infancy.
 

Just picked up this letter. Signed by AL president William Harridge, it was very reasonable. Really like the content. Notice the last sentence of the letter.

Here's the link to the page that features the letter.

Nice one, Jim! Very cool. :)

Famous Ryan vs. Ventura fight signed game used dugout card 8/4/93 @ TEX
 

I've owned this game used White Sox dugout card (9" x 15") from the famous 1993 Ryan vs. Ventura fight game for a couple of years now. The plan all along has been to get it signed by both Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura.

Today I received it back from a Ventura private signing in So Cal & it looks great. :cool:
Ventura has notoriously shied away from signing anything associated with this game, so this is a definite win.
One down and Nolan Ryan to go...

This dugout card joins the home and away signed umpire lineup cards from the same game that I own as well.
I managed to find both of them at the National in Chicago 10-15 years ago. I'd love to find the Texas home dugout card from this game to complete the set.

That's a NEAT piece, Scott!

Just picked this up.

Football player Bert Gould postcard to relative. Love this personal stuff. Card reads "Glad, injured leg with Cinn. -released Monday AM- signed Mon. nite by wire with Paterson N.J. Giants. Leg is better- receiving treatment. Am staying at the YMCA nice place -all new- Have a nice schedule will play in Reading Pa -write- Bert
Paterson N.J. YMCA Room 403."
Postmarked Sept 14, 1933

He got like six hits off Nolan that day. :p

I picked up this 7" x 8" photo because I recognized it as the image used on the Giants 1959 program/scorecard. I don't normally collect photos. Can someone please tell me what this photo would be categorized as?

Wire photo, Rob.
Merry Christmas,
Scott

How many of this particular image would likely exist?

Connie Mack Day ribbon from July 10, 1934 when the Athletics manager was celebrated in Brookfield, MA his hometown. I am interested in finding other items from this day - photos, ticket stubs, program, etc.

The ribbon has an 'N' for North Brookfield which is a separate town from Brookfield which is a bit confusing. Even though he was born in Brookfield the area where he was born was incorporated as the Town of East Brookfield in 1920. If you drive down Rte 9, which is more of a local road this far west, you will find Connie Mack Drive near the center of town. I used to drive past it regularly when I lived in Worcester about 18 miles to the east. Using newspaper sights you may find articles in the Worcester Telegram or Worcester Gazette. Sturbridge to the south or Ware to the west may have also had papers. Additionally the East Brookfield Public Library has a website which you can find on the towns website.

Unfortunately the land records for Worcester county are only searchable by name online back to 1961. If it went back further I could probably give the exact location of his parents house.

Thanks Scott for the great purchase! Mordecai Brown showing off his hand in early 1916. What I liked it that this is the earliest non team picture of the 1916 cubs I've been able to find. They are the first team to play in what is now Wrigley Field. Brown and Lavender are wearing the 15 whales uniforms but its confirmed as 1916 not only because of the date but because Jimmy Lavender wasn't on the 1915 team. Wish I could tell where they are playing. Perhaps spring training?Attachment 338884

December pick up
 

So this is a sort of "mystery" mini baseball bat....Its markings date it to somewhere between 1894-1901. (confirmed by the historian at the Louisville Slugger bat factory). It is 14 inches in length. High quality wood....been in a private collection since 1988. It has an early ink transfer to the center label instead of engraving. "Bud" Hillerich (SON) joined the company in 1897. The company moved away from 216 First St. to a new location on Finzer St. in 1901. I have never seen a bat similar to this produced by the Hillerich and Bradsby Company. Don't think it is a souvenir bat. My guess is perhaps a salesman sample which was taken around to sporting good stores to encourage future sales. Any other ideas/comments are welcome here. Thanks.

I had a full size bat just like this with the green ring too. Sold it a couple years back. Had a huge handle and was prett heavy.

Thanks....was not ever aware that H and B ever produced "ring" bats.

Federal league season pass
 

Picked this up recently