Beckett Authenticating Goof:
 

It says Roger Maris Jr right on the label

Wow. My opinion of Beckett just plummeted. Can't put much stock in anything they authenticate from this point forward. What a joke.

Maris died in 1985, and the card has a copyright date of 2001.

Just how dumb are they?

Maris does have a kid, Roger Maris Jr. I think Beckett may have gotten it right and his son signed his dad’s card. That said, I have no idea what Jr. autograph looks like.

Yep, that's his son who signed it, no error on Beckett's part here.

Why?

Just why?

Because someone paid them to.

I've seen Mantle cards signed by his sons

Maybe not so much an error, but very poor labeling, if you want to get technical. The card itself, 2001 Fleer GOTG #45 is not picturing Roger Maris Jr, as the label would have you believe.

The card is of Maris (Sr) and the signature presumably is of Jr. The label could state that better or more clearly.

Its a reach, but there is some truth to it as well for those who want to be precise/accurate.

While it might technically be accurate, the potential for fraud or deception is so high they really shouldn’t be slabbing something like this without a huge “Not THE Roger Maris” disclaimer in huge letters somewhere (or something similar).

In fact, except in exceptional circumstances why are they even grading cards of players autographed by completely different people in the first place?

I mean, if they are slabbing this then what is to prevent someone with the same name as a famous athlete (bet there are a lot of people named “Michael Jordan” out there for example) signing cards of that athlete and getting it slabbed as authentic?

This is just stupid.

Kind of Like...........
 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ksoAA...5f/s-l1600.jpg

another technically accurate but somewhat misleading item...... Pete Best who was dumped from the Beatles put this album out in 1966 titled "Best of the Beatles" which included no Beatles songs LOL

I don't really think the threat of fraud looms large here. The label is a label for a reason. it's meant to be read. It clearly lists who signed the card and I don't really know why anyone who collects Roger Maris wouldn't already be aware he died almost 40 years ago and that this card was not signed by the subject.