Signed Vintage MLB 1950’s Baseball with over a dozen signatures - what is it?
 

I have a vintage National league Spalding baseball from I believe the 1950’s with over a dozen signatures on it. This ball was my grandfather’s until,he passed about 24 years ago. He occupied a nationally known, well respected role in his day and this ball was likely presented to him as a gift from someone in Major League Baseball back in that day. It looks like it may have been a very lightly used game ball and maybe a team signature set, or a special event ball, etc.

Many (10-12) of the signatures are difficult to decipher because of the handwriting, but several others have been identified including:

Andy Pafko
Mickey Owen
Billy Bruton
Sid Hudson
Lou Perini
Dr. Charles Lack

Can anyone help in determining the rest of the signatures and explain what this ball represents and how it came to be signed with these names?

Thank you in advance for any help provided.

1954 Braves
 

At first glance it appears to be mostly 1954 Milwaukee Braves players' (and team doctor Charles Lack and owner Lou Perini's) signatures. We can narrow the year down to 1954 because George Metkovich was with the Braves for only the 1954 season. I didn't see Hank's signature. I hope that I just missed it. I am not sure why the ball also shows Mickey Owen and Hoot Ever's signatures. These two never played for the Braves in Milwaukee. Initially, I thought it may have been signed during Spring Training and the person had access to multiple teams, but it still doesn't explain the presence of Hoot Ever's ink. Maybe someone else has the answer?

Milwaukee and Boston played March 14th 1954. Aaron's first spring training start. Possibly from that game as it would explain the 2 other sigs.

Agreed, mostly '54 Braves. Also noticed Roy Smalley and Eddie Matthews signatures, and like Metkovich, Smalley only played for the Braves in a single season, 1954. So maybe more verification as well of that date when signed.

However, also saw what looks a signature of George Kell, not the HOFer, but a later namesake that played in the majors. But like Mickey Owen and Hoot Evers, this Kell never played for the Braves in Milwaukee either. But, Owens, Evers, and Kell all did play for the Boston Red Sox in 1954, at least to start the 1954 season. Both Evers and Kell finished the 1954 season with different teams, the Tigers and White Sox, respectively.

Since the Braves used to play in Boston, initially thought this may have to do with a Boston event both teams attended. But since the Braves moved to Milwaukee after the '52 season, and as pointed out already that Smalley and Metkovich both only played for the Braves in '54, the dates/years don't line up for that. Also, sort of reinforcing the connection of this ball to the Braves AND the Red Sox, along with it being from 1954, is the additional fact that Mickey Owen only played a single season with the Red Sox, 1954.

So, question for the OP. Since the Braves and Red Sox both played in Boston at one time, did your grandfather have any connection or affiliation with the city of Boston back around this time, or ever? If not, what about with Milwaukee? If there is no specific event these two teams can be tied to otherwise, is it possible the ball was signed during a 1954 Spring training game between the two teams? In 1954 the Braves trained in Bradenton, Florida, and the Red Sox in Sarasota, Florida, only about 12-13 miles apart. Couldn't find anything on who the Braves may have played in Spring training that year, but being that close to each other and in different leagues, want to bet they played at least a Spring training game or two against one another?

And since Aaron was a relatively unknown and unproven rookie at that time, no one may have even thought or bothered to get his signature on the ball, or maybe he wasn't even in or at the particular game this signed ball may have come from. Though at the Brave's 1954 Spring training, Aaron was still on a Braves minor league team roster and didn't actually sign a major league contract till the last day of Spring training.

Didn't come across any info on who (and when) the Braves played in Spring training that year, and was still typing when Crownsports posted that they did play the Red Sox on March 14, 1954. And if correct, Aaron was in fact at and in that game. Bobby Thompson, the Braves starting left fielder, had broken his ankle the day before during a game on 3/13/54, while sliding into second base. Aaron ended up starting and playing for the first time ever for the major league club in the game the next day, on March 14, 1954.

If it turns out that is the same game this signed ball ended up coming from, then it is a real damn shame no one got Aaron's signature on this ball.

And additionally, in looking back at the ball, also noted Jimmy Piersall had signed it. He was playing for the Red Sox in '54 as well. The OP can probably identify any other signatures on that ball by looking at the Braves and Red Sox rosters from 1954.

That's actually the HOFer's autograph on the ball. I know of no other George Kell who played in the Majors.

It's interesting to note that both Evers and Kell started out 1954 with the Red Sox before being traded to other teams.

I haven't really examined this ball to offer any further insight. Sorry.

ETA: The pics are really small, but I saw Sid Hudson staring me down as I scrolled past just now. Another '54 BoSox member. And above him...again, the photo is minuscule, but the formation of the last name "Brown" is strongly reminiscent of Hal "Skinny" Brown, also with Boston that season. It has to be him, but those photos are so tiny.

Wow, my thanks to all of the contributors to this treasure trove of knowledge and information. My apologies for the poor pics, I will take more and try to do better.
I’ll post those tomorrow.

Looks like it has Danny O'Connell and Karl Olson as well.

I’ve added some additional pics of the ball. As some have suggested, this mat we’ll be a spring training ball, and my grandfather had no connection to Boston, he might have vacationed once or twice in Florida. I’ve tried to look for any signature that looks like it could be Hank Aaron’s, and apparently the earliest signed balls from him in 1953/1954 he signed as “Henry” not Hank. I see one possible Henry under Sid Hudson’s signature, but the last name looks like Brown, not Aaron.

If this ball is from the March 14, 1954 spring training game, and Aaron perhaps played his 1st game with a major league team game that day, that would be quite interesting.

As noted, the one under Hudson is indeed Hal "Skinny" Brown, but you do have a Henry Aaron by the looks of it! It's at the top of the final photo you posted.

Wow, I think you may be right! I was fixated on looking at that other Hal Brown signature. And it would make more sense. On closer inspection the other signature does look like it might be Hank Aaron’s, it’s a bit faded but the H in Henry appears to have matching similarities to the early “Henry” signatures shown on the internet.

Could it really be?

Here are two better pics of that signature:

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that signature is of Henry Aaron. While the signature I am going to point out is a facsimile of Aaron's signature. Take a look at Aaron's 1954 Topps Rookie Card and look at how the signature is presented. The formation of the H is spot on. If this ball is in fact from that day. You have yourself a diamond in the rough!

It looks as though it really is Henry on the ball. Amazing! Now, exactly when that 1954 game was played is really becoming interesting:

Here is an article on the 1954 spring training games and Henry Aaron’s first start and apparently, first home run in the majors - a spring training game on March 10th, 1954 - against the Red Sox - a game Ted Williams would have been at if not for an injury!

Is this the game my grandfather’s ball came from?

This author claims some controversy or stories that may have gotten confused over the years. Fascinating.

I have no idea.

Article:

http://matttavaresbooks.blogspot.com...ons-first.html

+1

So, it appears the ball has several hall of fame signatures on it, including Henry Aaron. It also, through deduction appears to be from a spring trading game on either on March 10th, 1954, or March 14, 1954, in which Henry Aaron made his first appearance in the majors (albeit spring training) and hit his first home run in the majors.

I guess I may never know the circumstances in which my grandfather acquired this ball unless there’s someone out there connected to it, but it’s neat to find out that it has some real significance.

Thank you to all of the forum members who have contributed thus far to helping identify this ball.

The Red Sox and Braves played in 5 additional exhibition games in 1954 before the start of the season. One in WV, one in KY and 3 in Milwaukee.

So far I have been able to collect verified dates on 5 of 6 known preseason games in 1954 between the Red Sox and the Braves:

1) March 10, 1954 - Florida - Henry Aaron’s first major league game
2) April 7, 1954 - Bluefield, West Virginia - spring exhibition
3) Louisville, KY - spring exhibition - no date confirmed
4) April 9, 1954 - County Stadium, Milwaukee
5) April 10, 1954 - County Stadium, Milwaukee
6) April 11, 1954 - County Stadium, Milwaukee


My ball has no Ted Williams signature and he wasn’t at the March 10th game, and unfortunately he wasn’t at any of these other games because he didn’t return to play until May 15. So unless he traveled with the team without playing, I can’t use his signature absence to pinpoint the game my ball came from.

Are there other player absenses after March 10th from the group of signatures on this ball?

Any other ideas on how to pin down the date?