Can anyone tell me when was the last "Charity" game at Yankee Stadium that Ruth would have made an appearance at (not necessarily played in)?
The reason I'm asking is I was offered the ball below on consignment, which comes with a "Letter of Provenance" stating that the ball was originally owned by a police officer working security at a charity game at Yankee Stadium in the 1940's who got Ruth to sign it. No mention of where it has been in the 65+ years since, but before I dismiss the letter as completely worthless, I want to see if it actually disproves the authenticity. The ball itself is a 3-starred Frick which wouldn't have been made earlier than 1946, so it's a fairly narrow window already (and I've already e-mailed Brandon to see if he can see any tells from the ball itself that would narrow the date further).
I would never consider a Ruth signed ball for myself because I'm far from being an expert and I figure there are at least several forgers whose skills outmatch my own, so the risk vs. reward isn't there for me personally. When turning down a consignment though, I'd like to have a better reason to give than, "It scares me." Any help or reassurance is appreciated, and I hope this is at least a fun exercise for anyone who chooses to chime in.
