Show your vintage baseballs (this thread was tricky to title)

[John V]

I know little about vintage baseballs. Would like to see what some of you have. In particular, what did a ball look like from the T205/T206 days.

[perezfan]

A few of mine... pre-T206 and pre-1900s...

[FUBAR]

I bet the one in the top left would be tough to snag a fly on... that thing would dance in the air! Im saying this very tongue in cheek but " you sir, have beautiful balls"

[yanks12025]

Just picked this one up, i also dont know much about vintage baseballs. So can someone tell me what years they used red and blue stitching, i now it ended sometime in the 1930s.. Thanks

[mjkm90]

[vintagesportscollector]

Now may be a good time to see if you all can help me solve a mystery. I have this trophy ball from 1936 between what I am guessing is two schools. It was a twelve inning game. On the ball is written 12 numbers, which I would guess correspond to the twelve innings: 4-0-1-5-2-0-40-4-7-3?-15-2. I can't figure out what these numbers could pertain to. Anyone have any idea?

[olsport]

1890 Penn vs Lehigh Trophy Ball

Sterling plated 1909 American League Ball TrophyTop

This one has the most character to me because it has the brown tobbaco colored staining all over it, as mentioned in Glory of there Times, and other historic accounts, where the players would pass the ball around, and spit tobacco juice all over the ball, to make it harder for the batter to see and hit. It has alternating black and white stitching.
The hand is a porcelain cast I had made of my own hand to hold baseballs.

[Rawlings]

One of my favorite topics! I don't know what years would be considered vintage, but I'll just share my entire gallery regardless. This includes about a dozen or more that aren't actually mine, but most folks will be able to see the difference between photos I took of my collection, and photos from other members or sources:

http://photos.bigleaguebaseballs.com/

Regarding the question on red/blue on baseballs, for the AL, this supposedly ended in '34. But that isn't the case for non-officials, many manufacturers continued using different colors for years I believe. That ball pictured, if there aren't any discernible stamps, could easily be from a number of other manufacturers.

[vintagesportscollector]

Rawlings - What a wonderful resource for baseballs reference. Thanks for sharing.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by John V

I know little about vintage baseballs. Would like to see what some of you have. In particular, what did a ball look like from the T205/T206 days.

Here is the game ball from a 13-inning game pitched by Chief Bender (Phila Athletics) and Russ Ford (NY Highlanders) at Hilltop Park on 25 April 1912.
The ball was inscribed by Bender.

[jpop43]

Too many to try and post individually, so here is a link to our site and dozens of images of vintage baseballs...kind of a main focus of our collection.
http://www.dugouttreasures.com/product.cfm?sID=7

[D. Broughman]

Most of you have seen this one before but I love to show it. The pin and picture are not mine but I would love to have them

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by vintagesportscollector

Rawlings - What a wonderful resource for baseballs reference. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much! Hope it can be useful for collectors. I definitely lean towards newer balls right now just because of cost, but I'm doing my best to get the older AL/NL ones in there as well.

[Rawlings]

Jpop - Great site, I've come across it before while researching. That's an incredible vintage collection there! I believe I may have emailed you before to request permission for pictures... can't remember for sure. Or maybe I asked if you had any for sale!

Anyway the site is really nice as well, great layout.

[william_9]

These are vintage style base balls. They're made by me personally. I researched each style individually and created a custom leather and stitch pattern for each particular style of ball. I also make reproductions of 19th and early 20th century gloves. Everything has my company name on it.

Amateur ball, this style dates to the 1860's and is typical of the first style of "manufactured" base balls. This style originated in NYC and would have been used by the first amateur teams in the area.



League ball, this style dates to the 1870's and 1880's. It was the first style of ball to be made in a base ball factory. The first professional teams would have used a ball of this style.



The American Association, aka the "Beer and Whiskey League" used a ball like this during their short existence from 1882-1891. The construction is slightly different than the League ball.



Professional Dead Ball, similar in style to the League ball.



Professional League ball, same style and construction as would have been made for use in the Major Leagues, circa 1910. The ball pictured is stitched in the National League style, Red and Black with Black stamping. The American League style is similar, Red and Blue stitching with Blue stamping.



Federal League ball. As everyone knows, they only existed for two seasons, 1914 and 1915. They used a ball like this.

[Rawlings]

Those baseballs are incredible William, first time I've seen the larger pics of them. Gotta get a few soon!

[FUBAR]

I expect to see one of those balls auto'd by Mantle and one by Ruth in the next Coach's corner auction, of course complete with cert by Chris Morales!

[william_9]

Well, at the very least, you can rest assured knowing when it was signed. All of my baseballs have my logo which includes my year of establishment, 2009. As a collector, I share those same concerns, hence the markings.

[khkco4bls]

here are a whole bunch, including a six sided lemon peel.

[khkco4bls]

and some more.

[khkco4bls]

last 2.

[perezfan]

That 6-sided Lemon Peel is too cool. Must be the nicest lemon peel I have ever seen! Has anyone else seen (or heard of) another example?

Great posts!

[perezfan]

Khkco4bls...

Can you post the 2 figural pieces that partially made it into the photos? The first is a statue in photo #5 that got cut off around the waist. The second is the yellow, green and black painted figural that barely appears on the extreme right side of the last few photos.

I would be very eager/curious to see full images of both- they look like rare and terrific items, and that's just way too much of a tease. Kinda like seeing about a quarter inch of Pamela Anderson's clevage... thanks!

[brandoningram]

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I got this ball on ebay for $12. 1922 St.Petersburg The Boston Braves had their spring training in St.Petersburg Fla. in 1922. I can just see the BA in Ban and the JOH in Johnson for the Pres. stamp . Can make out the Official American League Baseball on the ball too. Also came with a pretty sweet cork ball with multi-coloured stitching as well.