Interesting interviews regarding authenticity of the 4.4 mil Babe Ruth jersey

[travrosty]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/audio/86...y-may-21-2012/


scroll down to the bottom (May 21 interviews) - Interesting interviews by Mike Francesa with Mr. Kohler from SCP and then Dave Grob from Mears regarding the authenticity of the record breaking Babe Ruth jersey. Francesca needs a 5 hour energy I think.

Listen to the Kohler interview first as it was chronologically first.

[GKreindler]

Great post, Travis. I normally listen to WFAN on a daily basis, but wasn't around at all yesterday to do so. And of course, that happens on the one day that Mike decides to talk about this kind of stuff.

Regardless of how entertaining this was, I still miss his former partner, Chris Russo.

Graig

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by GKreindler

Great post, Travis. I normally listen to WFAN on a daily basis, but wasn't around at all yesterday to do so. And of course, that happens on the one day that Mike decides to talk about this kind of stuff.

Regardless of how entertaining this was, I still miss his former partner, Chris Russo.

Graig

The "Dog" added a lot of energy to the show.

Francesa isn't big on autographs and memorabilia. I usually try to catch an hour or two of Francesa. I missed it, too.

[Splinte1941]

The fact that Grob can't go back before 2004 as far as the jersey's whereabouts is curious at best. Who gave it to the Babe Ruth museum? Where did that person obtain it? Shouldn't that be fairly easy to ascertain? Wow wee.

[Splinte1941]

It's actually frightening that Kohler's answer to Francesa's question is MEARS. In reality no one alive can guarantee Ruth ever even saw that jersey. Not MEARS, not anyone. No one.

There's no answer to the question, because there really is no answer. If that makes any sense.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

It's actually frightening that Kohler's answer to Francesa's question is MEARS. In reality no one alive can guarantee Ruth ever even saw that jersey. Not MEARS, not anyone. No one.

There's no answer to the question, because there really is no answer. If that makes any sense.

I have to politely disagree. When there are photos of players wearing jerseys I think they can (sometimes) be matched with a 100% certainty. They are like fingerprints. I don't know if there was a photo match of this jersey with Ruth wearing it or not.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Leon

I have to politely disagree. When there are photos of players wearing jerseys I think they can (sometimes) be matched with a 100% certainty. They are like fingerprints. I don't know if there was a photo match of this jersey with Ruth wearing it or not.

Leon, you can't be saying that you're trusting a photograph as your fundamental piece of evidence that a jersey is authentic, are you? With all due respect, the analogy between a photograph and a fingerprint is IMHO lunacy. 100% certainty? You wouldn't bet money on it.

How does anyone know that Ruth's name wasn't stitched into another jersey?

I just can't believe that the person who spent $4.4 million on that item can sleep at night with the explanation provided by Grob. I'm sorry, I just can't.

[GKreindler]

He really did, Christopher. They were both so different and had a great dynamic together. At first, when Mike had started things on his own, he was talking about how he would have another co-host at some point, but I guess it never panned out.

He can definitely do the show himself, but sometimes, it can have a harsh edge to it.

And of course, I'm saying this out of love, because I still tune in everyday.

Graig

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by GKreindler

He really did, Christopher. They were both so different and had a great dynamic together. At first, when Mike had started things on his own, he was talking about how he would have another co-host at some point, but I guess it never panned out.

He can definitely do the show himself, but sometimes, it can have a harsh edge to it.

And of course, I'm saying this out of love, because I still tune in everyday.

Graig

Boy, Graig,

Wow! "Harsh edge" is a polite way of putting it.

I know Dave Kohler pretty well and I don't think that Mike ever gave him a chance to speak. He was absolutely steam rolled in this so called interview. Kohler tried to let Mike know that he is the auction house, not the authenticator.

The process questions that he asked appropriately should have gone to the authenticator from the beginning, but he was hell bent to get his answers even if the person that he was asking wasn't the right person to ask, IMHO...

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

Leon, you can't be saying that you're trusting a photograph as your fundamental piece of evidence that a jersey is authentic, are you? With all due respect, the analogy between a photograph and a fingerprint is IMHO lunacy. 100% certainty? You wouldn't bet money on it.

How does anyone know that Ruth's name wasn't stitched into another jersey?

I just can't believe that the person who spent $4.4 million on that item can sleep at night with the explanation provided by Grob. I'm sorry, I just can't.

Absolutely. Not pertaining to this Ruth jersey, as I stated. I don't know if there was a photo match or not.

If there is a high res photo you can see the seams on jerseys and individual and unique patterns of threads, dirt, smudges etc.... I think anyone that doesn't understand this probably doesn't know what they are talking about.

AND THE analogy was that a jersey or mitt or hat is unique and that is similar to a fingerprint which is also unique. And yes, I would bet money on certain items being photo matched and the same.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Leon

Absolutely. Not pertaining to this Ruth jersey, as I stated. I don't know if there was a photo match or not.

If there is a high res photo you can see the seams on jerseys and individual and unique patterns of threads, dirt, smudges etc.... I think anyone that doesn't understand this probably doesn't know what they are talking about.

AND THE analogy was that a jersey or mitt or hat is unique and that is similar to a fingerprint which is also unique. And yes, I would bet money on certain items being photo matched and the same.

Not a difficult concept Leon, but its 100% conjecture unless there's a strong identifying mark, like a tear or smudge. And even then...

I guess if I wanted to spend $4.4m on a jersey I would personally need a better explanation and more facts than what was told to Francesa in that interview. That's all. Leland's bought the jersey and they will sell it to someone who will accept MEARS as gospel and that's fine.

[batsballsbases]

Originally Posted by Leon

I have to politely disagree. When there are photos of players wearing jerseys I think they can (sometimes) be matched with a 100% certainty. They are like fingerprints. I don't know if there was a photo match of this jersey with Ruth wearing it or not.

I have to agree with Leon maybe not 100% but photo matching is a very strong tool in identification of Jerseys. A fellow board member sent me these pics when I stated That I had a Munson Game used world series Jersey. (Thanks Brock) He was able to photo match it to games 2,5,6 of the 77 series. Reggie's 3 home run game. It might not be 100% as nothing is but it is usefull.