I just bought this ball and need help

[5worldseries]

The young guy I bought it from said it was his grandfather's and that he had owned the william penn hotel and got this auto at the all star game . My questions are why would ernie put chi cubs 1970 ?

These guys were all here at the 1959 all star game would it be from then ?
Do these all look right ?
The ball is a national leauge giley ball .


Thanks for the help

[Tao_Moko]

I don't love that Mantle sig. He and Williams have balls out their co signed like yours. Not trying to poopoo anything, just a few things off on the Mantle for me.

Second look just at the Aaron and the "H" is also unusual. He had variations over the years, but that separation doesn't look right to me.

Someone on here can answer with more confidence. I'm no expert. Hope it's real.

[FrankWakefield]

As above, neither am I an expert....

That's a worrisome ball.

I saw the ball, started to post, then didn't. Then I dug out a box that has HOF signed postcards in it... The Aaron signature is not consistent. I too don't like that Mantle signature. The Chi-Cubs 1970... how'd that get on there??? That's a red flag.

I think a bigger flag is the pen. That looks like a fairly modern pen... not a navy blue ballpoint pen from 50 years ago.

2 All Star games in 1959, the first one was in Pittsburg, where that hotel was. His grandfather owned the hotel. I'm 60-something, my Grandfather owned stuff, he passed away 41 years ago... I'm just guessing that its unlikely that a "young guy" would have a grandfather who owned a hotel in 1959. Wiki that.... Sheraton bought that hotel in 1956, sold in in 1968.

I'd think that some of the big mean thug types here on the board (I'm a wimp) should accompany you when you find that "young man" to get your money back. That's the help you need with that ball.

[5worldseries]

He said his great grandfather owned that hotel and he got these signatures.
He was 35 years old as a guess. I am the one that is going with 1959 cause that when the all star game was here ....that's what was confusing to me why ernie banks would put chi cubs 1970 in 1959...the 1970 allstar game was in cinncy which is very close to pgh ....but William's and mantle weren't in the game ?

But all speculation they could have been all different times and places .

[keithsky]

It looks like the 500hr balls that were faked back in the 90's with Williams and Mantle on the sweet spot. I'm not an expert either but doesn't look right.

[5worldseries]

How does this look ? This is a 500 he ball for sure ,thanks for the help

[rand1com]

The Mantle is not authentic on the original posted ball. It is also not a typical 500 home run forgery from the 80's either. They always signed all 11 then living members of the club. The Williams, Banks, Mays, and Mathews are not nearly as bad as the Mantle but I agree they are still suspect. I would do a Beckett "Quick Opinion" for $10 and if they say "Likely not Authentic" as I suspect, you should be able to use that to get your money back.

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by 5worldseries

How does this look ? This is a 500 he ball for sure ,thanks for the help

This one is authentic IMO.

[SteveS]

Banks hit his 500th homer in 1970, so that's probably to what the inscription is referring. The ball on the left is from the HOF's collection, and has a very similar inscription (but with 1977, the year he was inducted). There are too many dissimilarities in the letters and numbers. I also think that Aaron looks very suspect. Never seen a legit one with an "H" like that.

[5worldseries]

Thanks yes looks just like that ....I dont think a counterfeiter would add an extra inscription . Thanks for the help makes sense of the 1970 ...

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by 5worldseries

How does this look ? This is a 500 he ball for sure ,thanks for the help

Are these balls that were signed by all on some occasion, or do they just represent the efforts of various autograph seekers to collect all the signatures?

[FrankWakefield]

No... the Chi Cubs 1970 does not make sense...

A young fellow selling a baseball from the 1959 All Star game where players were at the hotel that his (now) great grandfather owned... that young fellow isn't telling the truth about that baseball with 1970 on it. Besides, if you look at the Wiki article about the hotel, it was always owned by corporations...

It may be an attempt at duplicating a 500 HR club ball, but it isn't a ball from the 1959 All Star game.

[5worldseries]

Thank you for the help, but it seems you did not read the entire thread .

I am the one that thought it was form the 59 All Star game ....NOT the seller.

I was trying to figure out when all those players would be here in Pittsburgh at the same time ...I thought maybe the 59 All Star game ...the only thing the kid said was this was his grandfathers and he owned that hotel ...Which he told me after the sale of the ball .

So to Clarify the seller only knew the ball was his grandfather or great grandfathers I cant remember exactly what he said.

It is now very clear that banks signed this post 1970 and was signifying that he had hit his 500th in 1970 .

[5worldseries]

The Guy I got it from was Jeff Eppley BTW

[Caseyatbat]

Mantle is clubhouse and Mays is secretarial. The rest of the autographs are authentic. This entire ball appears to be signed circa 1970. That is why Banks inscribed it that way. The 1959 All Star story is not true and is likely the sellers best guess for why these players would be together. Happens often.

[5worldseries]

Thanks again the 1959 was my guess not the sellers .