The First Ever Baseball Memorabilia Auction?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Picked up an old newspaper at an auction today and was looking at the sports section when I ran across the following article. The paper is the Chicago Sunday Tribune from February 25, 1917.



Sorry if you can't read what it says -Imageshack automatically reduced my scan and I don't know how to make it not do that. The gist of the story is the sale of Harry Wright's baseball memorabilia -from his first uniform in Cincy to trophy balls, scarlet caps, rosewood trophy bats, score books and a rubber tooth protector worn by Doug Allison before the invention of the catcher's mask. Nearly the whole collection was purchased by William Kennett Jr the son of the president of the old Reds. Garry Hermann the owner of the Reds in 1917 thought that the items should go to the organization, but he apparently didn't pony up enough cash to acquire the items. Unfortunately the article doesn't say how much any of the stuff sold for.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

During WWII, there was an auction of a team signed football with the proceeds to go towards the US war effort. A businessman placed the winning bid of about $1 million, which is still the record for team signed ball. Can't recall the team, but it was a big time NFL or college team.

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Posted By: JimB

Wow. That is very cool. Does anybody know where the uniform or any of the other items mentioned are today?
JimB

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Posted By: barrysloate

That article is simply terrific- I was part of a group that bought all the scorebooks in 1990. That is still one of my hobby highlights and this sheds some light on how they came into the public domain. I love it!