Would a Matty single signed ball have been O/T in a 1909 net54?

[Archive]

Posted By: Max Weder

From a post on SABR-L, I read that on October 6, 1909 there was a benefit game between the Highlanders and Tigers for the benefit of Sam Crane. A Mathewson signed ball went for $275.

I wonder if the old-timers and vintage collectors in 1909 were thinking: why would anyone have paid $275 for a single signed Matty ball? The inflation calculator at the US Dept of Labour site only goes back to 1913 http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl, ; it shows a price for the ball in 2005 dollars of $5455.56 (without the juice ). A nice bargain in hindsight, at least for the purchaser's heirs.

Max

[Archive]

Posted By: identify7

It seems like a big change in dollar amount, but if you figure out the average annual percentage increase, I think that you can find many other investments which have done better since 1909. Of course, not all of the other options offer the enjoyment of the ball throughout the period.

Edited to add: I am certainly not good at this type of figuring, but my pencil says that the single signed Mathewson ball would have to sell for about 1000x (or $275,000) to be considered a good investment. Not great, good.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Archive]

Posted By: Anson

Nevertheless, I would love to have one.

O/T Mathewson signed baseballs are fine with me

[Archive]

Posted By: tbob

I may not have a T206 Wagner, a Baltimore News Ruth or a Shoeless Joe T210, but I do have that great single signed Mathewson baseball. It is the one item I will never, ever sell at any price.

[Archive]

Posted By: identify7

Of course you are right. The value as a collectible over a one hundred year period can easily outweigh its rate of appreciation; in importance.

If I understand Max's information correctly, the significance of a Mathewson signed ball is the same today as it was in 1909, if the current price for one is $5455.56.

If the ball costs more today than that price, then the ball is more highly valued now than at that time (Matty accomplished quite a bit after 1909, and I would expect his single signed ball to therefore be more highly valued now than in 1909).

If the ball would cost less than $5,455.56 today, then he was more highly thought of then.

I don't know the current price for this collectible. Do any of you?

[Archive]

Posted By: Julie Vognar

justifiably so. Matty was alive, pitching, and capable of signing many more balls at the time, hadn't set all the records he set, and hadn't become a war hero (in a quiet sort of way) and died prematurely in 1925...

Someone once posted a baseball that was covered in T205s, most prominently Matty ones, and I think included an autograph from him. I'll try to dig it out of my files, but--hey, if you're still around, please post it again!


Found it! Now, if I can only find the name of the poster...O.K. tbob, 'fess up!

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

That's a really beautiful ball that Julie posted. It's card related, autographed, and a piece of folk art all in one. Can't do better than that.

[Archive]

Posted By: tbob

Hi Julie, yes that belongs to me. A cut autograph of Matty was pasted on the baseball back in the 'teens. What is really neat about this folk art ball is the ball has a 205 Matty pasted on front but lots of 205s, 206s and 207s pasted in the other areas, overlapping but still having great eye appeal. I bought this in a Robert Edwards auction a long time ago. In the same auction were the other balls the creator "made" with cut sigs and cards pasted over the ball. I seem to remember the other 3 or 4 were also HOFers, Evers possibly, maybe Speaker, can't remember the rest. The balls went for around $750-1000 each which at the same time seemed like a lot of money but Matty is my guy so I took the plunge.
The ball looks much more beautiful than the scan, I plopped it in an old scanner to try and get a decent image.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Bob- That's a really neat ball and I remember about 10-12 years ago seeing all of them together at the original owner's house. I too forget the details but they all had cards glued on an each was autographed. They are so creative.

[Archive]

Posted By: david

tbob, please post more images that ball is awesome. i would like to see the other balls if anyone has pictures. do you remember the auction date? i might have the catalog and can look them up there

[Archive]

Posted By: Bruce Babcock

Great treasure, Bob.

[Archive]

Posted By: Julie Vognar

John Wonkaticket's T206s, David Rudd's "lifer" bat from a prinson in Maine, Jay Miller's Anson portrait (with autograph on the back)--(I believe Jay posted later that the photo had been stolen, before he bought it!), Ben's stolen cards, Hal's Boston Store Jackson--and Tbob's Matty ball.

So once in a while I haul one of these scans out and post it...would you all prefer that I asked permission first, or is giving credit enough?

[Archive]

Posted By: tbob

Julie- as far as I am concerned you can always post any scan I put on the board without asking first. I enjoy viewing your scans and have no problem with you or others enjoying mine.
Bob