1930's Debut Year Baseball Autographs, MOST RARE

[steve B]

Originally Posted by travrosty

Some times it is because that they were never asked for their autograph because they played in only a few games. It is amazing how family members won't have any autographs because it all gets thrown away. Family members frequently say that they never thought to save any autographs, because it their dad, who asks their dad for an autograph?

minnesota boxers art lasky and charley retzlaff have similar stories. family members don't have their autographs because they just simply didnt think of it to save any because they had no idea autographs would be worth money in the future.

Dad wasn't a ball player or anything.
Oddly, one thing we bought for him was a 53 national jamboree neckerchief that he had signed at the time. It came up a long time later on ebay, and probably came from the estate of one of the other kids in the troop.

[jimtb]

There are four 1930’s Tigers autographs that I am patiently looking for:
Johnny Watson 1930
John Grabowski 1931
George Quellich 1931
Orlin Collier 1931

[HexsHeroes]

Originally Posted by jimtb

There are four 1930’s Tigers autographs that I am patiently looking for:
Johnny Watson 1930
John Grabowski 1931
George Quellich 1931
Orlin Collier 1931

.
.
That is a tough shopping list. Especially considering that John Grabowski might be the “most likely” of the four you encounter first.

[JimStinson]

Quite surprised to see a 10 year old post "come back from the dead" (smile). Thanks too to those that shared their examples, knowledge and opinions. In the ten years or so since this original post several large collections have been offered up for sale and many names that were thought to not exist finally saw the light of day.
A couple things I might add to what's already been said. Regarding pre 1930's debut toughies. I used to own quite a few and sold many of them decades ago and while I don't claim to know EVERYTHING that goes on in the hobby I find it unusual that MOST have never resurfaced. As for the post 1930 names as time goes by occasionally, they turn up sometimes even by accident, lost in the shuffle of group lots. Usually, YEARS apart. To address another point the autographs of the older Negro League players are scarce IMHO based on my research of the Negro Leagues is simply THEY WERE RARELY ASKED nor was it a common practice to sign an autograph for a fan. Sadly too the mindset of the time thanks to the Jim Crow mentality that existed made it unusual for a fan that was not "of color" to request an autograph from an athlete who was. Many of them too spent half the year in other leagues in other countries where play was integrated with some either dying there or taking up permanent residence. Add also the fact that major league baseball propagated the myth that anything other than THE MAJOR LEAGUES was an inferior league. Later as I remember even going into the 1980's very few collectors focused their attention in that area, and had it not been for a small handful that did in the 1960's. Many of those autographs would not exist today.
__________________________
Always BUYING Vintage Autographs
jim@stinsonsports.com

[jimmyfoxx]

I recently bought an album with loads of 1928-1932 signatures including Charlie Sullivan (d.1935) and Regis Leheny.