Federal League Baseball in Huggins & Scott Auction

[plasorsa]

I was the high bidder on the federal league ball. I collect FL items and for me the appeal was two fold. It is a federal league ball which is hard to find and it is a one-of a kind item related to the FL. I couldn't resist the provenance that came with it and the spectacle of the day the season opened. And Baltimore has a special place for me because, with the Baltimore federal league team, Ruth never gets sold to the Red Sox and never becomes a Yankee......so in my opinion, the Baltimore franchise changed the course of baseball......and for that reason, I think the ball is really cool and worth every penny. I may donate it to the Baltimore or Babe Ruth museum one day so everyone can enjoy it.

How many collectors would pay that amount for a 1933 Ruth Goudey, 1909 Cobb etc, of which thousands and tens of thousands exist?

[ngrow9]

Congrats on the purchase. Just to be clear, I didn't intend to be at all critical of the final price...quite the opposite. I was just a bit surprised at how high it went.

[plasorsa]

I didn't mean to imply you were saying it in a bad way. I just wanted to give my thoughts on the item. The Chicago Fed ball from opening day isn't a one of a kind as there could have been many balls saved from that day, whereas the Baltimore ball is documented in newspaper clippings as the ball from opening day and there can never be another. I just liked it and at the end of the day that is where the ultimate value lies.