Don Miller autograph 1927 Yankee

[PhilNap]

Until recently I had been looking for one for more than ten years. My approach had always been to do it quietly. I told as few people as possible for fear of stirring up interest and creating competition. A lot of people collect the 1927 Yankees but not all have Don Miller on their want list since he never played a game. I figured it would be better to keep it that way just in case his elusive signature ever became available.

Lelands sold one of his payroll checks in 2000 or 2001 for more than $1000. Other than signatures on a few team signed balls, that’s the only signature of his I have ever seen. I have been told a couple of others exist in private collections. I was also told that Santa Claus, and the tooth fairy exist.

A couple of months ago, out of desperation to fill the hole in my collection while I am still breathing, I did the unthinkable. I took an exacto knife to a team ball. To do so was completely against everything I believe in. But, it was a reasonably affordable ball, Ruth was a clubhouse and Miller was on the bottom of a side panel. So I was able to perform the surgery and keep the rest of the ball intact so as to not completely destroy history.

That’s the long answer to your question. Unfortunately the short answer is don't hold your breath. Happy hunting!!

[Johnw67]

Thank you for your time, and happy hunting!!!

[r2678]

Curious, I went through Google for Don Miller and found a reference to Joseph Styborski being an "unknown" 1927 Yankee. Is his autograph equally hard to find?

[PhilNap]

Like Miller I've only seen one payroll check and don't think I've seen him at all on a team ball.

[r2678]

Phil - Thank You

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by PhilNap

Until recently I had been looking for one for more than ten years. My approach had always been to do it quietly. I told as few people as possible for fear of stirring up interest and creating competition. A lot of people collect the 1927 Yankees but not all have Don Miller on their want list since he never played a game. I figured it would be better to keep it that way just in case his elusive signature ever became available.

Lelands sold one of his payroll checks in 2000 or 2001 for more than $1000. Other than signatures on a few team signed balls, that’s the only signature of his I have ever seen. I have been told a couple of others exist in private collections. I was also told that Santa Claus, and the tooth fairy exist.

A couple of months ago, out of desperation to fill the hole in my collection while I am still breathing, I did the unthinkable. I took an exacto knife to a team ball. To do so was completely against everything I believe in. But, it was a reasonably affordable ball, Ruth was a clubhouse and Miller was on the bottom of a side panel. So I was able to perform the surgery and keep the rest of the ball intact so as to not completely destroy history.

That’s the long answer to your question. Unfortunately the short answer is don't hold your breath. Happy hunting!!

GULP

[Michael B]

[QUOTE=PhilNap;1153267]
A couple of months ago, out of desperation to fill the hole in my collection while I am still breathing, I did the unthinkable. I took an exacto knife to a team ball. To do so was completely against everything I believe in. But, it was a reasonably affordable ball, Ruth was a clubhouse and Miller was on the bottom of a side panel. So I was able to perform the surgery and keep the rest of the ball intact so as to not completely destroy history.

I am sorry, but am I missing something? From what I have gathered he did not play a game for the team. Why would you need him for a complete team? I would also ask why would you destroy an item for a signature of a non-entity? Intellectual curiosity and nothing more.

[earlywynnfan]

[QUOTE=Michael B;1153452]

Originally Posted by PhilNap

A couple of months ago, out of desperation to fill the hole in my collection while I am still breathing, I did the unthinkable. I took an exacto knife to a team ball. To do so was completely against everything I believe in. But, it was a reasonably affordable ball, Ruth was a clubhouse and Miller was on the bottom of a side panel. So I was able to perform the surgery and keep the rest of the ball intact so as to not completely destroy history.

I am sorry, but am I missing something? From what I have gathered he did not play a game for the team. Why would you need him for a complete team? I would also ask why would you destroy and item for a signature of a non-entity? Intellectual curiosity and nothing more.

As a second Q, I'm wondering what kind of display you're doing with these? What kind of medium would look complete with a tiny scrap of a leather ball included? As above, not necessarily judging, just confused!
Ken

[prewarsports]

People are so obsessed with the 1927 Yankees that guys who at one point in time that were on the roster (even Spring Training) are highly sought after by collectors. I have had a handful of Roy Chesterfield autographs in the past and they sell for $500++ and he never played a game in the majors but is in that 1927 Yankees Spring Training team photo. Even the batboy sells for more than $5000! I get it to some degree, but no other team has anything even close as far as fans wanting anythig and everything associated with the team.

Rhys

[mr2686]

Am I correct that Rube Marquard was on the 27 Yankee roster late in the season but never made it in to a game and didn't play in the series?

[GKreindler]

Mike,

I can't speak for Marquard, but I know Stan Coveleski signed with the club as a reliever in mid-July, but if I remember, never appeared in a game that season or during the games against Pittsburgh.

Maybe I'm a bit biased, as I've been watching Phil put together some of the pieces to his '27 Yanks collection, but I think it's definitely been a fun project to really go all out for. And that's even though I know the hell he went through to get the Miller autograph.

But for someone as passionate about the ballclub (especially from that season) as he is, it had to be a labor of love. I definitely gotta take my hat off to the man.

Graig

[mr2686]

Graig, Coveleski might be the one I was thinking of. I knew it was a HOF pitcher towards the end of his career. I'm a completionist at heart and include players with no ab or IP as long as they were actually in a game. I have to draw he line at roster players that never played...unless of course they are easy to find.

[PhilNap]

[QUOTE=Michael B;1153452]

Originally Posted by PhilNap

I am sorry, but am I missing something? From what I have gathered he did not play a game for the team. Why would you need him for a complete team? I would also ask why would you destroy and item for a signature of a non-entity? Intellectual curiosity and nothing more.

[QUOTE=earlywynnfan;1153462]

Originally Posted by Michael B

As a second Q, I'm wondering what kind of display you're doing with these? What kind of medium would look complete with a tiny scrap of a leather ball included? As above, not necessarily judging, just confused!
Ken

It's really not too hard to understand. Though he didn't play in a game, he was a member of the team and did appear in the official team photograph. If one is putting together a display of signatures along with that photo, it would be incomplete without his signature. Whether that signature is on a GPC, a payroll check or a 'tiny scrap of a leather ball', it's still a signature. Sure that signature may not be as attractive as the others but in the case of Don Miller one does not have the luxury of making choices. You take what you can get or you get nothing at all. Going the route I did with the ball was simply a case of taking what I could get.

[David Atkatz]

That photograph is far from "official." Historically, anyone who was working out with the team and in uniform the day the photos were taken would appear. The "official roster" probably existed only in Huggins' head.

[PhilNap]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

That photograph is far from "official." Historically, anyone who was working out with the team and in uniform the day the photos were taken would appear. The "official roster" probably existed only in Huggin's head.

I guess I used that term loosely. He actually appears in a couple of the team photos. The one I am referring to may not be "official" but it is the most prominent and often published.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by PhilNap

I guess I used that term loosely. He actually appears in a couple of the team photos. The one I am referring to may not be "official" but it is the most prominent and often published.

Phil, wasn't there some Ted guy that was pretty tough too??

[Michael B]

[QUOTE=PhilNap;1153678][QUOTE=Michael B;1153452]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

It's really not too hard to understand. Though he didn't play in a game, he was a member of the team and did appear in the official team photograph. If one is putting together a display of signatures along with that photo, it would be incomplete without his signature. Whether that signature is on a GPC, a payroll check or a 'tiny scrap of a leather ball', it's still a signature. Sure that signature may not be as attractive as the others but in the case of Don Miller one does not have the luxury of making choices. You take what you can get or you get nothing at all. Going the route I did with the ball was simply a case of taking what I could get.

Thank you for answering. I can appreciate your perspective.

[Johnw67]

Just a quick note to go along with this, I called the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and they sent me images of photos they had on file and the one team photo that I wound up buying did have Don Miller in the photo in fact he was standing right next to Babe Ruth. I really wanted to get the signature of every one that was in the photo(coaches, ball boy, team doctor). I have really nice pieces so far of every one except Don Miller, that is why I started this subject.
Thanks for all of the input. John

[earlywynnfan]

[QUOTE=PhilNap;1153678][QUOTE=Michael B;1153452]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

It's really not too hard to understand. Though he didn't play in a game, he was a member of the team and did appear in the official team photograph. If one is putting together a display of signatures along with that photo, it would be incomplete without his signature. Whether that signature is on a GPC, a payroll check or a 'tiny scrap of a leather ball', it's still a signature. Sure that signature may not be as attractive as the others but in the case of Don Miller one does not have the luxury of making choices. You take what you can get or you get nothing at all. Going the route I did with the ball was simply a case of taking what I could get.

Trust me, I understand the completionist mentality way too much!
I'm just wondering how you have these displayed so that a scrap of leather is more meaningful than having a ball sit on the shelf next to a binder (or whatever). Do you have some sort of large framed display?

Ken