Dodgers/Giants Opening Day 1958 ticket & program

[Rob D.]

Doug,

I collect Cleveland Indians tickets and ticket stubs and have a particular fondness for opening-day tickets from Cleveland (about 70 or so different). I also have a few opening-day ticket/program combos like what you posted. My opinion is that unless the game was special other than being the opener (first game in a stadium, a Hall of Famer's debut, etc.) or the program/ticket is in exceptional condition, the value isn't going to be great for examples from the 1950s to present.

Judging from your photos, I'd say the condition of your items is typical but not exceptional. If someone offered me an Indians opening-day program/ticket combo from the mid 1950s to early '60s, I'd expect to pay $25-$40.

As to the question of whether the program being scored is a positive, I think that varies from collector to collector. If the scoring is complete, I think it's a positive. Does it add much value to the program? Again, unless something special happened in the game, not really. But, for example, if a scored Yankees program shows Mantle homering, there's added value.

Not sure whether this is the type of info you're looking for, but it's my two cents.

Rob

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Doug,

I collect Cleveland Indians tickets and ticket stubs and have a particular fondness for opening-day tickets from Cleveland (about 70 or so different). I also have a few opening-day ticket/program combos like what you posted. My opinion is that unless the game was special other than being the opener (first game in a stadium, a Hall of Famer's debut, etc.) or the program/ticket is in exceptional condition, the value isn't going to be great for examples from the 1950s to present.

Judging from your photos, I'd say the condition of your items is typical but not exceptional. If someone offered me an Indians opening-day program/ticket combo from the mid 1950s to early '60s, I'd expect to pay $25-$40.

As to the question of whether the program being scored is a positive, I think that varies from collector to collector. If the scoring is complete, I think it's a positive. Does it add much value to the program? Again, unless something special happened in the game, not really. But, for example, if a scored Yankees program shows Mantle homering, there's added value.

Not sure whether this is the type of info you're looking for, but it's my two cents.

Rob

Hi Rob,
Happy belated New Year!
Perhaps you know this, but 1958 Opening Day at LA was the 1st West Coast OD as the LA Dodgers following their move from Brooklyn. That, in of itself, makes this pairing more special than a typical Opening Day...

I definitely agree with you that the program being scored adds interest and value. It also seems to me that there were a lot of ex-Brooklyn Dodger players and stars in attendance that night. It was literally a who's who of Brooklyn Dodgers baseball...

The value of Doug's group of 1958 Opening Day ticket stubs and program would likely exceed $300 for this reason. As you stated, condition is a limiting factor. If that full ticket had stayed intact instead of being torn at the perforation it would have increased the value quite a bit to the right collector. Frame the items together and it would make a great piece of Dodgers history, IMHO.

[Rob D.]

Hi, Scott.

For whatever reason, when I made my post I had in my head that 1957 was the Dodgers' first post-Brooklyn season and was in too much of a hurry to do a quick Internet search. I'll chalk that up to the ill effects of being an Indians fan all these years.

I think your estimation on value is accurate. Not being a Dodgers collector, I'm not sure how often opening-day ticket stubs and programs from '58 come up for sale.

Pretty cool, Doug, that these belonged to your dad.

[Rob D.]

The scans of the tickets below kind of fit this topic, and even if they do veer a bit of course, please indulge me as we don't talk about ticket stubs all that much.

Even though the first baseball game in Cleveland Stadium didn't take place on opening day (July 31, 1932), it is similar to Doug's first-game-in-Los-Angeles collection. The top ticket stub in the scan was used for admittance; the other two are proofs.

The 1947 and '48 opening-day ticket stub and ticket are more ornate examples compared to the more common pedestrain example from 1964. Sadly, by the late 1950s, many teams stopped creating attractive tickets for regular-season games.

The 1975 opening-day ticket stub also was Frank Robinson's debut as baseball's first black manager, an example of when a special event can enhance the value.