Black Sox Memorabilia Up For Auction

[packs]

I would have serious doubts. Why would Joe Jackson, someone widely thought of as illiterate, sign the sweet spot of a baseball?

[RelicSports]

I agree with Packs...Jackson putting his sig on the sweet spot seems a little off to me (not judging the actual signature as I really am unsure of Joe Jackson sigs...)

[packs]

I immediately got the "too good to be true" vibe from it. No opinion on the rest of the pieces. The baseball sticks out most because it seems so unlikely that Jackson would have signed it, let alone on the sweet spot, which is exactly where you'd want such a valuable signature to be.

[jad22]

Comes with JSA and PSA/DNA certs.

[packs]

I can't speak to authenticity because I don't know enough about Joe Jackson's signature to offer any meaningful insight. I'm only speaking from a gut feeling POV. It shouldn't exist but I suppose it could.

[Runscott]

"Swede" Risberg makes an appearance on the ball, his bold signature evoking the threatening presence which led Shoeless Joe to declare: "the Swede is a hard guy".

The Swede was such a hard guy that he could spell his last name any way he wanted, and no kid was brave enough to correct him.

[David Atkatz]

Garbage.

[Runscott]

My last post was to point out one potential issue and see what others might have to say about it. I am no expert on any of the players' signatures that are on this ball. I read the letters that accompanied it, expecting to see something about possible tracing or repair to some areas that affected signatures - with all the shellac, chipping and white paint splatter, I don't think 'modified' areas of some signatures would be unexpected.

edited to add: Anyone who reads my posts regarding memorabilia knows that I have the utmost respect for Ken's thoroughness in id'ing game-used items (photo-matching, etc.). If you take a look at the COA's he has provided for this auction, you will note that both the JSA and PSA letters have December dates - Ken obviously thought this item important enough to have both of the major authentication companies take fresh looks at it.

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by Runscott

edited to add: Anyone who reads my posts regarding memorabilia knows that I have the utmost respect for Ken's thoroughness in id'ing game-used items (photo-matching, etc.). If you take a look at the COA's he has provided for this auction, you will note that both the JSA and PSA letters have December dates - Ken obviously thought this item important enough to have both of the major authentication companies take fresh looks at it.

Excellent point. At first I was going to lambaste the item, but saw that it is a Goldin auction...I know Ken performs due diligence.

[djson1]

I saw this ball in the auction too and thought it was suspect. I understand what Ken is explaining, but as another poster mentioned, some of the skills these forgers are capable of are beyond what you might expect. Plus, as many have stated already, I always thought Joe Jackson didn't really know how to sign his name in cursive, particularly during his playing days. Weren't his earlier signatures (if any) in simple print?