February Pickups

[btcarfagno]

Just added this really neat vintage baseball stitching "machine" from the Huggins and Scott auction yesterday. I am not comfortable calling it a machine as it really just held the ball and the leather in place while the ball was being hand stitched. I am also not confident that it necessarily dates to the 19th century, although I do not know if I will ever know the answer to that one way or the other as there are no manufacturers markings on it. The ones that I have seen that date to the 1920's or so had a spring that helped keep the two levers on top closed on the ball. This one seems to be more rustic in that there is a string and latch as opposed to a spring. This could potentially make it older than those I had seen previously, but does not necessarily make it a product of the 1800's. Although it certainly could be.

Anyway, I am going to be very happy with this item. It is nearly three feet tall!



Tom C

[eastonfalcon19]

Picked up this 1910 Michigan vs Syracuse program. I believe Branch Rickey was the head coach of Michigan at the time.

[Dave Grob]

Just arrived, but it is out the door shortly for an extended loan to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Dave Grob
DaveGrob1@aol.com

[Scott Garner]

Very nice, Dave! Simply gorgeous.
I will be in Cincinnati in late March & I'll try to go take a look at it if they have it on display by then.

[Scott Garner]

Here are two neat recent pickups from February.
Perhaps some of you recall I recently picked up a scored program from Bob Feller's 300th K in his career year- 1946 and posted it here on net54.

Ironically, I also just found a beautiful scorebook from Feller's 348th and final K in his 1946 campaign. This game played on 9/29/46 at DET featured a matchup of the Tigers HOF'er "Prince Hal" Newhouser and HOF "Rapid" Robert Feller. Newhouser and the Tigers prevailed over Feller in this game that was played on the last day of the season. In 1946 Feller's 348 K's tied Rube Waddell's 1904 AL record of 348 K's. Note: Many years later Waddell's record was changed to 349 K's upon closer review of early baseball box scores. This 349 K record stood until Nolan Ryan set the MLB record in 1973 with 383 strikeouts.

I also stumbled onto a really interesting pair of game used baseball cleats from Cardinals no-hit pitcher Bud Smith. In 2001 Bud Smith joined the very short list of rookie pitchers that were lucky enough to pitch a no-hitter. Perhaps some of you may recall in 2002 one of Bud Smith's teammates, fellow no-hit pitcher Darryl Kile, died of a massive heart attack in his mid-30's while he was asleep in his hotel in Chicago in July. These game used Bud Smith cleats from the 2002 season feature a huge tribute to his fallen teammate. On one cleat a large 57 (Darryl Kile's uni #) and on the other cleat a large "DK" have been written in thick silver sharpie. These are a nice addition to my no-hitter collection.
One no-hit pitcher's tribute to another...

As a side note, Bud Smith's career was very short (less then 2 full seasons) and he never made it back to the bigs after the 2002 season.

Oh yeah, the price on the game used cleats was pretty OK too- $30. Nice!

[kdixon]

Picked up Zach Wheats Mets old Timer Days Rocking Chair.

[kdixon]

Zach Wheats Mets Old Timer Day rocking Chair from 1969.