1930's Debut Year Baseball Autographs, MOST RARE

[JimStinson]

Quite surprised to see a 10 year old post "come back from the dead" (smile). Thanks too to those that shared their examples, knowledge and opinions. In the ten years or so since this original post several large collections have been offered up for sale and many names that were thought to not exist finally saw the light of day.
A couple things I might add to what's already been said. Regarding pre 1930's debut toughies. I used to own quite a few and sold many of them decades ago and while I don't claim to know EVERYTHING that goes on in the hobby I find it unusual that MOST have never resurfaced. As for the post 1930 names as time goes by occasionally, they turn up sometimes even by accident, lost in the shuffle of group lots. Usually, YEARS apart. To address another point the autographs of the older Negro League players are scarce IMHO based on my research of the Negro Leagues is simply THEY WERE RARELY ASKED nor was it a common practice to sign an autograph for a fan. Sadly too the mindset of the time thanks to the Jim Crow mentality that existed made it unusual for a fan that was not "of color" to request an autograph from an athlete who was. Many of them too spent half the year in other leagues in other countries where play was integrated with some either dying there or taking up permanent residence. Add also the fact that major league baseball propagated the myth that anything other than THE MAJOR LEAGUES was an inferior league. Later as I remember even going into the 1980's very few collectors focused their attention in that area, and had it not been for a small handful that did in the 1960's. Many of those autographs would not exist today.
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Always BUYING Vintage Autographs
jim@stinsonsports.com