Ty Cobb/Bushing/SCDA/Game-Used Decal Bat

[Archive]

Posted By: Troy R. Kinunen

This email was sent by Marshall Fogell to Michael O'Keefe. It was also forwarded to Dave Bushing.

SCDA has held itself to higher standards. We were the first authentication company to adopt these policies. My words were carefully worded because I was not present when Dave spoke about the bat. I was not spinning my response, I was being accurate. My home number is 414-828-9990. I would like to discuss this personally with each and every individual that has an issue with this matter.



SUBJECT SLUGGING IT OUT ARTICLE



DEAR MICHAEL



WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER AS FAR BACK AS THE DAYS YOU WORKED FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS.

OUR ASSOCIATION IS WHY I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN EXPANDING MY VIEW OF DAVE (BUSHING).



I KNOW YOU WELL ENOUGH THAT YOU WOULD APPRECIATE MY COMMENTS AS I HAVE NEVER BEEN A QUIET PERSON IF I FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO KNOW THE “NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE”



WITH THESE COMMENTS AS BACKROUND, I DID NOT WISH TO CREATE ANY IMPRESSION THAT DAVE COMMITTED A SERIOUS ETHICAL BREACH AND THAT DAVE ABUSED HIS INFLUENCE.



MICHAEL, I HAVE KNOWN DAVE FOR OVER TEN YEARS. WE COAUTHORED A “BAT” BOOK TOGETHER. WE PIONEERED HOW TO DATE AND AUTHENTICATE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL BATS. DAVE SOLD ME BATS AND HELPED ME BUILD WHAT IS UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE BEST BAT COLLECTION KNOWN---INCLUDING THE HALL OF FAME.



DAVE IS, AS YOU KNOW, AN ACCEPTED NATIONALLY KNOWN AUTHENTICATOR AND I MUST SAY HE DESERVES THIS POSITIVE RECOGNITION.



I HAVE NEVER COME CLOSE TO ANY CONCLUSION THAT DAVE COMMITTED AND ETHICAL BREACH OR ABUSED HIS INFLUENCE. I HAVE WITHOUT QUESTION IN THE PAST AND PRESENTLY ON OCCASION HAVE DISAGREED PROFESSIONALLY WITH DAVE ON ISSUES AS TO THE SUBJECT OF BASEBALL BATS. THESE DISAGREEMENTS WILL PROBABLY NOT BE COMPLETELY RESOLVED AS OUR OPINIONS THOUGH OPPOSITE ARE SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE. WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE RECONSTRUCTING HISTORY WHEN WE WEREN’T THERE TO SEE IT HAPPEN. WITH THIS SAID, AND MY INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT DAVE, I WITHOUT HESITATION ABLE TO STATE TO YOU MICHAEL THAT I HAVE NOW NOR EVER HAD ANY EVIDENCE THAT DAVE BUSHING COMMITTED A SERIOUS EHTICAL BREACH OR ABUSED HIS INFLUENCE.



AS TO THE DIMAGGIO BAT AND THE ISSUE OF DAVE STATING HE OWNS AT BAT FOR SALE THAT HE HAS AUTHENTICATED.



COLLECTING IS A GROWING AND EVOLVING COLLECTIBLE. I NEVER CONSIDERED THE NEED FOR A DEALER WHO AUTHENTICATES A BAT HE OWNS TO STATE SO IN AN AUCTION CATALOG.

WHEN IT BECAME REASONABLE TO DO SO, IT IS CLEAR THAT DAVE HAD NO PROBLEM DOING SO. AS AN OBSERVATION, THIS SUBJECT HAS NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE OTHER COLLECTIBLES AREAS. I STAND BY MY STATEMENT THAT AUTHENTICATORS WHO OWN AN OBJECT FOR SALE IN AUCTION AND WHO WRITE AN LOA REGARDLESS OF THE OBJECT SHOULD REVEAL THEIR OWNSHIP INTEREST. I RESPECT DAVE WHO WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO SET THIS STANDARD AT THE VERY TIME THE SUBJECT BECAME AN ISSUE. DAVE’S PAST PRACTICES WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR ITS TIME. I ALSO STAND BY MY THE FACT THAT DAVE DOES TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHICH IS PROVEN BY THE FACT THE HIS TIMING AS TO THE OWNERSHIP INTEREST RESOULUTION IS APPROPRIATE.



THE DIMAGGIO BAT CONTROVERSY, I BELIEVE, STANDS ON ITS OWN “LEGS” AND SHOULD BE VOID OF ACCUSATIONS OF WRONGDOING. LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MADE THE DECISION TO RELY ON AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT, IN PART, AND THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE INDUSTRY STANDARD.



MICHAEL, IN CONCLUSION, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ANY DEALER WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE SUED DEALERS IN THE PAST FOR WRONGDOING AND I HAVE THE REPUTATION FOR SPEAKING OUT WHEN I BELIEVE THERE IS PROVABLE BAD PRACTICES.



AS SUCH, DAVE BUSHING CREDIBLE OPINIONS AND UNDERSTANDABLE MISTAKES AND REASONABLE RESOLUTIONS SHOULD NOT BE SUBSTITUTED FOR UNDERSERVED ACCUSATIONS.



I KNOW THAT YOU ARE REPORTING ALL SIDES OF CONTROVERSIES WHETHER IT IS THIS SUBJECT OR ANOTHER AND THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW AND DECIDE. PUBLIC CONTROVERSIES THROUGH THE PRESS CAN CERTAINLY LEAD TO IMPROVEMENT. IF I CAN BE A PART OF THIS IMPROVEMENT I WOULD WELCOME THE CHANCE AS I HAVE TRIED TO DO THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS. IN DOING SO, I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT MY OPINONS AND I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF MY VIEW OF THIS SUBJECT.



BEST REGARDS,



MARSHALL