Your most prized baseball related possession? This is mine...

GKreindler · #1 03-02-2010, 02:33 PM

A GREAT story, and a GREAT photo. The stuff that's personal and meaningful is absolutely the best.

I'm curious, how did you randomly come across the negative? Did you recognize your father immediately?

sicollector1954 · #2 03-02-2010, 03:20 PM

A factory closed and all things were being discarded including negatives which were posted on Ebay in many lots including some baseball items. I noticed that the person who was the seller lived near me and knowing that my dad had played baseball for this factory team at one time--contacted the person...she allowed me to come to her home for a better look at the photos and I was able to find two that had him (or so I thought) in the negatives. I then bid and was the winner of both. Took and got them developed and yes it turned out they were. I now display them in the sports room along with my other vintage sports items. Thanks again for the kind words and here is the second photo.

MGHPro · #3 03-02-2010, 03:31 PM

Dave
That's an awesome story! and the Foxx bat isn't too shabby either!

Matt

Mark · #4 03-02-2010, 10:17 PM

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I, too, really like this stuff. Amazing bats, guys. And I can appreciate what the photo must mean to you. If there is room for another item, here's mine: When I was a boy, not long after my grandfather died, I was helping my grandmother clean out her basement, and I found a few old bats. One was a Jack Fournier decal bat, one was a Black Betsey softball bat, and the third bat was completely covered with tar. After my grandmother said I could have the bats, I scraped some tar off the big bat and found the name "Felsch" on the barrel. I didn't know him at first, and I was initially disappointed to learn that he was an "outlaw." But I changed my mind when I read Eight Men Out. I wrote to the Hillerich and Bradsby company about the bat, and got a very encouraging letter in response. All this led me to start collecting prewar cards and, much later, some more old bats. So, the bat brings back a lot of good memories. But I think I like it the most because it used to belong to my grandfather, who was a pretty big baseball fan in his own right.

thekingofclout · #5 03-03-2010, 04:34 AM

In 1966, my Mom & Dad went to a convention in San Francisco (for Met Life, as my Dad was an agent for 40 years). Well, my Dad was a huge DiMaggio fan (goes without saying for any full-blooded Italian) despite being born and raised in Chicago.

In 1963 my family moved to So Cal, at which time I was five and just beginning to learn about baseball. So back to 1966. Just as the convention was winding down, my folks climbed into the Buick and began the trip back home. They were near the wharf so my Dad decided to stop for a cup of coffee at DiMaggio's so he could at least tell his friends he went there.

The restaurant was just getting ready to open as a worker told them it might be a bit until they were served. My father said, "we just want to get a cup of coffee before we make the long drive home." So they took a table and halfway through their coffee my Father spots who he believes is Joe DiMaggio and tells my Mom "there's Joe DiMaggio" to which my Mother replied "no, that's not him". My folks went back and forth a few times until a voice spoke to my surprised Mother "I sorry Ma'am but your Husband is right...I AM Joe DiMaggio!"

At that point, Dimag turns a chair around, straddles it and joins my folks for morning coffee. Well, needless to say, my Dad was like a little kid. As Mom would tell it, " I've never seen Tom (my dad) so happy...ever!"

After 20-30 minutes, Joe said he had some business to attend to, and as they were getting ready to leave my father asked Joe if he wouldn't mind signing some scrap of paper my mom had dug out of her purse for his three sons (my poor sis got left out) and the Clipper answered..."I'm sorry I can't sign that... but I'd be happy to sign THIS for you" at which point he pulled out a menu and signed it to my brothers and I.

107.jpg

It sits on my desk to this day. Although some time in my teens, I though it would look better without the illustration of the restaurant on the wharf and took a scissors to it.

My mom eventually gave my cards away, but at least I ended up with the single most prized piece I'll ever own.

BTW... this signed menu was ALSO the reason my passion for baseball took on a life of its own...but I'll spare you the details, for now.

Sincerely, Jimmy

3and2 · #6 03-03-2010, 06:18 AM

Great story Jimmy of your parents meeting Joe D. I love waking up in the morning and reading a cool story like that. The way you express the details of events you can just imagine your dad smiling from ear to ear on that special day!

Leon · #7 03-03-2010, 07:41 AM

Thanks to everyone who shared a story or artifact. Very nice indeed. And Jimmy, that is a really great story about Joe D and your parents, with their morning cup 'o coffee.

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