Share your research stories. Here's mine...

[hcv123]

So I buy this pin in an auction ~10 years ago. I ask everyone I know including most of the major "oddball" guys and no one has seen it. It looks too good, too professional and too different to be a countereit or newer knockoff. Over the years I find about 5 more - different players similar style. Last year I did a post here that led to someone contacting me with a letter from a guy who supposedly knew the source of the pins. He shares in his letter that the guy who photographed them, the guys brother and nephew were all photographers and the original negatives supposedly still exist. Out of respect for the family he does not mention his name. From the rest of the background information I am able to take a stab at who the nephew is - currently a professional photographer. I call him and after getting just past the idea that I must be a whacko calling him out of the blue and asking about his uncles work, he confirms his uncle took the photos, the pins were never publicly issued - just a few to friends, he still has the negatives and has no interest in speaking to me ever again :-) I was so excited to finally know the pins origin, I had a smile on my face for a couple of days. I still can't imagine what the guy must have thought about my call - even after I explained that I am a collector.

-Howard

[3and2]

Great research Jimmy and hcv123...I think the bulk of my research has come when purchasing regular season tickets. Usually, I come up empty but good research has revealed I've picked up some nice Mantle HR games, double digit strikeout Gibson, Seaver, etc.

I also appreciate the research that fellow members do for one another on the side.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by hcv123

So I buy this pin in an auction ~10 years ago. I ask everyone I know including most of the major "oddball" guys and no one has seen it. It looks too good, too professional and too different to be a countereit or newer knockoff. Over the years I find about 5 more - different players similar style. Last year I did a post here that led to someone contacting me with a letter from a guy who supposedly knew the source of the pins. He shares in his letter that the guy who photographed them, the guys brother and nephew were all photographers and the original negatives supposedly still exist. Out of respect for the family he does not mention his name. From the rest of the background information I am able to take a stab at who the nephew is - currently a professional photographer. I call him and after getting just past the idea that I must be a whacko calling him out of the blue and asking about his uncles work, he confirms his uncle took the photos, the pins were never publicly issued - just a few to friends, he still has the negatives and has no interest in speaking to me ever again :-) I was so excited to finally know the pins origin, I had a smile on my face for a couple of days. I still can't imagine what the guy must have thought about my call - even after I explained that I am a collector.

-Howard

Howard,
That's a great looking Clemente pin- congrats!

[thekingofclout]

Originally Posted by hcv123

So I buy this pin in an auction ~10 years ago. I ask everyone I know including most of the major "oddball" guys and no one has seen it. It looks too good, too professional and too different to be a countereit or newer knockoff. Over the years I find about 5 more - different players similar style. Last year I did a post here that led to someone contacting me with a letter from a guy who supposedly knew the source of the pins. He shares in his letter that the guy who photographed them, the guys brother and nephew were all photographers and the original negatives supposedly still exist. Out of respect for the family he does not mention his name. From the rest of the background information I am able to take a stab at who the nephew is - currently a professional photographer. I call him and after getting just past the idea that I must be a whacko calling him out of the blue and asking about his uncles work, he confirms his uncle took the photos, the pins were never publicly issued - just a few to friends, he still has the negatives and has no interest in speaking to me ever again :-) I was so excited to finally know the pins origin, I had a smile on my face for a couple of days. I still can't imagine what the guy must have thought about my call - even after I explained that I am a collector.

-Howard

That's a great story Howard. Now you got me wondering who the photographer was. And what a terrific image that is of the Great One.

[Abravefan11]

Some of you may remember this but earlier this year I came across a photo in the local libraries collection of the NY Giants. I posted the image on the board in hopes of confirming the libraries year and possibly identifying the park where it was taken. It was a great thread and fun research but it went to another level when Mark Fimoff connected the image to the same photo session used for the Fatima T200.

Link to the thread Here

[mcgwirecom]

Not a real thrilling story but is kinda neat...

A few months ago I saw a game used ball on Ebay. It's a Warren Giles NL ball. It has the notation that it was a foul tip from Dale Long of the Pirates. I know Dale was the first guy to homer in 8 consecutive games which is the record and has been tied twice by Mattingly and Griffey Jr. The ball was also dated 5/29/56. Upon researching the date it turns out that the date was the game after his 8th consecutive HR game. If he had gotten better hold of this foul tip it could have been nine games! LOL. Just seemed pretty neat to me.

[Exhibitman]

A couple of interesting (at least to me ) stories:

I bought this Pebble Beach O'Doul at the 2006 National. The back has a name ___ Dempsey on it. Turns out it used to belong to PCL legend and brief MLB player Con Dempsey, who got it as a kid in San Francisco! So I got an O'doul PB card autographed by Con Dempsey too.



Bob Steele was a cowboy movie star in the 1920s and 1930s. Fast-forward 30 years and he is playing Duffy on F Troop:



This uncut sheet of Exhibit cards is proof positive that the whole split between the "Salutation" cards and the postwar cards is nonsense. ESCO recycled the images from the Salutations set for as long as the player kept playing. This one is clearly from 1960 at the earliest because it shows Rocky Colavito with Detroit, where he went after the 1959 season in a trade for Harvey Kueen, and next to Rocky is Ted Williams' Salutations card that supposedly was printed from 1939-47.

[jboosted92]

less than 7 years ago, it was believed by most that Pro-players didnt use 40-k Kork Grip bats. I discovered photos of Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, and others handling Kork Grip L.S. bats....(Cobb ultimately teamed with L.S. to design bat in 1913 - See Sporting news article Dec. '13) ...What also came from this, is when Pro-Model Kork Grips were used by Pro's (1913-14) was when we first saw Signatures Burned-into the barrels....since then values of these bats have gone up 100%-500%... It all started when i bought a 1914 Cobb 40-k, that had all the Cobb characteristics (lenght, weight, cleat marks, wood style...even a wrapped handle with spiral tape, after kork removed) but it was a 40-k......Countless hours of research went into it. Well worth it, and very rewarding....

- Justin

[thekingofclout]

Originally Posted by jboosted92

less than 7 years ago, it was believed by most that Pro-players didnt use 40-k Kork Grip bats. I discovered photos of Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, and others handling Kork Grip L.S. bats....(Cobb ultimately teamed with L.S. to design bat in 1913 - See Sporting news article Dec. '13) ...What also came from this, is when Pro-Model Kork Grips were used by Pro's (1913-14) was when we first saw Signatures Burned-into the barrels....since then values of these bats have gone up 100%-500%... It all started when i bought a 1914 Cobb 40-k, that had all the Cobb characteristics (lenght, weight, cleat marks, wood style...even a wrapped handle with spiral tape, after kork removed) but it was a 40-k......Countless hours of research went into it. Well worth it, and very rewarding....

- Justin

Outstanding effort Justin! Really significant work. Congrats.

Best, Jimmy

[D. Broughman]

I purchased the Baseball below May 4th, 2008 and have been researching to find out all I can about it and the game. Still haven't found out who won the game. I posted the ball in Jan. 2009 with the help of Leon and with the help of NET54 members have found out there was a pin sold at Oregon Trail Auction (Dan B. helped with that info). Clint posted a picture of the ad with the pin. Joe G. found out about the ball before it was posted and contacted me to see the ball. He posted better pictures of the ball and then found a picture of the 1889 Detroit Baseball Team in the Burton Collection at the Detroit Library. I have been trying to find out more about the Cleveland team but I am not very good at using the internet or computers. I contacted the Cleveland Police Museum and two different people said they would try and find out what they could for me but haven't heard back from them. I want to THANK THE NET54 MEMBERS for all there help. They are the best resource I have found. Dynarl