Cap Ripken Being Pulled Off eBay

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Posted By: Paul Fusco

Hi guys. I realize that Cal isn't exactly "vintage" but what happened in our auction last week gives cause to note this and see if you have any input. We had two Cal Ripken signed items in our online auction which eBay live pulled because we told we were violating "copyrights" on Cal Ripken's signature and that someone had purchased the rights to his name?? How can that be?? Only reason I post this is to toss it out on the table as far as other old autographs on the market. What happens to the Lou Gehrig autograph market if someoen buys the rights and has eBay take of all of his items. I don't understand how what happened is possible. Any input here??

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Posted By: Joe Drouillard

I had an autographed Ripken ball for sale a year ago and eBay pulled it. I think Ripken is the one who is threatening to sue eBay to protect the use of his name. I don't know if someone can purchase the rights to someone's name. There are several lawyers on the board who could probably explain this.

Joe

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Posted By: Red

Cal Ripken's autograph people are probably monitoring Ebay for signed items. If you’re selling something with the official Ripken COA or a COA from somebody they’ll let play, then you should be okay. If you’re selling something with no COA, or a COA that they don’t want to recognize, then they’re on the fast track with Ebay to remove those items. It sounds like the person trying to explain why this was done to you doesn't know how to explain it. At least I sure hope so.

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Posted By: Paul Fusco

That's the problem here guys. Both had PSA certs. Scary that Cal or anybody else can go back later on and dictate what can and can't be sold.

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Posted By: DJ

I have had this happen to me as well, also with authenticated PSA/DNA items. Ripken is one of only a handful that actually cares about people selling fraudulent autographs and a gentlemen named Bill from Ripken's Company told me that he didn't care if PSA/DNA had passed it and basically told me it wasn't good. Maybe PSA/DNA dropped the ball (they do that) or Ripken's people are power hungry (which I doubt since a lot of good Ripken's remain on eBay)...who knows.

DJ

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I had a Ripken autograph pulled similarly. I purchased the autograph directly from the estate auction of Baltimore Orioles General Manager Harry Dalton, and in fact offered it with a Robin Yount signature from the same purchase (Dalton was also Yount's GM at Milwaukee). My purchase was a lot of various personal mementos, including autographs personalized to Dalton, his season passes, etc, and the items came directly from his widow.

The practical problem for Ripken is if collectors become wary about buying Ripken autographs at all, for fear they can't ever sell the damn thing. If you can't sell an autograph signed years ago for the GM, I can't imagine the trouble others will have selling theirs. It's not a joke when I say I'll pick a Willie Mays next time.