Real or fake? Any thoughts...

[brandoningram]

Too pricey for me, but what do you guys think? Real Ban Johnson?
Nice ball though. Maybe if he cut the price down a few hundred.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1909-Reach-Off-A...item2559f5dc34

[David Atkatz]

Yes, it is certainly genuine.
But, contrary to the email he posted on the auction page, block lettering was used through the 1923 season.

Here are a few photos of my 1923 Yankees signed ball:
(And, yes, that is Lou Gehrig above Mike McNally on the side panel.)

[brandoningram]

awsome ball David...I Just picked up a Harridge 31-34 ball to go with my 35-59 ball, and the only OAL ball I need now is the block lettering Johnson ball. Just need to save up .

[prewarsports]

That ball looks real, but something is not right with it. Why would a ball in that nice of condition not have the Ban Johnson signature on the side? I think it has been professionally cleaned up something because I have owned maybe 50-100 Ban Johnson balls and seen maybe another 300-1000 more in auctions etc. and I have never seen a ball that nice with the Johnson stamp rubbed off. Not implying anything about the seller, it is just very odd.

Rhys

[brandoningram]

Thats what threw me for a loop was that there was no sig. You knew it had to be a BJ ball because of the OAL stamp. But it looks immaculate...and fishy at the same time.

50-100 BJ balls that you have owned...wow. I have an old one bairly legable. Let me know if you put one on the market.

[David Atkatz]

It is possible that the ball was never stamped. (Each of the stamps--League, weight, Reach, etc. was put on separately, and by hand.)

It doesn't make sense that he cleaned the Johnson stamp away, but didn't damage any others.