1930s Baseball Signatures - Randy Moore

The next player I would like to show from my 1930s signed baseball is Randy Moore.  Here, you can see his signature above the previously identified Lance Richbourg on the side panel of the baseball.

Moore (b. 1906 - d. 1992) played in the majors from 1927, 1928 and 1930 to 1937 for the White Sox (1927 and 28), Boston Braves (1930 to 1935), Brooklyn Dodgers (1936 and 1937) and St. Louis Cardinals (1937).

He had 627 hits, 27 home runs and a .278 batting average in his 10-year career.  He finished 23rd in the NL MVP voting in 1933 when he batted .302 with 150 hits over 135 games.

He has a Hall of Fame connection in that he was traded by the Boston Braves in 1935 along with Ed Brandt to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Ray Benge, Tony Cuccinello, Bobby Reis and future Hall of Famer, Al Lopez (although, Lopez would go in as a manager).

What does Moore have in common with previously identified signers Joe Cronin and Lance Richbourg?  Moore played on the same Braves team with Richbourg in 1930 and 1931, therefore, I was able to begin to narrow down a timeframe of which teams to concentrate my roster searches and that helped me identify the rest of the signatures.  So far, Cronin has no connection to Richbourg or Moore, but as you will see in subsequent posts, I was able to check the 1930 and 1931 Senators and identify other signatures on the baseball.

Players identified so far:

Joe Cronin
Lance Richbourg

1930s Signed Baseball Signature - Lance Richbourg

Last night I posted an overview about my 1930s signed baseball.  There are 11 signatures on the ONL baseball and I was able to identify (with fairly good confidence) all of them in the span of about an hour.  I was able to determine approximately when the ball was signed and the two teams that it correlates with.  We'll see if you can narrow it down like I did.

The first name I will profile is at the bottom of the panel pictured above, Lance Richbourg.

Richbourg (b. 1897 - 1975) played in the majors from 1921, 1924 and 1927 to 1932 for the Phillies (1921), Senators (1924), Braves (1927 to 1931) and Cubs (1932).  He had 806 hits, 13 home runs and a .308 career batting average.  He had 206 hits and a .337 batting average in 1928 with the Boston Braves.  Not too bad.  He finished 15th in the NL MVP voting in the 1928 season.

Richbourg coached the University of Florida baseball team in 1922 and 1923 between stints in the majors compiling a record of 39-21.

Taking Another Look At My 1930s Signed Baseball

I have a nice mystery on my hands with this signed baseball that I got from Heritage Auctions.  When I first got the ball, I thought it would be fun to try to figure out approximately when it was signed and by whom.  It looked like a lot of the signatures on the ball were from late 20s early 30s Washington Senators until I found one name who never played for them.  He was a Cardinal.  Hmm.

So, I want to first take an overview look at the ball and see what I can figure out, and then maybe see what some folks with better eyes than mine may be able to deduce as well.  The ball is a Spalding ONL baseball with Red and Black stitching.  After doing some Google searching, the ball is a 1929 - 1933 John Heydler Spalding ONL baseball.  One of the faded 'signatures' on the ball is the Heydler stamp.  Interesting.  It can be seen just below the Joe Cronin signature.  Some other names that I can make out on that panel are Ossie Bluege and Ed Gharrity.  I will cross reference these names on Baseball-reference.com and do a post about each individual name when I confirm them.

Here is a better shot of the 'Bluege' and 'Gharrity' signatures.  Again, once I confirm the name, I will do a blog post profiling the player.  This should be fun.

This panel has names that seem like they could be fairly easy to read.  I'm seeing: Someone that looks like Jack J something..., Bill Sherdel, Pauly Moore?, Les Ruhburg?.  I need to try to confirm all of these...

 Here is a better shot.  Looks like the top one could be Randy Moore, maybe.  I don't know.  The bottom one might be Les Richburg?

These are going to be tough.  I see Fred Macguire and Wes Smithwick?

Finally, these look like Sam West and Joe Kuchel?  We'll see.

So, I think doing the detective work on this will be a lot of fun.  I will write down the names that I think I see and cross reference them first with teams that Cronin played on.  Some of the names, like Bluege and Sam West are easy enough to read, so I think I should be able to do some relative age dating on the ball and come up with a possible team that this could have come from.  I wonder why the person got several Washington Senators on an ONL ball.  Maybe we'll never know.

Ebay Pickup - 1959 Topps Bob Gibson RC

I knocked off a huge part of the 1959 set today when the 1959 Topps Bob Gibson RC came in the mail.  I had gotten the card after I got some money from a trade.  It is obviously not mint, but I really don't care.  I finally have Gibson's RC, and that is a really big RC to knock off.

The back is in a bit better shape than the front.  I find it funny to look at the minor league numbers of a pitcher of Gibson's caliber.  Like I said in my last post about the '59 set, I have a long ways to go, but crossing off Mantle and Gibson have definitely helped me to a foot forward in getting this taken care of.  I'm not sure when my next major purchase from the set will be.  I'm thinking I have my eyes on Clemente or Aaron, but we'll have to see when that will be.

On Memorial Day, Remembering John 'Mule' Miles

While I was at my parents' house this weekend, I learned that former Negro Leaguer, John 'Mule' Miles, passed away at his home in San Antonio, Texas on Friday morning.  Miles was one of the best TTM successes I got, aside from Virgil Trucks.

Not only was Miles an accomplished ballplayer, but he also served as a member of the Tuskeegee Airmen.  So, in honor of Memorial Day and while remembering all of those who serve and have served in the armed forces, I wanted to take the time to honor a man who was definitely larger than life.

Miles will definitely be missed.  My son even wrote to Miles at one point.  I put the response Chris got up so he could have it later on in the future.  It is something he can look back on and enjoy.  I'm glad I had him do it as a part of his working on his handwriting.

So, at the age of 90, Mule Miles has passed away.  He will lone be remembered by all of the fans whose lives he has touched.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day.  Also, take the time to reflect and remember those who have fought and died for our country, those who lost family members who fought, the retired military personnel and the active military still serving today.

Ebay Pickup - 1959 Topps Mickey Mantle

One of the huge cards from the 1959 Topps set that I have been slowly collating has been removed from my wishlist.  I got this 1959 Topps Mickey Mantle off of Ebay last week for $50 and it arrived while I was out of town this weekend.  I have to say, in person, the card (even with all of its faults) is absolutely beautiful.  I have always been a fan of the bold red cards coming from the '50s (1954, 1958 and 1959).  Being able to get this Mantle so cheap has definitely made me happy.

There are a bunch of huge names in the 1959 set and Mantle, by far, is the most marquee.  There is one absolutely hust RC in the set, too, so I have my hands full in knocking stuff off of the list, but I definitely have a leg up now!

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Joe Cronin

When I started my HOF signed baseball crusade back in 2010, I was hoping I could get most of my HOF subjects on single signed baseballs.  I realized pretty quickly that this would be an expensive task, so I became more open to the 'multi-signed baseball.'  My first Hall of Famer that I have been able to get on a multi-signed ball is Hall of Famer Joe Cronin.

A single signed baseball of Cronin runs anywhere from $400-$800, so I was happy that I found this ball from the late 20s-early 30s, multi signed by a number of Washington Senators, for $80 on Heritage Auctions.  Cronin's signature doesn't quite look like his later signatures, but the ball came with a JSA LOA saying all signatures on the ball were genuine, so I will take their word for it.  So, that being said, welcome the 87th Hall of Famer into my collection!

Joe Cronin (b. 1906 - d. 1984) played in the majors from 1926 to 1945 for the Pirates, Senators and Red Sox.  He had 2,285 hits, 170 home runs and a .301 batting average.  He appeared in the 1933 World Series, which the Senators lost to the New York Giants.  Cronin was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956 (his 10th year on the ballot) when he received 78.8% of the vote from the BBWAA. 

Cronin was named manager of the Senators in 1933 (serving as a player/manager) and led his team to the World Series.  He was traded to the Red Sox in 1935 and served as player/manager until he retired from playing in 1947.  He continued to manage the Red Sox until 1947.  He led the Red Sox to the World Series in 1946, which they lost to the Cardinals.  After the 1947 season, Cronin became the Red Sox General Manager.

As General Manager of the Red Sox, Cronin was integral in the Red Sox refusal to trade for or sign an African American player, making them the last major league team to integrate (which occurred after Cronin's departure).

Cronin was elected AL President in 1959 and served in that capacity until 1973, when he was succeeded by Lee MacPhal.

I will do some subsequent posts on the rest of the signatures on the baseball.  It appears that most of the players are from the late 20s-early 30s Senators, but one player on the ball was on the Cardinals, however, that player had retired right up until the rest of the players I noted were active, so it might be safe to assume he could have been a coach.  I need to continue to look at the ball and try to figure it out.  More to come!

TTM Success - Don Larsen

I received my 73rd TTM success this evening when I got home from work and saw a box in my mailbox.  I had sent a check to former pitcher, Don Larsen, on Saturday, May 18.  The check was for $50 which covered Larsen's fee to provide his own OMLB ball, a signature, inscription and shipping.  I didn't even have to prepare a return mailer (for once).

Larsen (b. 1929) played in the majors from 1953 to 1965 and 1967 for the Browns/Orioles, Yankees, A's (Kansas City), White Sox, Giants, Colt .45s, Astros and Cubs.  He had a career record of 81-91, 849 strikeouts and a 3.78 ERA.

Larsen was traded by the Orioles to the Yankees along with Bob Turley, Billy Hunter, Mike Blyzka, Darrell Johnson, Jim Fridley and Dick Kryhoski for Harry Byrd, Willy Miranda, Jim McDonald, Hal Smith, Gus Triandos and Gene Woodling in 1954. 

He had his crowning achievement as a Yankee in the 1956 World Series when he threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5.  The Yankees would go on to win the Series 4 games to 3 and Larsen would win the World Series MVP award.

Larsen's contributions to Yankee history don't end there.  A few years later, in 1959, Larsen would be traded with Norm Siebern, Hank Bauer and Marv Throneberry to the Kansas City A's for Joe DeMaestri, Kent Hadley and a young fellow by the name of Roger Maris.

Ebay Pickup - 1953 Topps Mike Sandlock

I like being able to put a face with a player that I got TTM and Mike Sandlock was a really good one I got on March 21, 2012.  You can read my TTM success here.  Sandlock is the third oldest living former baseball player at 97 years of age.

I really like the 1953 set.  I like the artwork of the set and the backs are really nice as well.  I got this card fairly cheap, at around $6.

One day, I would love to tackle the '53 set, but I think that might be a long time from now.  The set is 60 years old and there are some huge names in the set that command a hefty price tag.  I have always wanted the Satchel Paige from the set.  I'm hoping I can find that one for a steal sometime soon because I have had my eye on it for several years now.

A Nice PWE From Night Owl

I got a nice envelope in the mail the other day from fellow blogger Night Owl that contained 5 more 2013 Topps Emerald parallels that I needed for my set.  His PWE put me at a total of 146 cards, so out of the 330 needed to complete the set, I am now just over 44% complete.  Woo Hoo!  Until Series 2 comes along, then I will need to get all of those, too.  But, I digress.

Thanks for the cards, Night Owl!  He also sent me a great 2013 Topps Gold parallel Robert Andino.  I kind of miss him on this year's club.  Flaherty definitely isn't getting the job done at 2nd base.  Of course, had Roberts not gotten hurt, it would be a moot point.  Oh well.

Some 2013 Emeralds From The Card Shop

While I was looking around the card shop the other day, I found two 2013 Topps Emerald parallels that were in the bargain box.  I needed both of them, so I picked them up for my set.  I got Vance Worley and the above Ryan Raburn, leaving me with 141 total for the set out of 330.  That puts me at almost 43% completed.  These were the first two cards that I actually bought for the set.  All of the others came from packs that I busted or trades.  I think I did pretty well getting a good portion of them from trades.

Speaking of trades, I need to pick back up on that.  Hopefully, I won't have any delays in picking up any Series 2 Topps, so maybe trading will pick up for that.  I also want to get another shipment of cards ready for COMC, but the stuff I have on there has really slowed down.  You guys should check back on there and see if I have anything of interest.  The link is at the top of my page.

Operation Bullpen and Autograph Forgeries

Being an avid autograph collector, I am always looking for deals on signed baseballs in hopes that I can knock off a few hard to find Hall of Famers.  I'm always looking at auction sites to see if I can find anything that many folks who only use mainstream auctions like Ebay may miss.  Today, I was looking at an auction of a Roger Maris signed baseball and saw that it had a COA from "Forensic Document Services."  After my purchase of a fake Hank Aaron baseball a few years ago, I am much more stringent in making sure I have a reputable COA on my baseballs.

So, I googled Forensic Document Services and found some very interesting information that I thought I should share, especially with some of the younger folks around here who may not have heard of the FBIs sting operation titled "Operation Bullpen."

Some of you may know that the market for baseball memorabilia didn't really become 'mainstream' (much like baseball cards) until around the mid 1980s.  Most autographed memorabilia was passed around by dealers at shows, through shops and through mail order catalogs.  Remember, this is before the internet made it easy to find anything you want just by doing a Google search.

A few dealers began to forge their autographs, realizing that there was a ton of money to be made.  According to the FBIs website, Operation Bullpen began in the 1990s when the FBI identified a problem growing in the celebrity and sports memorabilia market.  Their sting operation culminated in 1999 when several prominent California memorabilia and autograph dealers were arrested.  The FBI seized tens of thousands of pieces of 'signed' memorabilia.

Some of the prominent subjects of their forgery were:

Mickey Mantle
Joe Dimaggio
Ty Cobb
Babe Ruth
Wilt Chamberlain
Michael Jordan
Roberto Clemente

Going back to my Google search for Forensic Document Services, a link popped up about Ebay's autograph policy.  They have a list of authenticators that they do not recognize as reputable, therefore, if you have an item with a COA from said company, your item is likely to be forged.

According to Ebay.com, here is a list of the authenticators that they do not allow:

• Autographed items with COAs and LOAs, or references to COAs and LOAs from the following people or organizations:

  • ACE Authentic
  • Coach's Corner Sports Auctions LLC
  • Christopher L. Morales
  • CSC Collectibles
  • Donald Frangipani
  • Forensic Document Services
  • Hollywood Dreams
  • J. DiMaggio Co. / J. DiMaggio Company
  • Legends Sports Memorabilia
  • Nathan's Autographs / N.E. Autographs
  • Nicholas Burczyk
  • Pro Sports / Pro Sports Memorabilia
  • Rare and Signed.com
  • Robert Prouty
  • R.R.'s Sports Cards & Collectibles
  • SCAA / Front Page Art / Angelo Marino
  • Slamdunk Sportscards & Memorabilia
  • Sports Alley Memorabilia
  • Sports Management Group
  • Stan's Sports / Stans Sports Memorabilia
  • TTA Authentic (formerly STAT Authentic)
  • Universal Memorabilia
  • XMI Authentications
  • USA Authentics
• Blank COAs and LOAs
• COAs and LOAs as stand-alone items
• COAs and LOAs from anyone listed on the FBI's Operation Bullpen website
  
  

  Some tips when buying autographs:

  
  

  1. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  My Hank Aaron fake ball cost $50.  I should have known then that it was a fake, but I was still getting started.
  2. Verify the auto you are looking at with others that HAVE been verified by reputable companies.  I have identified several fake baseballs by doing this.
  3. Always check into the COA that you are getting.  Don't accept copies of COAs.  Make sure it is a company you have heard of.  If not, do as much research as you can before spending any money.
  Something that always bothers me is when people complain about a former player or personality charging for autographs.  One reason they charge is because of everything I said above.  Another is that older players, for example, weren't making the tens of millions of dollars that some of today's players make, so they don't have the financial security that others may have and are supplementing their retirement with auto fees here and there.
  
  
  For more information on "Operation Bullpen" you can check out the FBIs website here. You can also read Ebay's autograph policy here.  I hope this information has been helpful.
  
  
  Oh, and one more thing...  I did not bid on that Maris ball.

Card Shop Pickup - 2003 Fleer Fall Classic Bob Feller

So, there hasn't really been a whole lot going on this past week as far as the blog goes.  I haven't gotten any mail at all, so finding stuff to post about has been a stretch.  So, to fight off some boredom, I went to the LCS today and got a few more packs as well as a few singles out of the bargain bin.  One of the cards that I found was this 2003 Fleer Fall Classic Bob Feller.  I think the card looks great.  I love the coloring of it, definitely a sharp card.

I really was glad to get this one for my Feller PC, which has slowed down as of late.  I need to get some more of his stuff to show off, but I have been concentrating on my HOF baseballs and my 1971 set.  I'm really trying to lock down the '71 set so I can start to fully concentrate on 1959 and 1969.

There are a few Fellers that I really have my eye on for my PC, so I am always keeping a lookout for bargains.  Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and stumble upon a few and break out of this slump.

Card Shop Pickup - 1976 Topps Mike Cuellar

I picked up this 1976 Topps Mike Cuellar last week at the card shop when I found it in the bargain bin.  I have been quietly putting together a Cuellar PC recently.  He is one of the best pitchers in Oriole history not named Palmer or Mussina.

I figured since I haven't had much mail coming in and am waiting on a ball I got in an auction, I would show this card off.  The 1976 set was a pretty decent one.  It featured Dennis Eckersley's RC, some pretty awesome hair and some even more awesome uniforms.  The Orioles of the era were very good, but were on the tail end of their AL dominance.

My Thoughts on 2013 Panini Prism

Last Saturday, I went to the LCS and saw that they had 2013 Panini Prism available for $6 a pack.  I figured it would be a good idea to check some out, so I got one pack.  I didn't pull anything monumental out of the pack, but I did get a Will Clark that I gave to my older brother who was in town visiting.  Clark was his favorite player, so I was happy to hook him up with something new.

I like the design.  Panini has done a pretty good job so far this year, even though they don't have the official license of MLB.  I'm thinking they and Topps can compete together and create a healthy marketplace for cards.  We'll see though.

My Thoughts on 2013 Bowman

I had to get out of the house yesterday since we had a crowd of family up to visit this weekend.  My younger brother Andy and I went to the LCS to get a breather and I picked up several packs of cards.  A couple of which were jumbo packs of 2013 Bowman.

I had completely forgotten that Bowman had come out, since I have been so busy lately planning this family get-together.  Of the 2 packs I got, I was pretty pleased, even though I got only one Oriole (Jim Johnson).

I pulled the above Stephen Piscotty auto from the first pack I opened.  It is pretty nice and will definitely be dangled to the two Cardinals fans I talk to frequently as trade bait.

I also got this mini refractor of Robert Stephenson.  I haven't heard of him before, but it is still a cool card.

In all, I really liked this year's Bowman offering.  I might be tempted to pick up a few more packs to see if I can get some Orioles inserts.  I really like the Ice parallels, so I might go for some of those.

Stay tuned, I also picked up a pack of Panini Prism that I plan to discuss soon!

Trading Again With Zach

I sent over some duplicate 2013 Topps Emeralds to my friend and fellow Oriole fan, Zach, and in return, he sent me a few cards.  The above graded 1955 Topps Al Rosen is pretty cool.  Anyone who reads my blog knows (or should know) that I really enjoy the 1955 Topps set.  I also really like Rosen since he was a heck of a player in his day and is so generous with TTM requests.

Another of the cards Zach sent was this 2012 Bowman Chrome Wei-Yin Chen RC.  Chen has become a solid pitcher for the Orioles and I am glad that they picked him up.

Thanks for the trade, Zach!  I know we'll be doing more trades in the future!

Another Package From Judson

Judson from 'My Cardboard Habit' sent me another package that I got yesterday.  In the package was a bunch of Orioles cards that he thought I would like.  All of them were greatly appreciated.  I was definitely surprised when one of the cards was the above 1967 Topps Luis Aparicio.  The 1967 set isn't one of my favorites by any means, but it is still an iconic set and the more that I think about it, the more I realize that I already have a ton of good cards from the set.  I might consider putting it together in a few years, once 1959, 1969 and 1971 are finished...

I also really liked this 2012 Bowman Chrome Futures Game Dylan Bundy.  It really is too bad that Bundy is hurt right now.  Kind of par for the course for big time pitching prospects.  I'm hoping he heals up quickly and can get back on a mound sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the package, Judson!  I will have to get some more stuff together to send your way.

Almost Done WIth 1971 Topps

One of my main goals when I went to the Columbia Antique Mall last weekend was to try to knock out as much of my 1971 Topps set as I could.  I was able to do so by getting 72 cards that I needed.  The main highlights were the above Dusty Baker/Don Baylor RC and the below Greg Luzinski RC.

I still need several stars, apparently, so it will still take me a bit to complete the set, but I did major damage to the needs list this weekend.  I will be happy when I can finally put this set to bed and focus some more on 1959 and 1969.

Updating the Virgil Trucks Interview

As you all may know, after Mr. Virgil Trucks passed away, I donated a copy of the January 2011 interview I did with him to his family and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.  I got a really nice thank you card from his daughter, Carolyn soon after.  This weekend, I came home to a letter in my mail box from the Hall of Fame.  You should be able to click on the picture to see an enlarged copy, but here is what the letter says:

Dear Mr. Regenthal,
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum would like to thank you for donating the CD with your telephone oral history interview with Virgil Trucks.  It is a fine addition to our film, video and recorded sound collection.

Our deed of gift is enclosed for your signature.  Please return the signed document to me.  When the gift agreement has been returned, a donor's certificate will be issued in your name and mailed in approximately eight to twelve weeks.

We appreciate your interest and support of the Hall of Fame Library.

Sincerely,

Helen R. Stiles
Library Associate - Technical Services

Pretty cool, right?  So, when I get the certificate, I'll be sure to let you all know.  I also plan on writing Mr. Trucks' daughter and let her know it was accepted into the HOF.

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Rickey Henderson

The second Hall of Fame signed baseball that I got while I was in Columbia was the above Rickey Henderson.  It is a Gene Budig OAL ball and came in the original box (really cool).

The shop owner gave me a sweet deal on the ball so I couldn't pass it up making Henderson my 86th Hall of Famer.

Rickey Henderson (b. 1958) played in the majors from 1979 to 2003 for the (wait for it) A's, Yankees, Blue Jays, Padres, Angels, Mets, Mariners, Red Sox and Dodgers.  He played for the A's for 4 different stretches.  He had 3,055 hits, 297 home runs and a .279 career batting average.  He is the all time leader in stolen bases (1,406), caught stealing (335) and runs (2,295).  He was the 1990 AL MVP.  He won the World Series in 1989 with the A's and in 1993 with the Blue Jays.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009 (his first ballot) with 94.8% of the vote.

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - George Brett

I got my 85th Hall of Fame signed baseball today while I was visiting my brother in Columbia, SC.  I went to the Columbia Antique Mall like I usually do when I'm in Columbia and I spent a good bit of money.  I spent so much time there, my brother, my wife and my son all left and came back later to pick me up.  I got a ton of 1971 Topps and another Hall of Famer, but those will be shown later.

I had been eying  this Brett ball since my last trip to the antique shop.  I got a Bill Dickey signed baseball that time, you know, I posted it here.

George Brett (b. 1953) played in the majors from 1973 to 1993 for the Kansas City Royals.  He had 3,154 career hits, 317 home runs and a .305 career batting average.  He was the AL batting champ 3 times (1976, 1980 and 1990) and was the AL MVP in 1980.  He won the World Series with the Royals in 1985.

Brett was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999 (his first ballot) when he received 98.2% of the vote.

Card Shop Pickup - 1971 Topps Johnny Bench

I went to the card shop last weekend with my family and picked up several packs of cards.  I also finally bought this 1971 Topps Johnny Bench that the owner has had in his case for some time.  I know I overpaid for the card (30 bucks), but I know how hard it is to sell singles out of the showcase, so I made sure to throw him a bone.

Bench was probably the biggest star I had left to tackle from this set, so I am definitely beginning the home stretch on this.  I hope to finish it by the summer, so look to see more of these cards being knocked off sooner rather than later.

A PWE From Kalib

I got a PWE in the mail the other day from my buddy Kalib.  It was a nice surprise package from him that had a few Orioles and the above Bobby Parnell 2013 Topps Emerald parallel.  Kalib is a really good guy and you can check out his blog here.

There were quite a few 2013 Heritage Orioles and a couple 'shinies' from 2012 and 2011.  Really awesome stuff, thanks so much, Kalib!