I Finally Got an Antique Baseball

I picked up this awesome baseball from Ebay recently.  I have been looking for antique baseballs over the last couple months and have finally gotten one.  I had no idea how expensive they were (I've seen some figure eight style baseballs selling for $200.00 on ebay).

 After doing a Google search on antique baseballs, if this is an Official ball, then it would date to between 1901 to 1934.  The A. J. Reach company manufactured baseballs for the AL with red and blue stitching beginning in 1901 and ending in 1934.  Spalding made baseballs for the NL with black and red stitching starting in 1911.  Looking closely at the ball, the stitches look blue.  Some previous owner of the ball scratched 'Babe Ruth' into the ball.

No, there is no way it is an autograph.  It is clearly scratched into the ball.

I imagine some kid owned it back in the late 20s - early 30s and imagined themselves calling a home run shot.  What would be really awesome, but never able to be proven would be if this ball was a Ruth home run ball.  Or maybe a foul ball?  The speculation is endless.

My thinking is that this ball looks amazing and I am really happy to have it in my collection.  If anyone knows more about antique baseballs and would like to shed some light on this, please feel free to do so.  I'm curious as to the origins of this beauty and would like to know more.

Something Cool From The Card Show

 I picked up this Official AL Baseball, new in the box, from a vendor at the card show this past weekend.  I've been looking for older baseballs for some time now and was able to snag this one for only $10.00.  The guy had maybe 4 or 5 more that he was willing to sell me really cheap, but I was on a budget and didn't want to exceed it.

The ball is a Bobby Brown ball, which is really cool, since I just got him TTM.  Would have been a good idea to wait and send this to him, but oh well.

Something I found to be odd/funny, though...  The ball is an official AL baseball, the box even says so, but the stadium pictured on the box is old Busch Stadium.  I saw The Who play there live in 1989.  My first concert...

The ball looks great.  The guy told me that they had bought a bunch of them so someone could sign them, and I guess he didn't sign them all.  The box says copyright 1985, so this was early in Brown's AL presidency, which he was elected to in 1984.

53 Years Ago Today....

It was 53 years ago today that friend of the blog, Virgil Trucks, pitched in his final MLB game.  On September 26, 1958, Mr. Trucks (pitching for the Yankees) was on the losing end of a 12-inning affair against the Baltimore Orioles.  The game featured Hall of Famers Hoyt Wilhelm and Whitey Ford starting for the Orioles and Yankees, respectively.  

With the game tied 1-1, Trucks replaced Art Ditmar in the top of the 11th inning and got the Orioles' 8-9-1 hitters out on a fly ball and two strikeouts, respectively.  He wasn't as lucky in the top of the 12th inning, though.  He retired Dick Williams on a fly ball to 2nd base, then gave up a single to Gene Woodling.  With Jim Busby pinch running for Woodling, Bob Nieman singled.  Trucks would then load the bases with one out by walking Gus Triandos.  Bob Boyd would hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Busby.  Trucks would then walk Billy Gardner to load the bases again, this time with two out.  Another walk to Jack Harshman would score Nieman, bring the score to 3-1, Orioles.  Finally, Trucks would strike out pitcher Billy Loes to end the inning.

A solo home run in the bottom of the 12th inning would inch the Yankees to within one run, but it was not meant to be, with Gil McDougald fouling out to the third baseman to end the game and handing Virgil Trucks a loss in his final game.  The Yankees would go on to the World Series that year, but Trucks was left off of the playoff roster.  He received a ring when the Yankees won the series, but would not play in the majors after that season.

It is with this in mind that I showcase a pickup from this weekend's Raleigh Toy and Hobby Show.  I could have sworn I had the above 1957 Topps Virgil Trucks card, but apparently, I didn't.  I was able to buy it from a dealer for $7.  I later found another lower grade version for the same price of $7, so I feel like I did pretty well.

I've pretty much got his PC locked down, needing only his 1948 Leaf.  That card is his RC and it is a SP, so it usually commands a hefty price tag.  I hope I am able to snag one off of Ebay, much like I was able to get the 55 Clemente.  We'll see...

New For Sale-Trade Page

I have decided to add a For Sale/Trade page to my blog in hopes to get some of the things I have for sale at card shows out so more people can see them.

It is hard sometimes to go through all the cards I have, price and label them so that people walking by my booth at shows can see everything.  I also have learned recently that it is really convenient to be able to trade a big hit for a Hall of Fame ball (like I was able to do with my Pujols triple relic/auto for the Mazeroski and Drysdale balls).

So, that being said, here are a couple featured items that I would love to sell or trade for something significant.  If any of it interests you, please shoot me an email at wregenthal@hotmail.com.

I won't refuse reasonable offers, but please, don't do me like the people on the Topps Diamond Giveaway are doing...  don't offer me a 1995 Topps Mike Macfarlane for an auto or something like that.

Below are the first items that will be added to the page...  Check the page for descriptions of each item.  Thanks for looking.

1970 Topps OJ Simpson Rookie Card

2008 UD Heroes Mike Schmidt Jersey #ed 115/125

2011 Topps Logan Morrison Auto

2011 Topps Alfonso Soriano Sparkle SP

2011 Topps Starlin Castro Auto

2011 Topps Mark Teixeira Sparkle SP

2011 Topps Travis Snider Silk Collection #ed 36/50

Manny Machado Auto Baseball - signed in person July 4, 2011

Hall of Fame Baseball - Gary Carter

I went to the Raleigh Toy and Hobby show today with my son and was able to pick up some good stuff.  The first of which is my 48th Hall of Fame Signed Baseball: Gary Carter.

Carter has not been doing well lately, health-wise.  He was diagnosed earlier this year with brain tumors and has undergone extensive chemotherapy in an attempt to combat the disease. 

Born in 1954, Carter played in the majors from 1974 to 1992 for the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers.  He had 2,092 hits, 324 home runs and a .262 batting average.  Not bad for a player who played 2,056 games over 19 seasons as a catcher.

I'm really happy to be able to add this Carter ball to my collection as I continue to inch closer to 50...  I wonder who my next two will be?

Final Regular Season Home Game For the Kinston Indians... Ever

 I'm late posting this, but we went to the last ever regular season home game for the Kinston Indians on September 2, 2011.  They were playing the Keys in that final home series and funny thing is, the Indians were able to stretch that into a playoff run and play the Keys again in the Mills Cup finals.  We went to a game in that series as well.

 We had to get general admission tickets and sit on the grass, which wasn't bad.  The game ended up being sold out.  I had to wait an hour and a half in line for concessions and then another hour was spent in line for the souvenir shop because everything was 50% off.  I got my wife a shirt; my son a foam hand; and myself a pennant and a team ball.

 We were able to watch Orioles prospects play for the Keys.  Here is Jonathan Schoop who is one of the few international prospects (he is from Curacao) that the O's have signed lately.

 Schoop laid down a pretty nice bunt and almost beat the throw.

 We also got another look at Orioles 2010 first round pick, Manny Machado.  Manny looks to be a pretty good player and has been compared to a young Alex Rodriguez.  I'm not sure I'd go that far, but he does seem to be a good player.

 Here is my last view under the lights during a regular season MILB game at historic Grainger Stadium.  I love going to games there and I hope another team will be taking their place.  I wouldn't mind a lower A team.

The Indians closed out their home series with fireworks, which was really awesome.  I'll sure miss spending 4th of July at the park watching the fireworks.  I'll have to take my July 4th tradition to another park somewhere else, I suppose.

So, goodbye, Kinston Indians.  Since 2009, you have been my home team and my way to see some top prospects come through town.  I've had some good times there with people like my good friend Jim, my wife, my younger brother Andy and especially my son.  I'll always remember those good times at Grainger Stadium.

Funny... this was my 700th post.  Congratulations to me, haha.

 We went to game 3 of the Mills Cup last night in Kinston, NC.  The Mills Cup is the World Series of the Carolina League and this year it features the Frederick Keys and the Kinston Indians.  This series is a win-win for me, because the Keys are the Orioles' High A team and this is the final year of the Kinston Indians (who have become my home MILB team, since we moved in 2009).

Of course, I left the house without my camera, so I have no actual photos of the game, but I was able to leave with 2 mementos.

 We had to leave the game early because my wife had to be at work at 5am, and our son gets on the bus at 6:55am.  On our way through the parking lot, I spotted something between two cars.  I walked over and looked closer and found this foul ball.  I have several Carolina League balls, and it is always cool to get others, but this one is especially nice because I nabbed it during a championship series.  Not bad.

Also, I got another autograph of the Orioles' 2010 first round draft pick, Manny Machado.  This time he signed my ball on the sweet spot.  My son got a ball signed by a bunch of the Keys' players, especially after one of the pitchers asked him to throw it to him.  The pitcher (named Will Startup) took the ball and had everyone in the bullpen sign it for him.

We had a great time on a beautiful night.  I hated leaving early, but being able to get my son out of bed easily was a nice reward for getting home at a reasonable time.