American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe the multiple conflicts between American settlers or the federal governmentand the native peoples of North America from the time of earliest colonial settlement until approximately 1891. Recently MEARS Auctions was able to purchase a rather significant grouping of relic dug .45-70 caliber casings and bullets used by the United States Army during the time of the conflict that were found in the area of Southern New Mexico and Fort Craig. Per the head stamps, the bullets were manufactured during the 1877-1884 era. To document the find, MEARS recorded the date of purchase, ebay item number, and ebay seller of each shell, so that an accurate history of the origin of the casings and bullets that entered the hobby is archived.

The .45-70 rifle cartridge, also known as .45-70 Government, was developed at the U.S. Army’s Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873, which is also referred to as the “Trapdoor Springfield.” The new cartridge was a replacement for the stop-gap .50-70 Government cartridge which had been adopted in 1866, one year after the end of the American Civil War. The cartridge was greatly responsible for the success of the United States Army during the Apache Wars.

                                                                           Map of the Apache Wars                                                                      

The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache nations fought in the Southwest between 849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. Its origins started a year before the first conflict when a fraction of Mexico becomes part of America in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War. Therefore the Native Mexicans had become Native Americans for the series of conflicts where a significant part of the Westward Expansion Trails in the American frontier.

Conflicts between the United States and the Apache Nation focused on the leaders Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo.

Victorio (ca. 1825–October 14, 1880) was a warrior and chief of the Warm Springs band of the Cheyenne, a division of the central Apaches in what is now the American states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. In April, 1880, Victorio was credited with leading the Alma Massacre – a raid on United States settlers’ homes around Alma, New Mexico. During this event, several settlers were killed. Victorio’s warriors were finally driven off with the arrival of American soldiers from Fort Bayard. However, Victorio continued his campaign with the attack on Fort Tularosa. In October 1880, while moving along the Rio Grande in northern Mexico, Victorio and his band were surrounded and killed by soldiers of the Mexican Army under Colonel Joaquin Terrazas in the Tres Castillos Mountains in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Some women and children escaped but were sent with Geronimo to Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Nana (ca. 1800?-1896), was also known as “Broken Foot” or “Angry, He is Agitated”. Leading his people during the same era as Geronimo, Nana, and Victorio, was a Chiricahua Apache leader and the nephew of Delgadito and married a sister of Geronimo. He fought alongside Mangas Coloradas until Mangas was killed whilst in the custody of the California militia in January 1863. During the Indian wars he raided areas of Texas and Mexico with Victorio until Victorio and his band were surrounded and killed by soldiers of the Mexican Army under Mauricio Corredor at Cerro Tres Castillos. Nana and his followers had been able to evade the ambushers and escape into the Sierra Madre. Nana then formed his own war party with the Warm Springs Apache and began raiding Army supply trains and isolated settlers. Nana was captured in a surprise attack and sent to the San Carlos Reservation, but he escaped and joined forces with Geronimo in Mexico, and fought with him during his last days of resistance. In 1886, he surrendered along with Geronimo and was sent to Fort Marion, Florida. In 1894, he was allowed to return west to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Nana died at Fort Sill on May 19, 1896, at the age of 96. He had the longest fighting career of any of the Apache warriors.

Geronimo (ca. June 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader of the Bedonkohe Apache who fought against Mexico and Texas for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. “Geronimo” was the name given to him during a battle with Mexican soldiers. After a Mexican attack on his tribe, where soldiers killed his mother, wife, and his three children in 1858, Geronimo joined a number of revenge attacks against the Mexicans. In 1886, after a lengthy pursuit, Geronimo surrendered to Texan faux-gubernatorial authorities as a prisoner of war. At an old age, he became a celebrity, appearing at fairs, but he was never allowed to return to the land of his birth. Geronimo died in 1909 from complications of pneumonia at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

MEARS has documented the entire inventory of the find. Included are:

Group 1:

1978-82 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Bullets (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 131237882725

Lot Description: Lot (13) of spent casings & bullets, inside primed, all found in southern New Mexico, from a site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows: R-F-5-80, C-F-4-80, C-F-3-78(2), R-F-6-82, C-F-2-78, R-F-3-81, R-F-8-81, and five (5) plain-no head stamp. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 2:

1877-81 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Bullets (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th, 2014

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 131237878097

Lot Description: Lot (12) spent casing & bullets, inside primed, all found in southern New Mexico, from a site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows-R-F-4-80, C-F-1-79, C-F-9-80(2), C-F-5-77, R-F-6-80, R-F-5-77, R-F-5-80, C-F-11-81, R-F-5-78, C-F-1-80, and C-F-9-78. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 3:

1978-82 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Blank Casings (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382266968

Nice lot (10) of 45-70 blank casings that were never fired, 2 are inside primed, the rest have outside primers. These were all found in southern New Mexico-site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 4:

1882-1891 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Spent Bullets w/ Outside Primers (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382249594

Description: Nice lot (14) of 45-70 casings and spent bullets, outside primed, all found in southern New Mexico-site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows-R-F-3-83, C-F-10-83, C-F-11-82, C-F-10-84(2), R-F-12-84, R-F-1-85, R-F-10-83, C-F-10-82, R-F-3-84, F-12-86, F-5-86, F-1-87, F-1-91, plain. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics. Always glad to combine shipping if you win more than one auction.

Group 5:

1877 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Round (Dug Relic Found In New Mexico)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382242983

Head Stamp: Nice dropped 45-70 that was found near Fort Craig, New Mexico back in the 1960’s. The copper case is in nice condition, and is head stamped R-F-5-77. (Rifle-Frankford Arsenal-May-1877). This is the earliest date I have seen for a 45-70 case. The lead bullet has surface cracking from being buried in the desert.

Fort Craig was a U.S. Army fort located along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, near Elephant Butte Lake State Park and the Rio Grande in Socorro County, New Mexico. Between 1863 and1865, Fort Craig was headquarters for U.S. Army campaigns against the Gila and Mimbres Apaches. Fort Craig was permanently abandoned in 1885.

Each casing has been housed in a riker mount display box, with the approximate date, caliber, and location found printed on an identification tag. The information regarding the location of the find was provided by the original seller. I have documented the date of purchase and the sellers Ebay name to create accountability as to the representation of the item and to document the original source. By publishing these finding online in an article form, I am providing all potential customers/collectors the entire history of how this artifact entered the hobby.

I find it quite fascinating that 140+ years later, these items have been uncovered, preserved in the sandy, arid desert of New Mexico. Generations of rattle snakes, brown spiders, and scorpions have passed over these hidden pieces of buried history. Was the casing ejected from its father the Springfield Rifle during an Indian Battle, target practice, or attempt to harvest meat for the troops? Regardless of the exact reason of its firing and landing in the sand, it was an integral component of the life of an Indian Wars Soldier, and a tangible, surviving testament to a very historic moment in time.

Questions may be directed to Troy R. Kinunen at troy@mearsonline.com

 American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe the multiple conflicts between American settlers or the federal governmentand the native peoples of North America from the time of earliest colonial settlement until approximately 1891. Recently MEARS Auctions was able to purchase a rather significant grouping of relic dug .45-70 caliber casings and bullets used by the United States Army during the time of the conflict that were found in the area of Southern New Mexico and Fort Craig. Per the head stamps, the bullets were manufactured during the 1877-1884 era. To document the find, MEARS recorded the date of purchase, ebay item number, and ebay seller of each shell, so that an accurate history of the origin of the casings and bullets that entered the hobby is archived.

The .45-70 rifle cartridge, also known as .45-70 Government, was developed at the U.S. Army’s Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873, which is also referred to as the “Trapdoor Springfield.” The new cartridge was a replacement for the stop-gap .50-70 Government cartridge which had been adopted in 1866, one year after the end of the American Civil War. The cartridge was greatly responsible for the success of the United States Army during the Apache Wars.

                                                                           Map of the Apache Wars                                                                      

The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache nations fought in the Southwest between 849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. Its origins started a year before the first conflict when a fraction of Mexico becomes part of America in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War. Therefore the Native Mexicans had become Native Americans for the series of conflicts where a significant part of the Westward Expansion Trails in the American frontier.

Conflicts between the United States and the Apache Nation focused on the leaders Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo.

Victorio (ca. 1825–October 14, 1880) was a warrior and chief of the Warm Springs band of the Cheyenne, a division of the central Apaches in what is now the American states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. In April, 1880, Victorio was credited with leading the Alma Massacre – a raid on United States settlers’ homes around Alma, New Mexico. During this event, several settlers were killed. Victorio’s warriors were finally driven off with the arrival of American soldiers from Fort Bayard. However, Victorio continued his campaign with the attack on Fort Tularosa. In October 1880, while moving along the Rio Grande in northern Mexico, Victorio and his band were surrounded and killed by soldiers of the Mexican Army under Colonel Joaquin Terrazas in the Tres Castillos Mountains in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Some women and children escaped but were sent with Geronimo to Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Nana (ca. 1800?-1896), was also known as “Broken Foot” or “Angry, He is Agitated”. Leading his people during the same era as Geronimo, Nana, and Victorio, was a Chiricahua Apache leader and the nephew of Delgadito and married a sister of Geronimo. He fought alongside Mangas Coloradas until Mangas was killed whilst in the custody of the California militia in January 1863. During the Indian wars he raided areas of Texas and Mexico with Victorio until Victorio and his band were surrounded and killed by soldiers of the Mexican Army under Mauricio Corredor at Cerro Tres Castillos. Nana and his followers had been able to evade the ambushers and escape into the Sierra Madre. Nana then formed his own war party with the Warm Springs Apache and began raiding Army supply trains and isolated settlers. Nana was captured in a surprise attack and sent to the San Carlos Reservation, but he escaped and joined forces with Geronimo in Mexico, and fought with him during his last days of resistance. In 1886, he surrendered along with Geronimo and was sent to Fort Marion, Florida. In 1894, he was allowed to return west to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Nana died at Fort Sill on May 19, 1896, at the age of 96. He had the longest fighting career of any of the Apache warriors.

Geronimo (ca. June 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader of the Bedonkohe Apache who fought against Mexico and Texas for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. “Geronimo” was the name given to him during a battle with Mexican soldiers. After a Mexican attack on his tribe, where soldiers killed his mother, wife, and his three children in 1858, Geronimo joined a number of revenge attacks against the Mexicans. In 1886, after a lengthy pursuit, Geronimo surrendered to Texan faux-gubernatorial authorities as a prisoner of war. At an old age, he became a celebrity, appearing at fairs, but he was never allowed to return to the land of his birth. Geronimo died in 1909 from complications of pneumonia at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

MEARS has documented the entire inventory of the find. Included are:

Group 1:

1978-82 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Bullets (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 131237882725

Lot Description: Lot (13) of spent casings & bullets, inside primed, all found in southern New Mexico, from a site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows: R-F-5-80, C-F-4-80, C-F-3-78(2), R-F-6-82, C-F-2-78, R-F-3-81, R-F-8-81, and five (5) plain-no head stamp. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 2:

1877-81 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Bullets (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th, 2014

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 131237878097

Lot Description: Lot (12) spent casing & bullets, inside primed, all found in southern New Mexico, from a site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows-R-F-4-80, C-F-1-79, C-F-9-80(2), C-F-5-77, R-F-6-80, R-F-5-77, R-F-5-80, C-F-11-81, R-F-5-78, C-F-1-80, and C-F-9-78. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 3:

1978-82 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Blank Casings (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382266968

Nice lot (10) of 45-70 blank casings that were never fired, 2 are inside primed, the rest have outside primers. These were all found in southern New Mexico-site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics.

Group 4:

1882-1891 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Casings & Spent Bullets w/ Outside Primers (Dug Relic)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382249594

Description: Nice lot (14) of 45-70 casings and spent bullets, outside primed, all found in southern New Mexico-site of the Apache Indian Wars against Victorio, Nana, and Geronimo. Most have head stamped dates, as follows-R-F-3-83, C-F-10-83, C-F-11-82, C-F-10-84(2), R-F-12-84, R-F-1-85, R-F-10-83, C-F-10-82, R-F-3-84, F-12-86, F-5-86, F-1-87, F-1-91, plain. All have the normal dents and dings associated with dug relics. Always glad to combine shipping if you win more than one auction.

Group 5:

1877 Apache Indian Wars U.S. (45-70 Cartridge) Army Round (Dug Relic Found In New Mexico)

Date: July 6th

Ebay Seller: Danjer

Item Number: 121382242983

Head Stamp: Nice dropped 45-70 that was found near Fort Craig, New Mexico back in the 1960’s. The copper case is in nice condition, and is head stamped R-F-5-77. (Rifle-Frankford Arsenal-May-1877). This is the earliest date I have seen for a 45-70 case. The lead bullet has surface cracking from being buried in the desert.

Fort Craig was a U.S. Army fort located along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, near Elephant Butte Lake State Park and the Rio Grande in Socorro County, New Mexico. Between 1863 and1865, Fort Craig was headquarters for U.S. Army campaigns against the Gila and Mimbres Apaches. Fort Craig was permanently abandoned in 1885.

Each casing has been housed in a riker mount display box, with the approximate date, caliber, and location found printed on an identification tag. The information regarding the location of the find was provided by the original seller. I have documented the date of purchase and the sellers Ebay name to create accountability as to the representation of the item and to document the original source. By publishing these finding online in an article form, I am providing all potential customers/collectors the entire history of how this artifact entered the hobby.

I find it quite fascinating that 140+ years later, these items have been uncovered, preserved in the sandy, arid desert of New Mexico. Generations of rattle snakes, brown spiders, and scorpions have passed over these hidden pieces of buried history. Was the casing ejected from its father the Springfield Rifle during an Indian Battle, target practice, or attempt to harvest meat for the troops? Regardless of the exact reason of its firing and landing in the sand, it was an integral component of the life of an Indian Wars Soldier, and a tangible, surviving testament to a very historic moment in time.

Questions may be directed to Troy R. Kinunen at troy@mearsonline.com

As many of you already know, my original foray into this business was not that of game used equipment but rather vintage, non determined use, just plain vintage/antique equipment such as gloves, hats, bats, masks, catcher’s gear, leather football helmets, nose guards, et all. It was the history of the game, the evolution of the gear, the simply artistry of design, and the relative scarcity of early items, some of which are priced well into the five figure range. Sure, many of the items I’ve handled in the past twenty years probably did see some use in the professional circuit given the top of the quality of some pieces but their history or lineage is long lost to the ages and would be impossible to identify in most cases so the value of the piece lies strictly on the item, it’s condition and rarity with no added value associated with a professional player.

I published a book on collecting vintage sports equipment with Krause back in 1995. It was the first book of it’s type but the pictures were far from professional in most cases as we used pictures submitted by collectors long before the days of digital camera’s and discs. The pricing section is so outdated as to be, for the most part, useless and the true rarity of items wasn’t realized until the advent of EBay. It was the first time that most of the collector lingo was actually used to label items as well as a decent stab at pricing but it lacked polish. Great photographs, further delineation of categories and current pricing, in short, what is needed is a coffee table price guide for today’s collector.

Fast forward twelve plus years and collectors are about to get their wish. There is a brand new book created especially for vintage equipment collectors. It is published by one of the finest houses putting out books on collecting, Schiffer Publishing. The new coffee table style book is written and compiled by Dan Hauser, Ed Turner and my long time friend, John Gennantonio whom I’ve known since I first got into this business and he was still a dental student. The book is entitled “Antique Sports Uniforms and Equipment, 1840-1940, Baseball, Football and Basketball.

It is due out right now and you can order the book from Schiffer via the internet www.schifferbooks.com or call them at 610-593-1777. As I write this, I have not yet gotten my copy of the actual book but I do have an advance flyer with full color pictures and I have discussed the book with both John and Ed. Given the quality of the flyer and their (the writers) enthusiasm and the reputation of Schiffer, it is the most anticipated book since Steven Wong’s Smithsonian Baseball, to date, the finest book on vintage baseball. What excites me even more is that this is the first coffee table style book ever done on sports equipment and in particular, the first of its type to deal with the huge area of antique football gear. I know some of you Hockey die hards will lament the fact that this sport is not included but there does not seem to be the interest or prices realized for this sport so I fully understand why they did not include it in their new book. Even Basketball has a rather limited appeal and far fewer vintage items than that of baseball or football but there are some great pictures of early basketball uniforms and I am anxious to peruse this category given the scarcity and I am sure it will be the most in-depth study so far of this genre.

In the baseball category, the book will cover early gloves from the most valuable fingerless models and workman style glove up through the more common models of the late 1930’s. Catchers gear will include masks from the most valuable Thayer style mask, an example of which I have only owned one during my entire career through the early bird cage models including the large bead weld masks, the throat protector models, the earliest cast aluminum models up to the late pre war models. I don’t know if they will cover the early endorsed models such as Bill Dickey, Hank Gowdy or Gabby Hartnett as they are dealing with style changes rather than player endorsed equipment. Other catchers gear will include shin guards from the earliest reeded models and chest protectors such as the inflatable and quilted models.

Also included are early belts such as the fireman style, early hats and uniforms such as the bib fronts, western and cadet styles. There will also be a section on the earliest style bats such as ring bats. I hope they include some of the many known 1860-70’s presentation bats.

The Football section includes the many styles of leather helmets. This area is the most highly sought of all football gear and the myriad of styles and makers create a category that would provide collecting enjoyment for a lifetime. Early jerseys such as the friction fronts, union suits, and vests are covered along with cleats, pants, and padding. Another popular collecting category deals with the various styles and makes of early hard rubber nose guards. There seems to be no end in sight as it pertains to collecting football gear and the prices on prime examples just keep going up and up as new collectors vie against seasoned veterans for early and top condition examples.

Basketball, while trailing a very distant third in both availability and demand still offers some great items. Early laced basketballs, bloomer style uniforms, early high top shoes, and even early eye and face protection are just a few of the items that are available.
It is readily apparent that the field of collecting vintage equipment keeps growing with ever ready buyers specializing in various fields. High condition and scarce examples are eagerly snapped up for figures unheard of just a decade ago and more and more collectors specializing in just this field alone with no regard to major league usage. Check out the Smithsonian baseball book to see some world class collections of vintage baseball equipment let alone football and basketball and if you are a historian as well as a collector with an eye towards rarity, condition and design and you will find yourself hooked. It is a collecting category that offers so many different styles and makers as to be endless so you will never find yourself “finished” so to speak. And if you are not currently a collector of such items, this new book will make you a believer and will most assuredly drive up already strong prices even higher with no end in sight as to value or availability.

Whether you are a veteran collector or just thinking about diving into this fertile area, this new book is a must have. Once you see all that is available, it will be next to impossible to not be influenced. Collecting vintage equipment, like in any other collectible category, boils down to rarity and condition. Most new collectors tend to buy everything they see only to have to upgrade later and they usually find themselves with loads of average items to dispose of. My advise is to read and re read this book, focus on what interests you and get to really know the merchandise and then, to only buy the best and rarest of all items. If you find yourself buying every little piece that comes on the market, you might find yourself short when a truly great piece turns up. Armed with this book and access to the internet as well as the major auction houses, you should be able to acquire a notable collection in a few short years but be forewarned, their will be pieces such as a Thayer mask or a set of fingerless gloves that my not present themselves for years if ever so don’t be discouraged as it is the hunt that makes this hobby so enjoyable. If you could go to K-Mart and buy everything in a single day, it would no longer be worth the time and research.

Until next time. David Bushing

As many of you already know, my original foray into this business was not that of game used equipment but rather vintage, non determined use, just plain vintage/antique equipment such as gloves, hats, bats, masks, catcher’s gear, leather football helmets, nose guards, et all. It was the history of the game, the evolution of the gear, the simply artistry of design, and the relative scarcity of early items, some of which are priced well into the five figure range. Sure, many of the items I’ve handled in the past twenty years probably did see some use in the professional circuit given the top of the quality of some pieces but their history or lineage is long lost to the ages and would be impossible to identify in most cases so the value of the piece lies strictly on the item, it’s condition and rarity with no added value associated with a professional player.

I published a book on collecting vintage sports equipment with Krause back in 1995. It was the first book of it’s type but the pictures were far from professional in most cases as we used pictures submitted by collectors long before the days of digital camera’s and discs. The pricing section is so outdated as to be, for the most part, useless and the true rarity of items wasn’t realized until the advent of EBay. It was the first time that most of the collector lingo was actually used to label items as well as a decent stab at pricing but it lacked polish. Great photographs, further delineation of categories and current pricing, in short, what is needed is a coffee table price guide for today’s collector.

Fast forward twelve plus years and collectors are about to get their wish. There is a brand new book created especially for vintage equipment collectors. It is published by one of the finest houses putting out books on collecting, Schiffer Publishing. The new coffee table style book is written and compiled by Dan Hauser, Ed Turner and my long time friend, John Gennantonio whom I’ve known since I first got into this business and he was still a dental student. The book is entitled “Antique Sports Uniforms and Equipment, 1840-1940, Baseball, Football and Basketball.

It is due out right now and you can order the book from Schiffer via the internet www.schifferbooks.com or call them at 610-593-1777. As I write this, I have not yet gotten my copy of the actual book but I do have an advance flyer with full color pictures and I have discussed the book with both John and Ed. Given the quality of the flyer and their (the writers) enthusiasm and the reputation of Schiffer, it is the most anticipated book since Steven Wong’s Smithsonian Baseball, to date, the finest book on vintage baseball. What excites me even more is that this is the first coffee table style book ever done on sports equipment and in particular, the first of its type to deal with the huge area of antique football gear. I know some of you Hockey die hards will lament the fact that this sport is not included but there does not seem to be the interest or prices realized for this sport so I fully understand why they did not include it in their new book. Even Basketball has a rather limited appeal and far fewer vintage items than that of baseball or football but there are some great pictures of early basketball uniforms and I am anxious to peruse this category given the scarcity and I am sure it will be the most in-depth study so far of this genre.

In the baseball category, the book will cover early gloves from the most valuable fingerless models and workman style glove up through the more common models of the late 1930’s. Catchers gear will include masks from the most valuable Thayer style mask, an example of which I have only owned one during my entire career through the early bird cage models including the large bead weld masks, the throat protector models, the earliest cast aluminum models up to the late pre war models. I don’t know if they will cover the early endorsed models such as Bill Dickey, Hank Gowdy or Gabby Hartnett as they are dealing with style changes rather than player endorsed equipment. Other catchers gear will include shin guards from the earliest reeded models and chest protectors such as the inflatable and quilted models.

Also included are early belts such as the fireman style, early hats and uniforms such as the bib fronts, western and cadet styles. There will also be a section on the earliest style bats such as ring bats. I hope they include some of the many known 1860-70’s presentation bats.

The Football section includes the many styles of leather helmets. This area is the most highly sought of all football gear and the myriad of styles and makers create a category that would provide collecting enjoyment for a lifetime. Early jerseys such as the friction fronts, union suits, and vests are covered along with cleats, pants, and padding. Another popular collecting category deals with the various styles and makes of early hard rubber nose guards. There seems to be no end in sight as it pertains to collecting football gear and the prices on prime examples just keep going up and up as new collectors vie against seasoned veterans for early and top condition examples.

Basketball, while trailing a very distant third in both availability and demand still offers some great items. Early laced basketballs, bloomer style uniforms, early high top shoes, and even early eye and face protection are just a few of the items that are available.
It is readily apparent that the field of collecting vintage equipment keeps growing with ever ready buyers specializing in various fields. High condition and scarce examples are eagerly snapped up for figures unheard of just a decade ago and more and more collectors specializing in just this field alone with no regard to major league usage. Check out the Smithsonian baseball book to see some world class collections of vintage baseball equipment let alone football and basketball and if you are a historian as well as a collector with an eye towards rarity, condition and design and you will find yourself hooked. It is a collecting category that offers so many different styles and makers as to be endless so you will never find yourself “finished” so to speak. And if you are not currently a collector of such items, this new book will make you a believer and will most assuredly drive up already strong prices even higher with no end in sight as to value or availability.

Whether you are a veteran collector or just thinking about diving into this fertile area, this new book is a must have. Once you see all that is available, it will be next to impossible to not be influenced. Collecting vintage equipment, like in any other collectible category, boils down to rarity and condition. Most new collectors tend to buy everything they see only to have to upgrade later and they usually find themselves with loads of average items to dispose of. My advise is to read and re read this book, focus on what interests you and get to really know the merchandise and then, to only buy the best and rarest of all items. If you find yourself buying every little piece that comes on the market, you might find yourself short when a truly great piece turns up. Armed with this book and access to the internet as well as the major auction houses, you should be able to acquire a notable collection in a few short years but be forewarned, their will be pieces such as a Thayer mask or a set of fingerless gloves that my not present themselves for years if ever so don’t be discouraged as it is the hunt that makes this hobby so enjoyable. If you could go to K-Mart and buy everything in a single day, it would no longer be worth the time and research.

Until next time. David Bushing

Another National has come and gone. There was a lot of excitement this year because of events that were previously addressed. As I said before, I did not attend but mentioned that the Bushing and Kinunen For Sales venture did very well n what many reported to be a down “sellers market.” I decided to look into what items sold particularly well and I was very surprised to see that a large number of high priced basketball warm-ups and shooting jackets were sold. What was even more surprising is that they were purchased by an auction house. This tells me a couple of things. First, that although the items were not cheap, someone still believes there is money to made on them. Secondly, and tied directly to the first point, was there has to be a market for these.

I have never been a basketball collector, but I decided to look over the inventory on the Bushing and Kinunen For Sales Site to see what all the hub bub might have been about. In looking at these items, I found a number of things I consider to be an upside to these seldom mentioned bits of hard court finery. Let’s take a look at this list of Dave’s Top Ten Reasons to Collect Basketball Warmups and Shooting Jackets:

1. These jackets and warm ups are likely to much more rare than the jerseys based on numbers alone with respect to quantities issued.

2. Just a personal opinion, but I think they display better on a mannequin since they do have sleeves.

3. They feature some very attractive designs and logos…chalk this up to the “just looks cool factor.”

4. To my knowledge, not as many people collect these at this time as compared to jerseys. That being said, there may be real growth potential for them in the future. I think this is supported by the nature of the purchases at the National.

5. They can be either used to support a team or player collection, or a collection focused on jackets from all sports. Themes are an important aspect of collecting and these offer a number of options to start or enhance a collection.

6. I know this may be considered heresy, but if bought right, they would be cool to wear around the man cave when watching your “boyz hoop it up.”

7. Did I mention how cool they look?

8. They provide another option in trying to locate items from teams that no longer exist, to include entire leagues that have since passed.

9. They offer a multi-level collecting option as a collection of these could also include collegiate products as well.

10. Although basketball is not particularly hard on the garments worn in play, jackets and warmups can be expected to found in very good condition, regardless of age based on the how little they are played in and it is an indoor game. This is always a plus to those condition sensitive collectors.

I would love to hear from folks who have made these a staple of their collecting stable and why you enjoy them.

As always, collect what you enjoy and enjoy what you collect.

Dave Grob

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com

POSTSCRIPT: All of the shown items are either available for sale or have been sold via the Bushing and Kinunen For Sale Site.

Another National has come and gone. There was a lot of excitement this year because of events that were previously addressed. As I said before, I did not attend but mentioned that the Bushing and Kinunen For Sales venture did very well n what many reported to be a down “sellers market.” I decided to look into what items sold particularly well and I was very surprised to see that a large number of high priced basketball warm-ups and shooting jackets were sold. What was even more surprising is that they were purchased by an auction house. This tells me a couple of things. First, that although the items were not cheap, someone still believes there is money to made on them. Secondly, and tied directly to the first point, was there has to be a market for these.

I have never been a basketball collector, but I decided to look over the inventory on the Bushing and Kinunen For Sales Site to see what all the hub bub might have been about. In looking at these items, I found a number of things I consider to be an upside to these seldom mentioned bits of hard court finery. Let’s take a look at this list of Dave’s Top Ten Reasons to Collect Basketball Warmups and Shooting Jackets:

1. These jackets and warm ups are likely to much more rare than the jerseys based on numbers alone with respect to quantities issued.

2. Just a personal opinion, but I think they display better on a mannequin since they do have sleeves.

3. They feature some very attractive designs and logos…chalk this up to the “just looks cool factor.”

4. To my knowledge, not as many people collect these at this time as compared to jerseys. That being said, there may be real growth potential for them in the future. I think this is supported by the nature of the purchases at the National.

5. They can be either used to support a team or player collection, or a collection focused on jackets from all sports. Themes are an important aspect of collecting and these offer a number of options to start or enhance a collection.

6. I know this may be considered heresy, but if bought right, they would be cool to wear around the man cave when watching your “boyz hoop it up.”

7. Did I mention how cool they look?

8. They provide another option in trying to locate items from teams that no longer exist, to include entire leagues that have since passed.

9. They offer a multi-level collecting option as a collection of these could also include collegiate products as well.

10. Although basketball is not particularly hard on the garments worn in play, jackets and warmups can be expected to found in very good condition, regardless of age based on the how little they are played in and it is an indoor game. This is always a plus to those condition sensitive collectors.

I would love to hear from folks who have made these a staple of their collecting stable and why you enjoy them.

As always, collect what you enjoy and enjoy what you collect.

Dave Grob

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com

POSTSCRIPT: All of the shown items are either available for sale or have been sold via the Bushing and Kinunen For Sale Site.

“I played for three teams that were very popular in terms of memorabilia—the A’s, Yankees and Seattle Pilots. And not necessarily in that order.”(1)

–Mike Hegan

“We had no idea that one day our uniforms would be worth more than we were.”(2)

–Jim Bouton

Few teams of baseball’s modern era have garnered more attention among collectors than the 1969 Seattle Pilots. Surviving only one tumultuous year before bankruptcy forced the team’s sale to a Milwaukee coalition headed by used car salesman Bud Selig, Pilots memorabilia continues to grow in popularity. Arguably, the most desirable pieces of Pilots’ memorabilia are the fabled jerseys and hats worn during that lone season in Seattle, immortalized in Jim Bouton’s seminal tell-all, Ball Four. Along with the Astros’ precursor, the Houston Colt .45’s (a team that lasted three years under that moniker, compared the Pilots’ one season), Pilots jerseys are prized by collectors for their unique styling and rarity.

A Brief History of the (Brief) Pilots

Prior to being awarded a major league franchise, Seattle had a long history as a minor league baseball city in the Pacific Coast League. As attendance began declining in the 1960’s for long-time PCL entry the Seattle Rainiers, major league owners began to consider the city as a possible site for big league expansion(3). At the time, Seattle was the third-largest city in the West, and featured a healthy local economy, propelled by aeronautics giant Boeing. With the only professional sports team in the area being the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics, owners felt that with the demise of Seattle’s PCL entry (then operating as the Seattle Angels), the city’s sports fans would be eager to patronize a major league franchise.

At Major League Baseball’s winter meetings in 1967, brothers Max and Dewey Soriano were awarded a franchise for Seattle to join the American League. Both brothers had significant involvement in the Pacific Coast League and therefore, brought a respectable amount of organized ball experience to the table. They created the entity Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc. to implement the enterprise, and solicited financial help from William R. Daley, a former owner of the Cleveland Indians. The awarding of the franchise was contingent upon the city meeting several benchmarks dictated by the league. These included: Passage of a King County stadium bond issue, enlarging Sicks’s Stadium (the old P.C.L. park where the new team would play) from 11,000 to 30,000 seats by opening day, 1969, construction of a new, domed stadium by December 31, 1970, and recognition and approval of the club’s major stockholders. If any of the conditions weren’t met, the league retained the right to move the team (4)..

Prior to the $40 Million King County Bond referendum, the Soriano brothers and the American League brought several athletes to the Seattle area to drum up support for the issue. Mickey Mantle, Jimmy Piersall, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Dimaggio and even ex-Giant and 49er Y.A. Tittle made public engagements on behalf of the cause. On February 6, 1968 the referendum passed by a 62.3 % “yes” vote. With that major hurdle cleared, the organization commenced assembling personnel for the club. Marvin Milkes, a front office man for the hometown P.C.L. Seattle Angels, was chosen as G.M. for the new club. St. Louis Cardinals’ third base coach Joe Schultz was hired as the new manager.

In the summer of 1968, Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc. sponsored a contest to name the city’s new team. Seattle resident Donald Nelson submitted the winning name, “Pilots”, which was chosen over other such entries as “Rainiers”, “Green Sox”, “Kings”, and “Mariners”(5).

Upon adoption of the club’s new identity, the front office began signing players and gearing up for an expansion draft, to be shared with the American League’s other new franchise, the Kansas City Royals. Each club would alternately select players left unprotected by the other American League teams, at a cost of $175,000 each. A coin toss would determine who would pick first. League President Joe Cronin flipped the coin and Dewey Soriano guessed right; the Pilots would have the first selection. With that choice, the club selected power-hitting Angels first baseman Don Mincher. Mincher, an All-Star in 1967, had posted disappointing numbers in 1968 after getting beaned by a Sam McDowell fastball early in the season. Other notable selections at the time included Tommy Harper, former All-Stars Gary Bell and Tommy Davis, and The Sporting News’ 1966 relief pitcher of the year, Jack Aker. The club also drafted future stars Mike Marshall and Lou Piniella (who became the principal in the worst trade in the Pilots’ brief history, as he was dealt away to the Royals before the start of the regular season for Steve Whitaker and John Gelnar).

A new facility was constructed in Tempe, Arizona for spring training, where the club slugged its way to a respectable 12-16 record. The team was publicly optimistic, with Milkes and Schultz predicting a third-place regular season finish for the club (6)

The Pilots opened the season on the road against the Angels, and eked out a 4-3 win, with Mike Hegan belting the first homer in Seattle major league history. After dropping the next contest 7-3, the team returned home to much fanfare for the home opener against the White Sox. A sizable crowd of over 17,000 descended upon Sick’s Stadium on April 11 for the first major league game ever played in the Pacific Northwest. Dignitaries on hand included Washington State Senators Henry Jackson and Warren Magnuson, Governor Dan Evans, Seattle mayor Floyd Miller, American League president Joe Cronin, and Angels owner Gene Autry. Fans filing into the stadium were surprised to see construction workers still on hand from the previous day. Crews had been hired to bring the seating capacity up to the league’s agreed upon standards. Some fans had to wait in line while crews worked frantically to fasten seats into place (7). Delays in the expansion plans, bickering between the club and city over costs, unpaid bills and bad weather had contributed to the debacle. Unfortunately for the Pilots, the whole episode was a harbinger of things to come. Nonetheless, the hometown crowd was treated to a convincing 7-0 win. Don Mincher homered for the Pilots while Gary Bell went the distance for the shutout.

After a dismal April that saw the club spiral downward to an 8-17 mark, the team battled back to a 20-21 record by May 27. After that, typical expansion mediocrity prevailed, and the Pilots ended the season with a 64-98 record, good for last place in the Western Division. Attendance dropped off through the course of the season for a handful of reasons. Naturally, the team’s poor play contributed to lack of interest, but the woeful condition of Sick’s Stadium certainly played a role. Plumbing problems in the aging minor league facility resulted in water pressure so weak the toilets usually quit working after the seventh inning. Local media took issue with the Pilots’ ticket and concession prices, which were the reportedly the highest in the league. The team was also unable to work out any television deal, thereby missing out on vital media exposure, not to mention an important source of revenue.

There were a few bright spots to the Pilots season. While attendance was disappointing, the team managed to outdraw Philadelphia, San Diego, Cleveland and Chicago (White Sox), all of which played in ballparks that held at least twice as many fans as Sick’s Stadium. And while the Pilots finished last in their division, they had a slightly better record than Cleveland in the Eastern Division, and did measurably better than the two National League expansion teams, San Diego and Montreal. A few players turned in noteworthy performances; Tommy Harper led the league in stolen bases with 73, and Mike Hegan batted .292 and was elected to represent the team in the All Star game. A leg injury prevented Hegan from playing in the Midsummer Classic, so Don Mincher took his place. Mincher led the team with 25 home runs. Diego Segui paced the bullpen with a 12-6 mark, 12 saves and a 3.35 ERA. Gene Brabender led the starters with a 13-14 record.

From the beginning, team ownership was over-leveraged and under-capitalized. Majority owner William Daley had tried to solicit local financial help in mid-season, but came up empty. Dwindling attendance, low revenues, and a slumping local economy hit the Pilots hard. Team ownership had refused to put up a bond guaranteeing the rent on Sick’s Stadium, and as a result, Mayor Floyd Miller had threatened to evict the Pilots (8). The team had even neglected to pay rent for the stadium in June. By the end of the season, Sick’s Stadium renovation was still behind schedule, groundbreaking for a new domed stadium wasn’t close to happening, and substantial loans were coming due. Legal wrangling ensued, culminating in a bankruptcy court decision clearing the way for the team’s sale to Milwaukee, thus ending one of the bizarre episodes in modern major league history.

The Pilot’s Uniforms

The first Pilots jerseys, issued for spring training, were quite plain. The name “Pilots” was arched in blue letters on the front, with the player number on the back. These cotton flannel jerseys (white for home games, gray for away) were manufactured by Wilson. The Wilson tag can be found in either the collar or the front tail. Many of these original spring training jerseys were recycled for use in the Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers farm system. Some existing examples have the 1969 MLB Anniversary patch that was worn during the regular season on the Pilots’ road jerseys. However, these were sewn on after the fact, as these patches were not worn during spring training, nor were the spring training jerseys worn during the regular season.

The Pilots flannel home jerseys featured eye-catching blue and gold sleeve braiding, blue-on-gold tackle-twill numbers on the front and back, the name “Pilots” (also on blue/gold tackle-twill) and the distinctive winged ship’s wheel emblem. The emblem’s design was created by Seattle Post-Intelligencer artist Stuart Moldrem, and was intended to reflect the Seattle area’s air and sea heritage (9). The Wilson manufacturer’s tag can be found on the front tail, along with “1969” in blue chain stitching. The player’s last name was chain stitched in the back of the collar. It should be noted that subsequent “Turn Back the Clock” renditions of the Pilots home jerseys worn by the Seattle Mariners have erroneously included the 1969 Anniversary patch on the sleeve. This patch was worn on the Pilots’ road jerseys only.

The flannel road jerseys were light blue, and featured the same sleeve braiding as the home jerseys. The front had the name “Seattle” arched in lower case letters, with the winged wheel emblem. The 1969 MLB Anniversary patch was worn on the left sleeve, and the player number was worn on the back. Both the name “Seattle” and the player number were made with the familiar gold on blue tackle-twill. The player’s last name was stitched on a felt swatch in the collar. Spalding tagging can be found on the lower front tail.

The first caps and batting helmets, issued during spring training, were blue with a gold “S” on the front. Eventually, the more familiar (and to some, outlandish) airline captain’s or naval officer’s “scrambled eggs” (actually a design of gold leaves) were added on the bill, with a horizontal gold line under the “S”. The team wore both variations of the cap during spring training, but stuck exclusively with the “scrambled eggs” version for the regular season.

The regular season uniforms were met with derision among most of the players, and quickly became the source of jokes throughout the league (10). As Bouton recounted in Ball Four: “There was a lot of grousing about the uniforms. It isn’t only that they didn’t fit…It’s that they’re so gaudy. We look like goddam clowns.” (11) A little later in the book, Bouton went on to say: “The first thing I felt when the Yankees showed up at the park today was embarrassment. That’s because our uniforms look so silly with that Technicolor gingerbread all over them.” (12)

Almost 40 years on, it seems as though many former players have come to appreciate the uniqueness of the uniforms they once wore. For his book, The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League’s One-Year Team, Kenneth Hogan interviewed several ex-Pilots. When asked about the uniforms, most generally seemed to like them, and several regretted not keeping a jersey from that season (13).

A Collecting Challenge

Finding Pilots game used jerseys can be difficult, and locating unrestored examples can be next to impossible. Spring training jerseys are the “easiest” to find, but increasing demand has diminished the availability of these. Some can be found in their original, unaltered state, but some have the ’69 Anniversary patch sewn on the left sleeve, which would represent an alteration from their original use in spring training.

Home and road jerseys, when found, typically feature some degree of restoration. After the franchise moved to Milwaukee, Pilots uniforms were reused for some of the Brewers’ minor league teams. The Clinton Pilots, Danville Warriors (both teams were Brewers’ Midwest League class A affiliates), and the Portland Beavers (the Brewers’ 1970 AAA affiliate) all used recycled Pilots jerseys at various times. The Warriors used Pilots jerseys as late as the 1972 season. Pilots shirts were also altered by the Brewers for subsequent spring training use. This would explain why most of the Pilots jerseys that were re-lettered as Brewers jerseys are high roster numbers or non-roster players. Because of this typical frugality, unrestored jerseys are exceedingly rare. Hobby pioneer Phil Wood (a uniform collector since 1975, I might add) has seen no more than 9 or 10 all-original shirts, all homes, most with the names removed from the collar. Wood surmises that most, if not all, of those were taken by people who were around the club at that point, or taken incidentally during the 1969 season.

Although the vast majority of Pilots home and road jerseys available to collectors have some degree of restoration or alteration, don’t let that dissuade you from hunting one down for your collection. For more insight into the topic of restorations, check out Dave Grob’s article, “Restoring Your Faith in Collecting…Understanding Restorations and Changes”, available to MEARS members in the news archive section of the website.

While Pilots game-worn caps and jerseys are available from time to time, pants and jackets are rarely found for sale or at auction. Of the few examples of each to hit the market, both (pants and jacket) featured McAuliffe manufacturers tagging. The Pilots jackets were made of blue nylon, and had a large winged wheel patch on the front. The 100th MLB Anniversary patch was positioned on the left sleeve, and the collar, cuffs and waist were trimmed in gold and blue.

The New Milwaukee Brewers: Pilots In Disguise?

It has long been held that the Brewers used Pilots jerseys for at least the beginning of the 1970 season. Newspaper accounts of the day suggested that old Pilots uniforms would be reused as the regular season began, with Pilots lettering cut off and Brewers lettering sewn on. (14) When asked about this, former player Steve Hovely could not corroborate that, stating, “I don’t remember that specifically, but I remember the uniform being a lot similar.” (15) The myth continues to be perpetuated to this day (16). Contrary to this theory, I suggest that the evidence points to the fact that the Brewers had ordered and used new uniforms for the 1970 season, and, more than likely, had not reused Pilots jerseys for the regular season.

I once owned a 1970 Brewers jersey issued to catcher Don Bryant. Bryant was acquired by the Pilots on December 1, 1969 and returned to the Houston Astros on April 3, 1970. The Pilots were officially transferred to Milwaukee on April 1, 1970, and played their league opener on April 7th. Bud Selig and company had programs and tickets printed up in anticipation that the Pilots would become the Brewers by opening day of the 1970 season (17). Given that a uniform was made for Bryant, who was released before the regular season began, it seems likely that Selig’s new Brewers weren’t under pressure to alter existing Pilots unis for the start of the season. Indications are that Selig’s group had planned ahead of time for a successful transition from Seattle. In addition, MEARS has authenticated a 1970 Brewers home jersey issued to outfielder Roy Foster. The Pilots obtained Foster from the Mets on December 1, 1969, in the Rule 5 draft. He was traded by the Brewers, along with Frank Coggins to the Indians on April 4, 1969. Again, this is an instance where a jersey was made for a Brewer player before the start of the regular season. A UPI account from March 30, 1970 indicated that the Pilots team was anticipating new Brewers equipment, with players giving away bats and batting helmets to kids after the previous days’ spring training game in Tempe, Arizona (18).

The unceremoniously short history of the Pilots has spawned dozens of collectibles, none more treasured and valuable than the team’s game used jerseys. Prices have risen over the past several years, and they should continue to do so. The legacy of the team continues to capture the imagination of baseball aficionados, and next year will mark the 40th Anniversary of their one and only season. To add a Pilots flannel for your collection is to acquire a museum-worthy artifact from a team whose short history was as colorful as the uniforms they wore.

Further Reading and Resources

Most everything you need to know about the Pilots is contained within three books: Kenneth Hogan’s The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball’s One-Year Team, Carson Van Lindt’s The Seattle Pilots Story, and Jim Bouton’s hilarious insider’s account, Ball Four. Lindt’s and Hogan’s books are similar blow-by-blow accounts of the Pilots’ story. Lindt’s book goes into a little more detail, especially regarding the litigation surrounding the team, but is out of print and can be difficult to find. Hogan’s book is more recent, and has interesting player interviews included in the appendix. Both books have few errors and are well worth reading. Ball Four is an undisputed classic and should be read by any fan of major league baseball.

Mike Fuller runs an excellent website dedicated to the Pilots, www.seattlepilots.com, that is well worth checking out. An amusing promo film of the Pilots exists, titled The First Voyage, and was made at the conclusion of the 1969 season. Intended to be the first of many yearly highlight films, the 17-minute piece has some rare footage of the team in action, and is relatively easy to obtain.

END NOTES

(1). Stone, Larry. “Endearing and enduring: The 1969 Seattle Pilots.” Seattle Times, July 9, 2006.

(2). Yanity, Molly. “Former Pilots reflect on the summer of ’69.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 1, 2006.

(3). Van Lindt, Carson. The Seattle Pilots Story. New York: Maribu Publishing, 1993. P.10

(4). Hogan, Kenneth. The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball’s One-Year Team. Jefferson: McFarland & Co. 2007. P.15

(5). “Call ‘Em Pilots.” San Mateo Times. April 1, 1968, p.21

(6). Hogan, 23

(7). Van Lindt, 61

(8). Van Lindt, 173

(9). “Official Emblem With Air-Sea Theme to Dress Up Seattle Pilots”. The Sporting News, August 31, 1968, p.7

(10). Hogan, 17

(11). Bouton, Jim. Ball Four. New York: Wiley, p.103.

(12). Bouton, 159

(13). Hogan, 145-177.

(14). Greene, Bob. “Milwaukee ‘Dream’ Realized.” Stevens Point Daily Journal, April 7, 1970, p.10.

(15). Stone, 1.

(16). “…The Brewers’ first uniforms were those of the Pilots. The old name was removed and the new one was stitched on.” Zizzo, Mark. “Brewers Flashback.” Wisconsin State Journal, April 6, 2008, p. E2.

(17). Hogan, 135.

(18). “Just One Pilot Hang-Up.” The Daily Review (Hayward, CA), March 30, 1970, p.13.

“I played for three teams that were very popular in terms of memorabilia—the A’s, Yankees and Seattle Pilots. And not necessarily in that order.”(1)

–Mike Hegan

“We had no idea that one day our uniforms would be worth more than we were.”(2)

–Jim Bouton

Few teams of baseball’s modern era have garnered more attention among collectors than the 1969 Seattle Pilots. Surviving only one tumultuous year before bankruptcy forced the team’s sale to a Milwaukee coalition headed by used car salesman Bud Selig, Pilots memorabilia continues to grow in popularity. Arguably, the most desirable pieces of Pilots’ memorabilia are the fabled jerseys and hats worn during that lone season in Seattle, immortalized in Jim Bouton’s seminal tell-all, Ball Four. Along with the Astros’ precursor, the Houston Colt .45’s (a team that lasted three years under that moniker, compared the Pilots’ one season), Pilots jerseys are prized by collectors for their unique styling and rarity.

A Brief History of the (Brief) Pilots

Prior to being awarded a major league franchise, Seattle had a long history as a minor league baseball city in the Pacific Coast League. As attendance began declining in the 1960’s for long-time PCL entry the Seattle Rainiers, major league owners began to consider the city as a possible site for big league expansion(3). At the time, Seattle was the third-largest city in the West, and featured a healthy local economy, propelled by aeronautics giant Boeing. With the only professional sports team in the area being the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics, owners felt that with the demise of Seattle’s PCL entry (then operating as the Seattle Angels), the city’s sports fans would be eager to patronize a major league franchise.

At Major League Baseball’s winter meetings in 1967, brothers Max and Dewey Soriano were awarded a franchise for Seattle to join the American League. Both brothers had significant involvement in the Pacific Coast League and therefore, brought a respectable amount of organized ball experience to the table. They created the entity Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc. to implement the enterprise, and solicited financial help from William R. Daley, a former owner of the Cleveland Indians. The awarding of the franchise was contingent upon the city meeting several benchmarks dictated by the league. These included: Passage of a King County stadium bond issue, enlarging Sicks’s Stadium (the old P.C.L. park where the new team would play) from 11,000 to 30,000 seats by opening day, 1969, construction of a new, domed stadium by December 31, 1970, and recognition and approval of the club’s major stockholders. If any of the conditions weren’t met, the league retained the right to move the team (4)..

Prior to the $40 Million King County Bond referendum, the Soriano brothers and the American League brought several athletes to the Seattle area to drum up support for the issue. Mickey Mantle, Jimmy Piersall, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Dimaggio and even ex-Giant and 49er Y.A. Tittle made public engagements on behalf of the cause. On February 6, 1968 the referendum passed by a 62.3 % “yes” vote. With that major hurdle cleared, the organization commenced assembling personnel for the club. Marvin Milkes, a front office man for the hometown P.C.L. Seattle Angels, was chosen as G.M. for the new club. St. Louis Cardinals’ third base coach Joe Schultz was hired as the new manager.

In the summer of 1968, Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc. sponsored a contest to name the city’s new team. Seattle resident Donald Nelson submitted the winning name, “Pilots”, which was chosen over other such entries as “Rainiers”, “Green Sox”, “Kings”, and “Mariners”(5).

Upon adoption of the club’s new identity, the front office began signing players and gearing up for an expansion draft, to be shared with the American League’s other new franchise, the Kansas City Royals. Each club would alternately select players left unprotected by the other American League teams, at a cost of $175,000 each. A coin toss would determine who would pick first. League President Joe Cronin flipped the coin and Dewey Soriano guessed right; the Pilots would have the first selection. With that choice, the club selected power-hitting Angels first baseman Don Mincher. Mincher, an All-Star in 1967, had posted disappointing numbers in 1968 after getting beaned by a Sam McDowell fastball early in the season. Other notable selections at the time included Tommy Harper, former All-Stars Gary Bell and Tommy Davis, and The Sporting News’ 1966 relief pitcher of the year, Jack Aker. The club also drafted future stars Mike Marshall and Lou Piniella (who became the principal in the worst trade in the Pilots’ brief history, as he was dealt away to the Royals before the start of the regular season for Steve Whitaker and John Gelnar).

A new facility was constructed in Tempe, Arizona for spring training, where the club slugged its way to a respectable 12-16 record. The team was publicly optimistic, with Milkes and Schultz predicting a third-place regular season finish for the club (6)

The Pilots opened the season on the road against the Angels, and eked out a 4-3 win, with Mike Hegan belting the first homer in Seattle major league history. After dropping the next contest 7-3, the team returned home to much fanfare for the home opener against the White Sox. A sizable crowd of over 17,000 descended upon Sick’s Stadium on April 11 for the first major league game ever played in the Pacific Northwest. Dignitaries on hand included Washington State Senators Henry Jackson and Warren Magnuson, Governor Dan Evans, Seattle mayor Floyd Miller, American League president Joe Cronin, and Angels owner Gene Autry. Fans filing into the stadium were surprised to see construction workers still on hand from the previous day. Crews had been hired to bring the seating capacity up to the league’s agreed upon standards. Some fans had to wait in line while crews worked frantically to fasten seats into place (7). Delays in the expansion plans, bickering between the club and city over costs, unpaid bills and bad weather had contributed to the debacle. Unfortunately for the Pilots, the whole episode was a harbinger of things to come. Nonetheless, the hometown crowd was treated to a convincing 7-0 win. Don Mincher homered for the Pilots while Gary Bell went the distance for the shutout.

After a dismal April that saw the club spiral downward to an 8-17 mark, the team battled back to a 20-21 record by May 27. After that, typical expansion mediocrity prevailed, and the Pilots ended the season with a 64-98 record, good for last place in the Western Division. Attendance dropped off through the course of the season for a handful of reasons. Naturally, the team’s poor play contributed to lack of interest, but the woeful condition of Sick’s Stadium certainly played a role. Plumbing problems in the aging minor league facility resulted in water pressure so weak the toilets usually quit working after the seventh inning. Local media took issue with the Pilots’ ticket and concession prices, which were the reportedly the highest in the league. The team was also unable to work out any television deal, thereby missing out on vital media exposure, not to mention an important source of revenue.

There were a few bright spots to the Pilots season. While attendance was disappointing, the team managed to outdraw Philadelphia, San Diego, Cleveland and Chicago (White Sox), all of which played in ballparks that held at least twice as many fans as Sick’s Stadium. And while the Pilots finished last in their division, they had a slightly better record than Cleveland in the Eastern Division, and did measurably better than the two National League expansion teams, San Diego and Montreal. A few players turned in noteworthy performances; Tommy Harper led the league in stolen bases with 73, and Mike Hegan batted .292 and was elected to represent the team in the All Star game. A leg injury prevented Hegan from playing in the Midsummer Classic, so Don Mincher took his place. Mincher led the team with 25 home runs. Diego Segui paced the bullpen with a 12-6 mark, 12 saves and a 3.35 ERA. Gene Brabender led the starters with a 13-14 record.

From the beginning, team ownership was over-leveraged and under-capitalized. Majority owner William Daley had tried to solicit local financial help in mid-season, but came up empty. Dwindling attendance, low revenues, and a slumping local economy hit the Pilots hard. Team ownership had refused to put up a bond guaranteeing the rent on Sick’s Stadium, and as a result, Mayor Floyd Miller had threatened to evict the Pilots (8). The team had even neglected to pay rent for the stadium in June. By the end of the season, Sick’s Stadium renovation was still behind schedule, groundbreaking for a new domed stadium wasn’t close to happening, and substantial loans were coming due. Legal wrangling ensued, culminating in a bankruptcy court decision clearing the way for the team’s sale to Milwaukee, thus ending one of the bizarre episodes in modern major league history.

The Pilot’s Uniforms

The first Pilots jerseys, issued for spring training, were quite plain. The name “Pilots” was arched in blue letters on the front, with the player number on the back. These cotton flannel jerseys (white for home games, gray for away) were manufactured by Wilson. The Wilson tag can be found in either the collar or the front tail. Many of these original spring training jerseys were recycled for use in the Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers farm system. Some existing examples have the 1969 MLB Anniversary patch that was worn during the regular season on the Pilots’ road jerseys. However, these were sewn on after the fact, as these patches were not worn during spring training, nor were the spring training jerseys worn during the regular season.

The Pilots flannel home jerseys featured eye-catching blue and gold sleeve braiding, blue-on-gold tackle-twill numbers on the front and back, the name “Pilots” (also on blue/gold tackle-twill) and the distinctive winged ship’s wheel emblem. The emblem’s design was created by Seattle Post-Intelligencer artist Stuart Moldrem, and was intended to reflect the Seattle area’s air and sea heritage (9). The Wilson manufacturer’s tag can be found on the front tail, along with “1969” in blue chain stitching. The player’s last name was chain stitched in the back of the collar. It should be noted that subsequent “Turn Back the Clock” renditions of the Pilots home jerseys worn by the Seattle Mariners have erroneously included the 1969 Anniversary patch on the sleeve. This patch was worn on the Pilots’ road jerseys only.

The flannel road jerseys were light blue, and featured the same sleeve braiding as the home jerseys. The front had the name “Seattle” arched in lower case letters, with the winged wheel emblem. The 1969 MLB Anniversary patch was worn on the left sleeve, and the player number was worn on the back. Both the name “Seattle” and the player number were made with the familiar gold on blue tackle-twill. The player’s last name was stitched on a felt swatch in the collar. Spalding tagging can be found on the lower front tail.

The first caps and batting helmets, issued during spring training, were blue with a gold “S” on the front. Eventually, the more familiar (and to some, outlandish) airline captain’s or naval officer’s “scrambled eggs” (actually a design of gold leaves) were added on the bill, with a horizontal gold line under the “S”. The team wore both variations of the cap during spring training, but stuck exclusively with the “scrambled eggs” version for the regular season.

The regular season uniforms were met with derision among most of the players, and quickly became the source of jokes throughout the league (10). As Bouton recounted in Ball Four: “There was a lot of grousing about the uniforms. It isn’t only that they didn’t fit…It’s that they’re so gaudy. We look like goddam clowns.” (11) A little later in the book, Bouton went on to say: “The first thing I felt when the Yankees showed up at the park today was embarrassment. That’s because our uniforms look so silly with that Technicolor gingerbread all over them.” (12)

Almost 40 years on, it seems as though many former players have come to appreciate the uniqueness of the uniforms they once wore. For his book, The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League’s One-Year Team, Kenneth Hogan interviewed several ex-Pilots. When asked about the uniforms, most generally seemed to like them, and several regretted not keeping a jersey from that season (13).

A Collecting Challenge

Finding Pilots game used jerseys can be difficult, and locating unrestored examples can be next to impossible. Spring training jerseys are the “easiest” to find, but increasing demand has diminished the availability of these. Some can be found in their original, unaltered state, but some have the ’69 Anniversary patch sewn on the left sleeve, which would represent an alteration from their original use in spring training.

Home and road jerseys, when found, typically feature some degree of restoration. After the franchise moved to Milwaukee, Pilots uniforms were reused for some of the Brewers’ minor league teams. The Clinton Pilots, Danville Warriors (both teams were Brewers’ Midwest League class A affiliates), and the Portland Beavers (the Brewers’ 1970 AAA affiliate) all used recycled Pilots jerseys at various times. The Warriors used Pilots jerseys as late as the 1972 season. Pilots shirts were also altered by the Brewers for subsequent spring training use. This would explain why most of the Pilots jerseys that were re-lettered as Brewers jerseys are high roster numbers or non-roster players. Because of this typical frugality, unrestored jerseys are exceedingly rare. Hobby pioneer Phil Wood (a uniform collector since 1975, I might add) has seen no more than 9 or 10 all-original shirts, all homes, most with the names removed from the collar. Wood surmises that most, if not all, of those were taken by people who were around the club at that point, or taken incidentally during the 1969 season.

Although the vast majority of Pilots home and road jerseys available to collectors have some degree of restoration or alteration, don’t let that dissuade you from hunting one down for your collection. For more insight into the topic of restorations, check out Dave Grob’s article, “Restoring Your Faith in Collecting…Understanding Restorations and Changes”, available to MEARS members in the news archive section of the website.

While Pilots game-worn caps and jerseys are available from time to time, pants and jackets are rarely found for sale or at auction. Of the few examples of each to hit the market, both (pants and jacket) featured McAuliffe manufacturers tagging. The Pilots jackets were made of blue nylon, and had a large winged wheel patch on the front. The 100th MLB Anniversary patch was positioned on the left sleeve, and the collar, cuffs and waist were trimmed in gold and blue.

The New Milwaukee Brewers: Pilots In Disguise?

It has long been held that the Brewers used Pilots jerseys for at least the beginning of the 1970 season. Newspaper accounts of the day suggested that old Pilots uniforms would be reused as the regular season began, with Pilots lettering cut off and Brewers lettering sewn on. (14) When asked about this, former player Steve Hovely could not corroborate that, stating, “I don’t remember that specifically, but I remember the uniform being a lot similar.” (15) The myth continues to be perpetuated to this day (16). Contrary to this theory, I suggest that the evidence points to the fact that the Brewers had ordered and used new uniforms for the 1970 season, and, more than likely, had not reused Pilots jerseys for the regular season.

I once owned a 1970 Brewers jersey issued to catcher Don Bryant. Bryant was acquired by the Pilots on December 1, 1969 and returned to the Houston Astros on April 3, 1970. The Pilots were officially transferred to Milwaukee on April 1, 1970, and played their league opener on April 7th. Bud Selig and company had programs and tickets printed up in anticipation that the Pilots would become the Brewers by opening day of the 1970 season (17). Given that a uniform was made for Bryant, who was released before the regular season began, it seems likely that Selig’s new Brewers weren’t under pressure to alter existing Pilots unis for the start of the season. Indications are that Selig’s group had planned ahead of time for a successful transition from Seattle. In addition, MEARS has authenticated a 1970 Brewers home jersey issued to outfielder Roy Foster. The Pilots obtained Foster from the Mets on December 1, 1969, in the Rule 5 draft. He was traded by the Brewers, along with Frank Coggins to the Indians on April 4, 1969. Again, this is an instance where a jersey was made for a Brewer player before the start of the regular season. A UPI account from March 30, 1970 indicated that the Pilots team was anticipating new Brewers equipment, with players giving away bats and batting helmets to kids after the previous days’ spring training game in Tempe, Arizona (18).

The unceremoniously short history of the Pilots has spawned dozens of collectibles, none more treasured and valuable than the team’s game used jerseys. Prices have risen over the past several years, and they should continue to do so. The legacy of the team continues to capture the imagination of baseball aficionados, and next year will mark the 40th Anniversary of their one and only season. To add a Pilots flannel for your collection is to acquire a museum-worthy artifact from a team whose short history was as colorful as the uniforms they wore.

Further Reading and Resources

Most everything you need to know about the Pilots is contained within three books: Kenneth Hogan’s The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball’s One-Year Team, Carson Van Lindt’s The Seattle Pilots Story, and Jim Bouton’s hilarious insider’s account, Ball Four. Lindt’s and Hogan’s books are similar blow-by-blow accounts of the Pilots’ story. Lindt’s book goes into a little more detail, especially regarding the litigation surrounding the team, but is out of print and can be difficult to find. Hogan’s book is more recent, and has interesting player interviews included in the appendix. Both books have few errors and are well worth reading. Ball Four is an undisputed classic and should be read by any fan of major league baseball.

Mike Fuller runs an excellent website dedicated to the Pilots, www.seattlepilots.com, that is well worth checking out. An amusing promo film of the Pilots exists, titled The First Voyage, and was made at the conclusion of the 1969 season. Intended to be the first of many yearly highlight films, the 17-minute piece has some rare footage of the team in action, and is relatively easy to obtain.

END NOTES

(1). Stone, Larry. “Endearing and enduring: The 1969 Seattle Pilots.” Seattle Times, July 9, 2006.

(2). Yanity, Molly. “Former Pilots reflect on the summer of ’69.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 1, 2006.

(3). Van Lindt, Carson. The Seattle Pilots Story. New York: Maribu Publishing, 1993. P.10

(4). Hogan, Kenneth. The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball’s One-Year Team. Jefferson: McFarland & Co. 2007. P.15

(5). “Call ‘Em Pilots.” San Mateo Times. April 1, 1968, p.21

(6). Hogan, 23

(7). Van Lindt, 61

(8). Van Lindt, 173

(9). “Official Emblem With Air-Sea Theme to Dress Up Seattle Pilots”. The Sporting News, August 31, 1968, p.7

(10). Hogan, 17

(11). Bouton, Jim. Ball Four. New York: Wiley, p.103.

(12). Bouton, 159

(13). Hogan, 145-177.

(14). Greene, Bob. “Milwaukee ‘Dream’ Realized.” Stevens Point Daily Journal, April 7, 1970, p.10.

(15). Stone, 1.

(16). “…The Brewers’ first uniforms were those of the Pilots. The old name was removed and the new one was stitched on.” Zizzo, Mark. “Brewers Flashback.” Wisconsin State Journal, April 6, 2008, p. E2.

(17). Hogan, 135.

(18). “Just One Pilot Hang-Up.” The Daily Review (Hayward, CA), March 30, 1970, p.13.

I am often asked what my opinions are as they pertain to store model bats given that so much attention is paid to game used or game model bats and because of their (store model bats) relatively low value, most big auction houses, if they offer them at all, will either group them together or sell on their less expensive internet low end auctions. Now before I go any further, let’s remove minty decal bats from this equation. These player model decal bats, if in stellar condition, sell for as much or more than many game bats of the era often selling into the five figure range but remember, this is for top condition examples only. Once they fall off below the 80% level of decal remains, and this has to include most of the head and player name, their values often fall to a level that is below their branded counterparts.

Therefore, what I am discussing here is the retail store model bats with a players name either branded in (burned) or heat pressed into the bat. These come with facsimile signatures or in block letters often with a word like type or model following them i.e. Gehrig Type or Gehrig Model/Style (of, used, etc.) and were offered by just about any company that could turn a lathe such as H&B, Adirondack, Zinn Beck, Hanna Batrite, Spalding, Reach, Victor Wright & Ditson, Wilson, Rawlings, Kren’s, Mascot, Pontiac, D&M etc. In addition, many of the larger mfgs. produced bats for private label companies such as H&B making bats for J.C. Higgins. Then there are many private label hardware and sporting goods stores that had local makers or big firms turning player model bats for them as well such as the Honus Wagner Sporting Goods, Johnny Evers Sporting Goods, Ty Cobb Jarvis model, Simmons Hardware, etc.

With dozens and dozens of companies making player model bats, so aside from the high priced decal bats, what should a budding collector look for and why? It is my opinion , that with the high prices of game used bats today, that someone on a budget can put together an incredible vintage store model Hall of Fame collection for a mere fraction of a game used like collection. For a display or sports room, it would be stunning and while not as difficult in most cases to find as their game model counterparts, many are very scarce and will take years and years to complete. For this exercise, let’s look at the Hall of Fame members. There are lots of non Hall of Fame store model bats for the team collector but that is another story.

Most of the earliest Hall of Fame store model bats were made by either H&B, Spalding or Reach. I am not aware of any store model nineteenth century player model bats so we will also limit this discussion to 20th century players. I would try and limit my collection to either burned in signature models (H&B or Spalding as they had most of the signature contracts after 1905) or the block letter pro style bats like the Spalding Pro Finish model , the Kren’s , the Lajoie model Wright & Ditson and Hanna bats. These makers provided most of the pre war Hall of Famers and as such, you should be able to complete a killer collection of just about every pre war Hall of Fame member but there are a few caveats. First, don’t try and find the pitchers or Negro league players, they are virtually impossible. Second, I have never seen an example of a store bat from the following players (players who started their career after 1900) Stan Coveleski, Harry Hooper, Rabbit Maranville, Joe Sewell, Zack Wheat, Luke Appling or Joe Tinker. I looked over the Hall of Fame list and taking out the pre 1900 players, coaches, pitchers and negro leaguers, I have seen at least one example of a burned in script or block letter bat of almost every other member. My advice, try and buy condition but don’t be afraid to buy a rare model as if and when another comes along, you can always upgrade or you may opt for some restoration as well. Try and stay away from the cheaper non signature endorsed H&B and hardware store models such as the H&B #9, 14, etc, these are block letter cheap models and if they exist, a signature model was also made. Try and buy bats that are close in length to those used by the actual player which for a guy like Miller Huggins, Spalding made his signature model store bat to his specs at 32” while you can find a nice Ruth H&B 125 or 40 model at 35-36”. Also, try and stay away from the war era H&B foil model bats unless gem mint because as they flake, they don’t look good (unless NOS, mint), will not hold any value and they were never used by any H&B users before the war and will stand out as store model bats. The key to this type of collection as to get as close to a game model bat as possible. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 up to $1000 plus for a really nice burned in 35-36” Ruth or Gehrig model 125. Try and buy bats that were made during the era in which a player actually played i.e., don’t buy a post war Ruth or Gehrig model but rather a nice 1920-30’s model. Most of the Spalding signature models were made during the time the endorsee played but H&B kept bats of Ruth and Gehrig in their line up long after they retired or died.

Post war collecting is an entirely different animal. Most players from this era are easy to find but there are some challenges. Again, the same adage of length and model apply, opt for models made during their playing days and try and stay away from block letter bats and foil bats unless it is an Adirondack as most of their bats were only offered with a foil print but their 1950’s white letter bats are some of the handsomest bats ever made and in nice condition, would be a prize in any collection. Remember, H&B made Jackie Robinson and Mantle bats into the 1980’s so on these post war Hall of Famers, do yourself a big favor and only buy a high condition player era model and unlike game used bats, most collectors of store model bats want them in as close to pristine condition as possible as a mint unused store model is a condition rarity and unlike a game bat, will bring a much higher rate of return if in as close to mint condition as possible.

Probably the toughest and rarest of post war store model Hall of Fame bats (not counting pitchers) would have to be Roy Campanella as I have only seen one bat and it was a Kren’s signature model. As for filling in a Hall of Fame collection, keep your eyes peeled for the pro stock or index bats, these are game models offered to the teams for use by any of the players and are often priced in the same range as a store model bat. These would include the S, D, C and E model Adirondack bats and game model H&B bats that do not fit into the shipping records as to model or dimensions. You can pick up some nice index Mays, Mantle, Clemente, Kiner, Doerr, Mathews, Aaron, and Berra models which are very affordable prices and they look just like gamers because, in essence, they are. I tend to stay away from the pro model bats with college names under the player name even though they are pro models as they will ruin your display as they do not look like a game bat from the face view. It is a personal thing but I would rather have a good looking store model than a pro model college bat because of the stamp on the barrel that might say UCLA, etc.

Again, it is your collection and your budget so collect what you like but these tips might help you get started and will help yield a better return if and when you go to sell. And with the high prices on game bats, I think that top examples of store model bats given that some are extremely rare will increase in value in the years to come.

Happy collecting,

David Bushing

I am often asked what my opinions are as they pertain to store model bats given that so much attention is paid to game used or game model bats and because of their (store model bats) relatively low value, most big auction houses, if they offer them at all, will either group them together or sell on their less expensive internet low end auctions. Now before I go any further, let’s remove minty decal bats from this equation. These player model decal bats, if in stellar condition, sell for as much or more than many game bats of the era often selling into the five figure range but remember, this is for top condition examples only. Once they fall off below the 80% level of decal remains, and this has to include most of the head and player name, their values often fall to a level that is below their branded counterparts.

Therefore, what I am discussing here is the retail store model bats with a players name either branded in (burned) or heat pressed into the bat. These come with facsimile signatures or in block letters often with a word like type or model following them i.e. Gehrig Type or Gehrig Model/Style (of, used, etc.) and were offered by just about any company that could turn a lathe such as H&B, Adirondack, Zinn Beck, Hanna Batrite, Spalding, Reach, Victor Wright & Ditson, Wilson, Rawlings, Kren’s, Mascot, Pontiac, D&M etc. In addition, many of the larger mfgs. produced bats for private label companies such as H&B making bats for J.C. Higgins. Then there are many private label hardware and sporting goods stores that had local makers or big firms turning player model bats for them as well such as the Honus Wagner Sporting Goods, Johnny Evers Sporting Goods, Ty Cobb Jarvis model, Simmons Hardware, etc.

With dozens and dozens of companies making player model bats, so aside from the high priced decal bats, what should a budding collector look for and why? It is my opinion , that with the high prices of game used bats today, that someone on a budget can put together an incredible vintage store model Hall of Fame collection for a mere fraction of a game used like collection. For a display or sports room, it would be stunning and while not as difficult in most cases to find as their game model counterparts, many are very scarce and will take years and years to complete. For this exercise, let’s look at the Hall of Fame members. There are lots of non Hall of Fame store model bats for the team collector but that is another story.

Most of the earliest Hall of Fame store model bats were made by either H&B, Spalding or Reach. I am not aware of any store model nineteenth century player model bats so we will also limit this discussion to 20th century players. I would try and limit my collection to either burned in signature models (H&B or Spalding as they had most of the signature contracts after 1905) or the block letter pro style bats like the Spalding Pro Finish model , the Kren’s , the Lajoie model Wright & Ditson and Hanna bats. These makers provided most of the pre war Hall of Famers and as such, you should be able to complete a killer collection of just about every pre war Hall of Fame member but there are a few caveats. First, don’t try and find the pitchers or Negro league players, they are virtually impossible. Second, I have never seen an example of a store bat from the following players (players who started their career after 1900) Stan Coveleski, Harry Hooper, Rabbit Maranville, Joe Sewell, Zack Wheat, Luke Appling or Joe Tinker. I looked over the Hall of Fame list and taking out the pre 1900 players, coaches, pitchers and negro leaguers, I have seen at least one example of a burned in script or block letter bat of almost every other member. My advice, try and buy condition but don’t be afraid to buy a rare model as if and when another comes along, you can always upgrade or you may opt for some restoration as well. Try and stay away from the cheaper non signature endorsed H&B and hardware store models such as the H&B #9, 14, etc, these are block letter cheap models and if they exist, a signature model was also made. Try and buy bats that are close in length to those used by the actual player which for a guy like Miller Huggins, Spalding made his signature model store bat to his specs at 32” while you can find a nice Ruth H&B 125 or 40 model at 35-36”. Also, try and stay away from the war era H&B foil model bats unless gem mint because as they flake, they don’t look good (unless NOS, mint), will not hold any value and they were never used by any H&B users before the war and will stand out as store model bats. The key to this type of collection as to get as close to a game model bat as possible. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 up to $1000 plus for a really nice burned in 35-36” Ruth or Gehrig model 125. Try and buy bats that were made during the era in which a player actually played i.e., don’t buy a post war Ruth or Gehrig model but rather a nice 1920-30’s model. Most of the Spalding signature models were made during the time the endorsee played but H&B kept bats of Ruth and Gehrig in their line up long after they retired or died.

Post war collecting is an entirely different animal. Most players from this era are easy to find but there are some challenges. Again, the same adage of length and model apply, opt for models made during their playing days and try and stay away from block letter bats and foil bats unless it is an Adirondack as most of their bats were only offered with a foil print but their 1950’s white letter bats are some of the handsomest bats ever made and in nice condition, would be a prize in any collection. Remember, H&B made Jackie Robinson and Mantle bats into the 1980’s so on these post war Hall of Famers, do yourself a big favor and only buy a high condition player era model and unlike game used bats, most collectors of store model bats want them in as close to pristine condition as possible as a mint unused store model is a condition rarity and unlike a game bat, will bring a much higher rate of return if in as close to mint condition as possible.

Probably the toughest and rarest of post war store model Hall of Fame bats (not counting pitchers) would have to be Roy Campanella as I have only seen one bat and it was a Kren’s signature model. As for filling in a Hall of Fame collection, keep your eyes peeled for the pro stock or index bats, these are game models offered to the teams for use by any of the players and are often priced in the same range as a store model bat. These would include the S, D, C and E model Adirondack bats and game model H&B bats that do not fit into the shipping records as to model or dimensions. You can pick up some nice index Mays, Mantle, Clemente, Kiner, Doerr, Mathews, Aaron, and Berra models which are very affordable prices and they look just like gamers because, in essence, they are. I tend to stay away from the pro model bats with college names under the player name even though they are pro models as they will ruin your display as they do not look like a game bat from the face view. It is a personal thing but I would rather have a good looking store model than a pro model college bat because of the stamp on the barrel that might say UCLA, etc.

Again, it is your collection and your budget so collect what you like but these tips might help you get started and will help yield a better return if and when you go to sell. And with the high prices on game bats, I think that top examples of store model bats given that some are extremely rare will increase in value in the years to come.

Happy collecting,

David Bushing

In 1995, I wrote the first ever book on collecting and pricing vintage sports equipment for SCD. The purpose was to, for the first time, put down the different styles of sports equipment and create a separate grading system for each piece which at the time was no small feat. Obviously, you can’t grade a catcher’s mask the same as shin guards, leather helmets or gloves. The result was a book of generic, non player, vintage equipment putting down verbiage that had been used for years by collectors but was not the verbiage found in catalogs. No where in any catalog was the term “executioner’s helmet” ever written yet the die hard collectors had been using that term to describe a helmet with an attached leather face mask. Like wise, we had been using terms such as “rain cap” , “soft shell”, “Grange style”, “Aviator style” or “Flat Top” along with factory terminology such as “Princeton style” . Most of the terms used back then by collectors more aptly described the style of helmet rather than the factory used terminology.

Collecting non major league professional vintage store bought equipment was in it’s infancy in 1995 dating back to the earliest collector push in the late 1980’s and at one time, I knew just about everybody who even cared about this stuff. Since there were so few collectors, it seemed as if there was a never ending supply of most style of leather helmets but even back then, there were a few items considered the holy grails of collecting with prices that today might seem inconsequential. In fact, many of the major card dealers of the era such as Bill Mastro called us the garbage collectors, guys who bought , sold and collected what they considered, at the time, to be worthless with no future investment potential. As anybody knows who hasn’t lived in a cave, it turns out that some of this “garbage” commands prices in the five figures today and some twenty years later, the rare and the common has been well defined. Items such as fingerless workman style gloves of the 1890’s and rare football helmet styles still lead the pack when it comes to value, just as they did almost twenty years ago, with one big exception, there are far more collectors of this “garbage” today and the supply has never been, nor ever will, be able to keep up with demand. Therefore, it is not unusual to see such items today featured in many of the major auction house catalogs with lofty descriptions about rarity and condition. What was once a small niche collecting field has hit main stream in a big way and has been recognized as such, even by the nay sayers of old. In fact, Josh Evans of Lelands was one of the first big auction houses to really focus on memorabilia rather than cards dating back to his old live auctions across from Madison Square Gardens. (MEARS still has every one of those old catalogs)

I could do an article on each category and go into listing rarity, demand, price increase and availability for items such as chest protectors, shin guards, masks, gloves, etc. etc but one field really stands out above the rest when it comes to the sheer volume of new collectors and the strong prices these pieces have been bringing in recent years and that is the field of collecting the old leather football helmets (or head harnesses as they were listed in the original catalogs). I will use the terminology from my 1995 book and compare prices then and now starting with the most desirable helmets on every collector want list down to the most common and least desirable so the beginning collector can get a feel of what is in store for him/her and the pitfalls to avoid.

Let’s start out with the golden rule of all collecting and this is the best piece of advice I can give every new collector and some seasoned vets as well. Do not get caught up with buying every item you come across in your collecting path. It is the tendency that when the fever hits, you buy just about everything only to find out in a few years that you have probably over paid for items that are in off condition, of cheap quality, or are so common that unless in gem mint condition, you might never re-coup your original expense. That advise, buy rarity and condition always. Buy quality, professional quality, not the cheap dime store stuff that was produced in mass quantity , that is unless it is gem mint NOS and the price is right. If you are on a budget as most of us are, save your money for the real gems and remember, the best of the best defines a collection, not sheer volume. Better to have a half dozen museum pieces than hundreds of beat up , decrepit items simply because they were cheap and readily available as you will find yourself out of money when the truly great piece comes around and you will get the old ho hum from the savvy collectors. Generally speaking , garbage is garbage regardless of age.

That said, lets start with the top two items in our collecting category;

THE EXECUTIONER HELMET:

Often referred to in original catalogs as the perfect helmet for linemen, strap leather face guard , sometimes detachable, offered in both full face and half face styles. These helmets were offered all through the 1920-30’s and given their long production run and the fact that just about every company making football helmets offered their version of this style helmet, it is simply amazing that so few have survived. If they weren’t selling, why did the companies offer them for such a long length of time? What ever the reason, they are one of the two holy grails of leather football helmets, regardless of maker. In fact , we have sold two in the last two years , both of which went for over five figures. We listed this style helmet in 1995 in near mint condition at $1200. How rare are they? We personally know of less than 15 that have surfaced in over twenty years. Not a scientific count by any means but one which I feel is fairly accurate as to the survival rate of this style helmet now in collections.

SPALDING’S PNEUMATIC HEAD HARNESS:

Oddly enough, only the second known (to this author) of this one year (1905) style helmet sold last month on EBAY. I could only find it offered by one company and only in the 1905 catalog at a list price of $5. Touted as “one of he greatest improvements that has so far been invented in the way of equipment for foot ball” , it incorporated an air filled inflated crown (or doughnut) on top of the existing flat top style leather helmet with an air filler attached inside. The idea was to fill this crown with air to soften the blow of an opponent, much like the air bags on today’s automobiles. Unfortunately, one good blow and crown would split and no longer hold the air, a problem found on both known examples. The short one year production run and a one company offering, this model is the most elusive of all helmets and again, sold for near five figures on EBAY and the condition was very good at best as is the other known example. Bottom line, if you ever get a chance to buy one, don’t hold out for a better condition model as it is highly unlikely to ever surface. Our value in 1995, $1200 but it didn’t matter as not a single example had ever surfaced for sale.

SPALDING HEAD HARNESS (early four spoke strap helmet):

Collectors refer to these models, regardless of maker, as the four strap or four spoke model although the earliest examples were made by Spalding. They were offered from about 1890 with variations of material and additional spokes well into the 1920’s but it is the all leather, with full half inch wool felt padding , four straps with donut style ears and often found with metal rivets in their construction dating to the 1890’s that are most valuable. A nice high condition Spalding model 30 or 35 will set you back at least $7500 on today’s market. Our price in 1995 was $600 near mint.

IMPROVED HEAD HARNESS:

Dating to the same time period of 1895-1900, the improved model as seen in the Spalding No 50 model was simply a single leather crown that resembled a bowl with two sewn on ears, wool padding and a double laced chin strap. These early models are again, virtually non-existent on today’s market and would sell for around the same as an early four spoke, or about $7500 in nice condition. We didn’t even bother to delineate this particular model in our 1995 price guide , instead lumping it into the “rain cap” category, a term used by collectors for a simple crown and two ear protectors. Price then $500

PRINCETON STYLE:

This was a helmet much like the so called flat top model in which the top of the helmet was attached to the body of the helmet, usually in four to six places , with visible space between where the hair could be seen from outside. This style was aptly named after the University where it became popular in the 1890’s and remained in most major catalogs until the 1920’s. Again, it is elusive which defies the years offered and companies that carried this style yet I have not seen one on the market in over five years. Expect to pay $5-7500 for a nice example today, depending on the era.

FLAT-TOP STYLE:

Offered by every mfg. of helmets and available in all leather , all canvas, or half and half. This style of helmet existed from the 1890’s thru-out the 1920’s and was very popular. So called by collectors because the top of the helmet is actually flat, they are not that rare today but in top condition and the fact that every collector wants one or more of the different variations such as the bee hive style which is a roll padded shell, the all leather, the canvas with leather top, etc. etc. they continue to sell in the $2500-4500 range. 1995 price in near mint, all leather $650

RAIN CAP OR AVIATOR STYLE:

Again, just a generic collector term to describe a soft top helmet that is not flat on top yet is not stiff either, i.e. It resembles a helmet that reminds one of an old rain cap, soft and pliable , could be folded and is often found so. Again, there are so many varities of so called rain caps that were made from the 1890’s thru the 1920’s that to collect one of every style would encompass dozens of examples yet the earliest models generally sell in the $3-4500 range and the later models in the $2-3000 range. 1995 price; $500

GRANGE STYLE:

This is the model that was most popular during the 1920-30’s , as popularized by Red Grange in which the all leather helmet had more form and less give than earlier models. There are hundreds of variations but all have one thing in common, they have a hard leather crown and hard leather sides with the ears either defined or part of the helmet, separated forehead pieces , straps of leather over the top crown and available in all different colors. Brown or tan versions in near mint condition usually sell in the $500-1500 range depending on quality and maker. Rare color variations such as factory green, red, yellow, purple, etc will bring 2-3 times this amount.

ENDORSED MODELS:

Popular during the 1920-40’s, these models bear facsimile autographs of famous players and coaches and depending on the endorsement, generally sell in the $1000 range with the Bronco Nagurski model being the most elusive. I have never seen nor heard of one existing except in catalogs but a nice model would bring at least $5000. Players such as Red Grange and coaches like Knute Rockne or Bob Zuppke models are far more common but are getting much harder to locate nice examples. You will also find some of the cheaper models (low grade construction) with some endorsed models such as Frank Leahy. On these models, buy only the mint examples. Average price for endorsed helmets in 1995 was $450 in near mint with 50% premium for Bronco.

Dog Ear; This is simple a collector term for any leather helmet where the ears are difined (ie not fully part of the sides and back ) and hang down like an old hound dog. This style of ear is found on the earliest head harnesses and was still be used in the 1930’s although they really are the transition from the soft shell dog ear helmets of the teens and earlier to the stiffer Grange style helmets of the 1920-30’s. General price range today for a soft shell 1920’s dog ear style helmet which is fairly common is in the $7-1500 range if near mint. One brand new in box circa mid 1920’s Black Wilson with a worn original box sold for $3500

Use and munufacture of all leather helmets started to fade in the late 1930’s and into the 1940’s with the combination construction of composition shells and leather accents and then into the late 1940’s with all composition material even though top quality all leather helmets were still being offered by MacGregor well into the 1950’s . Only the top of the line all leather helmets of this era continue to have strong collector interest with the combo helmets (compo shells with leather trim)selling in the $2-300 range and top quality all leather models selling in the $400 range unless of an unusual color or design. A mint green 1940’s MacGregor helmet would sell in the $1500-2000 range today.

A few last tips. Remember, in all the early catalogs, every helmet is listed as a head harness, not a football helmet so don’t let the term “harness” automatically make you think of 1890. Anything pre 1940 in its original box is rare, anything pre 1930 in its original box is next to impossible. Color and design sells. Buy factory original bright colors and unusual styles such as an over size Michigan Wing Front or a Tortoise shell front. Buy any top condition top quality pre 1920 helmet and anything from the turn of the century in just about any condition. To determine if a helmet is the original color or painted, look at the stitching. Factory colors were done and then stitched in white, painted helmets will have the same paint on the stitching. Generally, I stay away from painted helmets unless really minty or a pro model helmet such a yellow painted early all leather Green Bay Packers helmet or a 1940’s all leather painted LA Rams helmet (probably the most desirable style leather helmet every made and worth thousands regardless of any player id, ps watch for recent paint job fakes) Once you take on collecting leather helmets, it will inevitably lead to union suits, friction strip jerseys, nose guards, and memorabilia so go with the flow, it’s a lifetime of adventure and should offer a good return on your investment when you go to sell.

Until next time, David Bushing.

POST SCRIPT: All helmets shown in this article are either listed for sale or have sold on the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS For Sale Site. The current inventory has some 18 leather helmets available. We are adding product all the time so be sure to check back frequently.

In 1995, I wrote the first ever book on collecting and pricing vintage sports equipment for SCD. The purpose was to, for the first time, put down the different styles of sports equipment and create a separate grading system for each piece which at the time was no small feat. Obviously, you can’t grade a catcher’s mask the same as shin guards, leather helmets or gloves. The result was a book of generic, non player, vintage equipment putting down verbiage that had been used for years by collectors but was not the verbiage found in catalogs. No where in any catalog was the term “executioner’s helmet” ever written yet the die hard collectors had been using that term to describe a helmet with an attached leather face mask. Like wise, we had been using terms such as “rain cap” , “soft shell”, “Grange style”, “Aviator style” or “Flat Top” along with factory terminology such as “Princeton style” . Most of the terms used back then by collectors more aptly described the style of helmet rather than the factory used terminology.

Collecting non major league professional vintage store bought equipment was in it’s infancy in 1995 dating back to the earliest collector push in the late 1980’s and at one time, I knew just about everybody who even cared about this stuff. Since there were so few collectors, it seemed as if there was a never ending supply of most style of leather helmets but even back then, there were a few items considered the holy grails of collecting with prices that today might seem inconsequential. In fact, many of the major card dealers of the era such as Bill Mastro called us the garbage collectors, guys who bought , sold and collected what they considered, at the time, to be worthless with no future investment potential. As anybody knows who hasn’t lived in a cave, it turns out that some of this “garbage” commands prices in the five figures today and some twenty years later, the rare and the common has been well defined. Items such as fingerless workman style gloves of the 1890’s and rare football helmet styles still lead the pack when it comes to value, just as they did almost twenty years ago, with one big exception, there are far more collectors of this “garbage” today and the supply has never been, nor ever will, be able to keep up with demand. Therefore, it is not unusual to see such items today featured in many of the major auction house catalogs with lofty descriptions about rarity and condition. What was once a small niche collecting field has hit main stream in a big way and has been recognized as such, even by the nay sayers of old. In fact, Josh Evans of Lelands was one of the first big auction houses to really focus on memorabilia rather than cards dating back to his old live auctions across from Madison Square Gardens. (MEARS still has every one of those old catalogs)

I could do an article on each category and go into listing rarity, demand, price increase and availability for items such as chest protectors, shin guards, masks, gloves, etc. etc but one field really stands out above the rest when it comes to the sheer volume of new collectors and the strong prices these pieces have been bringing in recent years and that is the field of collecting the old leather football helmets (or head harnesses as they were listed in the original catalogs). I will use the terminology from my 1995 book and compare prices then and now starting with the most desirable helmets on every collector want list down to the most common and least desirable so the beginning collector can get a feel of what is in store for him/her and the pitfalls to avoid.

Let’s start out with the golden rule of all collecting and this is the best piece of advice I can give every new collector and some seasoned vets as well. Do not get caught up with buying every item you come across in your collecting path. It is the tendency that when the fever hits, you buy just about everything only to find out in a few years that you have probably over paid for items that are in off condition, of cheap quality, or are so common that unless in gem mint condition, you might never re-coup your original expense. That advise, buy rarity and condition always. Buy quality, professional quality, not the cheap dime store stuff that was produced in mass quantity , that is unless it is gem mint NOS and the price is right. If you are on a budget as most of us are, save your money for the real gems and remember, the best of the best defines a collection, not sheer volume. Better to have a half dozen museum pieces than hundreds of beat up , decrepit items simply because they were cheap and readily available as you will find yourself out of money when the truly great piece comes around and you will get the old ho hum from the savvy collectors. Generally speaking , garbage is garbage regardless of age.

That said, lets start with the top two items in our collecting category;

THE EXECUTIONER HELMET:

Often referred to in original catalogs as the perfect helmet for linemen, strap leather face guard , sometimes detachable, offered in both full face and half face styles. These helmets were offered all through the 1920-30’s and given their long production run and the fact that just about every company making football helmets offered their version of this style helmet, it is simply amazing that so few have survived. If they weren’t selling, why did the companies offer them for such a long length of time? What ever the reason, they are one of the two holy grails of leather football helmets, regardless of maker. In fact , we have sold two in the last two years , both of which went for over five figures. We listed this style helmet in 1995 in near mint condition at $1200. How rare are they? We personally know of less than 15 that have surfaced in over twenty years. Not a scientific count by any means but one which I feel is fairly accurate as to the survival rate of this style helmet now in collections.

SPALDING’S PNEUMATIC HEAD HARNESS:

Oddly enough, only the second known (to this author) of this one year (1905) style helmet sold last month on EBAY. I could only find it offered by one company and only in the 1905 catalog at a list price of $5. Touted as “one of he greatest improvements that has so far been invented in the way of equipment for foot ball” , it incorporated an air filled inflated crown (or doughnut) on top of the existing flat top style leather helmet with an air filler attached inside. The idea was to fill this crown with air to soften the blow of an opponent, much like the air bags on today’s automobiles. Unfortunately, one good blow and crown would split and no longer hold the air, a problem found on both known examples. The short one year production run and a one company offering, this model is the most elusive of all helmets and again, sold for near five figures on EBAY and the condition was very good at best as is the other known example. Bottom line, if you ever get a chance to buy one, don’t hold out for a better condition model as it is highly unlikely to ever surface. Our value in 1995, $1200 but it didn’t matter as not a single example had ever surfaced for sale.

SPALDING HEAD HARNESS (early four spoke strap helmet):

Collectors refer to these models, regardless of maker, as the four strap or four spoke model although the earliest examples were made by Spalding. They were offered from about 1890 with variations of material and additional spokes well into the 1920’s but it is the all leather, with full half inch wool felt padding , four straps with donut style ears and often found with metal rivets in their construction dating to the 1890’s that are most valuable. A nice high condition Spalding model 30 or 35 will set you back at least $7500 on today’s market. Our price in 1995 was $600 near mint.

IMPROVED HEAD HARNESS:

Dating to the same time period of 1895-1900, the improved model as seen in the Spalding No 50 model was simply a single leather crown that resembled a bowl with two sewn on ears, wool padding and a double laced chin strap. These early models are again, virtually non-existent on today’s market and would sell for around the same as an early four spoke, or about $7500 in nice condition. We didn’t even bother to delineate this particular model in our 1995 price guide , instead lumping it into the “rain cap” category, a term used by collectors for a simple crown and two ear protectors. Price then $500

PRINCETON STYLE:

This was a helmet much like the so called flat top model in which the top of the helmet was attached to the body of the helmet, usually in four to six places , with visible space between where the hair could be seen from outside. This style was aptly named after the University where it became popular in the 1890’s and remained in most major catalogs until the 1920’s. Again, it is elusive which defies the years offered and companies that carried this style yet I have not seen one on the market in over five years. Expect to pay $5-7500 for a nice example today, depending on the era.

FLAT-TOP STYLE:

Offered by every mfg. of helmets and available in all leather , all canvas, or half and half. This style of helmet existed from the 1890’s thru-out the 1920’s and was very popular. So called by collectors because the top of the helmet is actually flat, they are not that rare today but in top condition and the fact that every collector wants one or more of the different variations such as the bee hive style which is a roll padded shell, the all leather, the canvas with leather top, etc. etc. they continue to sell in the $2500-4500 range. 1995 price in near mint, all leather $650

RAIN CAP OR AVIATOR STYLE:

Again, just a generic collector term to describe a soft top helmet that is not flat on top yet is not stiff either, i.e. It resembles a helmet that reminds one of an old rain cap, soft and pliable , could be folded and is often found so. Again, there are so many varities of so called rain caps that were made from the 1890’s thru the 1920’s that to collect one of every style would encompass dozens of examples yet the earliest models generally sell in the $3-4500 range and the later models in the $2-3000 range. 1995 price; $500

GRANGE STYLE:

This is the model that was most popular during the 1920-30’s , as popularized by Red Grange in which the all leather helmet had more form and less give than earlier models. There are hundreds of variations but all have one thing in common, they have a hard leather crown and hard leather sides with the ears either defined or part of the helmet, separated forehead pieces , straps of leather over the top crown and available in all different colors. Brown or tan versions in near mint condition usually sell in the $500-1500 range depending on quality and maker. Rare color variations such as factory green, red, yellow, purple, etc will bring 2-3 times this amount.

ENDORSED MODELS:

Popular during the 1920-40’s, these models bear facsimile autographs of famous players and coaches and depending on the endorsement, generally sell in the $1000 range with the Bronco Nagurski model being the most elusive. I have never seen nor heard of one existing except in catalogs but a nice model would bring at least $5000. Players such as Red Grange and coaches like Knute Rockne or Bob Zuppke models are far more common but are getting much harder to locate nice examples. You will also find some of the cheaper models (low grade construction) with some endorsed models such as Frank Leahy. On these models, buy only the mint examples. Average price for endorsed helmets in 1995 was $450 in near mint with 50% premium for Bronco.

Dog Ear; This is simple a collector term for any leather helmet where the ears are difined (ie not fully part of the sides and back ) and hang down like an old hound dog. This style of ear is found on the earliest head harnesses and was still be used in the 1930’s although they really are the transition from the soft shell dog ear helmets of the teens and earlier to the stiffer Grange style helmets of the 1920-30’s. General price range today for a soft shell 1920’s dog ear style helmet which is fairly common is in the $7-1500 range if near mint. One brand new in box circa mid 1920’s Black Wilson with a worn original box sold for $3500

Use and munufacture of all leather helmets started to fade in the late 1930’s and into the 1940’s with the combination construction of composition shells and leather accents and then into the late 1940’s with all composition material even though top quality all leather helmets were still being offered by MacGregor well into the 1950’s . Only the top of the line all leather helmets of this era continue to have strong collector interest with the combo helmets (compo shells with leather trim)selling in the $2-300 range and top quality all leather models selling in the $400 range unless of an unusual color or design. A mint green 1940’s MacGregor helmet would sell in the $1500-2000 range today.

A few last tips. Remember, in all the early catalogs, every helmet is listed as a head harness, not a football helmet so don’t let the term “harness” automatically make you think of 1890. Anything pre 1940 in its original box is rare, anything pre 1930 in its original box is next to impossible. Color and design sells. Buy factory original bright colors and unusual styles such as an over size Michigan Wing Front or a Tortoise shell front. Buy any top condition top quality pre 1920 helmet and anything from the turn of the century in just about any condition. To determine if a helmet is the original color or painted, look at the stitching. Factory colors were done and then stitched in white, painted helmets will have the same paint on the stitching. Generally, I stay away from painted helmets unless really minty or a pro model helmet such a yellow painted early all leather Green Bay Packers helmet or a 1940’s all leather painted LA Rams helmet (probably the most desirable style leather helmet every made and worth thousands regardless of any player id, ps watch for recent paint job fakes) Once you take on collecting leather helmets, it will inevitably lead to union suits, friction strip jerseys, nose guards, and memorabilia so go with the flow, it’s a lifetime of adventure and should offer a good return on your investment when you go to sell.

Until next time, David Bushing.

POST SCRIPT: All helmets shown in this article are either listed for sale or have sold on the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS For Sale Site. The current inventory has some 18 leather helmets available. We are adding product all the time so be sure to check back frequently.

If you collect sports memorabilia, I’ll take a guess and figure you have been to a sporting event at some point in time. The thing you have shared with possibly thousands of others is the seat you sat in. Something as simple and essential to the viewing of a contest as seat carries with it a lasting connection to a place and time. I few years back I had the chance to pick up a set of four original Crosley Field seats. I knew they were original because they still sported the “redish-orange paint” and not the red paint that you see so many done in. The seller said he would deliver within a 150 mile radius… I had him drive 150 miles in my direction and we met a road-side stop in West Virginia. I loaded them into my Jeep Cherokee and headed back east towards DC…These have been a functional and attractive part of my “Baseball Room” ever since.

I was looking for a seat from Ebbets Field to go with my latest collecting focus when I came across a web site at www.collectiblestadiumseats.com. The site is run by a man named Richie Aurigemma. The site intrigued me for a couple of reasons; selection with great color images from all sports and some interesting descriptions such as “unrestored”, “semi-restored” and “restored.” I thought I would drop Mr. Aurigemma a line and see if he would be willing to talk about what he has and how he got into to this line of memorabilia. Richie gladly accepted the opportunity and I am glad he did. Here goes:

DG: Could you tell me a bit about how you got started in collecting and offering stadium seats and memorabilia?

RA: I was raised in The Bronx, so I was very familiar with Yankee Stadium & all its history …. even though I was and am a Mets fan. Anyway, I was walking one day under an elevated subway train (the “El”, as it is referred to in these parts) in Pelham Bay when I spotted a couple of interesting things in the window of a baseball card store that I patronized on occasion. In the window were two old wood & metal stadium chairs that were painted dark blue. The paint was chipping on both of them, revealing an avocado green color underneath. One seat had a black seat number on the top slat, while the other seat was missing its top slat completely. Being unsure of exactly WHAT I was looking at, I walked into the shop & asked the owner where the chairs in the window were from. He informed me that they were from Yankee Stadium.

Now, I had been to Yankee Stadium in 1977 & 1978 & knew the seats in there were plastic, not wood … so I was a little confused. The owner explained that these seats were removed from Yankee Stadium after the 1973 season, when Yankee Stadium was closed for a two year renovation. I remember falling in love with those seats that day & vowing to buy one. To make a long story short, I eventually did acquired one of those two seats (the one missing the top slat), which I purchased for the then ‘hefty’ sum of $100!! I still have that seat in my personal collection ‘til this day.

A short time later, I came into contact with a gentleman named Mike Seitz, who I consider one of the pioneers of the seat & stadia collecting. Mike had acquired some construction left over, ornate arm seats from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore’s brand new retro ballpark. The logo, a turn of the century ballplayer sandwiched between the two Olde English “B”s (for “Baltimore Baseball”) was a really cool looking!. While these seats were never actually used in Camden Yards, they were identical to the seats that were installed there & were manufactured by the same company (American Seating). Mike’s price for one of these seats was very reasonable at the time & the “BB” logo was on both sides of the seat, so I bought one. It started as innocently as that. When you have one seat, you have just that …. one seat. When you have two seats, you now have a collection. That was how it all started for me.

The other major influence in my career & success in this hobby was being introduced to Paul Ferrante. I first met Paul through his writing. Paul is a stadium seat collector, baseball historian & writer for Sports Collectors Digest. Paul’s columns in ‘SCD’ are dedicated to ballpark & stadiums, past and present. Paul’s elegant style of writing captured my imagination & fueled my drive to learn more about all the old ballparks, as well as attempt to find seats & other memorabilia from them. Paul was also living in New York at that time, so we got to know each other, first through letters & phone calls, and then later through visits to my retail memorabilia shop. Paul worked within driving distance to my shop in those days, so he actually dropped by on more than one occasion to chat. A friendship began & over the years, we have attended several ballgames together, as well as have had the families over each others homes, etc. He’s a great guy & he has really helped me, directly & indirectly, to become very successful in this hobby.

DG: Do you have any seats in your private collection that are your favorites and why?

RA: WOW?! Now you’re putting me on the spot here, Dave! That’s like asking the parent who has more than one child which one is his favorite! I have always been a fan of stadium seats that have figural, or ornate end aisle seat ends. A figural end seat is just so much nicer to look at than just a regular ‘mid row’ seat in my opinion. I am lucky enough to own a triple seat from The Polo Grounds that is all original (unrestored) and has the New York Giants “NY” figural end on each side of it. My favorite figural seat is the “batting tiger” ones from Tiger/Briggs Stadium. The detail on these are really great and the logo is on both sides of the armrest, too! Most figural ends seats are ‘flat’ on the inside, but Tiger Stadium figural ends are double sided. The batting tiger logo was resurrected into the armrests of the seats in Comerica Park, but they abandoned the double sided detail on these seats in their new digs.

DG: What would you consider to be the most rare or valuable stadium seats and why?

RA: The rarest seats generally tend to be the ones from the stadiums that were torn down long ago. Seats from The Baker Bowl in Philadelphia & Braves Field in Boston are two prime examples of seats that are missing from most stadium seat collector’s collections. As far as arena seats and/or “Original Six” hockey seats are concerned, original Madison Square Garden wooden seats are far and away the toughest seats to locate. I have seen maybe three of four in the past dozen years … including one that I currently have posted on my site for sale. I don’t expect to have it very long, but I do have one right now. A MSG seat is one really tough seat to locate these days.

As for the most valuable? That’s hard to say. Wooden stadium seats from the key ballparks in the major cities with large fan bases, such as Yankee Stadium, Ebbets Field, The Polo Grounds & Fenway Park, seem to be the ones that stand a notch higher above the pack. Condition again also dictates how much a seat can be worth, too.

DG: In some of your descriptions, you list the seats as “semi-restored”. What makes a seat fall into this sort of transitional category?

RA: Good question. When I use the term “semi-restored” on my websites, I am telling my customers that I have done some work on this particular seat since acquiring it from either the former owner, else the original ballpark that it came from. The amount of work can vary, but the key to declaring a seat “semi” restored is that I have left as much of the original ‘stadium’ paint on this seat as possible, while attempting to make this seat look nicer by repainting it & making this seat look great again. A semi-restored seat will never be a seat that has been totally stripped of its “fingerprints”, or history. Once you totally strip a seat of its history …. you make it a lot tougher to authenticate it down the road. Again, this is what I mean when I use the term semi-restored.

DG: I have a number of references in my library that deal with stadiums and ball parks. Are there are references you have on hand that you would recommend collectors picking up if they are looking to collect stadium seats and memorabilia?

RA: Sorry to say, there is no book out there that I am aware of that deals with helping collectors who are into stadium seats. There is a price guide put out by Krause Publishing (the parent company of Sports Collectors Digest), but its only a couple pages long & only gives you an idea of what book value is of many of the different seats & stadium memorabilia. As far as excellent books on the history of ballparks, two immediately come to mind. “Green Cathedrals” by Philip Lowry is one. The other one is “Lost Ballparks” by Lawrence Ritter.

DG: When I was stationed at Ft. Campbell KY a while back, I went to watch Michael Jordon when Birmingham came to play the Nashville Sounds. I noticed a bunch of old wooden stadium seats out under the infield bleachers. I called the Sounds the next week and arraigned to buy a few. In talking to the gentleman who sold me the seats, he informed me that these seats were purchased from the Atlanta Braves and were the original seats from Fulton County Stadium. Do you know of any other examples of stadium seats being sold off or re-used in other facilities?

RA: I do. Seats from The Polo Grounds were trucked from New York City via potato truck to St. Augustine, Florida in 1964-65 & used in an outdoor amphitheater for another 30 years! Seats from Ebbets Field were sold to a baseball field in The Bronx & were used there for almost 40 years after their Ebbets Field days. Seats from Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia and Old Yankee Stadium wound up in an old minor league ballpark in North Carolina. They were in service in this cozy ballpark from the mid 1970s until a few years ago, when I was very fortunate to discover them and acquire the remaining inventory of these seats that was still in service.

It was a different world 30+ years ago. Old, used, worn wooden stadium seats didn’t hold much value & were prone to a lot of maintenance … so they were often either handed down to farm teams (as was the case in Nashville), sold for a few dollars a seat to fans or other interested parties, else scrapped or junked. Few people back then had any clue that these baseball relics would become as popular & valuable as they have over the past few decades. I am constantly meeting people who bought original wooden Yankee Stadium seats in 1974 for about $10.00 each who say “Boy, I wish I had bought a whole bunch of these back then!”. Who knew, right?

DG: Besides seats, what do find people looking for or what was the most unusual or interesting stadium artifact you have come across?

RA: I have to tell you Dave …. I consider myself a “hard core” stadia collector. As long as an item was either used in a professional ballpark/stadium or was a fixture in it, you have my attention. With that said, I can not for the life of me understand why anyone would want to own a used urinal from anyplace …. especially from a stadium!! A urinal from Busch Stadium sold for $1500.00 during the Busch Stadium Sale/Auction a couple years back. Needless to say, I was not one of the parties who placed a bid on it! To each his own I suppose, but count me out on a urinal.

I DO have a sink from The Polo Grounds in my personal collection, so, as you can see, I do not have any bias towards bathroom fixtures! I was also fortunate to acquire a couple of light up numbers & a few light up letters from one of the two auxiliary scoreboards from the current Yankee Stadium a couple years back. The scoreboards were overhauled about two seasons ago & replaced with totally new high tech lights & effects. I was lucky to come into contact with an electrician who was involved with the project & he was able to fish out some of these pieces of American history from the trash. Sometimes, you’re just in the right place at the right time.

As far as what are other collectors are looking for? Ballpark signs are popular. Signs display nicely, generally don’t take up much space & complement other stadium items, such as seats for example in collectors stadium themed rooms or shrines. Bricks are also pretty popular. They also don’t take up much space, are generally not very expensive AND they can serve a purpose … a paper weight.

Well, it’s been an absolute blast doing this interview. I wish you had more questions for me! Thank you, Dave, for contacting me & allowing me to share my stories & my passion for stadium seats & stadia collectors with all your readers. I invite each & every one of them to visit both of my websites: www.CollectibleStadiumSeats.com & www.YankeeStadiumSeats.com. In case you haven’t noticed by now, I live & breathe stadium seats, so I am ALWAYS working on acquiring new ones, both from my personal collection, as well for my websites. Therefore, check each site often, as I never know what I am going to find next!! Take care, everyone.

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com.

If you collect sports memorabilia, I’ll take a guess and figure you have been to a sporting event at some point in time. The thing you have shared with possibly thousands of others is the seat you sat in. Something as simple and essential to the viewing of a contest as seat carries with it a lasting connection to a place and time. I few years back I had the chance to pick up a set of four original Crosley Field seats. I knew they were original because they still sported the “redish-orange paint” and not the red paint that you see so many done in. The seller said he would deliver within a 150 mile radius… I had him drive 150 miles in my direction and we met a road-side stop in West Virginia. I loaded them into my Jeep Cherokee and headed back east towards DC…These have been a functional and attractive part of my “Baseball Room” ever since.

I was looking for a seat from Ebbets Field to go with my latest collecting focus when I came across a web site at www.collectiblestadiumseats.com. The site is run by a man named Richie Aurigemma. The site intrigued me for a couple of reasons; selection with great color images from all sports and some interesting descriptions such as “unrestored”, “semi-restored” and “restored.” I thought I would drop Mr. Aurigemma a line and see if he would be willing to talk about what he has and how he got into to this line of memorabilia. Richie gladly accepted the opportunity and I am glad he did. Here goes:

DG: Could you tell me a bit about how you got started in collecting and offering stadium seats and memorabilia?

RA: I was raised in The Bronx, so I was very familiar with Yankee Stadium & all its history …. even though I was and am a Mets fan. Anyway, I was walking one day under an elevated subway train (the “El”, as it is referred to in these parts) in Pelham Bay when I spotted a couple of interesting things in the window of a baseball card store that I patronized on occasion. In the window were two old wood & metal stadium chairs that were painted dark blue. The paint was chipping on both of them, revealing an avocado green color underneath. One seat had a black seat number on the top slat, while the other seat was missing its top slat completely. Being unsure of exactly WHAT I was looking at, I walked into the shop & asked the owner where the chairs in the window were from. He informed me that they were from Yankee Stadium.

Now, I had been to Yankee Stadium in 1977 & 1978 & knew the seats in there were plastic, not wood … so I was a little confused. The owner explained that these seats were removed from Yankee Stadium after the 1973 season, when Yankee Stadium was closed for a two year renovation. I remember falling in love with those seats that day & vowing to buy one. To make a long story short, I eventually did acquired one of those two seats (the one missing the top slat), which I purchased for the then ‘hefty’ sum of $100!! I still have that seat in my personal collection ‘til this day.

A short time later, I came into contact with a gentleman named Mike Seitz, who I consider one of the pioneers of the seat & stadia collecting. Mike had acquired some construction left over, ornate arm seats from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore’s brand new retro ballpark. The logo, a turn of the century ballplayer sandwiched between the two Olde English “B”s (for “Baltimore Baseball”) was a really cool looking!. While these seats were never actually used in Camden Yards, they were identical to the seats that were installed there & were manufactured by the same company (American Seating). Mike’s price for one of these seats was very reasonable at the time & the “BB” logo was on both sides of the seat, so I bought one. It started as innocently as that. When you have one seat, you have just that …. one seat. When you have two seats, you now have a collection. That was how it all started for me.

The other major influence in my career & success in this hobby was being introduced to Paul Ferrante. I first met Paul through his writing. Paul is a stadium seat collector, baseball historian & writer for Sports Collectors Digest. Paul’s columns in ‘SCD’ are dedicated to ballpark & stadiums, past and present. Paul’s elegant style of writing captured my imagination & fueled my drive to learn more about all the old ballparks, as well as attempt to find seats & other memorabilia from them. Paul was also living in New York at that time, so we got to know each other, first through letters & phone calls, and then later through visits to my retail memorabilia shop. Paul worked within driving distance to my shop in those days, so he actually dropped by on more than one occasion to chat. A friendship began & over the years, we have attended several ballgames together, as well as have had the families over each others homes, etc. He’s a great guy & he has really helped me, directly & indirectly, to become very successful in this hobby.

DG: Do you have any seats in your private collection that are your favorites and why?

RA: WOW?! Now you’re putting me on the spot here, Dave! That’s like asking the parent who has more than one child which one is his favorite! I have always been a fan of stadium seats that have figural, or ornate end aisle seat ends. A figural end seat is just so much nicer to look at than just a regular ‘mid row’ seat in my opinion. I am lucky enough to own a triple seat from The Polo Grounds that is all original (unrestored) and has the New York Giants “NY” figural end on each side of it. My favorite figural seat is the “batting tiger” ones from Tiger/Briggs Stadium. The detail on these are really great and the logo is on both sides of the armrest, too! Most figural ends seats are ‘flat’ on the inside, but Tiger Stadium figural ends are double sided. The batting tiger logo was resurrected into the armrests of the seats in Comerica Park, but they abandoned the double sided detail on these seats in their new digs.

DG: What would you consider to be the most rare or valuable stadium seats and why?

RA: The rarest seats generally tend to be the ones from the stadiums that were torn down long ago. Seats from The Baker Bowl in Philadelphia & Braves Field in Boston are two prime examples of seats that are missing from most stadium seat collector’s collections. As far as arena seats and/or “Original Six” hockey seats are concerned, original Madison Square Garden wooden seats are far and away the toughest seats to locate. I have seen maybe three of four in the past dozen years … including one that I currently have posted on my site for sale. I don’t expect to have it very long, but I do have one right now. A MSG seat is one really tough seat to locate these days.

As for the most valuable? That’s hard to say. Wooden stadium seats from the key ballparks in the major cities with large fan bases, such as Yankee Stadium, Ebbets Field, The Polo Grounds & Fenway Park, seem to be the ones that stand a notch higher above the pack. Condition again also dictates how much a seat can be worth, too.

DG: In some of your descriptions, you list the seats as “semi-restored”. What makes a seat fall into this sort of transitional category?

RA: Good question. When I use the term “semi-restored” on my websites, I am telling my customers that I have done some work on this particular seat since acquiring it from either the former owner, else the original ballpark that it came from. The amount of work can vary, but the key to declaring a seat “semi” restored is that I have left as much of the original ‘stadium’ paint on this seat as possible, while attempting to make this seat look nicer by repainting it & making this seat look great again. A semi-restored seat will never be a seat that has been totally stripped of its “fingerprints”, or history. Once you totally strip a seat of its history …. you make it a lot tougher to authenticate it down the road. Again, this is what I mean when I use the term semi-restored.

DG: I have a number of references in my library that deal with stadiums and ball parks. Are there are references you have on hand that you would recommend collectors picking up if they are looking to collect stadium seats and memorabilia?

RA: Sorry to say, there is no book out there that I am aware of that deals with helping collectors who are into stadium seats. There is a price guide put out by Krause Publishing (the parent company of Sports Collectors Digest), but its only a couple pages long & only gives you an idea of what book value is of many of the different seats & stadium memorabilia. As far as excellent books on the history of ballparks, two immediately come to mind. “Green Cathedrals” by Philip Lowry is one. The other one is “Lost Ballparks” by Lawrence Ritter.

DG: When I was stationed at Ft. Campbell KY a while back, I went to watch Michael Jordon when Birmingham came to play the Nashville Sounds. I noticed a bunch of old wooden stadium seats out under the infield bleachers. I called the Sounds the next week and arraigned to buy a few. In talking to the gentleman who sold me the seats, he informed me that these seats were purchased from the Atlanta Braves and were the original seats from Fulton County Stadium. Do you know of any other examples of stadium seats being sold off or re-used in other facilities?

RA: I do. Seats from The Polo Grounds were trucked from New York City via potato truck to St. Augustine, Florida in 1964-65 & used in an outdoor amphitheater for another 30 years! Seats from Ebbets Field were sold to a baseball field in The Bronx & were used there for almost 40 years after their Ebbets Field days. Seats from Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia and Old Yankee Stadium wound up in an old minor league ballpark in North Carolina. They were in service in this cozy ballpark from the mid 1970s until a few years ago, when I was very fortunate to discover them and acquire the remaining inventory of these seats that was still in service.

It was a different world 30+ years ago. Old, used, worn wooden stadium seats didn’t hold much value & were prone to a lot of maintenance … so they were often either handed down to farm teams (as was the case in Nashville), sold for a few dollars a seat to fans or other interested parties, else scrapped or junked. Few people back then had any clue that these baseball relics would become as popular & valuable as they have over the past few decades. I am constantly meeting people who bought original wooden Yankee Stadium seats in 1974 for about $10.00 each who say “Boy, I wish I had bought a whole bunch of these back then!”. Who knew, right?

DG: Besides seats, what do find people looking for or what was the most unusual or interesting stadium artifact you have come across?

RA: I have to tell you Dave …. I consider myself a “hard core” stadia collector. As long as an item was either used in a professional ballpark/stadium or was a fixture in it, you have my attention. With that said, I can not for the life of me understand why anyone would want to own a used urinal from anyplace …. especially from a stadium!! A urinal from Busch Stadium sold for $1500.00 during the Busch Stadium Sale/Auction a couple years back. Needless to say, I was not one of the parties who placed a bid on it! To each his own I suppose, but count me out on a urinal.

I DO have a sink from The Polo Grounds in my personal collection, so, as you can see, I do not have any bias towards bathroom fixtures! I was also fortunate to acquire a couple of light up numbers & a few light up letters from one of the two auxiliary scoreboards from the current Yankee Stadium a couple years back. The scoreboards were overhauled about two seasons ago & replaced with totally new high tech lights & effects. I was lucky to come into contact with an electrician who was involved with the project & he was able to fish out some of these pieces of American history from the trash. Sometimes, you’re just in the right place at the right time.

As far as what are other collectors are looking for? Ballpark signs are popular. Signs display nicely, generally don’t take up much space & complement other stadium items, such as seats for example in collectors stadium themed rooms or shrines. Bricks are also pretty popular. They also don’t take up much space, are generally not very expensive AND they can serve a purpose … a paper weight.

Well, it’s been an absolute blast doing this interview. I wish you had more questions for me! Thank you, Dave, for contacting me & allowing me to share my stories & my passion for stadium seats & stadia collectors with all your readers. I invite each & every one of them to visit both of my websites: www.CollectibleStadiumSeats.com & www.YankeeStadiumSeats.com. In case you haven’t noticed by now, I live & breathe stadium seats, so I am ALWAYS working on acquiring new ones, both from my personal collection, as well for my websites. Therefore, check each site often, as I never know what I am going to find next!! Take care, everyone.

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com.

Last year I wrote an article about investing in sports memorabilia. I was asked recently about collecting and investing in vintage New York Yankees game used jerseys and bats from the 1930s through the 1960s. The focus was for any advice or how to go about educating yourself before beginning to make any purchases. The source of this referral if you would was the December 2006 edition of Worth Magazine detailing my work on the 1961 Roger Maris jersey. I for one was thrilled that a new collector was asking first before he spent any money. For vintage and high end items, I am finding that newer collectors are considering these items much in the same way they view all of their other investments. I suggested that he do a few things right from the start. Those being:

1. If possible, narrow down exactly what you are looking for and develop a disciplined buying approach. This is a tough thing to do and something I know I have struggled with over the years. No matter how much money you have, you will never be able to find or own everything.

2. Build a data base you can use and reference. This data base can be used for both bats and jerseys. This can be done very easily using Excel or any other spreadsheet program. For jerseys, I would recommend creating fields for:

Year

Home/Road

Player

Size

Manufacturer

Source (This refers to where they item was offered and or how you find it again)

You may also want to consider adding a column for sale price or price realized.

This information can be gathered from old auction catalogs or on-line offerings. Much the same could be done for caps, pants and jackets. The idea is decide what all the pertinent information is and try to capture this the first time around. The advantage to doing this in a spreadsheet as opposed to a Word document is that the spreadsheet can be sorted. If after some time you have hundreds of entries, you can begin to sort them by say player, then year to begin to track trends in jersey size. You can then go back and track these through period publications such as team yearbooks to see what makes sense.

3. Build a reference library. This library should include a wide range of references that include:

Books

Magazines

Team Publications

Film/Video

Digital images

The digital collection is the one I would like to spend some time on up front. I would recommend creating either player specific or year specific folders. For vintage offerings I would suggest that Corbis may be a better source than Getty, but that is just my personal preference. In addition to player and year folders, I would suggest photos for special events such as All Star Games and the World Series. Although this may seem obvious, if you are saving images as JPEG files, be sure to rename them something that you will recognize later on. I would also recommend breaking the effort down into various subfolders. There is nothing wrong with placing a photo in more than one folder. The advantage to this is you can then create a CD that you take with you and your lap top when traveling. The other thing to remember is that by creating your own CD, you have backed up your data should something happen to your computer.

When searching for digital vintage Yankee images, be sure to try a variety of searches. Remember the search is a function of the information in the caption and not what is shown in the photograph. Since I have always thought locker room shots are invaluable sources of information on tagging and supplemental player identification, be sure to include phrases such as locker room, club house, post game etc… in your search language.

When building the rest of the library, you will have to decide on its real purpose. By this I mean deciding if it is for reference or as a collectable as well. If it only for reference, you can save a lot of money and build it quicker by purchasing reprints of team yearbooks and photographs. Although at times the quality of the images may not be as good with reprints, I have found them to be by and large sufficient for my use.

If you are looking to jump start your NY Yankees print reference library for the 1930s-1960, I would recommend beginning with these titles:

-The New York Yankees: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Yankee Stadium: 50Years of Drama by Joseph Durso

-New York Yankees-One Hundred Years: The Official Retrospective by Ballantine Books

-The Babe: The Game that Ruth Built by Ritter and Rucker

-Baseball’s Great Dynasties: The Yankees by Mark & Neil Gallagher

-The American League: A History by Zoss and Bowman

-The American League: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Baseball in the 30s: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Baseball in the 50s: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-The Bronx Bombers: Memories and Memorabilia by Chadwick & Spindel

-The DiMaggio Albums

– Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957 by Vic Ziegel

As far as film/DVD references, I would look to pick up the HBO three volume set titled “When It Was a Game.” For the World Series, there is currently a 5 DVD set covering the Yankees in the post season from 1943-2000. These can be found on E-Bay for as little as less than $30.00. If you still have a VCR, I would recommend looking for these videos:

-Joe DiMaggio: 1990 from the Sports Legends Series

-Mickey Mantle: The American Dream Comes to Life. 1988 by Baseball Legend Videos

-Mickey Mantle, “The Mick.” Greatest Sports Legends Series. 1985

-10 Greatest Moments in Yankees History. c. 1987 by the Yankees

-50 Years of Yankees All-Stars. Produced by Major League BB productions. ( c 1970s)

-Pinstripe Power, The Story of the 1961 Yankees. Produced by MLB. (c late 70-ealry 80s)

Another valuable source of information that would also serve as a collectable display would be vintage sporting/baseball magazine from the period. If you decide not to go for these, consider searching E-Bay for things like this or variations of:

Vintage Baseball Scrapbook

Old Baseball Scrapbook

Yankees News Clippings

Scrapbooking was very popular during the period of the 1930s-1960s and given the following of the Yankees and number of papers covering them, these are often available. The best ones I have picked up have included terrific color photographs from Sport Magazine in the 1950s.

Things you will want to take notice of when looking at New York Yankees uniforms in the images you find include:

– Button style and location

– Sleeve Style (Raglan or Set-In)

– Font styles for lettering and NY Crest

– Numeric Font Styles

All of these change over time and within any given year depending up uniform manufacturer.

A final thing I would recommend doing is trying to establish a network of other collectors who might be willing to let you see their collections. This will probably be the hardest thing to do depending on who has the item(s) and where they are located. Keep in mind, that as your collection grows, you need to be willing to reciprocate.

Once you have done all of these or at least some of it in stages, you will want to begin to look for the actual sources of the items you want. It is very doubtful, but it does happen, that the things fitting this collecting/investment theme might show up on E-Bay. If and when they do, don’t expect to throw in a last minute bid and get them at a steal. Often these types of items don’t last the posted auction period as they are sold off site. What this leaves you with are other auction venues or dealers. As far as dealers, the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS for Sales Site has featured and sold a number New Yankees Game Used Bats and Jersey this past year. Some of them include:

-1920s Bob Meusel Spalding Hand Turned Professional Model Game Bat

-1921 George Babe Ruth H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1921-31 Lou Gehrig H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1926-31 Tony Lazzeri H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1932-37 Tommy Henrich H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Rookie Era Bat

-1933-34 Charlie Keller H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1934-35 Frank Crosetti H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1939 Joe Gordon Home New York Yankees Jersey

1949 Charlie Keller H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1950-53 Johnny Mize H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1950-60 Tony Kubek H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1960 Ed Whitey Ford World Series Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1960 Mickey Mantle H&B Louisville Slugger World Series Game Bat

-1961-63 Bob Richardson H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1961-63 Clete Boyer New York Yankees Adirondack Professional Model Game Bat

-1963-64 Elston Howard H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

These and all other New York Yankees Game Used Bats and Jerseys can be seen as permanent archives on the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS For Sales Site.

You also may want to look at these items which will be featured in the Spring Robert Edwards Auction offerings:

-1950 Charlie Silvera World Series H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1950-57 Yogi Berra H&B Professional Model Game Bat

-1951 Ralph Houk H&B Louisville Slugger World Series Game Used Bat

-1955-59 Enos Slaughter H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1958 Elston Howard New York Yankees H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model All Star Game Bat

The things I have talked about here have been specific for New York Yankees Game Used Bats and Jerseys, but the process could really be replicated for any team or collecting focus. If your looking to begin collecting vintage game used bats and jerseys for a specific player or team or expand upon what you have already started, please feel drop me a line and I’d be happy to help shape and scope your research efforts.

As always, collect what you enjoy and enjoy what you collect.

Dave Grob

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to contact me at DaveGrob1@aol.com

Last year I wrote an article about investing in sports memorabilia. I was asked recently about collecting and investing in vintage New York Yankees game used jerseys and bats from the 1930s through the 1960s. The focus was for any advice or how to go about educating yourself before beginning to make any purchases. The source of this referral if you would was the December 2006 edition of Worth Magazine detailing my work on the 1961 Roger Maris jersey. I for one was thrilled that a new collector was asking first before he spent any money. For vintage and high end items, I am finding that newer collectors are considering these items much in the same way they view all of their other investments. I suggested that he do a few things right from the start. Those being:

1. If possible, narrow down exactly what you are looking for and develop a disciplined buying approach. This is a tough thing to do and something I know I have struggled with over the years. No matter how much money you have, you will never be able to find or own everything.

2. Build a data base you can use and reference. This data base can be used for both bats and jerseys. This can be done very easily using Excel or any other spreadsheet program. For jerseys, I would recommend creating fields for:

Year

Home/Road

Player

Size

Manufacturer

Source (This refers to where they item was offered and or how you find it again)

You may also want to consider adding a column for sale price or price realized.

This information can be gathered from old auction catalogs or on-line offerings. Much the same could be done for caps, pants and jackets. The idea is decide what all the pertinent information is and try to capture this the first time around. The advantage to doing this in a spreadsheet as opposed to a Word document is that the spreadsheet can be sorted. If after some time you have hundreds of entries, you can begin to sort them by say player, then year to begin to track trends in jersey size. You can then go back and track these through period publications such as team yearbooks to see what makes sense.

3. Build a reference library. This library should include a wide range of references that include:

Books

Magazines

Team Publications

Film/Video

Digital images

The digital collection is the one I would like to spend some time on up front. I would recommend creating either player specific or year specific folders. For vintage offerings I would suggest that Corbis may be a better source than Getty, but that is just my personal preference. In addition to player and year folders, I would suggest photos for special events such as All Star Games and the World Series. Although this may seem obvious, if you are saving images as JPEG files, be sure to rename them something that you will recognize later on. I would also recommend breaking the effort down into various subfolders. There is nothing wrong with placing a photo in more than one folder. The advantage to this is you can then create a CD that you take with you and your lap top when traveling. The other thing to remember is that by creating your own CD, you have backed up your data should something happen to your computer.

When searching for digital vintage Yankee images, be sure to try a variety of searches. Remember the search is a function of the information in the caption and not what is shown in the photograph. Since I have always thought locker room shots are invaluable sources of information on tagging and supplemental player identification, be sure to include phrases such as locker room, club house, post game etc… in your search language.

When building the rest of the library, you will have to decide on its real purpose. By this I mean deciding if it is for reference or as a collectable as well. If it only for reference, you can save a lot of money and build it quicker by purchasing reprints of team yearbooks and photographs. Although at times the quality of the images may not be as good with reprints, I have found them to be by and large sufficient for my use.

If you are looking to jump start your NY Yankees print reference library for the 1930s-1960, I would recommend beginning with these titles:

-The New York Yankees: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Yankee Stadium: 50Years of Drama by Joseph Durso

-New York Yankees-One Hundred Years: The Official Retrospective by Ballantine Books

-The Babe: The Game that Ruth Built by Ritter and Rucker

-Baseball’s Great Dynasties: The Yankees by Mark & Neil Gallagher

-The American League: A History by Zoss and Bowman

-The American League: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Baseball in the 30s: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-Baseball in the 50s: An Illustrated History by Donald Honig

-The Bronx Bombers: Memories and Memorabilia by Chadwick & Spindel

-The DiMaggio Albums

– Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957 by Vic Ziegel

As far as film/DVD references, I would look to pick up the HBO three volume set titled “When It Was a Game.” For the World Series, there is currently a 5 DVD set covering the Yankees in the post season from 1943-2000. These can be found on E-Bay for as little as less than $30.00. If you still have a VCR, I would recommend looking for these videos:

-Joe DiMaggio: 1990 from the Sports Legends Series

-Mickey Mantle: The American Dream Comes to Life. 1988 by Baseball Legend Videos

-Mickey Mantle, “The Mick.” Greatest Sports Legends Series. 1985

-10 Greatest Moments in Yankees History. c. 1987 by the Yankees

-50 Years of Yankees All-Stars. Produced by Major League BB productions. ( c 1970s)

-Pinstripe Power, The Story of the 1961 Yankees. Produced by MLB. (c late 70-ealry 80s)

Another valuable source of information that would also serve as a collectable display would be vintage sporting/baseball magazine from the period. If you decide not to go for these, consider searching E-Bay for things like this or variations of:

Vintage Baseball Scrapbook

Old Baseball Scrapbook

Yankees News Clippings

Scrapbooking was very popular during the period of the 1930s-1960s and given the following of the Yankees and number of papers covering them, these are often available. The best ones I have picked up have included terrific color photographs from Sport Magazine in the 1950s.

Things you will want to take notice of when looking at New York Yankees uniforms in the images you find include:

– Button style and location

– Sleeve Style (Raglan or Set-In)

– Font styles for lettering and NY Crest

– Numeric Font Styles

All of these change over time and within any given year depending up uniform manufacturer.

A final thing I would recommend doing is trying to establish a network of other collectors who might be willing to let you see their collections. This will probably be the hardest thing to do depending on who has the item(s) and where they are located. Keep in mind, that as your collection grows, you need to be willing to reciprocate.

Once you have done all of these or at least some of it in stages, you will want to begin to look for the actual sources of the items you want. It is very doubtful, but it does happen, that the things fitting this collecting/investment theme might show up on E-Bay. If and when they do, don’t expect to throw in a last minute bid and get them at a steal. Often these types of items don’t last the posted auction period as they are sold off site. What this leaves you with are other auction venues or dealers. As far as dealers, the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS for Sales Site has featured and sold a number New Yankees Game Used Bats and Jersey this past year. Some of them include:

-1920s Bob Meusel Spalding Hand Turned Professional Model Game Bat

-1921 George Babe Ruth H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1921-31 Lou Gehrig H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1926-31 Tony Lazzeri H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1932-37 Tommy Henrich H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Rookie Era Bat

-1933-34 Charlie Keller H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1934-35 Frank Crosetti H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1939 Joe Gordon Home New York Yankees Jersey

1949 Charlie Keller H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1950-53 Johnny Mize H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1950-60 Tony Kubek H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat

-1960 Ed Whitey Ford World Series Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1960 Mickey Mantle H&B Louisville Slugger World Series Game Bat

-1961-63 Bob Richardson H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1961-63 Clete Boyer New York Yankees Adirondack Professional Model Game Bat

-1963-64 Elston Howard H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

These and all other New York Yankees Game Used Bats and Jerseys can be seen as permanent archives on the Bushing and Kinunen MEARS For Sales Site.

You also may want to look at these items which will be featured in the Spring Robert Edwards Auction offerings:

-1950 Charlie Silvera World Series H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Bat

-1950-57 Yogi Berra H&B Professional Model Game Bat

-1951 Ralph Houk H&B Louisville Slugger World Series Game Used Bat

-1955-59 Enos Slaughter H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model Game Used Bat

-1958 Elston Howard New York Yankees H&B Louisville Slugger Professional Model All Star Game Bat

The things I have talked about here have been specific for New York Yankees Game Used Bats and Jerseys, but the process could really be replicated for any team or collecting focus. If your looking to begin collecting vintage game used bats and jerseys for a specific player or team or expand upon what you have already started, please feel drop me a line and I’d be happy to help shape and scope your research efforts.

As always, collect what you enjoy and enjoy what you collect.

Dave Grob

For questions or comments on this article, please feel free to contact me at DaveGrob1@aol.com

One of the more difficult to find items in this hobby today has to be that of trying to collect pennants from the defunct teams of professional basketball, especially those of long defunct or short lived leagues such as the American Basketball League (1925-55), the first true professional basketball league or the second reincarnation of a league by the same name that lasted less than two full seasons. (1961-63) In fact, finding any pre 1950 professional basketball pennant is next to impossible and examples from the short lived leagues, regardless of era, is equally difficult. And when great pennants do turn up for sale, they bring prices that most baseball pennants from the era (1940-50’s), infinitely more common in most cases, of two to three times their counterparts numbers. Take for example a 1957 St. Louis Hawks dated pennant that was offered on eBay last year. It brought a final price of around $1500. Quite a price for any 1950’s pennant let alone a basketball pennant.

Much like my primer on collecting football pennants, the same criteria holds true for early basketball pennants as well. That is, buy condition when possible but buy anything that comes along for most of the teams I am going to talk about as if and when one does come down the pike, it will most likely never be seen again. Now if that sounds rather pessimistic , it is only to drive home the fact that most of these pennant have never even been heard of let alone seen and if and when one does hit the market, bar the door because serious basketball collectors know what I’m talking about. If you are in doubt, when was the last time you saw an Atlanta Crackers, Birmingham Skyhawks, Chattanooga Majors, Chicago Gears, Grand Rapids Rangers, Houston Mavericks, KC Blues, Louisville Colonels (not ABA), New Orleans Hurricanes, Oklahoma City Drillers, Omaha Tomahawks, Saint Joseph Outlaw’s, Saint Paul Saints, Springfield Squires, Tulsa Ranchers or Waterloo Pro-Hawks pennant?

How many of you have even heard of any of these teams let alone see some memorabilia relating to them? Aside from the Gears, I had never even heard of the rest of these as they related to basketball. Oh sure, I know of the Atlanta Crackers but not for basketball, and the KC Blues or the Saint Paul Saints, same thing. Of course, if you do find a pennant of one of these teams, it would have to have a basketball theme to differentiate between the two. What do the above listed teams all have in common? They were part of the Professional Basketball League of America that formed in 1947 and didn’t even complete a single season and never even held a championship match. You will probably find programs from time to time of the teams mentioned as they were often overprinted and spectators needed a program or scorecard but they didn’t need a pennant and obviously, very few patrons ever bought one or very few teams ever even bothered to produce one.

This in itself seems rather odd as during the period from 1920 through the 1950’s, the age of the automobile opened up a whole new world to contemporary Americans with new highways and auto camping, people began to see the USA as never before and with it, the Alligator farms, petting zoo’s, resorts, water shows, circuses, rodeo’s, local attractions, you name it and every one of these places produced a pennant to take home. One has only to look on eBay at all of the travel pennants from the era which on any given day could number into the hundreds as it seems the pennant was the souvenir of choice if you wanted to take home a memory. So why didn’t that same mentality apply to basketball fans of the era? One can only speculate that most fans who went to these games were local, they had no idea how short a run some of these teams/leagues would last and unlike some faraway dude ranch that they might never again see, they fully expected to take in another game and it was local and they really didn’t have to have a physical memento to take home and above all, they were fans, not collectors so it probably seemed like a waste of money.

Besides the absolute rarity of most early basketball pennants, certain styles of pennants that seem commonplace to football and baseball collectors are also next to impossible to obtain. This writer has never seen a photo or picture pennant of any basketball team pre 1970. I am sure as I write this, someone will look up on their wall and find a new appreciation for that 1969 Bucks picture pennant but think about it, when was the last time you saw such an animal for sale or auction? This style of pennant was all the rage in baseball and football during the 1960’s but where are all the basketball picture pennants?

Sure, I know that the attendance at one of the games from such a short lived league as the National Professional Basketball League, a league that lasted only one season (1950-51) and consisted of only eight teams, couldn’t even begin to approach the number of fans that any major league baseball team or professional NFL team could boast, but every other venue printed and distributed pennants, why not at least a few of the early basketball teams? Was the attendance so low that even a small run of pennants was just too expensive given the attendance numbers hence; they would have to have been priced beyond the working’s comfort level? Maybe, but I have seen pennants issued from such obscure venues such as a peat bog and hog farm. If they could do it, wouldn’t a new fledging league attempt a few just for name recognition? You would think so, right? Then it should be no problem finding a pennant from the Sheboygan Redskins, Louisville Alumnites, Anderson Packers, Grand Rapids Hornets, Waterloo Hawks, Denver Refiners/Evansville Agogans, Saint Paul Lights or Kansas City Hi-Spots. I know the league only lasted one season (1950-51) but surely, at least one of these teams in an effort to promote their name must have made some pennants and this was the era of post war affluence, not 1925 either but a full twenty five years more recent.

The ABL lasted for almost 30 years so you would think that between 1925-55, hundreds of variations of pennants would have been produced, even if some of the teams only lasted a year or two such as the Bronx Americans (1933-34) , the Boston Whirlwinds (1925-26), the Boston Trojans (1934-35), the Carbondale Aces (1950-51) or the New York Hakoahs (1928-29). Others such as the Philadelphia SPHAs (1933-34-48/49) did play a few seasons and were based in a major city within a major market so there has to be some pennants somewhere, but where.

The NBL was formed in 1937 and lasted until 1949 and produced five current teams that came from that league. Three teams joined the NBA in 1948. They were the Los Angeles Lakers (they were the Detroit Gems), the Sacramento Kings (they were the Rochester Royals) and the Detroit Pistons (Ft. Wayne Pistons). In 1949, the Atlanta Hawks (then the Tri-Cities Blackhawk’s) and the Philadelphia 76’ers (then the Syracuse Nationals), joined the NBA. But of these five, the only pennants I have seen are those of Rochester. Other teams in the NBL included the Anderson Packers, Denver Nuggets, Indianapolis Kautskys, Sheboygan Redskins and Waterloo Hawks. Only the Nuggets name still remains. Then there was the Akron Firestone Non-Skids, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago Bruins, Chicago Studebaker Flyers, Chicago Gears, along with teams like the Comellos, Brassmen, Allman Transfers, and Eagles. Gems, etc. To recent memory, not a single pennant from any of the above listed teams has ever hit the market.

Of all the defunct leagues, only the ABA seems to have seen any real pennant production. Formed in 1967 and lasting until 1977 (rather recent in the scheme of things), pennants have turned up representing some of the teams such as the Pipers, Colonels, Pacers, Cougars and Nets but many teams simply do not turn up such as the Muskies, Floridians, Tams, Squires, Sails, etc. And even the older American Basketball League which hosted eight teams in 1961-63 should have, also given the relatively recent nature of the league, produced some pennants but when was the last time you saw a Chicago Majors, Cleveland Pipers, KC Steers, Long Beach Chiefs, Hawaii Chiefs, LA Jets, Oakland Oaks, SF Saints, Phil/Wash/NY Tapers, or Pitts. Rens pennant?

The most recent defunct teams consist of the GBA (1991-93), the WBA (1978-79) and the WBL (1988-92) but these are just two recent for the purpose of this article but given the track record for basketball pennants much just be a good time to put away a few if you have the inclination but for most collectors, this era just isn’t far enough behind us for most to consider collecting.

So what must one conclude from these ramblings? Pre 1980 basketball pennants from defunct teams/leagues are for the most part, the hardest to find of any pennants, period. Starting a collection of defunct team pennants, picture pennants, and even pre NBA logo pennants (1969) is a tough road. You will start with a few 1950’s pennants such as the Knickerbockers or St. Louis Hawks and add a few ABA pennants such as the Colonials or Pipers and then some 1960’s name change pennants such as the Rochester Royals or the San Diego Rockets and then you are going to hit a wall. That is what makes it so rewarding. If you could go to K-Mart and buy them all, what would be the purpose? Just remember that for most of the pre 1950 pennants, when one turns up regardless of condition, you will probably not see another for a long time so don’t turn one down just because it’s missing a tassel or the tip is rough or it has some fading or cracking in the graphics because holding such high standards with regards to such rarity will only result in your collection grinding to a halt.

Until next time, David Bushing

One of the more difficult to find items in this hobby today has to be that of trying to collect pennants from the defunct teams of professional basketball, especially those of long defunct or short lived leagues such as the American Basketball League (1925-55), the first true professional basketball league or the second reincarnation of a league by the same name that lasted less than two full seasons. (1961-63) In fact, finding any pre 1950 professional basketball pennant is next to impossible and examples from the short lived leagues, regardless of era, is equally difficult. And when great pennants do turn up for sale, they bring prices that most baseball pennants from the era (1940-50’s), infinitely more common in most cases, of two to three times their counterparts numbers. Take for example a 1957 St. Louis Hawks dated pennant that was offered on eBay last year. It brought a final price of around $1500. Quite a price for any 1950’s pennant let alone a basketball pennant.

Much like my primer on collecting football pennants, the same criteria holds true for early basketball pennants as well. That is, buy condition when possible but buy anything that comes along for most of the teams I am going to talk about as if and when one does come down the pike, it will most likely never be seen again. Now if that sounds rather pessimistic , it is only to drive home the fact that most of these pennant have never even been heard of let alone seen and if and when one does hit the market, bar the door because serious basketball collectors know what I’m talking about. If you are in doubt, when was the last time you saw an Atlanta Crackers, Birmingham Skyhawks, Chattanooga Majors, Chicago Gears, Grand Rapids Rangers, Houston Mavericks, KC Blues, Louisville Colonels (not ABA), New Orleans Hurricanes, Oklahoma City Drillers, Omaha Tomahawks, Saint Joseph Outlaw’s, Saint Paul Saints, Springfield Squires, Tulsa Ranchers or Waterloo Pro-Hawks pennant?

How many of you have even heard of any of these teams let alone see some memorabilia relating to them? Aside from the Gears, I had never even heard of the rest of these as they related to basketball. Oh sure, I know of the Atlanta Crackers but not for basketball, and the KC Blues or the Saint Paul Saints, same thing. Of course, if you do find a pennant of one of these teams, it would have to have a basketball theme to differentiate between the two. What do the above listed teams all have in common? They were part of the Professional Basketball League of America that formed in 1947 and didn’t even complete a single season and never even held a championship match. You will probably find programs from time to time of the teams mentioned as they were often overprinted and spectators needed a program or scorecard but they didn’t need a pennant and obviously, very few patrons ever bought one or very few teams ever even bothered to produce one.

This in itself seems rather odd as during the period from 1920 through the 1950’s, the age of the automobile opened up a whole new world to contemporary Americans with new highways and auto camping, people began to see the USA as never before and with it, the Alligator farms, petting zoo’s, resorts, water shows, circuses, rodeo’s, local attractions, you name it and every one of these places produced a pennant to take home. One has only to look on eBay at all of the travel pennants from the era which on any given day could number into the hundreds as it seems the pennant was the souvenir of choice if you wanted to take home a memory. So why didn’t that same mentality apply to basketball fans of the era? One can only speculate that most fans who went to these games were local, they had no idea how short a run some of these teams/leagues would last and unlike some faraway dude ranch that they might never again see, they fully expected to take in another game and it was local and they really didn’t have to have a physical memento to take home and above all, they were fans, not collectors so it probably seemed like a waste of money.

Besides the absolute rarity of most early basketball pennants, certain styles of pennants that seem commonplace to football and baseball collectors are also next to impossible to obtain. This writer has never seen a photo or picture pennant of any basketball team pre 1970. I am sure as I write this, someone will look up on their wall and find a new appreciation for that 1969 Bucks picture pennant but think about it, when was the last time you saw such an animal for sale or auction? This style of pennant was all the rage in baseball and football during the 1960’s but where are all the basketball picture pennants?

Sure, I know that the attendance at one of the games from such a short lived league as the National Professional Basketball League, a league that lasted only one season (1950-51) and consisted of only eight teams, couldn’t even begin to approach the number of fans that any major league baseball team or professional NFL team could boast, but every other venue printed and distributed pennants, why not at least a few of the early basketball teams? Was the attendance so low that even a small run of pennants was just too expensive given the attendance numbers hence; they would have to have been priced beyond the working’s comfort level? Maybe, but I have seen pennants issued from such obscure venues such as a peat bog and hog farm. If they could do it, wouldn’t a new fledging league attempt a few just for name recognition? You would think so, right? Then it should be no problem finding a pennant from the Sheboygan Redskins, Louisville Alumnites, Anderson Packers, Grand Rapids Hornets, Waterloo Hawks, Denver Refiners/Evansville Agogans, Saint Paul Lights or Kansas City Hi-Spots. I know the league only lasted one season (1950-51) but surely, at least one of these teams in an effort to promote their name must have made some pennants and this was the era of post war affluence, not 1925 either but a full twenty five years more recent.

The ABL lasted for almost 30 years so you would think that between 1925-55, hundreds of variations of pennants would have been produced, even if some of the teams only lasted a year or two such as the Bronx Americans (1933-34) , the Boston Whirlwinds (1925-26), the Boston Trojans (1934-35), the Carbondale Aces (1950-51) or the New York Hakoahs (1928-29). Others such as the Philadelphia SPHAs (1933-34-48/49) did play a few seasons and were based in a major city within a major market so there has to be some pennants somewhere, but where.

The NBL was formed in 1937 and lasted until 1949 and produced five current teams that came from that league. Three teams joined the NBA in 1948. They were the Los Angeles Lakers (they were the Detroit Gems), the Sacramento Kings (they were the Rochester Royals) and the Detroit Pistons (Ft. Wayne Pistons). In 1949, the Atlanta Hawks (then the Tri-Cities Blackhawk’s) and the Philadelphia 76’ers (then the Syracuse Nationals), joined the NBA. But of these five, the only pennants I have seen are those of Rochester. Other teams in the NBL included the Anderson Packers, Denver Nuggets, Indianapolis Kautskys, Sheboygan Redskins and Waterloo Hawks. Only the Nuggets name still remains. Then there was the Akron Firestone Non-Skids, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, Buffalo Bisons, Chicago Bruins, Chicago Studebaker Flyers, Chicago Gears, along with teams like the Comellos, Brassmen, Allman Transfers, and Eagles. Gems, etc. To recent memory, not a single pennant from any of the above listed teams has ever hit the market.

Of all the defunct leagues, only the ABA seems to have seen any real pennant production. Formed in 1967 and lasting until 1977 (rather recent in the scheme of things), pennants have turned up representing some of the teams such as the Pipers, Colonels, Pacers, Cougars and Nets but many teams simply do not turn up such as the Muskies, Floridians, Tams, Squires, Sails, etc. And even the older American Basketball League which hosted eight teams in 1961-63 should have, also given the relatively recent nature of the league, produced some pennants but when was the last time you saw a Chicago Majors, Cleveland Pipers, KC Steers, Long Beach Chiefs, Hawaii Chiefs, LA Jets, Oakland Oaks, SF Saints, Phil/Wash/NY Tapers, or Pitts. Rens pennant?

The most recent defunct teams consist of the GBA (1991-93), the WBA (1978-79) and the WBL (1988-92) but these are just two recent for the purpose of this article but given the track record for basketball pennants much just be a good time to put away a few if you have the inclination but for most collectors, this era just isn’t far enough behind us for most to consider collecting.

So what must one conclude from these ramblings? Pre 1980 basketball pennants from defunct teams/leagues are for the most part, the hardest to find of any pennants, period. Starting a collection of defunct team pennants, picture pennants, and even pre NBA logo pennants (1969) is a tough road. You will start with a few 1950’s pennants such as the Knickerbockers or St. Louis Hawks and add a few ABA pennants such as the Colonials or Pipers and then some 1960’s name change pennants such as the Rochester Royals or the San Diego Rockets and then you are going to hit a wall. That is what makes it so rewarding. If you could go to K-Mart and buy them all, what would be the purpose? Just remember that for most of the pre 1950 pennants, when one turns up regardless of condition, you will probably not see another for a long time so don’t turn one down just because it’s missing a tassel or the tip is rough or it has some fading or cracking in the graphics because holding such high standards with regards to such rarity will only result in your collection grinding to a halt.

Until next time, David Bushing

While looking for bats to complete my set of participants of the 1960 TV Series Home Run Derby, I spotted a vintage Rocky Colavito gamer on E-Bay. The opening bid price of $1295.00 and the “Buy It Now Price” of $1495.00 was in line with what I was looking to pay of a bat that fit what I was looking for:

1950-1960 H&B Labeling Period

Model # K55

Length: 35 “

Weight: 33oz (+- 2 oz)

Deep, Clear, Strong Stamping

Uncracked but signs of use

The plus side for this bat was that it had what appeared to be a nice older autograph as well. I was all set to bid, then I noticed the description said it had his #21 on the knob. I knew that Colavito wore #21 with the Indians, but not until he returned to the Tribe in 1965. I contacted the seller to make sure the uniform number was in fact #21. He came back with that it was. I knew that the Indians had originally looked at Colavito as a pitcher when he was coming up and realized that he wore #38 for the 1955-57 seasons. I still had an interest in this bat because it looked so nice and met many of the characteristics I was looking for, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to pay the current price for a bat that was ordered by him but used by a teammate…that is until I realized that the teammate wearing #21 was Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Lemon.

I looked at Bob Lemon’s H&B player file and noticed that from 7-22-49 until 5-16-57 Lemon had thirty-seven (37) orders for bats and all of those but one (5-20-50; R43) where for model O16. Then I noticed that on 6-25-58 and 8-7-58 Lemon had ordered model # K55 at 35” and 33oz. In looking closer at this period, I noticed that Lemon’s last order prior to these was on 5-16-57. Lemon had gone over a year without ordering any bats and when he did, he ordered a new model, the K55. This caused me to think about a couple of things:

1. What was Lemon using during this period?

2. What prompted him to switch model bats after almost a decade?

What I took away from this is that Lemon may have switched away from the O16 to the K55 because he tried the K55 and liked it. It was not hard to imagine that Lemon may have looked at Colavito and his success with them.

This is what I saw as the facts:

– Colavito ordered K55’s of this length and weight at this same time for his own use.

– Colavito and Lemon were teammates in Cleveland at this time.

– Lemon wore #21 while with Cleveland.

– “21” is the vintage number on the knob of the bat.

– Lemon decided after almost a decade to switch bats from O16 to K55 and there is a one (1) year gap between Lemon’s last order of O16 (5-16-57) and his first order of K55 (6-25-58).

– Between his last order of O16’s and his first order of K55’s, Lemon had 36 At Bats and was using some model of bat.

– Lemon’s personal bat records do not show any orders of K55 beyond those two listed in 1958 (Coaches and Old Timers games are for O16’s and W215’s).

– The bat shows moderate use and is uncracked so it was used and not discarded based on functionality.

-Lemon had an endorsement contract with Hillerich and Bradsby as of 1939 and a long established recorded of ordering bats for his own use.

This is what I saw as reasonable assumptions and a supporting logic trail:

Lemon used a K55 for some period of time prior to his order on 6-25-58. This is based on the notion that he tried them and liked what he saw, thus supporting a decision to order them for himself. If he did not order them as part of a “trial period”, then he borrowed or obtained a bat from another player. The player he borrowed a bat from was likely a teammate. This concept of players using bats ordered by other players is supported by the historical references of side written bats and photos of players using bats that have another player’s number on the knob. The likely teammate would have been Rocky Colavito in this case as it is a Colavito model bat meeting both the ordering pattern of Colavito’s and Lemon’s by weight and length.

The Opinion I Formed To Make a Purchase Decision:

This 1950-1960 Hillerich and Bradsby Model K55 with the signature of Rocky Colavito was likely ordered by Colavito and used by Lemon at some point between Lemon’s last order of model O16 on (5-16-57) and his first order of K55 (6-25-58). This is supported by the presence of Lemon’s #21 on the knob, the fact that Lemon and Colavito were teammates thus facilitating easy and or routine access to Colavito’s bats, and a gap in Lemon’s ordering records which also coincides with a switch to the K55 after a decade long preference for the O16. The fact that the bat is not cracked may indicate that it was used until such a time that Lemon obtained his own model K55 bats. Lemon last game as a player was on 1 July 1958 and thus, this bat may have been one of the last ones he used as a player.

I have laid this out in the form of an article to offer some insights on what I go through when looking to add items to my collection. The useful “takeaways” from this might be:

1. Establish and know what you are looking for.

2. Understand the value of what you are buying and what you are looking to spend.

3. Don’t dismiss items that might not be the “perfect fit” out of hand.

4. Spend some time and effort in doing some independent research.

In other words, “When life gives you Lemon’s, buy them even if they have Rocky Colavito’s name on them.”

Dave Grob

While looking for bats to complete my set of participants of the 1960 TV Series Home Run Derby, I spotted a vintage Rocky Colavito gamer on E-Bay. The opening bid price of $1295.00 and the “Buy It Now Price” of $1495.00 was in line with what I was looking to pay of a bat that fit what I was looking for:

1950-1960 H&B Labeling Period

Model # K55

Length: 35 “

Weight: 33oz (+- 2 oz)

Deep, Clear, Strong Stamping

Uncracked but signs of use

The plus side for this bat was that it had what appeared to be a nice older autograph as well. I was all set to bid, then I noticed the description said it had his #21 on the knob. I knew that Colavito wore #21 with the Indians, but not until he returned to the Tribe in 1965. I contacted the seller to make sure the uniform number was in fact #21. He came back with that it was. I knew that the Indians had originally looked at Colavito as a pitcher when he was coming up and realized that he wore #38 for the 1955-57 seasons. I still had an interest in this bat because it looked so nice and met many of the characteristics I was looking for, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to pay the current price for a bat that was ordered by him but used by a teammate…that is until I realized that the teammate wearing #21 was Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Lemon.

I looked at Bob Lemon’s H&B player file and noticed that from 7-22-49 until 5-16-57 Lemon had thirty-seven (37) orders for bats and all of those but one (5-20-50; R43) where for model O16. Then I noticed that on 6-25-58 and 8-7-58 Lemon had ordered model # K55 at 35” and 33oz. In looking closer at this period, I noticed that Lemon’s last order prior to these was on 5-16-57. Lemon had gone over a year without ordering any bats and when he did, he ordered a new model, the K55. This caused me to think about a couple of things:

1. What was Lemon using during this period?

2. What prompted him to switch model bats after almost a decade?

What I took away from this is that Lemon may have switched away from the O16 to the K55 because he tried the K55 and liked it. It was not hard to imagine that Lemon may have looked at Colavito and his success with them.

This is what I saw as the facts:

– Colavito ordered K55’s of this length and weight at this same time for his own use.

– Colavito and Lemon were teammates in Cleveland at this time.

– Lemon wore #21 while with Cleveland.

– “21” is the vintage number on the knob of the bat.

– Lemon decided after almost a decade to switch bats from O16 to K55 and there is a one (1) year gap between Lemon’s last order of O16 (5-16-57) and his first order of K55 (6-25-58).

– Between his last order of O16’s and his first order of K55’s, Lemon had 36 At Bats and was using some model of bat.

– Lemon’s personal bat records do not show any orders of K55 beyond those two listed in 1958 (Coaches and Old Timers games are for O16’s and W215’s).

– The bat shows moderate use and is uncracked so it was used and not discarded based on functionality.

-Lemon had an endorsement contract with Hillerich and Bradsby as of 1939 and a long established recorded of ordering bats for his own use.

This is what I saw as reasonable assumptions and a supporting logic trail:

Lemon used a K55 for some period of time prior to his order on 6-25-58. This is based on the notion that he tried them and liked what he saw, thus supporting a decision to order them for himself. If he did not order them as part of a “trial period”, then he borrowed or obtained a bat from another player. The player he borrowed a bat from was likely a teammate. This concept of players using bats ordered by other players is supported by the historical references of side written bats and photos of players using bats that have another player’s number on the knob. The likely teammate would have been Rocky Colavito in this case as it is a Colavito model bat meeting both the ordering pattern of Colavito’s and Lemon’s by weight and length.

The Opinion I Formed To Make a Purchase Decision:

This 1950-1960 Hillerich and Bradsby Model K55 with the signature of Rocky Colavito was likely ordered by Colavito and used by Lemon at some point between Lemon’s last order of model O16 on (5-16-57) and his first order of K55 (6-25-58). This is supported by the presence of Lemon’s #21 on the knob, the fact that Lemon and Colavito were teammates thus facilitating easy and or routine access to Colavito’s bats, and a gap in Lemon’s ordering records which also coincides with a switch to the K55 after a decade long preference for the O16. The fact that the bat is not cracked may indicate that it was used until such a time that Lemon obtained his own model K55 bats. Lemon last game as a player was on 1 July 1958 and thus, this bat may have been one of the last ones he used as a player.

I have laid this out in the form of an article to offer some insights on what I go through when looking to add items to my collection. The useful “takeaways” from this might be:

1. Establish and know what you are looking for.

2. Understand the value of what you are buying and what you are looking to spend.

3. Don’t dismiss items that might not be the “perfect fit” out of hand.

4. Spend some time and effort in doing some independent research.

In other words, “When life gives you Lemon’s, buy them even if they have Rocky Colavito’s name on them.”

Dave Grob

In this, a sequel to the first article on colleting baseball pennants, we will deal with football pennants as a collectible: which ones to get, which ones you will never see and which ones need a bit more time until they appreciated. According to the Football Encyclopedia, the first professional football team hailed from Latrobe Pa, debuted on August 31, 1895 and defeated Jeannette by a score of 12-0. Football came to New York on Dec. 28th, 1902 when Syracuse, along with Pop Warner, played the Philadelphia Nationals at Madison Square Garden and in that same year, Connie Mack organized a team called the Philadelphia Athletics starring Rube Waddell. But football, as we know it, really began with the formation of the American Professional Football Association in 1920, the forerunner of the NFL. Eleven teams signed up at $100 each in 1920 to join the Association. They were the: Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Triangles, Akron Professionals, Massillon Tigers, Rochester NY, Rock Island IL., Muncie IN., Hammond IN, Chicago Cardinals, and the Chicago Staleys (soon to be Bears). The Green Bay Packers joined in 1921. In 1922, the League changed its name to the National Football League and the rest was history. Of course, I could just keep going through my 1959 edition of the Football Encyclopedia and list fact after fact as they relate to players, teams, etc., but that book has been written and I can shed no new light on the history of the game, a history that any fan probably already knows. So let’s talk pennants.

What is the most valuable and elusive football pennant you may ask? The answer would be the one that nobody has seen yet. Any pre-1930 pennant, at least ¾ size or larger, would be a prize in any collection and in any condition as they just plain don’t exist, PERIOD. Teams like the Akron Steels (1921-26), Boston Redskins (1929, 1932-36), Brooklyn Tigers (1926, 1930-44 often called the Dodgers, a rare pennant but out there), Buffalo Bisons (1921-29), Canton Bulldogs (1921-26), Chicago Staley’s (1920-22), Cincinnati Reds (1933-34), Columbus Tigers (1921-26), Dayton Triangles (1921-29), Duluth Eskimos (1923-27), Frankfort Yellow Jackets (1924-31), Hammond Pros (1922-26), Hartford Blues (1926), Kansas City Cowboys (1924-26), Kenosha (1924), Los Angeles (1926), Louisville Colonels (1922-23, 26) Milwaukee Badgers (1922-26), Minneapolis Marines (1922-24, 1929-30), New York Yankees (1927-28 and not the Yanks) , Newark (1930), Orange (1929), Oorang Indians (1922), Pottsville Maroons (1925-26), Portsmouth Spartans (1930-33), Providence Steamrollers (1925-31), Racine Legions (1922-24, 1926), Rochester Kodaks (1921-25), Rock Island (1921-25), St. Louis Browns (1923), St. Louis Gunners (1934), Staten Island Stapletons (1929-32), and the Toledo Maroons (1922-23). Of all of the teams listed, I was told by a collector that he was getting a Marines pennant and that he had a Duluth Eskimos, or so he thought as the pennant has a football theme artwork but the team name is not mentioned. This is an important point when, and if you are offered one of these early NFL pennants, if it only has the city or town name without the name of the team, it is always possible that it is a town team or school. On teams such as Rock Island or Kenosha where no teams are listed, any pennant with football artwork of the pre-1930 era and with the city name, would probably fall into this same category and would not be as valuable of a pennant as one with both the team and city name to confirm that the pennant is indeed an NFL pennant and not an early college or town team. Any pennant of any team, which no longer exists, especially in top condition, should command a king’s ransom given the fact that almost none exist. I would estimate that any pennant ¾ size or better in excellent condition would sell in excess of $2,500, but how much in excess would depend on the final two bidders knowing full well that this might be the only chance in their lifetime to acquire one of these gems and therefore the sky is the limit on price.

Remember, if only the city is listed but great early football graphics, then the value would be about the same as a similar period college pennant such as U of M, Notre Dame, Harvard, Yale, etc. Early pre-1920 oversize college pennants with killer football graphics such as players with nose guards, flat top helmets, etc. generally sell in the $500-1,500 range (the higher end for examples with stunning graphics). I would value a Massillon, sans Tigers name, in that same range. Even pre-1930 NFL teams that continued past the second war (1945) have substantial value. Any pre-1930 Bears, Packers, Cardinals, Rams, Lions, Giants, Eagles, or Steelers pennant would easily sell in the $500-1,500 range and if it is over size (31-32”), it may sell for at least $2,500 or more similar to the early defunct teams. Also, watch for pennants of the short lived Boston Yankees who were part of the NFL in 1944-45, which are rare, but available usually in the $500 range.

After 1940, pennants of current NFL teams, in excellent condition, generally sell in the $100-250 range with premiums for the hottest collectible team, the Green Bay Packers, who lead the “pack” when it comes to collectible NFL pennants. The best 1950-60 NFL pennants are those that feature a team roster listing the various players, these types of pennants, depending on team, should sell in the $500-1,000 range. Also, watch for World Championship pennants that list both teams playing, as these are really rare and you will be hard pressed to find any pre-1960 examples with both teams listed so when you do, you will have to step up. Any championship two-team pennant from the 1950’s will sell in excess of $500 in nice condition. We have never seen a pre-1950 example. Can you imagine what a 1933 Championship pennant listing the Giants and the Bears or a 1936 Packers vs. Boston Redskins might realize?

Another highly sought after type of football pennant is the short lived AAFL (1946-49), a new league, which formed after the end of the second war. Teams included the Baltimore Colts (1947-49), Brooklyn Dodgers (1946-48), New York Yanks (1946-49), Buffalo Bills (Bisons 1946-49), Chicago Rockets (Hornets 1946-49), Cleveland Browns (1946-49), Los Angeles Dons (1946-49), and the San Francisco 49er’s (1946-49). Of these, the rarest of all is the Chicago Rockets or Hornets and any Buffalo Bisons marked pennants, which would sell in the $1,000 range if one is discovered. Of the Colts, Browns, and 49ers, the pennant would have to be marked or dated to the AAFL period in order to bring a premium over the post AAFL teams of the same name. As for the other team pennants, they do surface but the Dodgers and the Dons are more highly sought.

Another impossible pennant to obtain would be any dated All-Star pennant. The All-Star contest, which first took place in 1934, pitted the reigning championship team against the nation’s best college players. I have seen generic All-Star pennants that feature the familiar college player in his now famous red, blue and silver uniform with the stars on the shoulders, but I have never seen one dated. Any pre-1950 pennant listing the players would be a treasure, if indeed, one exists.

If you are still with me by now, you will notice that the one common thread of collectible football pennants is the point that early (pre-1930) football pennants of defunct teams are not only rare, but impossible to find and regardless of when or what one sells for, it is very likely to only increase in price. Pre-1960 Championship, All Star and defunct team pennants are not that far behind in value, and again, are grossly under priced when usually encountered. Next in line, value wise, are any post-1960 pennants for the pre-Super Bowl Championships and especially the first five Super Bowl pennants. A first Super Bowl (Jan 15, 1967 Green Bay 35-Kansas City 10) pennant in top condition would sell in the $1,000-1,500 range. Game number two and three should sell in the $700-1,000 range with four and five selling in the $4-600 range. Prices for Super Bowls (six through ten) generally sell in the $200-400 range and after that, they usually drop down in price to the $100 or less range as availability increases each progressive year. Pre-Super Bowl Championships, if both teams are listed, should sell in the $1,000 range as well, but if the pennant only lists one team with the word Champions on the pennant, these examples will usually sell in the $3-500 range and although are tough to find, they are not rare. I would buy any of the nice condition pennants from the first five Super Bowls as they are getting tougher to find by the day with demand unabated increasing.

Next in order of collectibility would be any 1950-70 defunct team such as the old AFL, Dallas Texans or the New York Titans, each of which have been selling on eBay in the $200-400 range and are still a real bargain for today’s collector. Post-1970 NFL pennants with the league logo in the bottom corner generally sell below $30 depending on the team and the condition. AFL (1960-69, before they merged with the NFL) marked examples and any early AFL team pennant seem to be getting very strong prices and have a huge following among collectors, especially teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers or Boston Patriots, which would sell in the $300-400 range. The post-1970 NFL marked pennants are at the bottom of my investment list.

Speaking of defunct, we must touch on the last two failed attempts at a new league, the World Football League (WFL) of 1974 and part of 1975, and the United States Football League (USFL) of 1983-85. Both of these doomed leagues were only around for one to three seasons and most of the pennants from these teams surface with some regularity. The old WFL has been gone for over 30 years and I would start hoarding mint examples from this league, especially given today’s prices, which almost never top the $100 range, with most examples selling in the $20-50 range. Teams like the Florida Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia Bells, Jacksonville Sharks or Express, Memphis Southmen, Birmingham Americans or Vulcans, San Antonio Wings, Chicago Fire or Winds, Detroit Wheels, Hawaiians, Portland Storm, and the Shreveport Steamers.
The USFL, which debuted in 1983 with 12 teams, has been gone for over twenty years now and again, pennants sell for next to nothing, usually in the $20-30 range, but they too should prove to be a solid investment down the road.

Let’s recap what to watch for:

1. Pre-War defunct team pennants. Buy them in any condition and pay what it takes, but don’t plan on doing much buying as they simply don’t exist.
2. Pre-1930 anything, regardless of what team, just try and find one.
3. Pre-1960 two-team Championship pennants. You might see 1 or 2 come up for sale every year and you should buy them if they are nice.
4. Pre-1960 player roster scroll pennants, especially the hot teams like the Colts, Browns, or Packers.
5. First five Super Bowl pennants, which are valuable and only going up in price.
6. Next five Super Bowl pennants, which are still cheap at today’s prices.
7. Any pre-1960 dated All Star pennant. Good luck finding since I have never even heard of one.
8. Pre-1970 AFL marked (and unmarked) pennants, which have a large following, dwindling supply, and good investment potential.
9. Pre-1970 defunct teams since they aren’t making any more.
10. WFL pennants. Put them away now.
11. USFL pennants, Ditto.
12. Post-1970 regular season, single team pennants, which are numerous in supply so there is no hurry. I recommend spending your money elsewhere if you have a choice.
13. Early (pre-1920) college/team pennants. Stick to the large oversize examples with excellent graphics (nose guards, flat tops, etc.) Scarce works of art, which are fairly under priced at today’s level. Good upside potential.

And there you have it – my observations as they pertain to collecting football pennants. Remember to buy what you like and buy the best and rarest pennant so that your investment will pay off for years to come. Also, if you have any of the really rare pennants mentioned in this article, email some pictures to me at dbushing1@aol.com and we will share them on the site.

Next up in this series – basketball. Until then, happy hunting. David Bushing

In this, a sequel to the first article on colleting baseball pennants, we will deal with football pennants as a collectible: which ones to get, which ones you will never see and which ones need a bit more time until they appreciated. According to the Football Encyclopedia, the first professional football team hailed from Latrobe Pa, debuted on August 31, 1895 and defeated Jeannette by a score of 12-0. Football came to New York on Dec. 28th, 1902 when Syracuse, along with Pop Warner, played the Philadelphia Nationals at Madison Square Garden and in that same year, Connie Mack organized a team called the Philadelphia Athletics starring Rube Waddell. But football, as we know it, really began with the formation of the American Professional Football Association in 1920, the forerunner of the NFL. Eleven teams signed up at $100 each in 1920 to join the Association. They were the: Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Triangles, Akron Professionals, Massillon Tigers, Rochester NY, Rock Island IL., Muncie IN., Hammond IN, Chicago Cardinals, and the Chicago Staleys (soon to be Bears). The Green Bay Packers joined in 1921. In 1922, the League changed its name to the National Football League and the rest was history. Of course, I could just keep going through my 1959 edition of the Football Encyclopedia and list fact after fact as they relate to players, teams, etc., but that book has been written and I can shed no new light on the history of the game, a history that any fan probably already knows. So let’s talk pennants.

What is the most valuable and elusive football pennant you may ask? The answer would be the one that nobody has seen yet. Any pre-1930 pennant, at least ¾ size or larger, would be a prize in any collection and in any condition as they just plain don’t exist, PERIOD. Teams like the Akron Steels (1921-26), Boston Redskins (1929, 1932-36), Brooklyn Tigers (1926, 1930-44 often called the Dodgers, a rare pennant but out there), Buffalo Bisons (1921-29), Canton Bulldogs (1921-26), Chicago Staley’s (1920-22), Cincinnati Reds (1933-34), Columbus Tigers (1921-26), Dayton Triangles (1921-29), Duluth Eskimos (1923-27), Frankfort Yellow Jackets (1924-31), Hammond Pros (1922-26), Hartford Blues (1926), Kansas City Cowboys (1924-26), Kenosha (1924), Los Angeles (1926), Louisville Colonels (1922-23, 26) Milwaukee Badgers (1922-26), Minneapolis Marines (1922-24, 1929-30), New York Yankees (1927-28 and not the Yanks) , Newark (1930), Orange (1929), Oorang Indians (1922), Pottsville Maroons (1925-26), Portsmouth Spartans (1930-33), Providence Steamrollers (1925-31), Racine Legions (1922-24, 1926), Rochester Kodaks (1921-25), Rock Island (1921-25), St. Louis Browns (1923), St. Louis Gunners (1934), Staten Island Stapletons (1929-32), and the Toledo Maroons (1922-23). Of all of the teams listed, I was told by a collector that he was getting a Marines pennant and that he had a Duluth Eskimos, or so he thought as the pennant has a football theme artwork but the team name is not mentioned. This is an important point when, and if you are offered one of these early NFL pennants, if it only has the city or town name without the name of the team, it is always possible that it is a town team or school. On teams such as Rock Island or Kenosha where no teams are listed, any pennant with football artwork of the pre-1930 era and with the city name, would probably fall into this same category and would not be as valuable of a pennant as one with both the team and city name to confirm that the pennant is indeed an NFL pennant and not an early college or town team. Any pennant of any team, which no longer exists, especially in top condition, should command a king’s ransom given the fact that almost none exist. I would estimate that any pennant ¾ size or better in excellent condition would sell in excess of $2,500, but how much in excess would depend on the final two bidders knowing full well that this might be the only chance in their lifetime to acquire one of these gems and therefore the sky is the limit on price.

Remember, if only the city is listed but great early football graphics, then the value would be about the same as a similar period college pennant such as U of M, Notre Dame, Harvard, Yale, etc. Early pre-1920 oversize college pennants with killer football graphics such as players with nose guards, flat top helmets, etc. generally sell in the $500-1,500 range (the higher end for examples with stunning graphics). I would value a Massillon, sans Tigers name, in that same range. Even pre-1930 NFL teams that continued past the second war (1945) have substantial value. Any pre-1930 Bears, Packers, Cardinals, Rams, Lions, Giants, Eagles, or Steelers pennant would easily sell in the $500-1,500 range and if it is over size (31-32”), it may sell for at least $2,500 or more similar to the early defunct teams. Also, watch for pennants of the short lived Boston Yankees who were part of the NFL in 1944-45, which are rare, but available usually in the $500 range.

After 1940, pennants of current NFL teams, in excellent condition, generally sell in the $100-250 range with premiums for the hottest collectible team, the Green Bay Packers, who lead the “pack” when it comes to collectible NFL pennants. The best 1950-60 NFL pennants are those that feature a team roster listing the various players, these types of pennants, depending on team, should sell in the $500-1,000 range. Also, watch for World Championship pennants that list both teams playing, as these are really rare and you will be hard pressed to find any pre-1960 examples with both teams listed so when you do, you will have to step up. Any championship two-team pennant from the 1950’s will sell in excess of $500 in nice condition. We have never seen a pre-1950 example. Can you imagine what a 1933 Championship pennant listing the Giants and the Bears or a 1936 Packers vs. Boston Redskins might realize?

Another highly sought after type of football pennant is the short lived AAFL (1946-49), a new league, which formed after the end of the second war. Teams included the Baltimore Colts (1947-49), Brooklyn Dodgers (1946-48), New York Yanks (1946-49), Buffalo Bills (Bisons 1946-49), Chicago Rockets (Hornets 1946-49), Cleveland Browns (1946-49), Los Angeles Dons (1946-49), and the San Francisco 49er’s (1946-49). Of these, the rarest of all is the Chicago Rockets or Hornets and any Buffalo Bisons marked pennants, which would sell in the $1,000 range if one is discovered. Of the Colts, Browns, and 49ers, the pennant would have to be marked or dated to the AAFL period in order to bring a premium over the post AAFL teams of the same name. As for the other team pennants, they do surface but the Dodgers and the Dons are more highly sought.

Another impossible pennant to obtain would be any dated All-Star pennant. The All-Star contest, which first took place in 1934, pitted the reigning championship team against the nation’s best college players. I have seen generic All-Star pennants that feature the familiar college player in his now famous red, blue and silver uniform with the stars on the shoulders, but I have never seen one dated. Any pre-1950 pennant listing the players would be a treasure, if indeed, one exists.

If you are still with me by now, you will notice that the one common thread of collectible football pennants is the point that early (pre-1930) football pennants of defunct teams are not only rare, but impossible to find and regardless of when or what one sells for, it is very likely to only increase in price. Pre-1960 Championship, All Star and defunct team pennants are not that far behind in value, and again, are grossly under priced when usually encountered. Next in line, value wise, are any post-1960 pennants for the pre-Super Bowl Championships and especially the first five Super Bowl pennants. A first Super Bowl (Jan 15, 1967 Green Bay 35-Kansas City 10) pennant in top condition would sell in the $1,000-1,500 range. Game number two and three should sell in the $700-1,000 range with four and five selling in the $4-600 range. Prices for Super Bowls (six through ten) generally sell in the $200-400 range and after that, they usually drop down in price to the $100 or less range as availability increases each progressive year. Pre-Super Bowl Championships, if both teams are listed, should sell in the $1,000 range as well, but if the pennant only lists one team with the word Champions on the pennant, these examples will usually sell in the $3-500 range and although are tough to find, they are not rare. I would buy any of the nice condition pennants from the first five Super Bowls as they are getting tougher to find by the day with demand unabated increasing.

Next in order of collectibility would be any 1950-70 defunct team such as the old AFL, Dallas Texans or the New York Titans, each of which have been selling on eBay in the $200-400 range and are still a real bargain for today’s collector. Post-1970 NFL pennants with the league logo in the bottom corner generally sell below $30 depending on the team and the condition. AFL (1960-69, before they merged with the NFL) marked examples and any early AFL team pennant seem to be getting very strong prices and have a huge following among collectors, especially teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers or Boston Patriots, which would sell in the $300-400 range. The post-1970 NFL marked pennants are at the bottom of my investment list.

Speaking of defunct, we must touch on the last two failed attempts at a new league, the World Football League (WFL) of 1974 and part of 1975, and the United States Football League (USFL) of 1983-85. Both of these doomed leagues were only around for one to three seasons and most of the pennants from these teams surface with some regularity. The old WFL has been gone for over 30 years and I would start hoarding mint examples from this league, especially given today’s prices, which almost never top the $100 range, with most examples selling in the $20-50 range. Teams like the Florida Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia Bells, Jacksonville Sharks or Express, Memphis Southmen, Birmingham Americans or Vulcans, San Antonio Wings, Chicago Fire or Winds, Detroit Wheels, Hawaiians, Portland Storm, and the Shreveport Steamers.
The USFL, which debuted in 1983 with 12 teams, has been gone for over twenty years now and again, pennants sell for next to nothing, usually in the $20-30 range, but they too should prove to be a solid investment down the road.

Let’s recap what to watch for:

1. Pre-War defunct team pennants. Buy them in any condition and pay what it takes, but don’t plan on doing much buying as they simply don’t exist.
2. Pre-1930 anything, regardless of what team, just try and find one.
3. Pre-1960 two-team Championship pennants. You might see 1 or 2 come up for sale every year and you should buy them if they are nice.
4. Pre-1960 player roster scroll pennants, especially the hot teams like the Colts, Browns, or Packers.
5. First five Super Bowl pennants, which are valuable and only going up in price.
6. Next five Super Bowl pennants, which are still cheap at today’s prices.
7. Any pre-1960 dated All Star pennant. Good luck finding since I have never even heard of one.
8. Pre-1970 AFL marked (and unmarked) pennants, which have a large following, dwindling supply, and good investment potential.
9. Pre-1970 defunct teams since they aren’t making any more.
10. WFL pennants. Put them away now.
11. USFL pennants, Ditto.
12. Post-1970 regular season, single team pennants, which are numerous in supply so there is no hurry. I recommend spending your money elsewhere if you have a choice.
13. Early (pre-1920) college/team pennants. Stick to the large oversize examples with excellent graphics (nose guards, flat tops, etc.) Scarce works of art, which are fairly under priced at today’s level. Good upside potential.

And there you have it – my observations as they pertain to collecting football pennants. Remember to buy what you like and buy the best and rarest pennant so that your investment will pay off for years to come. Also, if you have any of the really rare pennants mentioned in this article, email some pictures to me at dbushing1@aol.com and we will share them on the site.

Next up in this series – basketball. Until then, happy hunting. David Bushing

One of the most widely collected genres of game used bats is that of the single team variety. Some collect any game bat of any player who played for their favorite team i.e. Yankees, Dodgers, Sox, etc. Some collect just special years like the 27 Yankees, 29 Athletics, 1940 Reds, 1919 White Sox, 1955 Brooklyn, etc. While collecting every bat of every player who played for your favorite team can be rewarding, it can be extremely challenging to both your mental state and your pocketbook as well. It is a collection without end, something most collectors cannot fathom. Most of us want closure, a collection that if not complete, is as complete as is humanly possible to wit, no examples of a game bat have ever publicly surfaced nor do they exist in any other known collection, therefore, we know that we have completed it to the best of our ability, both in time and resources. If this sounds more like you, you are not alone. As a result, single season team collections are on the rise and with it, the attention given the so-called “commons” as they finally come into their own.

If you don’t believe it, talk to the guys putting together a collection of 1955 Brooklyn Dodger bats. Sure, a great Jackie Robinson or Koufax is going to set you back the better part of 50K, probably more, a good Snider or Campy, another 10K each. Pee Wee at least 4-5 K and guys like Hodges, Gilliam and Furillo will be at least 2k plus, Shuba, Moryn, and Zimmer, when you find them, will set you back the better part of a thousand. But for a real challenge, try and find an example of a Kellert or a Sandy Amoros bat and if you do and you don’t want it, call me. We have never seen an example of either of these bats and after looking for over ten years, not one example has ever surfaced for sale. I bought the Dixie Howell out of Leland’s last auction, the first example I have ever seen or heard of, this after almost twenty years of dealing in game used bats. And if you think team collecting is easy, just ask the guys who are looking for the so-called common bats to finish a team collection what they think. Most of the Hall of Fame game bats come up for sale albeit, they will usually cut deep into your pockets but the “commons”, some of which make a once in a lifetime appearance and may never be seen again at any price (and if two bidders are working on the same collection), and if this is the case, just watch out.

Look at what has happened to the “common” prices on the high-grade baseball card market. Record prices are being paid on the so called “highest graded” examples yet most are not rare if you don’t mind going down a grade but when it comes to baseball bats, the majority don’t exist in any grade and if you are holding out for only A7’s or better or only want bats made during the era of the team you are collecting, you may see life on Mars before you get all the bats needed just for the starting line up let alone the majority of the roster. And speaking of rosters, most collectors consider themselves fortunate to add one or two pitchers to their team collection. I do not know of a single collector who has ever managed to amass a single year team collection prior to 1975 with a game bat of every listed player with or without pitchers.

Remember, certain single team collections are going to be much more difficult than others. If you are collecting pre war teams like the 1919 Reds or White Sox or the 1927 Pirates or Yankees, you are going to find it tough going as you try to add new examples and the prices you will pay given the value of the stars and Hall of Famers is going to be substantial, very substantial, but this financial burden gets easier as time marches on. Teams like the 1954 Giants, Indians or first year Orioles, the 1959 White Sox, the 1962 or 69 Mets or the 1975 Reds are much more obtainable. The closer to the present, the larger the base supply especially with regards to the Hall of Fame and superstar players and teams with fewer Hall of Famers will obviously be cheaper to complete. Let’s take, for example, the historic 1962 expansion team Mets, forever known as the worst single season record of the 20th century. Only the 1899 Spiders had a worse record and that was over a hundred years ago. There seems to be a large collector base for Mets game used equipment and the hapless 1962 Mets with 120 losses and 40 victories on the season seem to hold a special place in Mets collector’s hearts. Maybe it’s the love for the underdog, the genesis of a team, or imagined nostalgia, putting together a collection of game bats from the 1962 Mets is fairly affordable and many of the starter’s bats are obtainable given a few years or more to complete. The “commons”, while not as expensive when and if you find them, will present a bigger challenge to your patience than your wallet. A pre 1960 Ritchie Ashburn is going to be obtainable but try and find a post 1960 era model. They will usually be cheaper than a 1950’s version but a lot tougher to find. If you make up your mind that you are going to collect only proper era bats, you will not build a very big collection, EVER. Or, if you are going to get a game used example regardless of era or condition and then upgrade when something better comes along, you will progress at a much better pace. Following is a list of Mets players from that inaugural season of 1962 including original first day team, starters, pitchers, and all other players who were listed on the team roster.

The nine 1962 New York Mets Opening Day Starters were as follows;

Ritchie Ashburn- The only Hall of Famer player on the 1962 Mets. One of the most expensive bats of all the 1962 Mets yet one of the easiest to obtain. (Casey Stengel is in the Hall but not as a player)
Gus Bell
Joe Ginsberg
Sherman Jones
Felix Mantilla
Jim Marshall
Charlie Neal
Frank Thomas
Don Zimmer

1962 Mets with most starts by position

C-Chris Cannizzaro (56)
1b-Marv Throneberry (97)
2b-Charlie Neal (85)
3b-Felix Mantilla (95)
SS-Elio Chacon (110)
LF -Frank Thomas (126)
CF-Jim Hickman (84)
RF-Ritchie Ashburn (42)
RF-Joe Christopher (42)

Starting Pitchers
Roger Craig, Jay Hook, Al Jackson and Bob Miller

Relief Pitchers
Ray Daviault, Willard Hunter, Ken MacKenzie, and Bob Moorhead.

The above player model bats would constitute a collection of what are considered the main core of the team’s regulars. With regard to pitchers, add any one pitcher to the collection and if you can’t find even one then add a team bat stamped “Mets”. You can get these bats signed by some of the pitchers at a card or autograph show and these are exactly the type of bat some pitchers used. We have listed the most popular model bats of the 1962 Mets with a quick note as to perceived availability, which is simply based on observations over the past couple of years both public and private. We are listing models recorded with no regards to player era. In some cases, there are no records and in others, they are not complete. Just because you get a model that is different or does not fall within the listed measurements does not mean the player did not order the bat, just that it is not listed. While this may be a concern to some, on the rare commons, I do not think a model that is not listed in the records would deter me from adding it to the collection. If that was the case, then you cannot buy any Marv Throneberry or Chicon model since the records do not exist. (My thanks to Dan Cohen at Louisville who helped research some of the more obscure player’s records for this article)

Ashburn- Available in both H&B and Adirondack models. Scarce but obtainable with several examples having sold last couple of years. H&B models used include C12, C31, G7, G69, H4, H35, H43, H117, M140, M159, O1, O15, R17, R43, S2 and U1- Adirondack model 137B known. Lengths 34-36” Weights 32-35 oz.

Gus Bell- H&B models, Scarce but obtainable with several sold in last few years. Models include G79, C117, R43, S162, D2, K55, G102, P89, W183, M63S, H143, O1, S2- 34-36”, 31-35 oz.

Joe Ginsberg- H&B, scarce. Models used W148, G132. 34.5-35”/ 32-33 oz.

Sherman Jones – none known

Felix Mantilla- Very, very rare. Have seen one example offered in last two years. H&B models include K75, H43, S2, S44. 35”- 31-33 oz.

Jim Marshall- None known–Models used include B193 and S2- 36”-31.5-34 oz.

Charlie Neal- Obtainable but you have to fight the 55 Dodger collectors. Models include R46 (Reese model), U1, and S2. 34”- 30 oz.

Frank Thomas- Obtainable but I have seen only two in last couple of years. Model M66- 35”- 30-32 oz.

Don Zimmer- Obtainable, several sold last few years but again, you have to fight the 1955 Dodger collectors. H&B models include; H85, H117, S44, D89, W74, Z14, S2, R43, K55, G66, R46, S188- 34-36” 31-36 oz.

Now for the most position starts;

Chris Cannizzaro- Obtainable, several sold last few years. Models used C216, C217, K93, 34.5 “/ 31-32 oz.

Marv Throneberry- Very scarce, have seen less than 2-3 ever. H&B records do not exist (but the bats do)

Elio Chicon- none known (H&B records do not exist)

Jim Hickman- Obtainable, several sold last few years. Models K43, T115 and S44. 34.5- 35”/ 31-33 oz.

Joe Christopher- none known, Models M159, U1, O1, S2, O16, B193, M59 (probably M159 typo in records) 34.5”/ 30-32 oz.

Following is a list of the rest of the 1962 Mets plus pitchers;

Ed Bouchee- scarce
Hobie Landrith-scarce
Joe Pignatano- one known
Cliff Cook- None
Rick Herrscher-None
Rod Kanehl-rare
Gene Woodling-scarce
Sammy Drake-none
Gil Hodges-obtainable
Al Jackson-none
Bobby Gene Smith-none
Sammy Taylor-rare
Choo Choo Coleman-rare
Ken Mackenzie- none
Craig Anderson-none
Ed Kranepool-obtainable
Bob Moorhead-none
Bob Miller-none
Galen Cisco-none
Vinegar Bend Mizell-rare
Herb Moford-none
Larry Foss-none
Dave Hillman-none
John DeMerit-none
Willard Hunter-none
Ray Daviault-none
Roger Craig-rare
Clem Labine-rare
Harry Chiti-rare
Jay Hook-none

Obviously, obtaining any bat of any era in any condition of any of the above listed players with “none” after their name would be a major score. So to would any bat listed as rare. Obtainable and scarce means we have seen examples for sale within last few years on the open market and they should be the easiest to add to your collection. Pick your team, take your time, and don’t pass up off grade or off year “commons”, index or team bats, even coach’s era bats on rare models. You will have to if you expect to get any kind of a collection put together. I have made this mistake a few times, passing on some keys to my collection because of condition and have never seen another. You can always upgrade when the opportunity presents itself. Most people start with the big stars and Hall of Famers first but I would suggest chasing the others first, especially if you have limited funds. Speaking of budgets, you can always fill in some of the more expensive players with autographed show or store bats (I’m sure this advise will have the purists ranting) until you can afford the real deal. It’s your collection, do what feels good to you and have fun. You won’t die of boredom chasing your dream, that’s for sure.
Happy Hunting,

David Bushing

One of the most widely collected genres of game used bats is that of the single team variety. Some collect any game bat of any player who played for their favorite team i.e. Yankees, Dodgers, Sox, etc. Some collect just special years like the 27 Yankees, 29 Athletics, 1940 Reds, 1919 White Sox, 1955 Brooklyn, etc. While collecting every bat of every player who played for your favorite team can be rewarding, it can be extremely challenging to both your mental state and your pocketbook as well. It is a collection without end, something most collectors cannot fathom. Most of us want closure, a collection that if not complete, is as complete as is humanly possible to wit, no examples of a game bat have ever publicly surfaced nor do they exist in any other known collection, therefore, we know that we have completed it to the best of our ability, both in time and resources. If this sounds more like you, you are not alone. As a result, single season team collections are on the rise and with it, the attention given the so-called “commons” as they finally come into their own.

If you don’t believe it, talk to the guys putting together a collection of 1955 Brooklyn Dodger bats. Sure, a great Jackie Robinson or Koufax is going to set you back the better part of 50K, probably more, a good Snider or Campy, another 10K each. Pee Wee at least 4-5 K and guys like Hodges, Gilliam and Furillo will be at least 2k plus, Shuba, Moryn, and Zimmer, when you find them, will set you back the better part of a thousand. But for a real challenge, try and find an example of a Kellert or a Sandy Amoros bat and if you do and you don’t want it, call me. We have never seen an example of either of these bats and after looking for over ten years, not one example has ever surfaced for sale. I bought the Dixie Howell out of Leland’s last auction, the first example I have ever seen or heard of, this after almost twenty years of dealing in game used bats. And if you think team collecting is easy, just ask the guys who are looking for the so-called common bats to finish a team collection what they think. Most of the Hall of Fame game bats come up for sale albeit, they will usually cut deep into your pockets but the “commons”, some of which make a once in a lifetime appearance and may never be seen again at any price (and if two bidders are working on the same collection), and if this is the case, just watch out.

Look at what has happened to the “common” prices on the high-grade baseball card market. Record prices are being paid on the so called “highest graded” examples yet most are not rare if you don’t mind going down a grade but when it comes to baseball bats, the majority don’t exist in any grade and if you are holding out for only A7’s or better or only want bats made during the era of the team you are collecting, you may see life on Mars before you get all the bats needed just for the starting line up let alone the majority of the roster. And speaking of rosters, most collectors consider themselves fortunate to add one or two pitchers to their team collection. I do not know of a single collector who has ever managed to amass a single year team collection prior to 1975 with a game bat of every listed player with or without pitchers.

Remember, certain single team collections are going to be much more difficult than others. If you are collecting pre war teams like the 1919 Reds or White Sox or the 1927 Pirates or Yankees, you are going to find it tough going as you try to add new examples and the prices you will pay given the value of the stars and Hall of Famers is going to be substantial, very substantial, but this financial burden gets easier as time marches on. Teams like the 1954 Giants, Indians or first year Orioles, the 1959 White Sox, the 1962 or 69 Mets or the 1975 Reds are much more obtainable. The closer to the present, the larger the base supply especially with regards to the Hall of Fame and superstar players and teams with fewer Hall of Famers will obviously be cheaper to complete. Let’s take, for example, the historic 1962 expansion team Mets, forever known as the worst single season record of the 20th century. Only the 1899 Spiders had a worse record and that was over a hundred years ago. There seems to be a large collector base for Mets game used equipment and the hapless 1962 Mets with 120 losses and 40 victories on the season seem to hold a special place in Mets collector’s hearts. Maybe it’s the love for the underdog, the genesis of a team, or imagined nostalgia, putting together a collection of game bats from the 1962 Mets is fairly affordable and many of the starter’s bats are obtainable given a few years or more to complete. The “commons”, while not as expensive when and if you find them, will present a bigger challenge to your patience than your wallet. A pre 1960 Ritchie Ashburn is going to be obtainable but try and find a post 1960 era model. They will usually be cheaper than a 1950’s version but a lot tougher to find. If you make up your mind that you are going to collect only proper era bats, you will not build a very big collection, EVER. Or, if you are going to get a game used example regardless of era or condition and then upgrade when something better comes along, you will progress at a much better pace. Following is a list of Mets players from that inaugural season of 1962 including original first day team, starters, pitchers, and all other players who were listed on the team roster.

The nine 1962 New York Mets Opening Day Starters were as follows;

Ritchie Ashburn- The only Hall of Famer player on the 1962 Mets. One of the most expensive bats of all the 1962 Mets yet one of the easiest to obtain. (Casey Stengel is in the Hall but not as a player)
Gus Bell
Joe Ginsberg
Sherman Jones
Felix Mantilla
Jim Marshall
Charlie Neal
Frank Thomas
Don Zimmer

1962 Mets with most starts by position

C-Chris Cannizzaro (56)
1b-Marv Throneberry (97)
2b-Charlie Neal (85)
3b-Felix Mantilla (95)
SS-Elio Chacon (110)
LF -Frank Thomas (126)
CF-Jim Hickman (84)
RF-Ritchie Ashburn (42)
RF-Joe Christopher (42)

Starting Pitchers
Roger Craig, Jay Hook, Al Jackson and Bob Miller

Relief Pitchers
Ray Daviault, Willard Hunter, Ken MacKenzie, and Bob Moorhead.

The above player model bats would constitute a collection of what are considered the main core of the team’s regulars. With regard to pitchers, add any one pitcher to the collection and if you can’t find even one then add a team bat stamped “Mets”. You can get these bats signed by some of the pitchers at a card or autograph show and these are exactly the type of bat some pitchers used. We have listed the most popular model bats of the 1962 Mets with a quick note as to perceived availability, which is simply based on observations over the past couple of years both public and private. We are listing models recorded with no regards to player era. In some cases, there are no records and in others, they are not complete. Just because you get a model that is different or does not fall within the listed measurements does not mean the player did not order the bat, just that it is not listed. While this may be a concern to some, on the rare commons, I do not think a model that is not listed in the records would deter me from adding it to the collection. If that was the case, then you cannot buy any Marv Throneberry or Chicon model since the records do not exist. (My thanks to Dan Cohen at Louisville who helped research some of the more obscure player’s records for this article)

Ashburn- Available in both H&B and Adirondack models. Scarce but obtainable with several examples having sold last couple of years. H&B models used include C12, C31, G7, G69, H4, H35, H43, H117, M140, M159, O1, O15, R17, R43, S2 and U1- Adirondack model 137B known. Lengths 34-36” Weights 32-35 oz.

Gus Bell- H&B models, Scarce but obtainable with several sold in last few years. Models include G79, C117, R43, S162, D2, K55, G102, P89, W183, M63S, H143, O1, S2- 34-36”, 31-35 oz.

Joe Ginsberg- H&B, scarce. Models used W148, G132. 34.5-35”/ 32-33 oz.

Sherman Jones – none known

Felix Mantilla- Very, very rare. Have seen one example offered in last two years. H&B models include K75, H43, S2, S44. 35”- 31-33 oz.

Jim Marshall- None known–Models used include B193 and S2- 36”-31.5-34 oz.

Charlie Neal- Obtainable but you have to fight the 55 Dodger collectors. Models include R46 (Reese model), U1, and S2. 34”- 30 oz.

Frank Thomas- Obtainable but I have seen only two in last couple of years. Model M66- 35”- 30-32 oz.

Don Zimmer- Obtainable, several sold last few years but again, you have to fight the 1955 Dodger collectors. H&B models include; H85, H117, S44, D89, W74, Z14, S2, R43, K55, G66, R46, S188- 34-36” 31-36 oz.

Now for the most position starts;

Chris Cannizzaro- Obtainable, several sold last few years. Models used C216, C217, K93, 34.5 “/ 31-32 oz.

Marv Throneberry- Very scarce, have seen less than 2-3 ever. H&B records do not exist (but the bats do)

Elio Chicon- none known (H&B records do not exist)

Jim Hickman- Obtainable, several sold last few years. Models K43, T115 and S44. 34.5- 35”/ 31-33 oz.

Joe Christopher- none known, Models M159, U1, O1, S2, O16, B193, M59 (probably M159 typo in records) 34.5”/ 30-32 oz.

Following is a list of the rest of the 1962 Mets plus pitchers;

Ed Bouchee- scarce
Hobie Landrith-scarce
Joe Pignatano- one known
Cliff Cook- None
Rick Herrscher-None
Rod Kanehl-rare
Gene Woodling-scarce
Sammy Drake-none
Gil Hodges-obtainable
Al Jackson-none
Bobby Gene Smith-none
Sammy Taylor-rare
Choo Choo Coleman-rare
Ken Mackenzie- none
Craig Anderson-none
Ed Kranepool-obtainable
Bob Moorhead-none
Bob Miller-none
Galen Cisco-none
Vinegar Bend Mizell-rare
Herb Moford-none
Larry Foss-none
Dave Hillman-none
John DeMerit-none
Willard Hunter-none
Ray Daviault-none
Roger Craig-rare
Clem Labine-rare
Harry Chiti-rare
Jay Hook-none

Obviously, obtaining any bat of any era in any condition of any of the above listed players with “none” after their name would be a major score. So to would any bat listed as rare. Obtainable and scarce means we have seen examples for sale within last few years on the open market and they should be the easiest to add to your collection. Pick your team, take your time, and don’t pass up off grade or off year “commons”, index or team bats, even coach’s era bats on rare models. You will have to if you expect to get any kind of a collection put together. I have made this mistake a few times, passing on some keys to my collection because of condition and have never seen another. You can always upgrade when the opportunity presents itself. Most people start with the big stars and Hall of Famers first but I would suggest chasing the others first, especially if you have limited funds. Speaking of budgets, you can always fill in some of the more expensive players with autographed show or store bats (I’m sure this advise will have the purists ranting) until you can afford the real deal. It’s your collection, do what feels good to you and have fun. You won’t die of boredom chasing your dream, that’s for sure.
Happy Hunting,

David Bushing

In response to a number of requests and questions about if MEARS would consider entering into the area of grading autographs, I have decided to begin looking at what would be involved from a procedural standpoint. It needs to be stated up front that MEARS would not be involved in authenticating the signature as we would leave that to an outside source. The issue for the autograph collectors that have approached us is that they like what MEARS has established for game used items and would like to see us establish something along those lines for autographs as well.

I found this to be a fantastic exercise from an intellectual standpoint as it got me thinking about what and why people collect signatures. If you collect autographs or just follow this aspect of the hobby from a certain point of interest, it is clear that not all signatures of a player are the same in the eye of the buyer. What is it drives collectability and in turn, value within the market place? There are any number of factors once you get passed the basic and fundamental opinion that the signature is that of the persons whose name is inscribed on the object.

This is my FIRST CUT at “thinking about” what are the graded areas of an autographed item. Please notice I did not say autograph as there is a difference. I think collectors will uniformly agree that the value of a piece lies in the totality of the offering. Say you wanted a jersey Joe DiMaggio wore while playing a game in Yankee Stadium. Would you place the same value on a 1941 home flannel as you would on a 1970 home flannel wore in an Old Timers Game at Yankee Stadium? The same thing could be said for a Mickey Mantle Bat…one from 1956 or one from the same 1970 Old Timers Game.

Those graded areas for an autographed item would involve the evaluation and grading of five distinct and separate aspects. It is the totality of these five separate evaluations that give rise to any final grade:

The Strength of the Signature as defined by the quality and overall consistency of the signature without respect to its age and in contrast to the surface it is on.

The Period of the Signature as defined as the point in time when the item was signed by the person. The closer the signature is to that point in time when the person(s) was at the pinnacle of a playing carrier or public notoriety, the higher the grade.

The Quality and Condition of the Object on which the signature appears as defined how this item compares to others in the same category.

The Physical Means of the Inscription as defined by the writing implement used to create the signature. For collectablity and grading, an autograph is considered most desirable when done with:
1. A correct period ink device either fountain or ball point pen.
2. A pencil.
3. A soft tip ink producing implement such as a Sharpie.
4. A rigid tip non-ink producing implement such as a paint pen.

The Quality of The Item is assessed based on the concept of most desirable for a collector and are listed in descending order and will be awarded point as such. Items are only compared to items in the same category.

A Baseball is most desirable when it is:
1. A period correct and league correct professional ball.
2. A period correct ball that may be from another league.
3. A period correct ball that may of a lesser quality.
4. A non-period ball that is league correct.
5. A non-period ball that may be from another league.
6. A non-period ball that may of lesser quality.

A Check is most desirable when it is:
1. A check that the person signed on the front.
2. A check that the person endorsed on the back.
Checks that are made out to or from other persons of prominence are considered a plus as well.

A Letter is most desirable when it is:
1. Written entirely in the person(s) own hand.
2. Typed or mechanically produced, yet signed in the players own hand.

Historical Document such as a player contract is most desirable when it is:
1. Issued and signed as part of the agreement to play in the sport in which prominence was achieved.
2. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement related to the actual sport such as contracts for endorsing equipment.
3. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement for a commercial venture associated with the promotion of the sport such as trading cards or sports figurines (Hartland’s etc…)
4. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement for commercial ventures not directly related to the sport.

An Index Card is considered most desirable when it is:
1. Signed on an unlined card or the unlined side.
2. Signed on a lined card.

A Cut Piece of Paper is considered most desirable when it is:
1. Trimmed in such a manner to not effect the signature in any manner.

For the purpose of photographic evaluation and grading, MEARS would look to adopt the definitions provided by Mr. Marshall Fogel as outlined is his work “A Portrait of Baseball Photography.”

A Photograph is considered most desirable when it is:
1. A first generation photograph developed from the original negative during the period (approximately within two years from when the picture was taken) Type 1’s, because of their vintage and originality, are the most desirable and valuable of the four photograph types.
2. A first generation photograph developed from an original negative during a later period (more than approximately two years from when the picture was taken).
3. A second generation photograph developed either from a “duplicate negative” or a “wire transmission” within approximately two years of when the picture was taken. A “duplicate negative” is produced by taking a photograph of an existing original photograph thereby creating a second negative that is of inferior quality to the original.
4. A second generation (or third or fourth generation) photograph from a duplicate negative or a “wire transmission” more than two years after the picture was taken.
5. A recent and mass produced image designed for the purpose of collecability and possible subsequent inscription.

Using this as a point of departure, the next steps would involve developing a “worksheet” for each type of item. Part of this would have to be some quantifiable metric or point allocation for each of the five aspects of the autograph. From there, there would also have to be a supporting training plan with examples to ensure consistency in the process. Much the same as I would suspect is involved in any like type endeavor such as grading cards, coins, or stamps. In my mind, there are no points added or subtracted for rarity for either the signature or the item as the market will bear that out from a collectors interest level. The other problem with giving points for rarity is that they could quickly be undone in the case of say a hoard of vintage signed checks appeared from a player who was considered a “signing recluse” back in the day.

Another issue we would have to address from a policy standpoint since we are not “authenticating the signature,” would be to establish a list of individuals or organizations that we would recognize and thus grade. Functionally, we would have to add various data fields to our internal (MEARS only) and external (MEARS On Line) references and data bases. Other considerations would involve encapsulation and labeling, but preliminary research shows these are not sticking points.

Other requests have come in for us to begin to look at addressing the grading of:

Sports Magazines
Pin Backs
Programs and Scorecards

I feel all of these items could be done with the same basic tenants we have done with game used items.

1. Define your grading criteria
2. Establish and use of relevant data bases
3. Develop repeatable and consistent procedures
4. Show your work and the result in the form of a worksheet
5. Stand by your work

From a business standpoint, this seems very doable as there are experts in all areas, some who have expressed a desire to run these as divisions within a larger MEARS structure. The problem for us, and it is a nice problem to have really, is that we really have options for more work than we are resourced to do right now. I will keep you posted as all this unfolds, but thought it was worth some time sharing my thoughts on a topic that others have asked us to address.

Dave Grob

LTC Grob can be reached for questions or comments about this article at either:

DaveGrob1@aol.com or by writing to him at:

LTC Dave Grob
14218 Roland Court
Woodbridge, VA 22193.

In response to a number of requests and questions about if MEARS would consider entering into the area of grading autographs, I have decided to begin looking at what would be involved from a procedural standpoint. It needs to be stated up front that MEARS would not be involved in authenticating the signature as we would leave that to an outside source. The issue for the autograph collectors that have approached us is that they like what MEARS has established for game used items and would like to see us establish something along those lines for autographs as well.

I found this to be a fantastic exercise from an intellectual standpoint as it got me thinking about what and why people collect signatures. If you collect autographs or just follow this aspect of the hobby from a certain point of interest, it is clear that not all signatures of a player are the same in the eye of the buyer. What is it drives collectability and in turn, value within the market place? There are any number of factors once you get passed the basic and fundamental opinion that the signature is that of the persons whose name is inscribed on the object.

This is my FIRST CUT at “thinking about” what are the graded areas of an autographed item. Please notice I did not say autograph as there is a difference. I think collectors will uniformly agree that the value of a piece lies in the totality of the offering. Say you wanted a jersey Joe DiMaggio wore while playing a game in Yankee Stadium. Would you place the same value on a 1941 home flannel as you would on a 1970 home flannel wore in an Old Timers Game at Yankee Stadium? The same thing could be said for a Mickey Mantle Bat…one from 1956 or one from the same 1970 Old Timers Game.

Those graded areas for an autographed item would involve the evaluation and grading of five distinct and separate aspects. It is the totality of these five separate evaluations that give rise to any final grade:

The Strength of the Signature as defined by the quality and overall consistency of the signature without respect to its age and in contrast to the surface it is on.

The Period of the Signature as defined as the point in time when the item was signed by the person. The closer the signature is to that point in time when the person(s) was at the pinnacle of a playing carrier or public notoriety, the higher the grade.

The Quality and Condition of the Object on which the signature appears as defined how this item compares to others in the same category.

The Physical Means of the Inscription as defined by the writing implement used to create the signature. For collectablity and grading, an autograph is considered most desirable when done with:
1. A correct period ink device either fountain or ball point pen.
2. A pencil.
3. A soft tip ink producing implement such as a Sharpie.
4. A rigid tip non-ink producing implement such as a paint pen.

The Quality of The Item is assessed based on the concept of most desirable for a collector and are listed in descending order and will be awarded point as such. Items are only compared to items in the same category.

A Baseball is most desirable when it is:
1. A period correct and league correct professional ball.
2. A period correct ball that may be from another league.
3. A period correct ball that may of a lesser quality.
4. A non-period ball that is league correct.
5. A non-period ball that may be from another league.
6. A non-period ball that may of lesser quality.

A Check is most desirable when it is:
1. A check that the person signed on the front.
2. A check that the person endorsed on the back.
Checks that are made out to or from other persons of prominence are considered a plus as well.

A Letter is most desirable when it is:
1. Written entirely in the person(s) own hand.
2. Typed or mechanically produced, yet signed in the players own hand.

Historical Document such as a player contract is most desirable when it is:
1. Issued and signed as part of the agreement to play in the sport in which prominence was achieved.
2. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement related to the actual sport such as contracts for endorsing equipment.
3. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement for a commercial venture associated with the promotion of the sport such as trading cards or sports figurines (Hartland’s etc…)
4. Issued and signed as part of an endorsement for commercial ventures not directly related to the sport.

An Index Card is considered most desirable when it is:
1. Signed on an unlined card or the unlined side.
2. Signed on a lined card.

A Cut Piece of Paper is considered most desirable when it is:
1. Trimmed in such a manner to not effect the signature in any manner.

For the purpose of photographic evaluation and grading, MEARS would look to adopt the definitions provided by Mr. Marshall Fogel as outlined is his work “A Portrait of Baseball Photography.”

A Photograph is considered most desirable when it is:
1. A first generation photograph developed from the original negative during the period (approximately within two years from when the picture was taken) Type 1’s, because of their vintage and originality, are the most desirable and valuable of the four photograph types.
2. A first generation photograph developed from an original negative during a later period (more than approximately two years from when the picture was taken).
3. A second generation photograph developed either from a “duplicate negative” or a “wire transmission” within approximately two years of when the picture was taken. A “duplicate negative” is produced by taking a photograph of an existing original photograph thereby creating a second negative that is of inferior quality to the original.
4. A second generation (or third or fourth generation) photograph from a duplicate negative or a “wire transmission” more than two years after the picture was taken.
5. A recent and mass produced image designed for the purpose of collecability and possible subsequent inscription.

Using this as a point of departure, the next steps would involve developing a “worksheet” for each type of item. Part of this would have to be some quantifiable metric or point allocation for each of the five aspects of the autograph. From there, there would also have to be a supporting training plan with examples to ensure consistency in the process. Much the same as I would suspect is involved in any like type endeavor such as grading cards, coins, or stamps. In my mind, there are no points added or subtracted for rarity for either the signature or the item as the market will bear that out from a collectors interest level. The other problem with giving points for rarity is that they could quickly be undone in the case of say a hoard of vintage signed checks appeared from a player who was considered a “signing recluse” back in the day.

Another issue we would have to address from a policy standpoint since we are not “authenticating the signature,” would be to establish a list of individuals or organizations that we would recognize and thus grade. Functionally, we would have to add various data fields to our internal (MEARS only) and external (MEARS On Line) references and data bases. Other considerations would involve encapsulation and labeling, but preliminary research shows these are not sticking points.

Other requests have come in for us to begin to look at addressing the grading of:

Sports Magazines
Pin Backs
Programs and Scorecards

I feel all of these items could be done with the same basic tenants we have done with game used items.

1. Define your grading criteria
2. Establish and use of relevant data bases
3. Develop repeatable and consistent procedures
4. Show your work and the result in the form of a worksheet
5. Stand by your work

From a business standpoint, this seems very doable as there are experts in all areas, some who have expressed a desire to run these as divisions within a larger MEARS structure. The problem for us, and it is a nice problem to have really, is that we really have options for more work than we are resourced to do right now. I will keep you posted as all this unfolds, but thought it was worth some time sharing my thoughts on a topic that others have asked us to address.

Dave Grob

LTC Grob can be reached for questions or comments about this article at either:

DaveGrob1@aol.com or by writing to him at:

LTC Dave Grob
14218 Roland Court
Woodbridge, VA 22193.

When you consider the sport, at the core of its contest, two men are pitted against each other… one hurling a projectile and the other armed with a club, you would think that the concept of somebody, or everybody wanting a helmet would be a “no brainer” (no pun intended). The fact of the matter is that batting helmets have been a comparative late arrival to the sport of baseball.

They began to appear just after the turn of the 20th Century and appeared as something that resembled an “inflatable boxing glove” that was sold by the AJ Reach Company for around $5. Noted experimentalist Hall of Fame catcher Roger Bresnahan was said to have given it a try, but the concept did not catch on.

Fast forward a couple of decades to August 16th, 1920 when Ray Chapman was killed in by a pitch to the head delivered by Carl Mayes. What became of this and the fallout? The simple answer was find ways to protect the batter, but the means to achieve this seem to have changed the game in another aspect. In Baseball: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns it is offered that “ as soon as the ball got dirty, the umpire had orders to substitute a spotless new one (ball) …” It would appear that this incident was seen to have been caused by the batter’s inability to see the ball coming at his head.

The next couple of decades are still within the period of old school “knock down” baseball, yet no new major league fatalities occur. By the 1940’s a couple of dynamics begin to come into play. Players are becoming more valuable assets to their respective ball clubs and technology advanced as well. On 7 March 1941, Joe Medwick and Pee Wee Reese wore batting helmets in spring training in Cuba. The plastic head guard the Dodgers used in 1941 was designed by a brain surgeon from Johns Hopkins named Walter Dandy. The guards are described as curved plastic shields that fit inside the cloth baseball caps. This trend appears to have continued briefly as there are accounts of on 6 June 1941, the NY Giants wore batting helmets in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over time, I hope to find newspaper pictures of this event, but have yet to do so.

By the 1950s, Branch Rickey was the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates Rickey asked Muse, an executive with the club, to design and create a helmet that would protect the players above the ears. Muse was appointed president of Rickey’s American Cap Company (ABC) and he helped design a helmet that was light yet able to protect a batter’s head. Rickey, the father of the major league “farm club” concept we know today, realized there was great value in growing and protecting your own talent and this may been a driving factor outside of his financial interests at ABC.

During the 1953 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first team to permanently adopt batting helmets, taking the field wearing rather primitive fiberglass “miner’s caps” at the mandate of general manager Branch Rickey. Rickey’s original edict required the Pirate players had to wear the helmets both at bat and in the field. A Corbis image search of “Pittsburgh Pirates 1953” will bear this out and provide some solid images as well. While this remained for Pirates batters, wear in the field was short lived for any number of reasons. Batting helmets for position players would not appear to make a comeback for at least another decade.

In many instances, players still opted to wear the protective insert under the cap through the 1960s and it was not until 1971 did Major League baseball make them mandatory. After 1971, players who were grandfathered in such as Norm Cash and Bob Montgomery continued to bat without a helmet through the end of their playing careers.

In 1983, it was mandatory for incoming players to use a helmet with at least one ear flap. Players who were grandfathered in could choose to wear a helmet without ear flaps. Players can choose to wear double ear flap helmets in the major leagues, however, this is not mandatory. Gary Gaetti was the last player to wear a helmet without ear flaps, during the 2000 season. Tim Raines and Ozzie Smith were two other players to continue wearing the ear flap-less helmet well into the 1990s before retirement. Technically, as of the 2006 season, there is still one player left with a long enough career in the big leagues and could wear a helmet without flaps: Julio Franco.

Batting helmets have been a means to further see specific personal influences by management as well over the years. Bob Howsam, General Manager for the Cincinnati Reds during the Big Red Machine era, was known for enforcing strict dress and appear standards that included a ban on facial hair and only black cleats, extended this to include batting helmets as well. Ball Boys where instructed to clean the helmets daily with alcohol as well as take those that where chipped or scuffed out of circulation. In addition, once while watching the Reds play a road game on TV, Howsam noticed that Pete Rose had written his number “14” on the back of his helmet to make it easier to find. Howsam called the ball park and instructed Reds Manager Sparky Anderson to get this problem fixed immediately.

Fast forward to this season when according to an article in the St. Louis Business Journal on April 17th 2006:

“Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. Inc. and Major League Baseball announced Monday the introduction of a highly ventilated helmet to be worn by at least seven MLB teams in 2006. The Rawlings Coolflo Batter’s Helmet features new technology and allows for updated paint schemes, will be available to all 30 MLB clubs in 2007. The new helmet utilizes unique air venting technology and features a new high tech design. With 15 individual vents, the helmet allows air to flow through for a more comfortable feel without sacrificing protection. The Rawlings Coolflo will be available in solid team colors or a two-toned “Highlight” version.
The introduction of the Rawlings Coolflo Batter’s Helmet marks the first time since 1983 that players have been able to wear a new batting helmet design. Rawlings has been the exclusive supplier or batting helmets to Major League Baseball since 2003. The Major League Baseball clubs that will be using the Rawlings Coolflo Helmet include the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles. In addition to the Clubs who will be wearing the new Coolflo helmets, individual players also have the option to wear the new design.”

All of this is very interesting and the follow-up to this article will feature a listing of teams and players with respect to what style of batting helmet they are wearing this season. What I would like to do with the rest of this piece is offer some insights on things to look at and look for when looking at batting helmets.

IMAGERY ANALYSIS FOR BATTING HELMETS.

When doing your own imagery analysis on batting helmets, there are a number of things for you to consider. Let me offer this as an initial list of considerations. Please know that since all these variables have changed over time for most teams, a detailed study of them will also enable you to narrow down a time frame for use as well.

Helmet Material: The early batting helmets were manufactured out of a form of fiberglass. These helmets have a very rough appearance. By the early 1960’s, plastics begin to enter the market.

Logo Appliqué: Take note of the depth of the logo. This will provide insights on whether it is painted on, a thin vinyl appliqué, or a more substantial raised logo that can be found on helmets like those the Chicago Cubs wear.

Helmet style/construction: On a very basic level, the obvious thing to consider is if the helmet in question should be without ear flaps, with ear flaps covering either the right or left ear, or whether it should be the style that covers both ears. A more subtle and often overlooked aspect involves the ventilation system at the top of the helmet. This has changed over time. What you want to look for is the number of holes and how they are placed on the top of the helmet.

Player Identification: With respect to player identification, I am referring to how the team has marked the helmet for ease in identification. This too has changed over time and varies from team to team. Be sure to find images that show both the front and back of the helmet. There are various styles of “Dynmo Tape” or use of an embossing gun to state player name and or number. Note the details of how this is done over time.

Manufacturer Identification: Look at the back of the helmet as this is where this can be found if externally present. For ABC batting helmets, it appears that a manufacturers date code begins to appear around 1990. The code is simple to read and an example has been provided for your use and reference.

Player Use/Wear Characteristics: Compare what you see in an image to what the helmet has to offer. In some cases you will find that the helmet is covered with pine tar, when images don’t support this. The opposite is also true although it may be that the helmet was cleaned after the picture taken. In some cases you will players who’s helmets differ in terms of style or construction as opposed to what others might have worn. Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrezemski are just a couple of examples to note.

Like most things in the game used world, you really aren’t sure what you know until you begin to look at them for yourself. Hopefully this column served the purpose of providing a frame of reference and point of departure as you either begin to study them or expand on what you already know.

REFERENCES For This Article Include:

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Medwick_Joe.stm

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/chronology/1941JUNE.stm

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/forum/threads.php?id=112_0_2_0_C

http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2006/04/17/daily3.html

http://www.all-baseball.com/archives/014991.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/batting-helmet-2

Big Red Dynasty: How Bob Howsam & Sparky Anderson Built the Big Red Machine; Rhodes and Erardi, page 141-143.

Baseball: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns, page 153.

Baseball In High Gear: Speed by Steve Fifer

When you consider the sport, at the core of its contest, two men are pitted against each other… one hurling a projectile and the other armed with a club, you would think that the concept of somebody, or everybody wanting a helmet would be a “no brainer” (no pun intended). The fact of the matter is that batting helmets have been a comparative late arrival to the sport of baseball.

They began to appear just after the turn of the 20th Century and appeared as something that resembled an “inflatable boxing glove” that was sold by the AJ Reach Company for around $5. Noted experimentalist Hall of Fame catcher Roger Bresnahan was said to have given it a try, but the concept did not catch on.

Fast forward a couple of decades to August 16th, 1920 when Ray Chapman was killed in by a pitch to the head delivered by Carl Mayes. What became of this and the fallout? The simple answer was find ways to protect the batter, but the means to achieve this seem to have changed the game in another aspect. In Baseball: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns it is offered that “ as soon as the ball got dirty, the umpire had orders to substitute a spotless new one (ball) …” It would appear that this incident was seen to have been caused by the batter’s inability to see the ball coming at his head.

The next couple of decades are still within the period of old school “knock down” baseball, yet no new major league fatalities occur. By the 1940’s a couple of dynamics begin to come into play. Players are becoming more valuable assets to their respective ball clubs and technology advanced as well. On 7 March 1941, Joe Medwick and Pee Wee Reese wore batting helmets in spring training in Cuba. The plastic head guard the Dodgers used in 1941 was designed by a brain surgeon from Johns Hopkins named Walter Dandy. The guards are described as curved plastic shields that fit inside the cloth baseball caps. This trend appears to have continued briefly as there are accounts of on 6 June 1941, the NY Giants wore batting helmets in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over time, I hope to find newspaper pictures of this event, but have yet to do so.

By the 1950s, Branch Rickey was the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates Rickey asked Muse, an executive with the club, to design and create a helmet that would protect the players above the ears. Muse was appointed president of Rickey’s American Cap Company (ABC) and he helped design a helmet that was light yet able to protect a batter’s head. Rickey, the father of the major league “farm club” concept we know today, realized there was great value in growing and protecting your own talent and this may been a driving factor outside of his financial interests at ABC.

During the 1953 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first team to permanently adopt batting helmets, taking the field wearing rather primitive fiberglass “miner’s caps” at the mandate of general manager Branch Rickey. Rickey’s original edict required the Pirate players had to wear the helmets both at bat and in the field. A Corbis image search of “Pittsburgh Pirates 1953” will bear this out and provide some solid images as well. While this remained for Pirates batters, wear in the field was short lived for any number of reasons. Batting helmets for position players would not appear to make a comeback for at least another decade.

In many instances, players still opted to wear the protective insert under the cap through the 1960s and it was not until 1971 did Major League baseball make them mandatory. After 1971, players who were grandfathered in such as Norm Cash and Bob Montgomery continued to bat without a helmet through the end of their playing careers.

In 1983, it was mandatory for incoming players to use a helmet with at least one ear flap. Players who were grandfathered in could choose to wear a helmet without ear flaps. Players can choose to wear double ear flap helmets in the major leagues, however, this is not mandatory. Gary Gaetti was the last player to wear a helmet without ear flaps, during the 2000 season. Tim Raines and Ozzie Smith were two other players to continue wearing the ear flap-less helmet well into the 1990s before retirement. Technically, as of the 2006 season, there is still one player left with a long enough career in the big leagues and could wear a helmet without flaps: Julio Franco.

Batting helmets have been a means to further see specific personal influences by management as well over the years. Bob Howsam, General Manager for the Cincinnati Reds during the Big Red Machine era, was known for enforcing strict dress and appear standards that included a ban on facial hair and only black cleats, extended this to include batting helmets as well. Ball Boys where instructed to clean the helmets daily with alcohol as well as take those that where chipped or scuffed out of circulation. In addition, once while watching the Reds play a road game on TV, Howsam noticed that Pete Rose had written his number “14” on the back of his helmet to make it easier to find. Howsam called the ball park and instructed Reds Manager Sparky Anderson to get this problem fixed immediately.

Fast forward to this season when according to an article in the St. Louis Business Journal on April 17th 2006:

“Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. Inc. and Major League Baseball announced Monday the introduction of a highly ventilated helmet to be worn by at least seven MLB teams in 2006. The Rawlings Coolflo Batter’s Helmet features new technology and allows for updated paint schemes, will be available to all 30 MLB clubs in 2007. The new helmet utilizes unique air venting technology and features a new high tech design. With 15 individual vents, the helmet allows air to flow through for a more comfortable feel without sacrificing protection. The Rawlings Coolflo will be available in solid team colors or a two-toned “Highlight” version.
The introduction of the Rawlings Coolflo Batter’s Helmet marks the first time since 1983 that players have been able to wear a new batting helmet design. Rawlings has been the exclusive supplier or batting helmets to Major League Baseball since 2003. The Major League Baseball clubs that will be using the Rawlings Coolflo Helmet include the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles. In addition to the Clubs who will be wearing the new Coolflo helmets, individual players also have the option to wear the new design.”

All of this is very interesting and the follow-up to this article will feature a listing of teams and players with respect to what style of batting helmet they are wearing this season. What I would like to do with the rest of this piece is offer some insights on things to look at and look for when looking at batting helmets.

IMAGERY ANALYSIS FOR BATTING HELMETS.

When doing your own imagery analysis on batting helmets, there are a number of things for you to consider. Let me offer this as an initial list of considerations. Please know that since all these variables have changed over time for most teams, a detailed study of them will also enable you to narrow down a time frame for use as well.

Helmet Material: The early batting helmets were manufactured out of a form of fiberglass. These helmets have a very rough appearance. By the early 1960’s, plastics begin to enter the market.

Logo Appliqué: Take note of the depth of the logo. This will provide insights on whether it is painted on, a thin vinyl appliqué, or a more substantial raised logo that can be found on helmets like those the Chicago Cubs wear.

Helmet style/construction: On a very basic level, the obvious thing to consider is if the helmet in question should be without ear flaps, with ear flaps covering either the right or left ear, or whether it should be the style that covers both ears. A more subtle and often overlooked aspect involves the ventilation system at the top of the helmet. This has changed over time. What you want to look for is the number of holes and how they are placed on the top of the helmet.

Player Identification: With respect to player identification, I am referring to how the team has marked the helmet for ease in identification. This too has changed over time and varies from team to team. Be sure to find images that show both the front and back of the helmet. There are various styles of “Dynmo Tape” or use of an embossing gun to state player name and or number. Note the details of how this is done over time.

Manufacturer Identification: Look at the back of the helmet as this is where this can be found if externally present. For ABC batting helmets, it appears that a manufacturers date code begins to appear around 1990. The code is simple to read and an example has been provided for your use and reference.

Player Use/Wear Characteristics: Compare what you see in an image to what the helmet has to offer. In some cases you will find that the helmet is covered with pine tar, when images don’t support this. The opposite is also true although it may be that the helmet was cleaned after the picture taken. In some cases you will players who’s helmets differ in terms of style or construction as opposed to what others might have worn. Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrezemski are just a couple of examples to note.

Like most things in the game used world, you really aren’t sure what you know until you begin to look at them for yourself. Hopefully this column served the purpose of providing a frame of reference and point of departure as you either begin to study them or expand on what you already know.

REFERENCES For This Article Include:

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Medwick_Joe.stm

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/chronology/1941JUNE.stm

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/forum/threads.php?id=112_0_2_0_C

http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2006/04/17/daily3.html

http://www.all-baseball.com/archives/014991.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/batting-helmet-2

Big Red Dynasty: How Bob Howsam & Sparky Anderson Built the Big Red Machine; Rhodes and Erardi, page 141-143.

Baseball: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns, page 153.

Baseball In High Gear: Speed by Steve Fifer

Collecting Correspondence

For a good number of autograph hounds, the collecting of autographs is about the connection between us, who become caretakers for items of historical import, and those notables who penned them. Few medium provide a closer connection than signed correspondence. Although what follows is slanted to the baseball end of collecting (the obvious preference of this writer), most of the general thoughts can be applied to all fields.

Definitions

There are a few “technical” definitions which all collectors should be familiar with in this area:

ANS – Autograph Note Signed: A short missive penned in the hand of the signer, usually only a few lines in length and signed at the close.

ALS – Autograph Letter Signed: A longer correspondence usually covering an entire page, penned in the hand of the signer and signed at the close.

TNS – Typed Note Signed: Same descriptive as the ANS except the body is typed, rather than hand written, and signed at the close.

TLS – Typed Letter Signed: As with the ALS, the TLS will encompass more content than the TNS with the body being typed as opposed to hand written and signed at the close.

Holograph: Although not widely used by autograph dealers and collectors in the sports field, it is worth noting the handwritten letter (ALS) is often referred to as a holograph in the wider autograph community.

What to collect:

As in all areas the old mantra of “collect what you like” certainly applies to the realm of correspondence as well. Some prefer to go after letters in which the subject has outlined their best memory of playing the game (check out the George Sisler letter shown at right), or their favorite player when growing up. A rather ambitious collector may seek to only add letters on visually appealing stationary to their holdings (the Comisky shown here is a choice example). For some, simply anything written in the hand of a desirable name is worthy of inclusion in a collection. The best advice is to combine passion for material with a realistic budget and proceed from there.

Worth noting is that although Hall of Famers are by far the most desirable of all in the baseball field there are volumes of material available in the star or lesser known player category. Often letters from these players can offer up choice references to their more notable teammates or a unique moment and can certainly be acquired for a lesser monetary investment. Another advantage is that many of these individuals still take the time to answer their mail and with the right prodding will answer any questions that you may have. To best reach these players I would suggest the minimal cost required to obtain a copy of Jack Smalling’s Autograph Collectors Handbook (www.baseballaddresses.com) which is chock full of valid current and former player addresses. Smalling, incidentally, is a name that all autograph collectors should be familiar with. We all owe a great deal of thanks to this hobby pioneer as it was his groundbreaking work which first offered collectors an organized listing of player addresses.

What to watch out for:

As in all areas of autograph collecting, those looking to amass a collection of correspondence should be on alert for several things:

Secreterial Signatures/Handwriting – Oftentimes, those notables who receive copious amounts of mail do not take the time required to address each piece, or perhaps are not physically able, instead leaving the task up to an assistant. These “non malicious forgeries” are often traded as valid and can be quite deceiving. In some cases the assistant would assume the role of both writer and signer of correspondence and other times would write the body of a letter and have it signed by the intended. The Rogers Hornsby letter shown at right would make for a desirable piece in any collection except this one was both handwritten and signed, very convincingly, by an assistant on his behalf. The Cool Papa Bell letter shown on the right was written for the aging Negro League star by his wife Clarabell and subsequently authentically signed by the Hall of Famer.

Forgery – As with any popular area of collecting where high values are involved, forgers will soon encroach. With letters containing good content fetching record prices at auction, the temptation in this area is more than many can take. Entire multi-page handwritten letters of Ty Cobb have been “manufactured” and entered the hobby through unscrupulous or unknowing sellers. Babe Ruth is another popular target with handwritten letters being very rare and often selling for $25-50,000+. Do not be lulled to sleep by the though that no one would take on the task of mastering not only an individuals signature, but handwriting and grammar patterns as well. There are many questionable letters, both handwritten and typed, floating around the marketplace.

Where to get it:

As already stated, caution is warranted when looking to acquire correspondence. It is best to stick with reliable autograph dealers (and there are a good many who stock this sort of material) and auction houses (typically where the choice material ends up). Also, a healthy amount of correspondence gets offered up on eBay and can often be had at what appears to be a good price. Please do keep in mind that is a rather dangerous venue to search out any autographed material and all should be approached with much caution. It is possible to build or add to a collection from eBay however all are best advised to buy with a money back guarantee and have the pieces reviewed by a competent authenticator or dealer as soon as possible.

Closing Thoughts:

As in all areas of collecting, it best to educate oneself before delving into a new genre. Try to get a feel for the overall market for letters and the like. Know which players are common (Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson were prolific letter writers) and who is rare (Satchel Paige nearly never wrote at length). Familiarize yourself with the habits of those whom you seek to add to your collection (Walter Johnson handwritten letters often originate from Germantown, MD). Knowing the general look and feel of an individuals’ handwriting can be of great help (take a look at Hall of Fame Umpire Bill Klems’ inimitable script).

Study auction results and dealer inventories for a good feel on the value that collectors place on letters. Although price guides do exist, they are often not all too relevant in this area. For example, a Babe Ruth letter is given the paltry value of $4,200 in a recent issue of the SMR. At auction last December a handwritten example fetched $29,900 and in the same sale a letter the Babe wrote to his one time mistress (pictured at right) hammered down an eye popping $86,250. Guide value also place little to no relevance on the value that good content can add. As a collector of letters, you will quickly learn just how much choice content can increase the value of what you seek.

Collecting Correspondence

For a good number of autograph hounds, the collecting of autographs is about the connection between us, who become caretakers for items of historical import, and those notables who penned them. Few medium provide a closer connection than signed correspondence. Although what follows is slanted to the baseball end of collecting (the obvious preference of this writer), most of the general thoughts can be applied to all fields.

Definitions

There are a few “technical” definitions which all collectors should be familiar with in this area:

ANS – Autograph Note Signed: A short missive penned in the hand of the signer, usually only a few lines in length and signed at the close.

ALS – Autograph Letter Signed: A longer correspondence usually covering an entire page, penned in the hand of the signer and signed at the close.

TNS – Typed Note Signed: Same descriptive as the ANS except the body is typed, rather than hand written, and signed at the close.

TLS – Typed Letter Signed: As with the ALS, the TLS will encompass more content than the TNS with the body being typed as opposed to hand written and signed at the close.

Holograph: Although not widely used by autograph dealers and collectors in the sports field, it is worth noting the handwritten letter (ALS) is often referred to as a holograph in the wider autograph community.

What to collect:

As in all areas the old mantra of “collect what you like” certainly applies to the realm of correspondence as well. Some prefer to go after letters in which the subject has outlined their best memory of playing the game (check out the George Sisler letter shown at right), or their favorite player when growing up. A rather ambitious collector may seek to only add letters on visually appealing stationary to their holdings (the Comisky shown here is a choice example). For some, simply anything written in the hand of a desirable name is worthy of inclusion in a collection. The best advice is to combine passion for material with a realistic budget and proceed from there.

Worth noting is that although Hall of Famers are by far the most desirable of all in the baseball field there are volumes of material available in the star or lesser known player category. Often letters from these players can offer up choice references to their more notable teammates or a unique moment and can certainly be acquired for a lesser monetary investment. Another advantage is that many of these individuals still take the time to answer their mail and with the right prodding will answer any questions that you may have. To best reach these players I would suggest the minimal cost required to obtain a copy of Jack Smalling’s Autograph Collectors Handbook (www.baseballaddresses.com) which is chock full of valid current and former player addresses. Smalling, incidentally, is a name that all autograph collectors should be familiar with. We all owe a great deal of thanks to this hobby pioneer as it was his groundbreaking work which first offered collectors an organized listing of player addresses.

What to watch out for:

As in all areas of autograph collecting, those looking to amass a collection of correspondence should be on alert for several things:

Secreterial Signatures/Handwriting – Oftentimes, those notables who receive copious amounts of mail do not take the time required to address each piece, or perhaps are not physically able, instead leaving the task up to an assistant. These “non malicious forgeries” are often traded as valid and can be quite deceiving. In some cases the assistant would assume the role of both writer and signer of correspondence and other times would write the body of a letter and have it signed by the intended. The Rogers Hornsby letter shown at right would make for a desirable piece in any collection except this one was both handwritten and signed, very convincingly, by an assistant on his behalf. The Cool Papa Bell letter shown on the right was written for the aging Negro League star by his wife Clarabell and subsequently authentically signed by the Hall of Famer.

Forgery – As with any popular area of collecting where high values are involved, forgers will soon encroach. With letters containing good content fetching record prices at auction, the temptation in this area is more than many can take. Entire multi-page handwritten letters of Ty Cobb have been “manufactured” and entered the hobby through unscrupulous or unknowing sellers. Babe Ruth is another popular target with handwritten letters being very rare and often selling for $25-50,000+. Do not be lulled to sleep by the though that no one would take on the task of mastering not only an individuals signature, but handwriting and grammar patterns as well. There are many questionable letters, both handwritten and typed, floating around the marketplace.

Where to get it:

As already stated, caution is warranted when looking to acquire correspondence. It is best to stick with reliable autograph dealers (and there are a good many who stock this sort of material) and auction houses (typically where the choice material ends up). Also, a healthy amount of correspondence gets offered up on eBay and can often be had at what appears to be a good price. Please do keep in mind that is a rather dangerous venue to search out any autographed material and all should be approached with much caution. It is possible to build or add to a collection from eBay however all are best advised to buy with a money back guarantee and have the pieces reviewed by a competent authenticator or dealer as soon as possible.

Closing Thoughts:

As in all areas of collecting, it best to educate oneself before delving into a new genre. Try to get a feel for the overall market for letters and the like. Know which players are common (Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson were prolific letter writers) and who is rare (Satchel Paige nearly never wrote at length). Familiarize yourself with the habits of those whom you seek to add to your collection (Walter Johnson handwritten letters often originate from Germantown, MD). Knowing the general look and feel of an individuals’ handwriting can be of great help (take a look at Hall of Fame Umpire Bill Klems’ inimitable script).

Study auction results and dealer inventories for a good feel on the value that collectors place on letters. Although price guides do exist, they are often not all too relevant in this area. For example, a Babe Ruth letter is given the paltry value of $4,200 in a recent issue of the SMR. At auction last December a handwritten example fetched $29,900 and in the same sale a letter the Babe wrote to his one time mistress (pictured at right) hammered down an eye popping $86,250. Guide value also place little to no relevance on the value that good content can add. As a collector of letters, you will quickly learn just how much choice content can increase the value of what you seek.

Did you know Rembrandt made a 1654 etching showing a golfer? Did you know that the 1800s painter Homer Winslow helped make a woodcut print of a football game, or that you can purchase an Andy Warhol limited edition screen print of Wayne Gretzky signed by both Warhol and Gretzky?

Fine art isn’t just for museums these days. Increasingly, sports collectors are purchasing original sports themed prints by famous artists. MastroNet, Robert Edward Auctions, Leland’s and other big sports auction houses have offered prints by Warhol, Salvador Dali, Rembrandt, Roy Lichtenstein and Leroy Neiman.

For beginner collectors concerned with authenticity, the fine arts can be intimidating and overwelming. As in all areas of collecting, there are fakes, forgeries and reprints. In fact, fine art prints were being forged long before baseball was a sport. As one collector said to me when inquiring about a Salvador Dali print he had purchased years earlier, “Not only do I have no idea if this is authentic, I have no idea how to find out if it’s authentic.”

Happily, there are reference books and websites that the collector can use to help judge the authenticity of a print for sale and learn the specifics about the work.

Catalogues Raisonne

For sellers and buyers of prints by a famous artist, a catalogue raisonne (plural: catalogues raisonne) is an essential information resource. Catalogues raisonne are large illustrated books used by Sotheby’s, Christies, museums and advanced collectors to help identify and authenticate prints. They are also a great starting point for the beginning collector, offering an illustrated survey and description of the artist’s work.

A catalogue raisonne is a book or series of books covering a specific area of an artist’s work (paintings, sculpture, prints, other). They are researched and produced by the top experts in the field, including professors, museums curators and gallery owners. They are often assisted or otherwise approved by the artist or artist’s estate.

While catalogues raisonne vary in quality, a good one will be extensively illustrated and give most of the essentials of the artist’s original prints. These essentials can include dimensions of a print, type of printing used (etching, engraving, other), number of prints, editions, how a print is signed and numbered, watermarks, the type of paper used, and so on. A catalogue often includes helpful biographical and artistic information, such as describing the printing techniques and styles, and details known fakes and unauthorized reprints. Some catalogues are so lavishly and colorfully illustrated, they are worth the price simply as picture books for the coffee table.

The essentialness of a catalogue raisonne is that it lists what prints are recognized as genuine works by the artist. While there will be some legitimate uncataloged prints, most collectors should stick to what is catalogued. If a print for sale is not listed and detailed in the catalogue raisonne or called genuine by other substantive source (expert opinion, authoritative article), the average collector should not buy.

If the least that collectors of the world did was to determine if a print is listed as authentic in the catalogue raisonne and that the bare basics (size, signature, numbering, etc) matches the catalogue listing, the sale of forgeries and fakes would be reduced by over 90 percent.

Obtaining a particular artist’s catalogue can be difficult. While catalogues by some artist’s can be bought on eBay and popular bookstores like amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, they are often expensive. Some are extremely difficult to find and a few may not be in English! I own a Picasso catalogue raisonne written in French with German translation and I know neither language.

For the hard-to-find catalogues raisonne, the collector should look high and low. This includes looking at used bookstores, libraries and asking around. Some galleries or dealers have libraries and will let collectors reference them.

With reputable auctioneers and dealers who specialize is expensive fine art, the auction description will typically detail that a print is officially “listed” as genuine by listing the catalogue’s title, author and the catalogue number and/or page number for the print. Even if the collector does not have access to the particular catalogue, he will at least know that the print is listed in a catalogue raisonne.

The following are free online catalogues raisonne and related websites for famous artists:

Leroy Neiman: http://www.leroyneiman.com
This is Neiman’s official site, maintained by his publisher, and contains the complete illustrated catalogue raisonne. It includes commentary for collectors written by the artist.

Andy Warhol: http://www.warholprints.com
Warhol made numerous popular paintings and prints of athletes, including Mahammad Ali, Gretzky, Eric Heiden and European hockey players. Barry Halper owned a Warhol Pete Rose that is pictured in the 1999 Sotheby’s/Halper catalog. This website is maintained by a prominent art gallery that published many of Warhol’s original prints. The information is officially approved as accurate by Warhol’s estate.

Pablo Picasso: http://www.tamu.edu/mocl/picasso

Salvador Dali: http://www.daliarchives.com
Dali is one of the most forged of all artists, and the collector of his work has to be particularly careful. This site is the publisher of the official Dali catalogue raisonne (not online). The collector can pay for Dali Archive’s opinion on a Dali print or painting. Based in New York City, the private company is regarded as one of the top Dali experts in the world. An LOA from the company or their deceased founder, Albert Field, is considered significant. Salvador Dali hand-picked Field to be the cataloguer of his artwork.

Did you know Rembrandt made a 1654 etching showing a golfer? Did you know that the 1800s painter Homer Winslow helped make a woodcut print of a football game, or that you can purchase an Andy Warhol limited edition screen print of Wayne Gretzky signed by both Warhol and Gretzky?

Fine art isn’t just for museums these days. Increasingly, sports collectors are purchasing original sports themed prints by famous artists. MastroNet, Robert Edward Auctions, Leland’s and other big sports auction houses have offered prints by Warhol, Salvador Dali, Rembrandt, Roy Lichtenstein and Leroy Neiman.

For beginner collectors concerned with authenticity, the fine arts can be intimidating and overwelming. As in all areas of collecting, there are fakes, forgeries and reprints. In fact, fine art prints were being forged long before baseball was a sport. As one collector said to me when inquiring about a Salvador Dali print he had purchased years earlier, “Not only do I have no idea if this is authentic, I have no idea how to find out if it’s authentic.”

Happily, there are reference books and websites that the collector can use to help judge the authenticity of a print for sale and learn the specifics about the work.

Catalogues Raisonne

For sellers and buyers of prints by a famous artist, a catalogue raisonne (plural: catalogues raisonne) is an essential information resource. Catalogues raisonne are large illustrated books used by Sotheby’s, Christies, museums and advanced collectors to help identify and authenticate prints. They are also a great starting point for the beginning collector, offering an illustrated survey and description of the artist’s work.

A catalogue raisonne is a book or series of books covering a specific area of an artist’s work (paintings, sculpture, prints, other). They are researched and produced by the top experts in the field, including professors, museums curators and gallery owners. They are often assisted or otherwise approved by the artist or artist’s estate.

While catalogues raisonne vary in quality, a good one will be extensively illustrated and give most of the essentials of the artist’s original prints. These essentials can include dimensions of a print, type of printing used (etching, engraving, other), number of prints, editions, how a print is signed and numbered, watermarks, the type of paper used, and so on. A catalogue often includes helpful biographical and artistic information, such as describing the printing techniques and styles, and details known fakes and unauthorized reprints. Some catalogues are so lavishly and colorfully illustrated, they are worth the price simply as picture books for the coffee table.

The essentialness of a catalogue raisonne is that it lists what prints are recognized as genuine works by the artist. While there will be some legitimate uncataloged prints, most collectors should stick to what is catalogued. If a print for sale is not listed and detailed in the catalogue raisonne or called genuine by other substantive source (expert opinion, authoritative article), the average collector should not buy.

If the least that collectors of the world did was to determine if a print is listed as authentic in the catalogue raisonne and that the bare basics (size, signature, numbering, etc) matches the catalogue listing, the sale of forgeries and fakes would be reduced by over 90 percent.

Obtaining a particular artist’s catalogue can be difficult. While catalogues by some artist’s can be bought on eBay and popular bookstores like amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, they are often expensive. Some are extremely difficult to find and a few may not be in English! I own a Picasso catalogue raisonne written in French with German translation and I know neither language.

For the hard-to-find catalogues raisonne, the collector should look high and low. This includes looking at used bookstores, libraries and asking around. Some galleries or dealers have libraries and will let collectors reference them.

With reputable auctioneers and dealers who specialize is expensive fine art, the auction description will typically detail that a print is officially “listed” as genuine by listing the catalogue’s title, author and the catalogue number and/or page number for the print. Even if the collector does not have access to the particular catalogue, he will at least know that the print is listed in a catalogue raisonne.

The following are free online catalogues raisonne and related websites for famous artists:

Leroy Neiman: http://www.leroyneiman.com
This is Neiman’s official site, maintained by his publisher, and contains the complete illustrated catalogue raisonne. It includes commentary for collectors written by the artist.

Andy Warhol: http://www.warholprints.com
Warhol made numerous popular paintings and prints of athletes, including Mahammad Ali, Gretzky, Eric Heiden and European hockey players. Barry Halper owned a Warhol Pete Rose that is pictured in the 1999 Sotheby’s/Halper catalog. This website is maintained by a prominent art gallery that published many of Warhol’s original prints. The information is officially approved as accurate by Warhol’s estate.

Pablo Picasso: http://www.tamu.edu/mocl/picasso

Salvador Dali: http://www.daliarchives.com
Dali is one of the most forged of all artists, and the collector of his work has to be particularly careful. This site is the publisher of the official Dali catalogue raisonne (not online). The collector can pay for Dali Archive’s opinion on a Dali print or painting. Based in New York City, the private company is regarded as one of the top Dali experts in the world. An LOA from the company or their deceased founder, Albert Field, is considered significant. Salvador Dali hand-picked Field to be the cataloguer of his artwork.