My newest pickup, at a Steal (I hope)

[medindians25]

I just bought a game used ball from Cal Ripken Jr.'s 2,131 consecutive game. The same ball autographed by Cal and the Umpires from the game trades hands at $2,300+. I know mine isn't worth nearly that, but I would like to get it autographed by Mr. Ripken. Is there any way to tell if it was used in the game? It's got the orange stitching and the official logo, and there are definite signs of use, such as scuff marks, dirt, etc. Would Mears authenticate something like this? I will hopefully be seeing Mr. Ripken at a book signing, and I doubt he'll sign this, but I'd like to at least show it to him. I'll shoot some pictures and throw them up in a bit later today

[Eric]

Jake-

Is it authenticated by umpire Al Clark? If so, might not be what you think it is...

This Ump is Out
From Robert Longley,

Former big league umpire pleads guilty in sports fraud case

Former Major League baseball umpire Alan M. Clark, 56 has pleaded guilty to fraud charges in connection with the authentication of hundreds of baseballs that he falsely represented had been used in notable games he umpired, such as Cal Ripken Jr.'s tying and breaking of Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played.
According to a Department of Justice press release, the bogus balls were sold by Clark and a co-conspirator in the fraud - a sports memorabilia dealer and friend.

Clark also falsely represented that other balls he authenticated were used in the New York Yankee's 1978 pennant clinch over the Boston Red Sox; Nolan Ryan's 300th career pitching win with the Texas Rangers, and Dwight Gooden's 1996 no-hitter at Yankee Stadium, among numerous other notable games.

Clark officiated in all of the games in question, and signed most of the baseballs and all certificates of authenticity that went with them. In fact, most of the balls were never used in any of the games and were merely "rubbed up" to look like they'd been in play. Some of the baseballs, which were advertised for sale in sports memorabilia publications, sold for thousands of dollars, even though they were never used in the games.

"Most of these baseballs never saw the inside of a Major League Baseball stadium," said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie.

Also pleading guilty was Richard Graessle, Jr., 43, of Millburn, Clark's longtime friend, a freelance sports photographer and sometimes sports memorabilia dealer. Graessle admitted that he sold the baseballs to other sports memorabilia dealers, who in turn sold them to the public. Advertisements in sports magazines and sports trading publications put the price tag on some of the Al Clark baseballs at more than $2,000 at the height of their marketability.

Clark, an American League umpire from 1976 to 2001, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Graessle pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging tax evasion for the 1997 tax year, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Judge Bissell scheduled sentencing for Clark on June 3 and for Graessle on June 4. Each were released on $50,000 unsecured personal recognizance bonds.

In one of the examples described in the Informations to which Clark and Graessle pleaded guilty, Graessle obtained commemorative Ripken baseballs, thousands of which were manufactured specifically to mark the games in which Ripkin tied and broke Gehrig's record. They were imprinted with Ripkin's team number, had orange stitching (Baltimore Oriole colors), and the number 2,130 and 2,311 embossed on them, representing Gehrig's and Ripkin's consecutive-games-played record.

Graessle either mailed the baseballs to Clark or delivered them personally to Clark, who would sign them. They also rubbed the balls with the mud from a particular creek in Burlington County, N.J. - to conform to Major League Baseball's custom of burnishing all balls used in MLB games with that mud - and to bolster their claim that the balls had actually been used in the historic games.

According to the Informations to which he pleaded guilty, Clark signed certificates of authenticity that Graessle prepared, certifying that Clark was a member of the umpire crew in that particular game and that the baseballs were indeed used in the game. Graessle admitted that he then sold the balls to dealers who, in turn, sold them to the public - at prices greatly increased by the fraudulent certificates of authenticity. Clark himself prepared some certificates of authenticity in the case of the Ripkin baseballs, according to his Information.

Having met with success in the falsification of the Ripken baseballs, Clark and Graessle continued the fraud by falsely certifying the authenticity of baseballs used in other notable games in which Clark had served as an umpire.

Graessle also admitted failing to declare several hundred thousand dollars in income from the sale of these baseballs and other sports memorabilia on his federal income tax returns.

[Source: Department of Justice press release]
http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/consumer/a/badump.htm

[medindians25]

Thanks for that heads up. And no, there is no certification, though. It's funny they mentioned that creek. I live no more than 10 minutes from it, lol. I wish I could find the exact spot they go to, and then harvest a bunch and use on our game balls. Just because the mud helps the balls grip and juice.

[earlywynnfan]

May I ask how you know it's from that game?

Ken

[medindians25]

May I ask how you know it's from that game?

Ken



Sure can. It's the only game they used balls with this logo:
http://www.bradsextrainnings.com/photos/baseballs/ripken2131ball.jpg

^^Bad picture. They were also sold as commemorative balls, and I was trying to see if there was a way to tell

[Eric]

Don't forget what the department of justice wrote (even tho they misspelled Ripken's name)


"In one of the examples described in the Informations to which Clark and Graessle pleaded guilty, Graessle obtained commemorative Ripken baseballs, thousands of which were manufactured specifically to mark the games in which Ripkin tied and broke Gehrig's record. They were imprinted with Ripkin's team number, had orange stitching (Baltimore Oriole colors), and the number 2,130 and 2,311 embossed on them, representing Gehrig's and Ripkin's consecutive-games-played record."

[mr.miracle]

Just my two cents on this issue, but these balls have been showing up in droves by the dozens at various auction houses and ebay over the past five to ten years. Clark must have really put a ton of these fake balls out there but I would only trust these things if it came from an independant source. For instance other players from the 2131 game have provided their own autograph on the balls as well as an LOA with the ball stating it was used in that game. I for instance have one signed by a former Oriole reliver Jessie Orosco with a letter from Orosco as to its use in the 2131 and signed Game Used 9-6-95. Even these I suppose are suspect however anything with just the Clark LOA and the umpires signatures is probably worthless at this point. That being said, these things still sell at very high prices probably to people that most likely don't know any better.

Thanks

[aeneas01]

the clark story is revolting - simple as that. but, sadly, it seems to just be another example of the rampant corruption, fraud and deceit that john q. public faces every day.

last night c-span covered robert mueller's appearance in front of the house appropriations committee - mueller detailed the fbi's priorities and new scope of responsibilities, the sheer magnitude of which was nothing short of staggering. anyway, one of the items mueller addressed was the fbi's crackdown of public official corruption - in 2007 over 1,800 public officials were convicted, in 2006 1,600 were convicted and in 2005 1,200 were convicted. these convictions included federal and state officials, local officials and police officers - the detailed breakdown was enough to make you puke.

and, of course, the fbi is the subject of an investigation having to do with trying to obtain private information on u.s. citizens by using false threats including the false threat of subpoena...

bleak.

[Kaplankrazies]

Sure can. It's the only game they used balls with this logo:
http://www.bradsextrainnings.com/photos/baseballs/ripken2131ball.jpg

^^Bad picture. They were also sold as commemorative balls, and I was trying to see if there was a way to tellThat isn't yours is it? Still no picture....