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Always On the Look Out for Troy Percival & Randy Johnson Gamers
Rob L's Baseball Memorabilia website: GU Troy Percival, GU Randy Johnson, GU Angels, GU Baseball, 19th Century Baseball and Autographs. Also a huge Game Used Resource page and Game Used Collectors Page: www.loefflerrd.webs.com
Great stuff Rob. You have an impressive collection. Can you post some larger pics of displays for us? I also have a question. I've never understood why we all refer to them as 1880s figure eight balls. I do it, you do it, everyone does it. I'm looking at my 1986 figure eight American League All Stars autographed ball right now...ha ha. Why don't we just call them 1880s baseballs?
Great stuff Rob. You have an impressive collection. Can you post some larger pics of displays for us? I also have a question. I've never understood why we all refer to them as 1880s figure eight balls. I do it, you do it, everyone does it. I'm looking at my 1986 figure eight American League All Stars autographed ball right now...ha ha. Why don't we just call them 1880s baseballs?
That's a good question. It appears that the Figure 8 ball didn't exist until the 1858 and really didn't become prevalent until the late 1860s - early 1870s. By the 1890s, the majority of the balls were white. I usually date the balls in the c1880s range based on color, size and a fairly uniform stitching. Also the use of "c" or circa usually means + or - 5 years. Therefore, saying circa 1880s give a ball the range of 1875 to 1894. The one figure 8 ball that I think is an 1870s Figure 8 is a very primitive ball, size wise, weight wise and stitching, suggesting the earlier date.
Always On the Look Out for Troy Percival & Randy Johnson Gamers
Rob L's Baseball Memorabilia website: GU Troy Percival, GU Randy Johnson, GU Angels, GU Baseball, 19th Century Baseball and Autographs. Also a huge Game Used Resource page and Game Used Collectors Page: www.loefflerrd.webs.com
Rob: Collecting lemon peel baseballs and the like has never appealed (no pun intended) to me, but I really enjoyed your photos. Just evidences your dedication to collecting and the obvious joy it brings you. Also, I really dig that Maris photo. Wish that guy was still with us.
Thanks for the kind words. My collection of 19th century baseballs is a passion as I have been researching the development of them for a couple of years now. I remember someone commenting on the old Net 54 Vintage Baseball Collecting forums asking if my wife new that I was interested in old lumpy balls
Dan - I do display everything on a couple of walls and shelves in my office at work. It's funny, I don't remember where I posted the pictures before, but Joe may actually have them (or remember where they are).
Mike - If there is anything that you would like to see blown up, let me know and I will take closer photos or better scans.
Always On the Look Out for Troy Percival & Randy Johnson Gamers
Rob L's Baseball Memorabilia website: GU Troy Percival, GU Randy Johnson, GU Angels, GU Baseball, 19th Century Baseball and Autographs. Also a huge Game Used Resource page and Game Used Collectors Page: www.loefflerrd.webs.com
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