1956 San Antonio Missions Brooks Robinson Minor League Game-Used Cap

[peabody]

Hello everyone,

I would like to show off my 1956 Brooks Robinson San Antonio Missions game-worn cap. I am new to the forum, so I hope you will be patient. Last year, Mr. Robinson was cleaning out his garage and came across this old cap from when he played for the AA San Antonio Missions of the Texas League. Through arrangement with a local card shop, some of these items he found in his garage were put up for auction. I was surprised when only 30 people showed up, and I got this for what I consider "a steal". The cap shows incredible game usage, soiling and sweat staining. This cap came with a signed statement from Brooks indicating this was the only cap he wore for that club. Questions...

1.) Would Mears authenticate minor league material? Do you think there would be value added with such assessment?
2.) Brooks Robinson is always signing in my neck of the woods, would you get the under bill signed?
3.) Ballpark range of how much this might be valued at?

Thanks in advance!

[xpress34]

GREAT PIECE!!! :eek:

I would contact Mears - I believe Troy posts on here from time to time - and ask if that is something they would authenticate. I would think with the letter, you should be good to go.

I would get it signed for sure - and if you're getting it signed in person, take the letter and ask about the provenance of it again directly and see if he will inscribe it Game Used and the years and GET A PICTURE of him WITH the hat!

Value - really hard to say on MiLB stuff versus MLB stuff, but being a VINTAGE piece of a HOFer should definately help!!!

All the best -

Chris

[xpress34]

P.S. -

I collect caps, so if you ever think about moving that piece, please let me know!!!

- Chris
xpress34@comcast.net

[both-teams-played-hard]

Cool Hat! What other items were in the auction?
I think the letter of provenance from Brooks is more valid than an LOA from any authenticator.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Also, I would NOT get the cap signed. Leave as-is. The signed letter is all you need.

[peabody]

Thanks for the advice. So was the $1600 I paid for it too much? I'm thinking I will be contacting Mears soon. The auction Brooks Robinson had was in conjunction with a local card shop and had very very limited publicity. I found out about it really out of luck. The auction was mostly a bunch of modern stuff that was given to Brooks over his major league career, nothing very valuable or important. There were 4 pre-Orioles items including this hat and some high school baseball photos.

[David]

My opinion is if you can (and want) you should get Robinson to sign and inscribe as game used under the bill. Even the 'purists' can't complain too much about that, as it would be under the bill.

[peabody]

The whole "sign" or "not to sign" question is the most perplexing for me. I think I will hold off for the time being and ask Brooks if he perhaps has a picture of himself on that squad?

James

[ndevlin]

I personally dont like modern autographs on a vintage item. Like having Yogi Berra sign a 40's model gamer in a sharpie. Kind of takes the vintage out of the bat.


Now if he would have signed it in the 40's in fountain pen, thats a different story.

[David]

Of note, you almost never see Pre-Rookie minor league gu caps from Hall of Famers. You rarely even see minor league caps of modern stars, like ARod and Jeter. So your cap is a rare find.

[ndevlin]

Oh, and he also played for San Antonio in 1957 as well.

[peabody]

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for your information and insight. I have been unsuccessful in finding any sort of period San Antonio Missions photographs. I paid $1600 for this. Did I get a steal or is that about right? I don't intend on selling, but a very very general ballpark range from your own subjective opinion would be helpful (for insurance purposes). As a die-hard Orioles fan, this is a key pickup for me.

James

[ironmanfan]

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for your information and insight. I have been unsuccessful in finding any sort of period San Antonio Missions photographs. I paid $1600 for this. Did I get a steal or is that about right? I don't intend on selling, but a very very general ballpark range from your own subjective opinion would be helpful (for insurance purposes). As a die-hard Orioles fan, this is a key pickup for me.

James

Being in the insurance business myself (and being a onetime underwriter), due to the uniqueness of the item (virtually one of a kind, etc), since there would be no way to replace it should be stolen, burned, etc., I would only insure it for what you paid for it since are there are no other documented
"market or replacement" values outside of what you purchased it for in the open market...(maybe round it up to $2k). In other words, you are going to have a difficult time getting a carrier to insure for much more than what you paid (again, due to its uniqueness). If you bought it for $50 that would be one thing, but I really think you got it at a fair, market price.

[peabody]

Hey guys,

I apologize for the bump and I'm not trying to be a nuiscance. I just received a cash/trade offer for this item. While it's tempting, I'm just not sure. Can someone give me a completely subjective ballpark range what this item, or other such items could or have gone for? I appreciate your patience and expertise.

James

[cordovacollector]

Hey guys,

... I don't intend on selling, but a very very general ballpark range from your own subjective opinion would be helpful (for insurance purposes). ...

James

Hmmmmmm.

[Mark70Z]

I collect O's and Brooksie items almost exclusively. I personnally would not have Brooks sign the hat (just my personal opinion). I'm like some of the others which posted a comment; a modern sharpie on a vintage hat is just not what I would look for when purchasing.

Of course with being a Brooksie collector, I'd love to purchase (without the autograph of course... :)

[momen55]

why bother with mears? you know where it came from, so leave it at that. you want to pay them to tell you where it came from when you already know that? save your money.