Help with info on this ball

[Titans74]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAFAEL-PALMEIRO-GAME-USED-HOME-RUN-DERBY-BASEBALL-2001-/120839230625?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c229454a1



I'm no HR Derby expert, but did a simple Google search. If I am not looking at things all wrong, Raffy was in the 98 and 2004 AS HR Derby's. He won neither of them.

Hoping the info on this item is coorect and I am just missing something. The ball is described as a HR Derby 2nd round HR hit by Rafael Palmeiro. It says he went on to win the Derby by defeating Jose Canseco.

I can't find any of this in searching Google. Hopefully someone who knows more rhan I and paid more attention to these things can help me out.

Is the description accurate and I just am not finding the info?

Or is the ball description wrong?


Thanks.

[ironmanfan]

These are not from the HR Derby that takes place in conjunction with the MLB All Star Game. For a few years (late 1990's-early 2000's), there was a competition that took place in the off season & this would be from that.

I can't recall who it was, but there was a member here that had a jersey from one of the participants (they did not wear their team jerseys), a signed home plate, etc.

In my collection, I have an ad piece that promoted one of these events that I'll try to dig up and post as well....

[ironmanfan]

If you Google "Big League Challenge" and look under their image section, you'll see photos of Bonds, Glaus, Canseco, A-Rod, etc. participating in these events....

This event was coordinated by the MLBPA and that's why the players do not sport their team logos, etc.

I'll still try to dig up that ad piece.

[Titans74]

Thanks for the info. Man, really wanted it if it was from the AS game HR Derby.

[David]

The seller is a rather famous ball hawk from Chicago. Sports Illustrated, USA Today and other places have written articles about his ball fetching abilities at games.

[David]

He's probably the most skilled, famous and documented ball fetcher there is. I remember years back reading an article where he talking about his sometimes ingenious ways of getting balls from the field.

[xpress34]

It's from the 2001 Big League Challenge.

The Big League Challenge use to be held at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, NV (home of the Las Vegas 51'a - Toronto Blue Jays AAA affiliate).

It only lasted a short time and if memory serves it was 2001 - 2004.

I own an EU (Event Used) Home Plate and Cap from 2003.

The Home Plate was from Palmiero's Round versus Albert Pujols and the plate is signed by Pujols (Certified by On-Line Authentics). I also have Pujols' hat which is also autographed from the event (Certified by our own Andrew Lang).

I also have an EU/AU HR ball from Luis Gonzalez from 2002 (he was the Champion that year) that is Certified by On-Line Authentics.

Hope this info helps.

- Smitty

[xpress34]

I will say that if he's asking $400 for an EU Palmiero HR ball, I guess the $2,500 I quoted a buddy for my Pujols plate and hat might be a bit low as they are both one of a kind items... ;)

- Smitty