Milwaukee Braves / Hank Aaron batting helmet question

[dwight24]

Hello,

Do any of you know if the Milwaukee Braves ever put uniform numbers on the back of their batting helmets? I have an old helmet and have been trying to photo-match it. Hard to find photos showing the back of the batting helmet. the few I have found didn't have numbers on the back, but these were from earlier periods than my helmet, which I believe is ca '64/65.

Thanks.

feel free to contact me off site if you feel more comfortable. I'm at:

mandlhiggins@msn.com

Best,

Mel

[yanks12025]

Pretty sure the guy you bought this helmet from on ebay does nothing but forge items. Anyone else remember this seller? minimick07

[dwight24]

Yes, that is his eBay handle. Anyone else have any information on this seller? He said he got the helmet from Jim Bibby. Helmet seems to be an authentic fiberglass ABC helmet from the time period. Accurate ABC label and pattent numbers inside.

Please pass on any other information you may have on this person as I was considering buying something else from him. His eBay rating is 100% positive with over 300 responses. Everything seems legit to me, but would like to hear stories of him if they are out there.

Thanks,

[yanks12025]

But you really think if he believed it was a real hank Aaron helmet he'd be selling it for $799?

[dwight24]

The story I was given is that he purchased this helmet, and other items, from Jim Bibby in the 1990s when Bibby was a pitching coach for the local minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, VA. What checked out is that the seller is from Lynchburg, and Bibby was the pitching coach for the Carolina League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_League)'s Lynchburg, Virginia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynchburg,_Virginia) ballclub from 1985 to 1999. Dates and places seemed accurate. The helmet came with a card, apparently from Bibby, stating Aaron gave him (Bibby) the helmet in 1973. Card was signed by Bibby. Since the helmet looked good, background story sounded good, and he had 100% feedback, I figured that he had bought these items in the 1990s and eventually left the sports collecting hobby and just wanted to sell some stuff off, having lost track of current prices.

Anyone know if Bibby was a collector of sports memorabelia? Anyone ever hear this story before?

Thanks again

[karamaxjoe]

Pretty sure the guy you bought this helmet from on ebay does nothing but forge items. Anyone else remember this seller? minimick07

Isn't this the guy that would sell hall of famer helmets with really bad looking manikins?

[commando]

Index cards were the most popular method of getting signatures back in the day. I'd be curious to know if the signature is in the same pen and same handwriting as the autograph. I'm guessing the "letter" part of this document was probably typed?

[dwight24]

The post card I mentioned is not so much a post card, but rather a smallish piece of paper that is typed. The signature is "Jim" only, not the entire name. I was told that the Jim Bibby items each came had these pieces of paper coming with them. The sense I was given was that these were more for Jim Bibby's records and not for any reason of provenance. I was told that some of these were fully signed, some innitialed, and some not signed at all by Bibby. If the seller wanted to fake this piece of the item, I would have thought he would have at least signed his entire name.

[Tay1038]

Take it for what it's worth. If this is the same seller as I remember; he has sold a number of big name player helmets in the past. All for low, low proces. Two that I can think of off the top of my head: Killebrew and Koufax. Killebrew went for $500.

I followed the seller for roughly two months to see what else he sold and remember seeing him sell mutliple ABC helmets with no paint job or team representation. Just a basic blank ABC authentic helmet. They all had the proper tagging inside.

While doing some additional research I also found a company that massed produced fiberglass batting helmets back in the 80's I believe. Maybe the early 90's. Somewhat like the TriStar Hidden Treasures deal. They made a bunch of batting helmets and put them in packages for the public to buy. I'll do some research tonight to see if I can locate what I found before.

I'm not passing any opinion on this seller; just the facts on what I saw on eBay.

[Tay1038]

Yikes on the spelling error guys! My bad.

[commando]

I can tell you from years of experience, the "Jim" letter will not be a factor here. It just kinda is what it is. A good start would be to keep looking for a photo match, or at least a style match that shows these stenciled white numerals were ever worn on Milwaukee helmets.

You can return the helmet if you're not comfortable (Ebay does allow you to, regardless of what the seller says), but you'll have to do it in a reasonable timeframe.

[dwight24]

First off, THANK YOU to all of the people taking part in this thread. All of your comments are greatly appreciated.

I just received the helmet today, and the ABC sticker, in fact, is not correct. I have a mid-late '50s helmet which doesn't have a zip code for the ABC company (since this was before zip codes were invented) and a late '60s helmet with the ABC sticker showing zip code and a pattent number that was issued in 1965.

The ABC sticker in the Hank Aaron helmet conveniently has the bottom portion of the sticker removed (where the zip code would or would not be given), and the pattent numbers are scratched out/marked over by black marker. This sticker is most definately a later '60s sticker, if not later. Darn those fuzzy pictures on eBay!

I've contacted the seller and am asking for a refund. If I don't hear from the seller within 24 hours, I'll go through eBay's resolution center.

Again, thank you all!

Mel

[momen55]

that is a 60's helmet. a friend has a helmet from the 60's and the sticker is identical.
62423

[dwight24]

Just to wrap this up...

someone was kind enough to send me a link to an eBay auction that this seller won about 6 weeks ago. It is the exact same helmet, but was all blue, and the sticker not tampered with. Identical padding creases, paint marks on the inside. Exact same helmet. He then obviously modified it to make it look like a Milwaukee Brewers helmet and put it up as a Hank Aaron helmet.

Seller says he will refund my money.

Thanks to all who helped out.

Mel

[momen55]

Just to wrap this up...

someone was kind enough to send me a link to an eBay auction that this seller won about 6 weeks ago. It is the exact same helmet, but was all blue, and the sticker not tampered with. Identical padding creases, paint marks on the inside. Exact same helmet. He then obviously modified it to make it look like a Milwaukee Brewers helmet and put it up as a Hank Aaron helmet.

Seller says he will refund my money.

Thanks to all who helped out.

Mel

what is the link mel? i'd like to see it.

[dwight24]

Here is the link to the auction that includes the helmet I now have.

I'm also adding an inside pic of my helmet so you can compare it with the inside pic from the eBay auction. Exact match.

Mel


http://www.ebay.com/itm/151002869869?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2F i.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D1510028 69869%26_rdc%3D1#ht_559wt_1228

[momen55]

so even though the helmet is fake, you are going to keep it?

[yanks12025]

Pretty sure he's returning it based on the seller is going to refund his money. I'd report this to the police or maybe even FBI. This guy deserves to be in jail.

[dwight24]

As part of the process to get my money back through eBay, the first step is to return the helmet.

Spred the word. Don't buy any Milwaukee Braves/Aaron helmets any time soon.

[CollectGU]

Please consider keeping screen shots of everything and contact the FBI office in Chicago with what happened. They are the ones that have been targeted sellers of phony memorabilia. He has left a trail now that could close him up for good....

Dave

[commando]

Another Hall of Fame item has shown up from the phantom Jim Bibby collection... This time it's a Reggie Jackson game worn Yankees jacket.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GAME-WORN-REGGIE-JACKSON-NEW-YORK-YANKEES-RAWLINGS-DUGOUT-JACKET-/321209489707?hash=item4ac993d92b

[sportsnbikes]

I'm curious as to why the seller wasn't given negative feedback based on the evidence and the experience. He shouldn't still have 100% feedback.

[FastLane80]

Hello everyone. This guy is at it again but this time with a Willie Mays helmet and hat. Buyer beware.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SAN-FRANCISCO-GIANTS-BASEBALL-BATTING-HELMET-HAT-1970-WILLIE-MAYS-/322387623656?hash=item4b0fccbee8:g:bngAAOSwUKxYdqS i

[hurricaneditka66]

I recently saw the Willie Mays helmet/hat offered by this seller as well.

Helmet looked pretty convincing upon first glance, but the Giants letter signed by Clyde King is an obvious forgery.

He apparently sold that item to an unsuspecting buyer...