1940's Bat Boy Forged Signatures

[sportsbaron]

I attended a book signing event last night for 1948-50 Detroit Tigers visiting clubhouse boy Danny Dillman. Besides buying condoms for Ted Williams, I took interest in his accounts of players tipping the clubhouse boy to sign their allotment of baseballs that were required to be autographed. He recounted the time that the Indians were in town and Bob Feller asked if he could do his signature. Lou Boudreau asked what he was doing and Lou had him sign his name as well. He added "the next time you buy an autographed ball on eBay, you may have a genuine Danny Dillman." I'm sure this comes as no shock to anyone, but it was interesting to hear him speak.

[Marichal27]

"Ghost signers" has been going on for years. I'm VERY curious what PSA/DNA is going to do when a ton of the Bonds autographed items, were really signed by his ex friend Bob Hoskins.

[Marichal27]

I meant Steve Hoskins.

[David]

'Clubhouse signature' is a common term used with team signed balls, denoting player signatures signed by the bat boy or whomever in the clubhouse. Many old team balls will have a few clubhouse signatures, with the rest being real.

[David]

Most of Joe Jackson's fan through the mail autographs were signed by his wife. Luckily, Joe and his wife had entirely different handwriting. Joe's wife had neat, clean handwriting. Joe, on the other hand, was nearly illiterate and his signature looks as if written by a first year old. I believe Joe's wife taught him to write his name when he was an adult.