Winfield Home Run Baseball

[joelsabi]

http://cgi.ebay.com/DAVE-WINFIELD-Au...d=p3286.c0.m14

What do you think about this baseball? The inscrition says "Gamer" but doesnt mention HR.

[sox83cubs84]

Not to comment on the ball's authenticity or lack thereof, but this ball has been up on eBay several times with this opening bid or higher and hasn't gone.

I can say, though, that the backstory about the fountains and grounds crew guy make sense. I've been to a few Royals games in KC over the years, and more than once asked a groundskeeper if I could have a home run ball hit into that off-limits area. Every time I've either been refused or ignored.

I hope it's good...it beats paying $2500 for an Alfonso Soriano dinger.

Dave M.
Chicago area-

[ndevlin]

He did infact hit a homer that day.

But dang, I'd buy a couple of his bats for that price!

[suicide_squeeze]

As a homerun ball collector, I wouldn't touch it for $ .10 cents.

Here's why....in the description at the end, it states:

"The two letters of provenance are copies of the original letters. I accept paypal. All sales are final, so please bid accordingly. Payment is due within 5 days after the close of the auction."

Red flags all around.

Why, if this guy is the owner of the baseball, is he only supplying "copies" of the original letters of provenance?

Simply put, there is NO explanation for that. If he has THE ball, he should have the original letters of authenticity.

NO thanks....

[ndevlin]

Well a copied letter doesnt do it for me. That happens all the time actually. I know sometimes people sell an item and only give a copy out because they want the original letter for their records/collection. Or if its a letter that goes with several items, like a "lot" for bats, people will give copies to each buyer.

For all you know, this ball came from a "lot" of baseballs won in some sort of auction house, where this seller is only supplying a copy of the letter, rather than giving the original to one and none to the others.

Who knows what the circumstances are, but I wouldnt rule out the ball entirely based on a copied letter, but thats just me. Plus, I wouldnt mind giving .10 cents for it. At least the auto looks good.

[suicide_squeeze]

This is a typical obvious fradulent auction, and I don't mind calling it out as such.

Nate, we could speculate 'til the cows come home, but the bottom line is, whatever the situation is with this ball, unless this guy can show a clear, connected path of provenance accompanying this ball, and prove that what he is claiming is in fact true.....and a large part of that would be to supply the original letter(s) of authenticity that accompanied the ball......it's worthless (with the obvious exception to being a "used water-stained ball"). There isn't even any "weight" placed on it, IMO, by the supposed inscription of Winfield's "gamer".

If this seller really knew all the details behind this ball, and was really interested in optimizing his "take" for the sale of it, he would include all the little "imparticulars" regarding the history of this ball, and the letters of authenticity that should be included.....not "copies". And he could explain how he "knows" of the grounds keeper obtaining the ball and such. If it's in the letter of authenticity, why not show a picture of it? Is it because he may show a letter that someone else has, and they might cry "wolf"?

There is just way too much deceipt or lack of facts in this little gem. Hey, if you have a nice item like this, spew out the glory! Don't leave a bunch of questions unanswered for anyone willing to shell out some serious dough for a nice piece of baseball history from a superstar.....unless of course you are lying about it, and trying to conceal the fact it's fake.

This auction is garbage, and so is the ball, no matter whether it's real or not. Supplying a "copy" of the authenticity letter(s) is the nail in this babies coffin. If I cared, which I don't, I'd ask this "seller" why a copy is being supplied when the original is what should accompany it.....I would be interested in hearing his response.....but I already know the essence of what it will be.....

If this item is real, it has been ruined in regards to it's provenance due to the bungling in the handling of it's history. I just don't believe that's the case, though.

[ndevlin]

Is the ball a HR ball? Hell, I dont know. But Im not going to say its crap just because the letter is a copy. That happens all the time.

[ballhawknet]

I can say, though, that the backstory about the fountains and grounds crew guy make sense. I've been to a few Royals games in KC over the years, and more than once asked a groundskeeper if I could have a home run ball hit into that off-limits area. Every time I've either been refused or ignored.

I hope it's good...it beats paying $2500 for an Alfonso Soriano dinger.

Dave M.
Chicago area-[/quote]




LOL , THANKS FOR THE LAUGH DAVE M

I DONT KNOW WHAT MADE ME LAUGH HARDER , YOUR CHOOSING ONCE AGAIN TO BRING UP ONE OF MY AUCTIONS COMPLETLY OUT OF CONTEXT OF THE DISCUSSION OR YOUR COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF THE FOUNTAINS
IN KANSAS CITY OR HEARING ANOTHER STORY ABOUT HOW YOU FAILED ONCE AGAIN AT BEGGING FOR BASEBALL .....LOL

SURE , ONE CAN CHOOSE TO PAY A PRICE FOR A BALL FROM A COMPLETE
STRANGER , A BALL THAT HAS CHANGED HANDS GOD KNOW HOW MANY TIMES , AND HAS VERY WITH QUESTIONABLE AUTHENTICITY , AND AS YOU PUT IT..."HOPE ITS GOOD " ..lol .. OR ONE COULD BY A BALL FROM A WELL KNOW BALLHAWK , WITH NOT ONLY A LETTER , A SIGNED AFFIDAVIT , AND IS TAGGED WITH A TAMPER PROOF HOLOGRAM AND a video of the catch as it goes into the glove !!! ... showing a close up of the ball !!! .

BY THE WAY , THE BIGGEST QUESTION I HAVE ON THIS WINFIELD BALL IS JUST HOW THE BALL WAS REMOVED FROM THE FOUNTAIN . BASEBALLS DONT FLOAT . UNLESS THE GUY CLIMBED UP THERE DURING THE GAME , AND GOT TO THE BALL WITHING A MINUTE ...IT SANK TO THE BOTTOM .
AND AS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY ......ITS DEEP !!. AT LEAST 5 FEET .
( I HAVE PICTURES OF MY FAILED ATTEMPT OF MY EFFORTS...LOL )


THANKS AGAIN DAVE !!!

[David]

I'm not offering an opinion as to whether or not it is authentic, but in these situations a lot depends on the seller. if the seller is someone you know and trust, you might go with his judgment that it is genuine. As with collecting autographs, I always say one of the most important things is knowing the seller. With a top notch seller-- well known as expert and well known as honest-- his opinion that the item is genuine may be worth more than the LOA that comes with the item. At the least, you know he isn't playing any games to raise the bids.

[sox83cubs84]

Ballhawk.net:

Gosh, you have a thin skin, don't you?

Enough of our needless bickering...let's let this thread go back to the ball, not your attempts to discredit me or your self-promotion for your authentication methodology.

Dave M.
Chicago area