Found: Bill Mazeroski's 1960 World Series Home run baseball?

[JCC1968]

Guys

I know this sounds like a reach, but let me explain. Recently at a garage sale in Saraosta, FL, I went to a retirement village where they put everything out in their quad. I came across several baseballs, one was a baseball signed by Bill Jackowski (home plate umpire in this game?) I questioned one of the people working the sale and she said the couple where no longer alive who owned the ball and that it was the wife's husband's "prized possesion" From the 1960 world series homerun baseball that ended the series. He tried to get Mr. Mazeroski's to sign it but could only get Bill Jackowski to. Here is what I know and I will post pics if anyone is interested. The Facts as I know them:

1) Baseball is shows game use and rubbed down nice panteina on it.

2) Baseball has a huge spot where someone's bat made heavy contact.

3) It is a Warren Giles baseball

4) Bill Jackowski signed the baseball.

Has anyone claimed to have this baseball? Is it possible to docuement this baseball? Anyone have any thoughts?


Thanks
Jason

[33bird]

That's awesome. Did you buy it? How much? I have a Johnny Bench game used home run ball from July 3, 1976. A nice Feeney ball. I know it's real and I got a nice coa on it, etc. But-how do you ever really prove that it actually was the real deal? That's the only thing about Game used home run balls. But, I still like em' a lot.
Greg

[JCC1968]

Greg

Thanks for the post! My big problem is proving the baseball is what it is. I don't know if it is possible. The ticket stubs were sold before i got there. Can anyone in GUF help? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE


Jason

[corsairs25]

If I recall, the ball went over a 10 ft. brick wall and into a small grove of Cherry trees. I'm pretty sure there weren't any camera crews in a position to see where the ball hit or who got it. It certainly wasn't anyone who had a ticket. But who knows? Mark

[MSpecht]

In this video it looks like Maz is holding a ball (the HR ball ??) in the clubhouse......also at the end of the tape they are in the Pirates locker room and the commentator says "they converged around his (Maz' ?) locker and the clubhouse man came ....." and the video stops.....was he about to say "brought him the ball?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_al6s9BpmE

The clip is from The History Channel....that would be a good place to start....

Jackowski was a member of the umpire crew in the Series and in the 7th game, so that's a likely / possible connection to the Series at least...another starting point.

HR balls are difficult/impossible to authenticate unless a batboy got it and annotated it at the time, or possibly the player. I got what is supposed to be Dick Stuart's first A.L. home run ball....It is not signed, but printed on it is the following:

"First home run hit in American League -- against Washington Senators April 1962" ....then "Dick Stuart" is printed on the sweet spot. The printing on the sweet spot is different than the other printing....After alot of looking , I found a contract that Stuart had signed for an appearance some years later, and on it he printed a request for pick-up to and from the airport below his signature....his printing on the contract matches the printing on the ball, so I am pretty comfortable with it...My guess (speculation) is the bat boy or whoever retrieved the ball, printed Stuart's name on it for ID, then gave it to him later, and he (Stuart) printed the notation itself.

BTW ... Here's some 1960 World Series trivia --- who was was in the on-deck circle when Maz hit his game winning HR ? :

"I was kneeling in the on-deck circle, thinking I was going to be the hero. And all of a sudden, I was out on the field jumping around,'' Dick Stuart said in an interview with AP."

Good Luck.... it's a pretty cool ball no matter what.

Mike Jackitout7@aol.com

[ironmanfan]

I would suspect that the real ball would be in Cooperstown (you can shoot them an email to confirm). Nice item, though.

[JCC1968]

The homerun ball has never been found!!!! Could this be the one? I will post pics.

Jason


Jason,
It is not. According to a recent piece in USA Today's Sports Weekly, the whereabouts of the ball are unknown.
Best,
Freddy Berowski
Research Associate
National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
A. Bartlett Giamatti Research Library
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
fberowski@baseballhalloffame.org
research@baseballhalloffame.org
607-547-0335
607-547-4094 (FAX)

[JCC1968]

Hi

I am going to post pics tonight of this baseball. I would like everyone to chime in.

Thanks

Jason

[Canseco44]

Did you buy the ball, and if you did how much if you don't mind saying. I think this would be an awesome story if it turns out to be the ONE. I hope for you it works out.

Todd

[JCC1968]

Guys

Here are the pics of the baseball.

1) bat marks

2) Landing mark

3) umpires signature

4) Warren Giles baseball


What do you think?