Cal Ripken Fielders Glove Bought for a "Song" on eBay

[yankees159]

In my opinion, this post shows me that dealers and auction houses aren't the only entities that possibly engage in questionable ethical dealings in order to make $$$. It's sad what this industry has become. THINGS MUST CHANGE!

[mvandor]

Clearly something personal is going on here in this war of words beteen two members, I assume there is some history there.

It seems to me there are collectors, and there are profiteers. Someone that scores an item at a below market price then immediately moves to flip it falls into the latter category in my book. So, if the Ripken is real then Dave scores a cool profit flipping it; if it is not, then he overpaid and will take a loss unless he moves it to someone else less discriminating. Accordingly, he has a significant interest in defending its legitimacy. At least one other person questions same, thus threatening the profiteering venture.

Is that about it?

[3arod13]

Clearly something personal is going on here in this war of words beteen two members, I assume there is some history there.

It seems to me there are collectors, and there are profiteers. Someone that scores an item at a below market price then immediately moves to flip it falls into the latter category in my book. So, if the Ripken is real then Dave scores a cool profit flipping it; if it is not, then he overpaid and will take a loss unless he moves it to someone else less discriminating. Accordingly, he has a significant interest in defending its legitimacy. At least one other person questions same, thus threatening the profiteering venture.

Is that about it?

What I find troublesome is when someone buys something believing it's authentic...finds out after they receive it's not...then turns around and sells it as authetic, when they now know it's not. I'm not saying in this case it happens, but we all know some people do.

Regards, Tony

[allstarsplus]

What was the quote from the movie that Jack Nicholson as Colonel Jessup made famous--You can't handle the truth!

Collecting gloves is as tough as it gets due to the extreme scarcity of the real glove. I thought I had purchased Moises Alou's glove used in the famous Bartman playoff game (Marlins vs. Cubs) and what I got was his backup glove.

When doing my research, I found a great article that discusses GLOVES.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...6.story?page=1

Cal Ripken played 21 seasons in the Majors. He didn't use many gloves. He has said on more than 1 occassion the status of his gloves. That glove is not the missing Kansas City glove. You would think that everyone would take Cal's word on it and move on. Cal is an honorable guy. The bigger question to me is whether it is a glove that was made for Cal which makes it rare. Bob Clevenhagen can certainly answer that. If it was made for Cal, than there is huge value in the glove. We all know that there were Ripken gloves with his name sewn on that Rawlings made for promotional and autograph purposes. You can buy a game model off of Ironclad's site now for $495 with an autograph and Gold Glove inscription!!!!

So, if the Ripken is real then Dave scores a cool profit flipping it; if it is not, then he overpaid and will take a loss unless he moves it to someone else less discriminating. Accordingly, he has a significant interest in defending its legitimacy. At least one other person questions same, thus threatening the profiteering venture.

Is that about it?

Nothing personal here, but there are several people questioning it. Brett has detailed many that claim they have the glove!

Look at Cal's real gloves and see the real oil patterns and use patterns and let that be your proof.

Andrew

[lund6771]

so typical...there will ALWAYS be at least one auction house that will take out the trash

[camarokids]

I am sure everyone remembers the supposed find of game used gloves at a used sporting goods store in California . Wasn't it determined the AROD glove was a promotional glove due to the period at the end of his name (where it is sewn in)??

Well wouldn't the same apply here w/ Ripkens gloves? If so . It would be an easy way to tell the difference between player issued and promo???

[mr.miracle]

I am sure everyone remembers the supposed find of game used gloves at a used sporting goods store in California . Wasn't it determined the AROD glove was a promotional glove due to the period at the end of his name (where it is sewn in)??

Well wouldn't the same apply here w/ Ripkens gloves? If so . It would be an easy way to tell the difference between player issued and promo???

My understanding from speaking with Bob Clevenhagen at Rawlings who made Cal's gloves throughout his career is that Cal's gloves were reproduced right down to the last stitch on the glove and in some cases are identical to his real gloves to the point that even Bob has a difficult time discerning the difference between the two. If the guy who made his gloves can't tell the difference then the general collecting public is going to be in for some trouble.

For whatever reason this identical gloves were shipped in mass quantities to Japan and used by either the Japenese league stars or up and coming people in their minor league system. These gloves have then made their way back into the US as Ripken game used gloves. My understanding is that there is not and never has been the distinguishing dot system in place at least not for the reproduced models. This is just one element of this whole ball of wax but unfortunately, it happens to have occured with Ripken game gloves which are already probably the most difficult find of any major star or hof player in the past 40 years to find.

[camarokids]

That does suck about the promo Ripken gloves being exactly as the real deal !

I feel very bad for the people who have spent thousands and now have to doubt what they own as legit .

For there is no reason not to believe what Cal says about keeping his gloves .

I would love to see the baseball collection Cal Ripken has ! If he saved almost all of his fielding gloves , He must have saved a lot of other stuff too! Then on top of that , I bet other players game him stuff or exchanges stuff ????

[Carlevv]

XPFO, if you go to the hotel i dont think you will get close to Derek. Go to a restraunt name Muse. Its where Derek, Posada and others go after the game. Its a bar/eatery and its pretty dead all the time. They have dinner there every night after the games in Toronto. Ill be there myself at muse on the night of the off day, and the following two nights. See ya there!

[sportscentury]

Just curious as to whether Heritage is auctioning the Ripken glove and, if so, would someone please provide me with the link to it (I cannot find it)?

Thank you.