First Game Used Item

[beavisrules]

Re: First Game Used Item

Considering my interest, it is kind of random that my first game used item was a 1992 Ryan Thompson Syracuse Chiefs AAA baseball jersey. Fortunately, it was an honest seller who got it directly from the Chiefs, because I didn't really know what I was doing at the time (nor did any research), but since it was only around $35, I figured why not - if it wasn't real, it was a really nice looking authentic. Turned out to be a legit gamer, and I still have it to this day.

[karamaxjoe]

Re: First Game Used Item

My story is a little different than just buying my first item at an auction or store. It all started a few weeks before Halloween back in 1993. My wife came home one day from her parent’s house with an old baseball uniform she found in their attic. Her parents were cleaning out the house since they were moving and were throwing away a ton of stuff. My wife thought I might like the uniform for a Halloween costume and I eventually did use it for that purpose. I took a look at the jersey and instantly thought I might have something here. At the time I was collecting baseball cards and reading SCD so I’d seen some photos of old jerseys before and knew they had some value. After doing some frantic research with the Baseball Encyclopedia and Marc Okkonens uniform book at the library, I determined the jersey was a 1946 road White Sox jersey from Wally Moses with the Stars and Stripes patch on the sleeve. The only problem was the CHICAGO had been removed from the front and a different style of Sox logo had been sewn on the front. I then called my father-in-law who told me how he played American Legion ball in Lemont, Illinois and the uniforms were donated by the White Sox. He also told me the Good Will truck just came by the house and picked up a bag of clothes including THREE MORE UNIFORMS! I instantly had visions of poor people in Chicago walking around in Luke Appling and Ted Lyons jerseys. I then called Good Will and managed to convince them to return the one bag with the three uniforms. We actually still have some honest people left in this world. The jerseys didn’t turn out to be Hall of Famers, but three more serviceable players, Don Kolloway, Cas Michaels and George Dicky. I then took the four jerseys to Dave Mediema since Dave lived in the Chicago area. Dave told me the jerseys were the real thing and were worth about a grand each and should be restored. Long story short, I sold all my baseball cards, restored the four jerseys and still have the Wally Moses jersey to this day. I’d like to replace it with an original, but have had a hard time parting with the jersey that started my addiction.

www.freewebs.com/karamaxjoe

[Canseco44]

Re: First Game Used Item

My first was a game used Jose Canseco bat back in 2003. It is a Devil Rays Rawlings Big Stick model 456X and is signed Jose Canseco #33 Gamer. I got this directly from Canseco in a trade for some baseball cards. I still have it and will always have it.

Todd

[earlywynnfan]

Re: First Game Used Item

Tim Raines auto'd GU Hoosier bat, at least 10 years ago. I was collecting auto'd bats at the time, and thought it would be cool to have one used in a game. And I got hooked...

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[cjclong]

Re: First Game Used Item

Its been so long ago I misspelled Rafael.

[cjclong]

Re: First Game Used Item

My first game used item was a Raphael Palmeiro Louisville Slugger bat I bought on ebay. I knew nothing about how to try to check things out then. Palmeiro was doing a signing in Arlington and I bought a ticket to get the bat autographed. The autograph line was moving fairly fast and then when I got up to the table and handed him the bat everything stopped while he held the bat and carefully looked at and examined it and then asked me where I got it. It was obvious he recognized the bat as one of this (authentication!) I thought Lord, I hope this wasn't stolen out of his locker. I told him on ebay and he signed the bat with no problem. My wife got some good pictures of him holding the bat and talking to me while the line stopped.

[Danny899]

Re: First Game Used Item

The first gamer I collected was a 1989 Rickey Henderson A's jersey. It came with a letter from Dave Miedema and was signed on the front and rear. I began to collect more Henderson jerseys after that from earlier in his career including pullovers and other rare button downs from other teams. So how did it shape the theme of my collecting you ask? I had the wild idea to try to collect a jersey from every year he played which is difficult considering he played 20+ years. So does anyone have a 97 Angels laying around????

PS: Yanks12025, I bet you wish you could have that Berra bat back!

[momen55]

Re: First Game Used Item

1958 "momen" clemente gamer. bought it about 8 years ago when i lived in chicago, from a woman who ended up with it in here divorce settlement. she didn't care about it nor want it, so we agreed a a fair price and there you have it. best piece in my collection.

[yanks12025]

Re: First Game Used Item

The first game used bat that i got was a 1950-52 Larry (Yogi) Berra bat. I paid $45 for it at a local auction. Did not know it was game used till after a year and then i sold it to Taube.

[panthrotc]

Re: First Game Used Item

First Game Used item was a 1990 McGwire CRACKED Gamer with McGwire spelled "McWire" on the barrel. Then in 2002, i got one of those UD cards that let you send something in to Upper Deck to have McGwire Sign. So i sent the 1990 CRACKED Gamer to be signed.

and here it is... Its the bat on TOP

[zookerman182]

Re: First Game Used Item

I bought a Carlos Lee signed Brewers game used bat for $120 back in 2005 after the regular season ended. I thought it was the greatest thing on earth. ($120 was also alot for me to spend on something) That was all it took to get me hooked on game used and officially end my baseball card collecting.

[geoff]

Re: First Game Used Item

My First was a Spring Training Twins Cracked Game Used Bat Signed By Johan Santana.I bought it from EBAY back in 2005.I since Sold that Bat to a Buddy Last Year.

[OaklandAsFan]

Re: First Game Used Item

Got a Mike Gallego cracked gamer after an A's game back in 1988 or 89 from the equipment manager. later that year got autographed gamer from McGwire and a pair of cleats and a batting glove all autographed by Mac. Ended up selling them back in 1992 cause I was more into girls and cars than baseball. yeah I was dumb

[AWA85]

Re: First Game Used Item

I was just a little kid, didn't even know it at the time but I picked up a cracked/autographed bat of Bob Henley while he was with the Burlington Bees. He went on to play one year for the Montreal Expos. Had a good season, not sure what happened to him. The only Pro Stock bat in my collection, think I will hang on to it for awhile.

An Adam Dunn foul ball from new Busch stadium and my Jason LaRue 9/11 helmet are some of my first items that began my game used collection into the obsession it is today!

[skyking26]

Re: First Game Used Item

Dave Kingman game used S2 84/85 label Louisville in 88 or 89. I followed that buy ($75) from the same seller a GU 1975 Mets home Kingman jersey same year. I think I paid $350 for the jersey. I had that jersey until last spring (08) when I sold it to buy a 73 Kingman home jersey...

Back in 88 I had hobby pioneer Dave Miedema look at the jerseys and researched Dave's bats myself. Today there are many research tools available courtesy of the internet, etc...