Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

[Ollie]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

I have the uniform that Mussina wore when he got his career 2500th K with photomatching display. Moose should (IMO) get into the HOF!

[Swoboda4]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

mark17, Ritter brought to our attention that great players,after their playing days assimilated back into society and lived in our midst with most of us not knowing that the quiet gentleman down the block or on a farm up the road,was once a superstar. Now mind you the lack of payment from owner to player kind of forced that issue,but I still admire the player that came back to live a normal life. Case in point:

HALL OF FAME WORTHY?(correspondence to a fan). Riggs Stephenson. MLB 1921-34. Unniversity of Alabama quarterback. 14 yrs in majors. Highest lifetime average of someone not in the HOF,.336!






In a day and age when athletes and their brokers keep fans at arms length it was refreshing to know there was a time when players used to write back when receiving a request. This item,is an example of a questionaire that used to be sent to players and surprisingly many were returned to the fan completely filed out and signed. This questionaire cost about $35 dollars on e-bay and then I bought a frame,mat and typed the rest on the computer. I rather own this than a $150 scribbled ball from Steiner.
There should be a corner in the HOF that shows this past interaction between fan and player.

[Mark17]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

I know it's once again veering off-topic, but anything involving Larry Ritter and/or "The Glory of Their Times" is super interesting to me. Ritter was such a nice fellow, and his giving money to the ballplayers who worked with him on that book is so consistent with how much Larry appreciated and respected them.

Back in the early days of Amazon.com, I wrote the first review of "The Glory of Their Times" online, stating it is my favorite book of all time, and that I'd owned several copies, and so on. Much to my amazement, I received an email from Larry thanking me for the review, and offering to mail me a free first edition hardcover, autographed, copy of the book!!! What a thrill!

I accepted the offer and asked him about Chief Meyers. Not sure why I chose him, I was just as interested in Joe Wood or Sam Crawford, but anyway, along with the book, Larry sent me the following letter, and a several-page long article he had written shortly after Chief Meyers' death.

He and the Chief had become very close friends, and the stories he tells in the article are great! Like Chief, working for the Mets, replying to a fan requesting a sample of infield dirt, reaching over and pinching some soil from a nearby potted plant to send to the fan.

Those old players loved Larry Ritter and he loved them back, and I love his book and feel fortunate to have been able to tell him so.

[sylbry]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

sylbry,almost all the players mentioned in Ritter's book were eternally gratefull and your letter is an example of that.

Especially Hooper, Coveleski, and Marquard.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

sylbry,almost all the players mentioned in Ritter's book were eternally gratefull and your letter is an example of that.

HOCKEY HOF WORTHY: game used stick of HOF'er Rod Gibert 1973-74 season(and Derek Sanderson's) with the NY Rangers. Gilbert had 406 lifetime goals.

[sylbry]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Mike,thanks. The Ritter estate placed many of Mr.Ritters letters on e-bay a year or so ago. They surface every so often. Just about every player mentioned in the book received a check from Ritter and sent a thank you letter.

Not to change the subject but I have a Christmas card from Harry Hooper to Ritter.

[Swoboda4]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Mike,thanks. The Ritter estate placed many of Mr.Ritters letters on e-bay a year or so ago. They surface every so often. Just about every player mentioned in the book received a check from Ritter and sent a thank you letter.

(suicide,nothing wrong about adding to a topic. Sorry about that. But the side dishes out-weighed the main course by a factor of 4)

HALL OF FAME WORTHY?-Letters from players thankfull,some in dire straits,in need of a card show to live,showing disparity in income of past stars.(VanDerMeer is appreciative, McLain is desparate,and an elderly NY Giant, Joe Moore being asked to come to his first card show is hoping not to disappoint)

[karamaxjoe]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Only two I think. Detroit's Davy Jones letter to author Lawrence Ritter thanking him for sharing profits from his book,"The Glory of Their Times"

Wow, that is a great piece and beautifully displayed. I wish I could find the same kind of letter from Jimmy Austin to Ritter.

[joelsabi]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Steve (SS)... just for future Reference, it's Xpress34, not Express34...

in fact, good Rockies trivia here:

A lot of people know that Peyton manning started as Todd Helton's backup as QB at Tennessee... did you know that Seth Smith was Eli manning's backup QB at Ole' Miss?

- Chris

Cool. Beer bet material.

[BoneRubbedBat]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Carl Crawford's very first MLB game-used glove. Autographed and inscribed by Crawford stating that fact. Also has LOA from Crawford.

[xpress34]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Steve (SS)... just for future Reference, it's Xpress34, not Express34...

As far as HOF Worthy items - and after reading the Baseball HOF letter regarding donations, I might offer them a VERY significant piece for the Colorado Rockies 'locker'...

I own a GU Seth Smith World Series Hat:



It is significant because the Rox wore their Purple Bill caps in Game 4 - the Final Game of their 1st World Series appearance - and Seth Smith was the FINAL OUT of the Series.

I have LOA from the Rox and all and I only have a small investment in the hat that would be more than worth a HOF Cert in my collection as well as a Lifetime Pass from the Hall...

The only thing that is holding me back is that Smith is also my last name and Seth is a really nice guy with a lot of upside potential... but, I have also shopped the hat to a few 'Ole Miss' alums as well... in fact, good Rockies trivia here:

A lot of people know that Peyton manning started as Todd Helton's backup as QB at Tennessee... did you know that Seth Smith was Eli manning's backup QB at Ole' Miss?

- Chris

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Squeeze -- I totally understand your line of thinking. I do believe I emailed photos initially, although I can't be 100 % sure of that.
Your bat is absolutely unbelievable -- you could build your own Hall with that as the centerpiece!

Greg

Thanks Greg......and I forgot to wish you and everyone here a Happy Thanksgiving as well.

Regards,

Steve

[sayhey24]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Squeeze -- I totally understand your line of thinking. I do believe I emailed photos initially, although I can't be 100 % sure of that.
Your bat is absolutely unbelievable -- you could build your own Hall with that as the centerpiece!

Greg

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

I think the idea of this thread is to SHOW what item of yours is believed to be HOF worthy. When it was mentioned early on that this is a great thread,it was in anticipation of some interesting photos to come. Not to debate whether there is a loan policy in effect at the HOF.

Swo,

Agreed, and I plan on posting a few (finally) sometime this weekend.

But is there a problem with adding a comment directly associated to the thread? Is it so necessary to have tunnel vision on ever topic?

I think the comments, taken as whatever you want to take them to mean, have actually added to the quality of this thread in addition to the pictures of all the great stuff. I know I feel I've learned something by it.

So relax.....it's all good.

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

No problem sharing my story, although it's not too exciting. I'm just a collector who noticed back when the Hall put together an exhibit highlighting Ichiro breaking George Sisler's hit record, that they used a replica or post career Sisler bat in the display (it was identified as such -- I just can't remember which it was). At the time I mentioned to someone there that I had a Sisler gamer and would have gladly loaned it. I contacted the Hall after the Southworth/Gossage/Williams election and offered bats of all three, and they asked for the two.
My guess is the loans primarily are accepted for the displays of new inductees-- those displays are temporary -- they're only up for one year until the next group of new inductees is honored.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Greg

Greg, thanks for sharing. Interesting concept, and you very well may be right. Did you supply "photos" of your bats of Williams and Gossage when you asked the Hall if they wanted to borrow all three? Again, just curious.

And guys, the reason I am curious is this:

At the time I asked the question to the Hall, I had just bought one of the most significant bats on the face of the earth (not my opinion....the opinion of many baseball historians who have aired it out on threads everywhere). The bat marked the end......the finale.......of the most hallowed career in the annuls of baseball history....perhaps sports history in general. The Babe's last at-bat game used bat, dropped by him on his gallop to first base, and after being thrown out, picked up off the field by the Boston Braves #4 hitter (behind Babe in the line-up), Wally Berger.

Wally idolized the Babe, and it was a dream-come-true for him when Ruth was signed for what was to be his last hoorah on the Braves. As most of you know, he signed because he believed the deal was the first step in becoming manager of a Major League team, something the Babe always wanted to do upon retired from active play. When he figured out that wasn't to be the case, he was unhappy, grounded out using this very bat and while walking back into the dug-out uttered the imfamous words "I quit".

Wally asked him, with the bat still in his hand, if he could keep the Babe's bat as a momento. Babe, being the ever-so-gracious giver he was said "Sure kid, keep it".

Wally kept the bat until the day he died, which has been attested to by his wife. She eventually gave the bat to Barry Halper, and the rest is history.

Can you guys understand how I could come to the conclusion that the Hall of Fame, after turning down the "loan" of this bat, must have meant they don't do loans, period?

I mean, I wasn't offering them some piece of insignificant garbage only made valuable between my ears because I owned it??? They sent me a freaking FORM response to that offer, explaining ......well, you guys can read it below. It speaks for itself.....the very same wording express34 (Chris) posted.

So Greg, your "theory" just may be correct.....if the item fits the present-day need, the rules get lax.....I understand it completely.