Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

[geoff]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Wow those Bats are very Nice.

[Larry Pelliccioni]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Road Detroit Tigers 1968 flannel of Al Kaline #6.

[allstarsplus]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

I am glad Steve posted a few photos so everyone could get a small glimpse into his private museum, and hopefully those that didn't realize before what an asset Steve is to the Forum now understand that he has one of the best baseball HR hitters collections outside of the HOF.

I am happy to have helped Steve on some of his smaller (compared to these bats) acquisitions and happy to call Steve a good friend.

Now that Steve has shared with the world these photos, he has lost some of his anonymity while gaining some nice accolades.

This is such a great topic that was started, and unfortunately so many with HOF quality collections probably won't post for a variety of reasons.

[harpt]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Road Detroit Tigers 1968 flannel of Al Kaline #6.

Forgive me if you've posted this before and I missed it, but i would love to see a photo of this jersey. My father-in-law is a great Kaline fan.

[worldchamps]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Well Suicide Squeeze just laid down the Royal flush.

Turn in your cards and thanks for playing.

[MLB_Authentic]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Speaking of flush, I did poop a little when I saw those.

[Masimen]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Wow! Suicide, that is simply breathe taking. Very very nice!
Steve

[suicide_squeeze]

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.

Swoboda4,

I would say that the type of items you have shown, and this one in particular, is what makes baseball collecting so special. These are pieces that belong in the Hall of Fame. You have exposes the single most important aspect of what is so intriguing about the "old guys".

And it is also a statement about the class of today's athletes, and could be used as evidence in a case study of how money infects an otherwise good fellow human being and citizen. It's a bit obvious that todays athletes take their fans for granted, and do very little to "give" back to the game that made them so rich and famous.

I will always be drawn to items such as what Swo has shared with us here, and the thank you letters from the players who unknowingly, unexpectaingly, and without asking, received shared monies from the profits of the sale of the great book "The Glory Of Our Time". It just shows a whole other level of character of a generation lost, and what all of us true baseball historians long for again.

Maybe a new baseball Commissioner can work towards that goal....to create an atmosphere that would bring a new kind of "closeness" between the players of this game and their fans.

I'm sure not going to hold my breath, but it's a nice thought. Thanks for sharing Swo......super nice items.

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Swoboda4,

I would say that the type of items you have shown, and this one in particular, is what makes baseball collecting so special. These are pieces that belong in the Hall of Fame. You have exposes the single most important aspect of what is so intriguing about the "old guys".

And it is also a statement about the class of today's athletes, and could be used as evidence in a case study of how money infects an otherwise good fellow human being and citizen. It's a bit obvious that todays athletes take their fans for granted, and do very little to "give" back to the game that made them so rich and famous.

I will always be drawn to items such as what Swo has shared with us here, and the thank you letters from the players who unknowingly, unexpectaingly, and without asking, received shared monies from the profits of the sale of the great book "The Glory Of Our Time". It just shows a whole other level of character of a generation lost, and what all of us true baseball historians long for again.

Maybe a new baseball Commissioner can work towards that goal....to create an atmosphere that would bring a new kind of "closeness" between the players of this game and their fans.

I'm sure not going to hold my breath, but it's a nice thought. Thanks for sharing Swo......super nice items.

Sorry for butchering the name of the book in my haste to type quickly....

Should have read "The Glory Of Their Times".

[gameused]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Steve,

That's an awesome collection of vintage bats! The Willie Mays bat is a gem!

Also, I'm curious, what did Nolan Ryan say when he was presented the Hank Aaron bat to sign?

Thanks, Bobby

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

Steve,

That's an awesome collection of vintage bats! The Willie Mays bat is a gem!

Also, I'm curious, what did Nolan Ryan say when he was presented the Hank Aaron bat to sign?

Thanks, Bobby

He flat out refused. He said it would be a "cold day in hell before I ever sign a bat used to deposit one of my fastballs in the seats!!" So, I pulled out my 9mm Glock and said "I've got a snowball here that ain't meltin', Express.......Now....sign the freakin BAT!"


Bobby.......I wish I knew. The bat was already signed by both at the time I won it. I'm sure there's a fairly interesting story behind it, but if you're gonna get dinged by a heavy hitter, even if you're the all-time strike-out KING in MLB.....I can't think of a finer gentleman than Hank Aaron to have the honors.

Glad you enjoyed......thanks for the question.

[cmw2ward]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

suicide_squeeze,

Just wondering how much Mays got from you to sign and inscribe? Last i saw he wanted $500 for regular bats. Thanks.

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

suicide_squeeze,

Just wondering how much Mays got from you to sign and inscribe? Last i saw he wanted $500 for regular bats. Thanks.

For respect to Willie Mays, whom I worked very hard to accomplish this feat, I would rather not say at this time. However, if you email me at suicide_squeeze@roadrunner.com with a phone number to call you, I would be happy to share that info with you on a one-on-one basis.

I hope you understand, I respect the fact that Willie signed and inscribed the bat for me and to be honest, I just don't want to give off a wrong impression about the man. I will forever be greatful for him oblidging my request. What it has done, is it has given the collecting world of baseball a Willie Mays item that is incomparable in provenance. I don't know if Willie 500th home run bat is in the Hall of Fame or not, but if it is, it is probably not signed, and definately not inscribed as such, as it is my understanding, from Willie Mays himself, that this ("will be")....and now is, the ONLY signed and inscribed home run bat of his in existence.

Suffice it to say, he was aware of it's value. He was also aware that if he refused to sign game used items, the word got out there that if you shoved enough "Benjamins" in his face, you could eventually, maybe, if you could prove what you were asking for was legit.....get your item signed. But the one thing I respect most about Willie is this: He cares enought to make absolutely certain that what he signs is correct. If he can't verify it, it won't happen for ANY amount of money. I learned that in a painstaking way.....even upon presenting all the proof in the world, from HIS OWN HAND, he still wouldn't do it at first. It took a couple of meetings, and some cohersiveness from the fine support staff sitting next to him to talk him into doing it.....but make no mistake about it, I had to pay handsomely for it. Let me end in saying this....$500.00 would have been an insult to him. I started multiples higher than that. And the first time around, he only "signed" the bat. It was at a whole later signing, in May of this year, where I was finally able to get the inscription part done. And I thank the nice gentleman sitting at the end of the table (at the actual signing table Willie was sitting at) who spoke to Willie about all the corresponding supporting provenance that came with the bat, including the signed letter from Willie himself on Giants stationery....whom I actually credit as breaking Willie down to the point where he blurted out "I know exactly what that bat is, and where it came from! O.K., how much did you say you would pay me to add that inscription?"

That was a moment I will never forget.....and neither will my heart.

[Danny899]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

I thought of loaning or donating one of my Rickey Henderson jerseys for this, his HOF year. However the previous threads regarding loans and donations to the Hall had me concerned as to a potential return if any. So I'm still undecided as to that call.
Regarding an earlier post, those bats pictured, Ruth, Mays, Aaron etc, those are the kind of bats you want to stand near in the HOF and have someone take your picture with them. They're more of an artifact than a collectible or a "piece." Real nice treat it is to view those beauties. Thank you.
Dan

[joelsabi]

Re: Any Item In Your Collection HOF Worthy?

(cont.)

Steve,

did the writer of the book Smithsonian Baseball ever ask you to be a part of his book. You have one of the nicest collection I have seen.

Thanks for sharing