that is so cool!

Dude! That's so awesome!

Well, except for the part where Mr Robinson doesn't want Goober Jr to go to college.

This reminds me of the time I was digging in my closet and stumbled across that original Jackson Pollack.

But seriously, that's really cool. For signed baseball memorabilia I've got a bobblehead and '87 homer hanky signed by Bert Blyleven and that's it.

What's also really cool is the Wallace and Gromit penguin in the background. Go see the movie if you haven't yet. "Delightful" doesn't begin to describe it.

Are the autos all in the same pen? It might be one of those "free with a tank of gas" balls.

It doesn't appear to be an autopen. It's also inscribed "To Steve," if that means anything.

Hey, I have a Twins baseball signed by whole team from 1961, their first year. I've always been wondering how much that ball is worth. Harmon Killebrew is on it among the others.

Chico Fernandez is the key there. He was only on the Dodgers for the 1956 season. So, yeah, that's what you've got there.

Um, call me crazy, but could the completely illegible signature belong to Mr. Jackie Robinson?

In other signed-ball news, I got one from the Chariman yesterday.

It's going up next to the Doctor.

Geds, I wish it was. On closer inspection (and a comparison with signatures online) it appears to be Clem Labine.

Oh, and you'd probably get in the neighborhood of $320-$360 bucks +/- a bit (most likely a little less minus the Robinson auto). Koufax would be the big value, IMO.

Link in my thread has a auction final for a 1958 Dodgers Team-signed ball for $345 (#90).

What's cool about that is that 1956 was really the last great year of the Resse-Campanella-Robinson Dodgers It was actually Robinson's final season. (They lost the series in 7 games to the Yankees--this was the Don Larsen perfect game 5 year. Clem Labine came back to shut out the Yanks in game 6 1-0). As such, I'm sure it would have great sentimental value to a huge swath of people who grew up in Brooklyn and were teenagers in those years and had their hearts ripped out by the move to LA.

After 1956, they had a couple of down years, and by the time they re-emerged as a winner in LA in 1959, it was a different team, with a young Drysdale along with a late prime Duke Snider who were the stars.

I should say, though, that getting it graded both for authenticity and quality is necessary to fully appraise the value.

If the signatures are very clear and strong and the condition of the ball is good, it can send the value into the 1000 dollar range.

Thanks, Eric. That's very helpful. It's interesting to hear about that team -- sounds like they were excellent.

Ebay has a similar ball (with Jackie Robinson's signature on it but no Koufax) currently going for $499. Search on "Brooklyn Dodgers" and sort by price (ascending) and you'll find it. I do not want to place a link here.

We don't care much about the baseball, but are insanely covetous of the Feathers McGraw stufty in the background.

- Kurtis and Angela

Indeed.

There's a conflict- yes, Chico Fernandez was only on the Dodgers in '56 but Johnny Podres was in the Navy that year and didn't play that season (maybe he was visiting the clubhouse that day)...

One hell of a collection of signatures, though, Robinson or not.

This site lists a similar ball for $1450(!!!):
http://about-autograph-collecting.com/baseball-autographs.htm

Good luck with that and keep us posted on what you wind up finding out/doing!

I have an autographed Ken Griffey jr rookie card, and a 100 years of the Yankees book signed by Bobby Murcer and Donny Baseball. I need more Yankees to sign this book. Might have to go to Spring training this year.

Dearest Mr. Mike,

Will you get your Jeter-man-crush shirt autographed?

Sincerely,
BG

Hey, Batgirl, give us some more pixels to work with. That's probably worth a thou or two, but what do I know?

I think the ball is actually from the 1957 team, signed during Spring Training. Chico Fernandez was not traded until April 5th of '57 and Johnny Podres was back from the war. That would also explain why Jackie is absent from Goober's baseball, since he retired rather than report to the Giants after being traded that winter.

I'll give you Carl Pavano right now for it :)

YF

Hmmm. I think you should keep it in a vault someplace. It could pay for college for that kid of yours.

k-bro

There was actually somebody named Ransom Jackson? Sounds like the lead from a '70s blacksploitation detective movie.

Dear BG

Of course I will, I'll even let McCarver see it after Jeter signs it. A one of a kind original signed ? Will be worth millions once he and BG retire.

mike

If you'd like to learn more about some of the autographers, you should add "Boys of Summer" to your book club reading list.

Thanks HelpfulGuy. I'll lobby BG accordingly!

Roscoe -- yeah, "Handsome Ransom", better known as Randy, I think. What a great name :)

"The Boys of Summer" is an absolute MUST-READ of baseball books. Not only is Roger Kahn a fantabulous writer, but the two-tiered story of the players "now and then" is really compelling. It's the book that little girls read that makes them want to be baseball writers.

How come no one is solving the real mystery: who is Steve?

Wow, that's super! That was my team at the time! Those were my heros! What a treat!

I couldn't tell you what the value is now. But with that Sandy Koufax autograph, you should hold on to it until I win the lottery. Then you can pretty much name your price! ;-)

that reminds me, somewhere around my dad's house is my baseball autographed by ALL the 1991 twins except for jarvis brown (i think) who was added late in the season. BOOYA.

Is that.....a rabbit.... in the photo behind?

It is. Sooz and I have a pet bunny. As you can tell from the photo, she we have spoiled her rotten.