1951 Yankees Signed Ball

Sheldon_Overton_Baby · April 30, 2019 11:26AM

No idea if real or not. Just looking for rough opinions on worth the time to even pursue it.

LarkinCollector · April 30, 2019 11:36AM

Looks like a bunch of printed sigs vs authentic autos to me, with the way the sigs are laid out.

swish54 · April 30, 2019 12:10PM

@LarkinCollector said:
Looks like a bunch of printed sigs vs authentic autos to me, with the way the sigs are laid out.

That's what I was thinking as well. Too evenly spaced, all the same sized, etc.

garnettstyle · April 30, 2019 12:18PM

Too risky.

doubledragon · April 30, 2019 12:26PM

I wouldn't take the chance on it, unless I was 100% sure. I'd have to pass.

DBesse27 · April 30, 2019 12:32PM

It looks like a stamped ball to me.

steel75 · April 30, 2019 12:41PM

Agree. Looks like stamped facsimile autos

pab1969 · April 30, 2019 12:58PM

Is it me or does the Mickey Mantle signature look strange. Maybe it is a very early version of his signature, but it doesn't look right.

doubledragon · April 30, 2019 1:03PM

I always thought Mantle signed his M's with the famous banana curl.

Stone193 · April 30, 2019 4:09PM

@doubledragon said:
I always thought Mantle signed his M's with the famous banana curl.

In the early 50's, his sig was way less flamboyant.

DBesse27 · April 30, 2019 4:38PM

Stone’s right.

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 1:56AM

@Stone193 said:

@doubledragon said:
I always thought Mantle signed his M's with the famous banana curl.

In the early 50's, his sig was way less flamboyant.

I'll be darned! Right there in front of me the whole time. I still have a lot to learn about this hobby! 😉

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 2:10AM

You think the signatures could be real?

Ironmanfan · May 1, 2019 5:01AM

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

craig44 · May 1, 2019 5:16AM

that appears to be a stamped ball you would purchase at the stadium as a souvenir.

dontippet · May 1, 2019 6:00AM

Appears as a stamped ball to me as well, but I had no idea they went back that far. In the 80's you could find them all over the place at stadiums.

tulsaboy · May 1, 2019 6:54AM

I have my dad's collection of these balls. He has every major league team from about 1961. All but three are stamped. The Braves are one that is not stamped, so those signatures are pretty neat. Still cool to see the stamped signatures of all of those guys from that era in one place.
kevin

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 8:06AM

@Ironmanfan said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

What does IMF mean?

LarkinCollector · May 1, 2019 8:12AM

@doubledragon said:

@Ironmanfan said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

What does IMF mean?

I'm gonna go out on a wild limb here with a crazy guess that it might be Iron Man Fan.

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 8:21AM

@LarkinCollector said:

@doubledragon said:

@Ironmanfan said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

What does IMF mean?

I'm gonna go out on a wild limb here with a crazy guess that it might be Iron Man Fan.

Ok. Thanks. Man, I didn't get much sleep last night. My wife has the jimmy elbows when she sleeps. She got me in the ribs, and I couldn't get back to sleep.

DBesse27 · May 1, 2019 9:11AM

@doubledragon said:

@LarkinCollector said:

@doubledragon said:

@Ironmanfan said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

What does IMF mean?

I'm gonna go out on a wild limb here with a crazy guess that it might be Iron Man Fan.

Ok. Thanks. Man, I didn't get much sleep last night. My wife has the jimmy elbows when she sleeps. She got me in the ribs, and I couldn't get back to sleep.

Does your wife know you complain about her so much on the internet? Careful, she might box your ears!

DBesse27 · May 1, 2019 9:12AM

@dontippet said:
Appears as a stamped ball to me as well, but I had no idea they went back that far. In the 80's you could find them all over the place at stadiums.

I did know they went back to around 1967, but I too am surprised to see one from the early 50’s. Unless it was produced in the 60s or 70s to commemorate what were some pretty special teams in the early 50’s.

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 9:21AM

@DBesse27 said:

@doubledragon said:

@LarkinCollector said:

@doubledragon said:

@Ironmanfan said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

As others have mentioned, it's a souvenir baseball with facsimile/machine stamped signatures that was sold at souvenir stands...

IMF

What does IMF mean?

I'm gonna go out on a wild limb here with a crazy guess that it might be Iron Man Fan.

Ok. Thanks. Man, I didn't get much sleep last night. My wife has the jimmy elbows when she sleeps. She got me in the ribs, and I couldn't get back to sleep.

Does your wife know you complain about her so much on the internet? Careful, she might box your ears!

No, thank goodness! If she did, I would definately be cruisin for a bruisin!

dontippet · May 1, 2019 10:31AM

@DBesse27 said:

@dontippet said:
Appears as a stamped ball to me as well, but I had no idea they went back that far. In the 80's you could find them all over the place at stadiums.

I did know they went back to around 1967, but I too am surprised to see one from the early 50’s. Unless it was produced in the 60s or 70s to commemorate what were some pretty special teams in the early 50’s.

Sounds very plausible, but don't you think if it was made in the 60's or later, they would have probably used Mantle's current autograph, since that would have been more readily available and known?

1951WheatiesPremium · May 1, 2019 11:15AM

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

I’m no expert on authenticity (even more so without it in hand) but my guess is it’s not a ‘full’ 1951 team ball if it doesn’t have Joe DiMaggio, especially on the sweet spot. Possibly/probably a 1952 team ball.

As for Mickey’s signature, that’s his from his early days. He has around three (to four) variations that you’ll see. Sports Collectors Digest did a great article showing the variance.

https://www.sportscollectorsdigest.com/mickey-mantle-autographs-forgeries/

I have a Rawlings Black and White 8x10 in the ‘60/70s’ style of signature from the old stadium (Steiner) and a 1962 Yankees Team Issue in the ‘Card Show’ style that became the most recognizable and enduring of his signatures.

If memory serves, Rawlings, Hillerich and Bradsby (maker of Louisville Slugger ) and Topps all required players to submit a signature (and often just lifted from the contract) for use on their products so that ‘early’ type Mickey signature is not just on 52 Topps but many gloves and bats, too; my 1951 World Series NYY Black Bat has that rookie signature. (All three pictured, w/Black Bat closeup)

doubledragon · May 1, 2019 12:44PM

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@doubledragon said:
You think the signatures could be real?

I’m no expert on authenticity (even more so without it in hand) but my guess is it’s not a ‘full’ 1951 team ball if it doesn’t have Joe DiMaggio, especially on the sweet spot. Possibly/probably a 1952 team ball.

As for Mickey’s signature, that’s his from his early days. He has around three (to four) variations that you’ll see. Sports Collectors Digest did a great article showing the variance.

https://www.sportscollectorsdigest.com/mickey-mantle-autographs-forgeries/

I have a Rawlings Black and White 8x10 in the ‘60/70s’ style of signature from the old stadium (Steiner) and a 1962 Yankees Team Issue in the ‘Card Show’ style that became the most recognizable and enduring of his signatures.

If memory serves, Rawlings, Hillerich and Bradsby (maker of Louisville Slugger ) and Topps all required players to submit a signature (and often just lifted from the contract) for use on their products so that ‘early’ type Mickey signature is not just on 52 Topps but many gloves and bats, too; my 1951 World Series NYY Black Bat has that rookie signature. (All three pictured, w/Black Bat closeup)

Great article. Thanks for the link. Also a very nice Mantle collection you have.

Stone193 · May 1, 2019 12:59PM

While the ball may be represented as a '51 signed team ball?

I wonder.

They have Casey and Mickey on the sweet spot.

I'm gonna guess, in 1951, Joe D. or Casey would most likely be on the sweet spot. The Mick was a rookie and I would find it hard to believe anyone would've had him sign it there?

So, I wouldn't be surprised if this ball is later than '51.

I wonder what the ball would sell for as a "fax" ball?

Mantle's sig on ball in 1951:

pomobileclk · May 1, 2019 4:40PM

I see Bob Turley on the OPs ball so it is at least a 1955 ball

1951 Yankees Signed Ball

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