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1962-63 Four Living United States Presidents Signed Baseball....
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Description
Autographed by Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy!
1962-63 Four Living United States Presidents Signed Baseball. Max Miller was a true pioneer. Today every Tom, Dick and Harry carries a baseball in his pocket when graced with the opportunity to meet a current or former Commander in Chief, but such was not the case in the early 1960's when Miller set about his task to capture every living President in horsehide. The project began at a 1961 exhibition game between the newly-founded California Angels and the San Francisco Giants, where the Laguna Beach, California resident caught a foul ball in the stands. A frequent attendee of spring training contests, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower sat nearby. Miller approached a member of Ike's security detail and asked a favor, which was duly granted.Next came Harry S. Truman, who Miller tracked down at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in June or July of 1962. Aware of Truman's fondness for early morning walks, Miller went to the hotel to ask for his signature. The former President walked past him so briskly that Miller had to dash after him on the sidewalk. "Good morning, Mr. President," Miller remembers saying as Truman whirled around, his hand already outstretched. Miller shook hands and asked him to sign the ball. "Why in the hell should I?" demanded Truman. Replied Miller, "Your old buddy Eisenhower signed it." With a hardy laugh, Truman complied.
Next Miller wrote Herbert Hoover at his address at the Waldorf Astoria Towers in New York City. His assistant secretary Elizabeth Dempsey responded, promising that if Miller would forward the ball, Hoover would sign, and so he did, adding a "1962" date to his autograph.
Finally came the serving President, who signed in the Silver Spur area of Palm Desert, California in December of 1962. Miller gave the ball to his next-door neighbor Skip Foster, a Pasadena service station manager who serviced the car of Phil Regan, a prominent California Democrat. Regan agreed to use his connections to reach Kennedy, and returned with the completed sphere.
The one-of-a-kind relic exhibits expected game use from the first day of its journey, with each Presidential autograph surviving with impressive boldness rating between 7/10 and 9/10. Included is a 1994 letter of authenticity from renowned autograph pioneer Charles Hamilton. Full LOA from PSA/DNA. Full LOA from James Spence Authentication. LOA from Charles Hamilton.
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