1939 Baseball Hall of Fame Inaugural Class Multi-Signed Baseball with Ruth, Cobb, Young, Wagner, etc. The identity of...
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Description
1939 Baseball Hall of Fame Inaugural Class Multi-Signed Baseball with Ruth, Cobb, Young, Wagner, etc. The identity of a sleepy little town in upstate New York was transformed forever on June 12, 1939, the day the ribbon was cut at the newly founded Baseball Hall of Fame on the shores of Lake Otsego. Though Cooperstown had enjoyed some limited fame with its controversial proclamation as baseball's birthplace, never had the eyes of the nation been so keenly focused upon the leafy hamlet until the day that the greatest living ballplayers convened to receive the game's highest honor.A dozen legends of the pre-war game were honored as the inaugural class, and only two of them are absent from the presented sphere--the deceased Christy Mathewson and three-time World Series Champion Tris Speaker. The balance of that esteemed brotherhood is present: Babe Ruth, Connie Mack, Napoleon "Larry" Lajoie, Eddie Collins, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, George Sisler, Honus Wagner, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Walter Johnson. Joining that cast of characters are three participants in the Doubleday Field contest that would likewise find their way into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown: Joe DiMaggio (a later signature in blue ballpoint), Lefty Grove and Dizzy Dean.
Autograph quality ranges from 3/10 to 7/10, with all inhabitants quite readily legible. Medium is an ONL sphere from the presidency of Ford Frick, the proper format for 1939. A spectacularly rare and desirable relic from one of the most important events in 20th century baseball history.
Guide Value or Estimate: $30,000 - up.
Auction Info
2025 December 12 - 14 Winter Sports Catalog Auction #50081 (go to Auction Home page)
Bidding Begins Approx.
November
21st
Friday
Auction Dates
December
12th-14th
Friday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Begins Approx.
12 Days
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: N/A
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 77
Auction Type
Signature Internet Extended Bid: These Auctions are presented via catalog and online. Bidding is taken through our website or via phone. There are two phases of bidding during this type of auction: 1) Normal bidding: Bids are taken up until 10 PM CT the night the auction closes. 2) 30 Minute Ending: On a lot-by-lot basis, starting at 10:00 PM CT, any person who has bid on the lot previously may continue to bid on that lot until there are no more bids for 30 minutes. For example, if you bid on a lot during Normal Bidding, you could participate during Extended Bidding for that lot, but not on lots you did not bid on previously. If a bid was placed at 10:15, the new end time for that lot would become 10:45. If no other bids were placed before 10:45, the lot would close. If you are the high bidder on a lot, changing your bid will not extend the bidding during the 30 Minute Ending phase (only a bid from another bidder will extend bidding). If you are the only bidder at 10 PM, you will automatically win the lot at 10:30. Important: After normal bidding ends, you must be signed-on to the Heritage site to see the bidding option on lots where you qualify for extended bidding and you must be on an individual lot page to reflect the accurate time remaining for that particular lot.
Signature Internet Extended Bid: These Auctions are presented via catalog and online. Bidding is taken through our website or via phone. There are two phases of bidding during this type of auction: 1) Normal bidding: Bids are taken up until 10 PM CT the night the auction closes. 2) 30 Minute Ending: On a lot-by-lot basis, starting at 10:00 PM CT, any person who has bid on the lot previously may continue to bid on that lot until there are no more bids for 30 minutes. For example, if you bid on a lot during Normal Bidding, you could participate during Extended Bidding for that lot, but not on lots you did not bid on previously. If a bid was placed at 10:15, the new end time for that lot would become 10:45. If no other bids were placed before 10:45, the lot would close. If you are the high bidder on a lot, changing your bid will not extend the bidding during the 30 Minute Ending phase (only a bid from another bidder will extend bidding). If you are the only bidder at 10 PM, you will automatically win the lot at 10:30. Important: After normal bidding ends, you must be signed-on to the Heritage site to see the bidding option on lots where you qualify for extended bidding and you must be on an individual lot page to reflect the accurate time remaining for that particular lot.
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