Historic Auctions: Banners and Mats

This is the first time I've run into this auction house. So, I do not know much about them, but they do have a couple of modern Dodger memorabilia items I thought was worth showing.

Below is a banner celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Dodger organization. I'm pretty sure these hung around the stadium in 1990. If you happen to know for sure please let me know.

Auction Link: 100th Anniversary Dodger Banner:

This is pretty cool. Below is a actual game-used batting circle mat used on April 15, 2007 during Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium. It is authenticated by both MLB and Steiner Sports.

Auction Link: 2007 Game-Used Batting Circle:

Collection: 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments: Fernando Valenzuela

Here is another installment of 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments. These sheets have beautiful artwork that capture the majesty of these great Dodger events. This time we highlight the incredible 1981 season of Fernando Valenzuela.

This young 20 year old Mexican phenom blazed through Los Angeles like a bull. He captured our hearts and minds, and spawned a sensation that would forever be known as Fernandomania. No one can ever equal the craziness that surrounded him. Not even the current Mannywood hoopla comes close to the psychosis evident in 1981. We were hooked. We cheered loudly. We went out of our minds.

Artwork is by Paul Kratter.

Check out the rest of the set here in my photoalbum.

REA: Now the True Rarities

No REA auction would be complete without some rarities. So without further adieu...

Below is one of only two known 1915 Crack Jack advertising posters known to exist. It is easily the most attractive of all vintage Baseball advertising displays around.

The 1915 Cracker Jack baseball cards are universally recognized as one of the most classic and highly regarded baseball card sets ever produced. This poster was created by Cracker Jack and distributed for display in candy stores to advertise Cracker Jack, and to create interest in the new and exciting card set. If you went to the candy store in 1915, you might have seen the Cracker Jack poster hanging on the wall, or on the shelf behind the candy counter. It was made to be eye-catching and made to be displayed. The poster is printed on very high quality sturdy cardboard stock, almost like a giant baseball card, and was created with the same uncompromising attention to quality production and design as the Cracker Jack baseball card set. The poster was designed to hang by a string attached at the two holes at the top, or to lean against anything, even a tower of Cracker Jack boxes, standing on its own due to its firm quality construction.

Players Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner, Joe Jackson, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, Stuffy McInnis, Vic Saier, Rabbit Maranville, and George Mullen are featured.

Auction Link: 1915 Cracker Jack Advertising Poster:

What else can I write about the below card that hasn't already been said? Oh, I know. This T206 Honus Wagner, the famous of all Baseball cards, once resided at the All-Star Cafe in New York and was stolen in 1998.

The workers at the All Star Café, naturally, had access to the restaurant after hours. In 1998, two All Star Café chefs and one of the managers devised a plot to steal the Wagner. The plan was to remove the card from its display case, replace it with a color copy so that no one would notice, and then to sell the original. The plan worked, at least for a while. A color copy viewed from afar in a display case can look very much like an original. The nephew of the executive chef was enlisted to sell the card for cash to famous New Jersey dealer Al Rosen, claiming the card had been saved and given to him by his grandfather.

It was eventually recovered by the FBI. Also, it was once owned by actor Charlie Sheen. This low condition card is already at $280,000.00 and I suspect it will go for much more.

Auction Link: All Star Cafe T206 Honus Wagner:

Here is a true minor league rookie card of the fabled Babe Ruth. It is a 1914 Baltimore News card produced when he played for the Baltimore Orioles of the International League.

Auction Link: 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth:

Now you can be just like David Wells. Here is a actual game-used cap worn by Babe Ruth in 1932.

This is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a New York Yankees cap worn by Babe Ruth and it is accompanied by an impeccable and fully documented line of provenance, having originated as a gift directly from the personal collection of Yankees Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy.

Auction Link: 1932 Game-Used Babe Ruth Cap:

Collection: 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments: Manny Mota

When you think of Manny Mota it is hard not to immediately associate him with the Dodgers. He has become such an integral part of the team and its history since he first came to LA in 1969.

The above pic is of his 1984 Union Oil Most Memorable Moments sheet that celebrates his record setting 145th pinch hit on September 2, 1979. He would eventually finish his career with 150 pinch hits.

Something I didn't know was that Manny came to the Dodgers via a trade with Montreal- possibly one of the Dodgers greatest trades. We sent away Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich and received Manny and Maury Wills in return. That's a steal!

Artwork by James Zar.

Check out the rest of the Union Oil set here in my photoalbum.

I took the below photo during a Spring Training trip to Florida in 2007.

REA: The Barry Halper Collection Items

The REA auction catalog continues to impress me with its content. It even includes numerous items that once belonged to collector Barry Halper- who was considered to have, at one time, the greatest private personal Baseball collection in the country before his passing. This post only includes items that once belonged in his collection.

Below is probably one of the main prizes in his vast hoard. It is the extremely rare T206 Sherry Magie error card. This sounds far fetched, but apparently he kept this card in a secret compartment.

Barry kept this card, along with examples of the T206 Wagner, the T206 Plank, and the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card in a secret compartment hidden in a wall, which would magically open when one of his guests uttered the password.

It seems too crazy to be true.

Auction Link: T206 Magie Error:

In 1884 they didn't hand out trophies for winning the batting title. Instead, awards were typically given out by teammates for extraordinary accomplishments. Below is a 1884 presentation watch given to David Orr by members of his team- the New York Metropolitans. David had won the batting title that year in the American Association with an average of .354. By the way, 1884 was the year of the first World Series as the Mets lost to the Providence Grays in three straight games.

Auction Link: 1884 David Orr Presentation Watch:

Barry Halper had an eclectic collection, from rare cards to game-used uniforms. He also collected player endorsed products. Below is a 1954 Stan Musial Rawlings glove box signed by "The Man" himself.

Auction Link: 1954 Stan Musial Rawlings Glove Box:

Below is a Princeton Baseball jacket attributed to Moe Berg. Some of you may know him as the Baseball spy.

Moe Berg was one of the most interesting figures in the history of baseball. Berg was a journeyman Major League catcher who played a total of fifteen seasons between the years 1923 and 1939, but it is not his baseball career that has intrigued present-day historians. Unbeknownst to all at the time, Berg was also working as a spy for the U.S. Government and was later recruited by the OSS, the forerunner to today's CIA. After his playing career, Berg traveled throughout Europe gathering information on Germany's nuclear capabilities. Following World War II he worked briefly for he CIA in an attempt to obtain Soviet atomic information. Always mysterious in his actions, the last two decades of his life were spent as a nomad.

He is known to have travelled to Japan during numerous "Tour of Japan" Baseball outings with camera in hand to film Japanese industrial facilities prior to WWII.

Auction Link: Moe Berg Princeton Baseball Jacket:

All game-used jerseys of the Yankees from 1927 that still survive today came directly from Barry Halper.

Many years ago Halper purchased a Yankees equipment trunk of uniforms containing a Lou Gehrig jersey, as well as jerseys of Dutch Ruether, Mark Koenig, Bob Meusel, Waite Hoyt, this Wilcy Moore uniform, and a couple of others, directly from the Yankees longtime former equipment manager Pete Sheehy. At the time Halper sold a few of the uniforms privately, including the Wilcy Moore, and kept the Gehrig and several others (which were sold in the famous 1999 Halper auction).

This jersey was worn by Wilcy Moore of the 1927 World Champion Yankees. He went 19-7 that year with a league leading ERA of 2.28.

Auction Link: 1927 Wilcy Moore Game-Used Yankees Jersey:

My First Online Trade, Part 3

(click on the photo to enlarge)

I absolutely love these cards. I will definitely be looking into putting together a set of these. They are Topps Turkey Red cards that borrow their design from the old 19th Century set card called T3 Turkey Reds. The coolest thing about these cards is the texture. It has an almost leather feel to them, much like the original vintage set. Unfortunately, it appears they made sets from 2005 to today, so I've got my hands full when it comes to deciding what to chase. Thanks again to Ike's Cards for the awesome trade.