Friday, March 29, 2019

Baseball’s Most Collectible Players


             A few years ago I had a radio caller on an open-line show who wanted to talk about baseball collectibles. But not just any baseball collectibles. He wanted to talk about Detroit Tigers memorabilia. There were a couple of minutes left before a commercial break, so I let him mention Norm Cash, Denny McLain, Jim Northup, Mickey Lolich, and even the Yankee killer, Frank Lary. He knew for sure that his 1960s team signed Tigers baseball, as well as a helmet signed by Cash, were worth a fortune. I told him he was wrong, much to his surprise and dismay. I asked him if he had any Ty Cobb items, because those would be valuable. He said that Cobb was before his time.

            And that is the problem with the most valuable collectible baseball players. With a few exceptions, they played before the baby boomer period. Granted, there are some exceptions, such as Mantle, Gibson, Koufax, and Derek Jeter to name a few. However, for the most part, the most collectible baseball players of all-time have taken their place in Cooperstown, or will be there shortly.

            My list of all-time collectible baseball players is inclusive for all their items, not for a select one or two. Sure, if I had the ball that Bobby Thomson hit to win the 1952 National League pennant for the Giants against the Dodgers, that is a treasure that will only continue to significantly appreciate in value. Presumably, that ball has not been positively identified, despite a compelling argument that a nun retrieved the ball and it was placed in a shoebox and dumped in a landfill.

However, here is my list of the dozen most collectible baseball players. These are not in any specific order, although the first two lead the way: Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Honus Wagner, and Derek Jeter.

            Sure, I left out Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and even Cal Ripken, Jr. Well, I consider them just a noche below.

            Again, let me emphasize that I am only referring to the memorabilia of baseball players over a period of time that have appreciated in value. In no way am I discouraging anyone from collecting memorabilia of boyhood heroes such as Ed Kranepool, Vida Blue, or even Craig Lefferts (I had to throw in my long-time neighbor).

            I am simply including players from a purely dollars and cents point of view. In other words, an investment fantasy team of players.

            Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle would be the MVPs of my team. A few examples of each of these players will illustrate my point.
           
First, Babe Ruth. The player, credited with saving baseball in the 1920s, can also be credited with stuffing the pockets of some lucky people who are fortunate enough to own some Ruth items by being at the right place at the right time by design or by luck, or both. Of course, most sports collectors are aware that it was Ruth’s Yankees jersey of circa 1920 that fetched a cool $4.415 million in an SCP auction, making it to date the most valuable sports item in history, slightly above the $4.3 million that was gotten for James Naismiths’ 13 Original Rules of Basketball.

            Actually, one Ruth item that has never been found is the ball that he hit in the 1932 World Series off of Cubs pitcher Charlie Root. That was the “called home run” when Ruth pointed to the outfield area where he would hit the next pitch, and he did just that.

            But for the Ruth items that have been found and sold, here are some examples as to why Ruth is a good business investment.

First, keep in mind that Ruth was a prolific signer, and lets assume that the items are genuine. Also, remember that auction results, and even private sales for that matter, are not scientific. Too many factors can, and do, play a part in determining the final price, including the number of bidders who choose to engage in an auction house’s best friend – a bidding war.

However, putting all that aside, merely a signed Ruth bat, not one that he used, has doubled in value in a few years. Likewise, with official America League baseballs that he signed. I have seen signed baseballs fetch nearly a hundred thousand dollars. Actually, baseballs signed by the 1927 Yankees, considered by many baseball experts to be the greatest team ever assembled, have appreciated tremendously in value over the past ten years as well. That 1927 team included the likes of Ruth, Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earle Combs, Waite Hoyt, Miller Huggins, and others. In fact, just recently the 1927 signed team ball that was owned by Combs himself went for slightly over $149,000.

            It is true that most Ruth items will probably be out of the financial reach of most collectors. Besides his circa 1920 jersey that went for $4.415 million, his first Yankee contract sold for $1.2 million, his commemorative 1923 Yankees World Championship pocket watch sold for $717,000, and the uniform that he wore in the first All-Star game in 1933 went for $657,200 in 2006. It would be worth well over a million dollars now. What can a Ruth collector realistically get besides a baseball card? Even a card in good shape will cost a few hundred dollars. One that’s in near Mint condition will set you back thousands. An original Hartland Ruth statue from the set issued from 1959-1963 will only run you about two hundred dollars, if you are not asking for the box and tag.

            Babe Ruth’s fellow Yankee alum, Mickey Mantle, is a hot collectible commodity as well. His 1956 All-Star game used, and signed, home run bat went for $430,200 in a 2014 auction. His 1949 signing bonus check sold for $286,800, and his 1952 Topps rookie card has gone for as much as a quarter million dollars. A few years ago a radio guest of mine, Clay Lucharsi of Topps, told the story of some of the higher end numbers of the 1952 Topps card, including Mantle’s number 311, being dumped into the Atlantic Ocean because of a lack of sales earlier in the summer.

However, Mantle’s Hartland statue from the original set is far more valuable than Ruth’s. Hartland also made a Mantle lamp that is popular among collectors.

            Mantle’s popularity can be attributed to a couple of reasons. First, he was an extremely talented and charismatic athlete. He actually succeeded against all odds, having followed the likes of the legendary Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio. In addition, he played his entire career in New York, a lion’s den for players who are always under the microscope. For those very reasons Mantle’s popularity soared. If you could make it in New York as a Yankee the media adored you. Baby boomers grew up with three star centerfielders in New York, namely Mantle, the Giants’ Willie Mays, and the Dodgers’ Duke Snider. Depending on which borough you lived, Mantle was usually regarded as the best of the trio. So it was easy to become a devout Mantle follower for life. As baby boomers aged they had disposable income to spend, and Mantle memorabilia was front and center.

            Buying and selling collectibles is a business for many. However, it’s the top items that appreciate the most. With baseball players, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle lead the way. Others, including, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Honus Wagner, and Derek Jeter follow their footsteps.
           

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Full Metal Jousting


Have you ever been to a theme party?
            Well, they can be lots of fun if you have a party that has a Western, or Hawaiian, or maybe even a Medieval theme.
            Medieval, you say?
            That is exactly what Linda and I did a few years ago. People came dressed in royalty costumes, and the food was in big platters and buckets. And surprisingly enough, there was no silverware like we use today. No knives, forks, or spoons. You ate with your hands. It really wasn’t as bad as you might think.
            Of course, after everybody had had enough to eat it was time for the entertainment.
            Sure. Jousting. We modified the arrangements a little. There were two contestants, fully padded, who looked like Sumo wrestlers. However, they carried long plastic lances. They jousted, or battled, on an air mattresses. The contestant standing the longest won.
            Naturally, the “warfare” at our party did not resemble in the least Medieval jousting. It was fun, not deadly.
            So, how did jousting get started and evolve?
            The roots of jousting were from the Middle Ages, when the primary battlefield weapons were used by the cavalry. Knights were expected to fight for their king during war, and jousting provided the knights the opportunity to stay in shape and hone their skills. It was a way to train for combat. It also started being a form of entertainment.
            Jousting tournaments were held as early as 1066, and actually were formal events. Nobles needed to obtain permits as well as issue challenge to fellow landowners. The most skilled knights were the ones who fought. Sometimes a neutral jouster was selected to fight for the highest bidder. Those neutral jousters were known as “freelancers”, a term used today.
            Successful jousters became very popular and were promoted by heralds, similar to sports journalists nowadays.
            Rivalries were established among jousters, and jousters “circuits” were formed. The most successful jousters even received money, land, and even titles.
            By the 14th century, even members of the nobility, including kings, had taken up jousting to show their courage and talent. Sometimes there were dangerous consequences.
            For example, England’s King Henry VIII suffered a severe leg injury when a horse fell on him. His health declined from that point. The most famous royal jousting fatality was to King Henry II of France. While he was participating in a 1559 joust to celebrate the marriage of his daughter to the King of Spain, he received a fatal wound when a sliver of his opponent’s lance broke off and pierced him in the eye. Ouch!
            Jousting began to decline in the 16th century with the development of firearms and muskets. Jousting as a form of combat training diminished. Competitive jousting disappeared by the middle of the 17th century as well, and jousting became more of a court spectacle than anything else.
            Despite the fact that jousting has become a thing of the past (except for theme parties), collectors are still drawn to the sport.
            Jousting items do not appear often in auctions, but when they do, items are sold for high prices.
            For example, a copy of a jousting helmet was sold for $575 at a Heritage auction in 2012. However, an actual jousting helmet from the 16th century fetched $3200, while another one went for $7500. It had three riveted steel pieces, a high lace guard and holes for leather straps. The bidding started at $275 and ended at $7500.
            In 2014 a complete jousting set of armor was auctioned. The item consisted of 5 pieces, including a breast and backplate, neck guard, shield and helmet. The German suit was from the 1500s. There were only a few bids for the item, with the opening bid being $6000. It would end up selling for $8000. Naturally, the item is a great conversation piece.
            Maybe the high bidder for the suit of armor wanted to be invited to a Medieval theme party.
            No, I was not the high bidder.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Baseball Is Here



                “For its one, two, three strikes, you’re out, at the old ball game.”
                Every fan young and old knows the verses of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” written by Jack Norworth. 
                Come to Peoria, Arizona, and Padres fans can almost touch their local heroes at Spring Training.  Wait until April rolls around, and you can see those same athletes at Petco Park. 
                And for local sports followers, baseball at Petco is all they have left professionally.  The Chargers have become integrated in Los Angeles culture, leaving the Padres as the only major sports team in our beautiful San Diego. 
                Despite being cellar dwellers for many of the fifty years they have existed as a franchise, the Padres faithful should take some solace to know that championship teams are possible, as in 1984 and 1998.  It is too bad that the Friars played great opponents in the World Series.  First it was Detroit in 1984, and then the New York Yankees in 1998.  That Yankees team is always in the discussion of the greatest teams of all time.
                And the Padres have had their share of quality players through the years, led by Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman.  But there was also Dave Winfield, Randy Jones, and many others.  Remember Steve Garvey, Rollie Fingers, Nate Colbert, and Goose Gossage?  And who can forget Jon Kruk, Andy Hawkins, Garry Templeton, and even my former neighbor Craig Lefferts. 
                Of course, with Hall of Fame players comes valuable memorabilia.  So look to see if you might have some of the following items in your attic, den, or man cave. You might be in for a pleasant surprise or two.  But let me warn you first.  A Tony Gwynn signed baseball is not worth much.  It’s the old supply and demand concept.  Gwynn, bless his heart, signed too many to make a signed ball worth more than about thirty or forty dollars.  If you pay more than that at a charity event, you are basically donating to the charity. 
                However, a 1984 San Diego jersey of Steve Garvey went for nearly $3,000 at auction.  Garvey played for the Padres from 1983-1987, and hit probably the most famous home run in the club’s history, the homer in the 1984 playoff series against the Chicago Cubs. 
                A 1979 Padres road jersey of Ozzie Smith sold for nearly $6,000 at auction.  Smith played from 1978 – 1981 in San Diego, and was then traded to St. Louis for Garry Templeton.  Smith was known as “The Wizard of Oz” when he was with the Cardinals, and became a Hall of Famer.  I will always remember him for making the greatest fielding play I ever saw in a 1978 game against Atlanta. 
                A Randy Jones 1976 Padres signed jersey sold for nearly $2000 at auction. He was with San Diego from 1973-1980, with his two best years being 1975 and 1976.  You may have kept a 1976 Sports Illustrated with Jones on the cover.
                Of course, a Tony Gwynn game-used jersey is auctioned every so often. A 1998 Gwynn jersey was auctioned for nearly $700.  You might ask yourself why it would not sell for more. The answer is that he played his entire career from 1982-2001 with the Padres and he had plenty of jerseys. Supply and demand.  His Topps 1983 rookie card sells for around $80.
                Gwynn’s 1989 Silver Bat award went for nearly $20,000.  He won eight of them, as he led the National League in hitting eight times. 
                A 1996 Padres team signed ball sold for a few hundred dollars, while an original artwork from 2001 of Dave Winfield went for about $700.
                Now lets not forget the old San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) which had a team from 1936-1968.  There were baseball cards of players from that league as well.   An eleven card collection from 1950 of the Padres, distributed by Hage’s Dairy, went for more than $1,200. 
                A good time to get autographs is at Spring Training games.  But if you approach a player, please be courteous, and respectful, and say thanks. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2019


Bobbinghead dolls are very popular collectible these days. There are both sports and non-sports dolls, and both types have soared in popularity and value in the last forty years.

         One reason that these dolls, also called nodders, are so collectible is that they have beautiful color, are usually of a theme or character, and are relatively inexpensive. Bobbinghead dolls really came into their own from 1960-1971, but are still quite popular even today. It is quite common for a sports team to have a bobbinghead doll as a promotional giveaway.

          The dolls are quite fragile, and naturally, the value of any doll drops dramatically if it is damaged or has been restored. If, you have dolls, or are considering collecting them, keep in mind a few things as you inspect the dolls:

                     Look at the dolls’ neck and ankles. These are areas where there could be
                       damage, and possibly the doll was reglued.                                                                 
                     Inspect the paint around these areas to see if it is the original paint.          
                     Often times tissue will be wrapped around the neck to prevent snapping.
                     Check the rear of the doll. There is often damage there, as well as chips.
                     Look inside the head of the doll for cracks. Sometimes cracks will be
                      noticeable on the inside, but be repainted on the outside.
                     A cracked doll will only be worth about ten percent of a non-cracked doll.

            The first baseball set of bobbinghead dolls was the 1960-1961 Square color base set. The rarest doll in this set was the Washington Senators doll with a dark blue base. Other sets in the 1960’s included the 1961-1962 white base miniatures, the 1961-1963 white base set, the 1963-1965 black players set, the 1963-1965 green base set, and the 1966-1971 gold base set.

             Football and hockey sets also were introduced in the early 1960’s, with the 1960-1961 National Football League Square wood base set, and the 1961-1963 National Hockey League Square base set.

             The most valuable sports doll is the Houston Colt.45s black player on a green base (included in the 1963-1965 black players set). There are believed to be only two or three of this doll in mint condition. As for actual player dolls, the most valuable is of Roberto Clemente.

              Of course, there are non-sports dolls as well. Regarding political dolls, the Jack/Jackie Kennedy kissing pair dolls are extremely rare, and valuable. They were distributed in 1963, shortly before Kennedy’s assassination. Upon JFK’s death, the dolls were no longer manufactured.

              Other valuable non-sports dolls include Dick Tracy, Batman, Robin, the Bob’s Big Boy, Werewolf, Frankenstein, and the Phantom.

                A set of the four Beatles bobbinghead dolls, made by Car Mascots, are quite rare and a real collector’s item Make sure you have the box and the cellophane.

                Because they are colorful, bobbinghead dolls display quite well. You do have to be careful when handling and moving them. A few of the bigger companies in the bobbinghead doll field are Alexander Global Productions, Team Beans, and Bensussen Deutsch and Associates (BD&A).

                As prices often fluctuate with this collectible, you need to look through a recent price guide to learn the current values.


Tuesday, March 12, 2019



    One of baseball’s treasures that have not been absolutely proved to be found is that of the ball that Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit on October 3, 1951 to win the National League pennant.

     There has been speculation that the ball was indeed kept all these years by a friend of the man who claimed to have caught the ball in the stands that historic day. And that story may well be true. However, if you indeed feel that you have the ball, or you know someone who thinks that they have that famous ball, then please come forward. And you will need to have a good story to go along with the ball.

     Of course, the game between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers on that day in early October 1951 has been termed one of the greatest games ever played. For those people not familiar with the game, those two hated rivals were playing the third and final game of the playoffs to decide who would win the National League pennant. The Dodgers had a 13 ½ game lead over the Giants in mid-August, but the Giants had caught them on the last day of the season, to force a playoff.

     In the third and deciding game the Dodgers had the lead going to the bottom of the ninth. The Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe was taken out of the game and replaced by Ralph Branca. Bobby Thomson, a local New Yorker, had been a solid, not spectacular, player throughout his career. His homerun in the ninth inning to beat the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds that day would forever make him a marked man in baseball history. For that matter, Branca’s place in baseball history would now be remembered as well.

     Thomson’s homerun, called the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” is one of the most famous moments in sports history, not just baseball history. Why? Probably because the game was between two teams from New York who disliked each other. The Giants victory also capped off a dramatic comeback in late summer, and was achieved at the last possible instance. It showed to the American public that underdogs with long odds against them can prevail.

     So, where is the ball? Possibly it is still out there, still to be turned in. Possibly it went the way of old baseballs and was thown away. Possibly it was recently sold at auction. Of course, back in 1951 fans did not have the same craze for memorabilia as they have now. Who would know that baseballs hit into the stands, even if it meant winning the 1951 National League pennant, would have such historical significance and be worth a fortune? How much is that ball worth today? Oh, only about a million dollars.

     Maybe you remember the words of the late Giants’ announcer Russ Hodges when Bobby Thomson’s blast landed in the stands:  

“The Giants win the pennant,
  The Giants win the pennant,
  The Giants win the pennant.”

     But where is the ball that was hit into the stands?

Thursday, March 7, 2019


    Throughout the history of baseball many great players have graced the baseball diamonds across America.

     Players such as Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Henry Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Roger Clemens, Honus Wagner, and scores of others will long be remembered. But the one player who has always stood out has been Babe Ruth.

     It was George Herman “Babe” Ruth who almost single-handedly saved baseball from fading into obscurity. No matter how many of Ruth’s hitting and pitching (yes, he was a pitcher early in his career) records have been broken, he is still Mr. Baseball.

     Even though Henry Aaron and Barry Bonds may have passed Ruth’s hallowed career homerun record, and his season homerun record have been surpassed by a few players, Ruth’s name will always be remembered. And he was a prolific signer of baseballs and other baseball items until his death in 1948.

     You may see many Ruth signed baseballs in auctions or in sales, but the one ball that has not yet surfaced is Ruth’s home run in Game 3 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs.

     The Cubs indeed were in the 1932 World Series, but, as you can imagine, did not win. In fact, they haven’t won in a long, long time. But that’s another story.

     The homerun that Ruth hit in Game 3 of that World Series is often termed the “called” shot.

     As legend has it, Ruth pointed to the centerfield stands, and on the very next pitch hit a ball to that same location to which he had just pointed.

     Fact or fiction that this incident really occurred? No one knows for sure, but it makes for a great story.

     There have been many Ruth stories that have surfaced through the years, and this is certainly one of them.

     Did he really point to centerfield? If so, why did he? Will we ever know?

     How much could this ball be worth? Real tough to say, but it might fetch a cool $1.5 million in an auction. Naturally, it will depend how many bidders there are, and if a bidding war develops, as it did with the McGwire 70th homerun ball.

     And of course, there are many people who do not believe the whole scenario of Ruth “calling” his Game 3 shot, so that if the ball does show up in an auction it will be considered “suspect” by many.

     If you feel that you may own this ball make sure you have the proper documentation. And believe me, the baseball Hall of Fame would gladly take the ball off of your hands.

     Even though you may not have the “called” shot Ruth ball, any Ruth-signed ball is valuable, very valuable.

     I have seen several balls signed by both Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Some collectors prefer a single-signed ball, while other collectors prefer balls signed by more than one star, such as Ruth and Gehrig on a ball.

     Babe Ruth is baseball, and baseball is Babe Ruth. And Babe Ruth and baseball are memories.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Baseball Press Pins


            



              One of the rarest, and collectible, of all baseball items is the press pin. There are many sports collectors who are not even familiar with what a press pin is.

                Actually, as the words imply, it is a pin given to a member of the press, presumably covering a sporting event. Although most sporting press pins have been associated with World Series and All-Star Games in baseball, there are now press pins associated with Super Bowls, NBA Championships, Stanley Cup Finals, Indianapolis 500 races, and the list is growing.

                Baseball press pins have existed for a little over 100 years, and have served as badges for members of the media at a major sporting event. Nowadays, the media are given more credentials than a metal pin, even though a press pin is now a commemorative, rather than a required item.  

                But, the roots of the baseball press pins, now truly collectors items, dates back to the early 1910s. The New York Giants manager, John McGraw, had a wide circle of friends who wanted to go to the games for free. McGraw did not want to say no to any of them. McGraw had passes given to his friends to get into the stadium. They would go to the press box as the working media was on the field interviewing players before the game. When the media would come to the press box area, they would find their seats taken.

                The solution was that the newly-formed Baseball Writers of America issued specially-designed lapel pins which would be required of anyone trying to gain access to the press box area. Since that time, press pins have been produced for nearly every baseball World Series and All-Star Games, and some other major sporting events.

                Press pins fit the criteria for a collectible. They are very scarce, they are very desirable, and most of them are in good condition. Besides, they are extremely lightweight and easy to move. As an example of how scarce they are, in the early years, no more than a few hundred were given to each World Series team. Even as late as the 1990s, only a few thousand were allotted to each team.

                Besides the actual press pins that were distributed to World Series teams, there are also vintage press pins known as “phantom” pins. These were press pins that were made for contending teams that never made it to the World Series. These pins were made just in case the teams did make it to the World Series. They are valuable as well, and sometimes are even worth more than the pins of a World Series team.

                The press pins of the Philadelphia Athletics from the 1911 World Series were manufactured by the Allen A. Kerr Company, and are worth the most in general, well into the thousands of dollars. That year was the first year press pins were made especially for the World Series. Nowadays, press pins from modern World Series are only worth a couple of hundred dollars even in Mint condition.

                However, in a 2012 Heritage auction, a 1922 World Series press pin which served the New York Giants and New York Yankees media, sold for $11,950. The pin was in Mint condition, and of course featured both New York teams. Both teams also played at the Polo Grounds, that year, the sight of all the World Series games.

                However, in 2013, there was a press pin that sold for nearly $57,000. A World Series press pin from the New York Giants 1912 World Series between the Giants and the Boston Red Sox sold for that incredible amount. It is one of only a few remaining pins from the year’s World Series. For baseball trivia buffs, 1912 was the year that Fenway Park opened in Boston, and the team has been playing there ever since.

                So baseball collectors; if you haven’t thought of collecting press pins, you might want to think about it now.

Friday, March 1, 2019


             “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron was one of baseball’s greatest players from 1954 to 1976.  Aaron debuted on April 13, 1954 as a player for the Milwaukee Braves, and made his last plate appearance on October 3, 1976 while a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.  Along the way, he homered 755 times, a record that was eventually broken by Barry Bonds.  In fact, Aaron is the only player to hit 30 or more homers in a season at least 15 times.

                Aaron’s professional career started in 1951 when he was signed to a contract to play for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League.  However, Major League Baseball had already begun to sign black players, starting with Jackie Robinson’s debuting with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.  Aaron made short work with the Clowns, and only played in 26 official Negro League games.  In 1952 Henry Aaron’s contract was purchased by the Milwaukee Braves.  In the Braves’ minor league system Aaron played primarily shortstop or second base.  However, that was soon to end.  When Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson, the Giants hero in the 1951 playoffs against the Dodgers, fractured his ankle, Aaron replaced him in the outfield.  The rest, so to speak, was history.

                Hank Aaron was selected as an All-Star 21 times, and played in 25 All-Star games.  In 1957 he was a member of the World Series champion Milwaukee Braves.

                Of course, Aaron was closely scrutinized once he became close to breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record.  Ruth’s record of 714 homers was for decades, but as with any record, sooner or later there was always a chance of it being broken.  And so it was with the home run record.  Aaron ended the 1973 season at 713 homers, one shy of Ruth.  The hate mail came in droves during the offseason, as how dare a black man surpass the iconic record of Babe Ruth.  But in the very first game of the 1974 season, Aaron tied the record, and broke it on April 8th, 1974, during the first home game of the Atlanta Braves.

                Aarons’ final homer, on July 20, 1976, against the California Angels, was his 755th career homer, and stood as the record until 2007, when San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds would surpass it.

                Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 with 97.8 percent of the votes.  At the time that selection percentage was the second highest in history, only to 98.2 percent of Ty Cobb in the inaugural 1936 Hall election.

                Since his retirement Aaron has served in several baseball executive positions.  In addition, in 2001 he was honored with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton, and in 2002 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President George W. Bush.

                For the baseball collector, most Hank Aaron items can be acquired without breaking the bank.  For example, an Aaron-signed official Major League baseball can usually be purchased for no more than $200-250.  In comparison, a Ruth-signed ball can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

                A signed Aaron replica jersey will cost less than a thousand dollars on eBay, while an original Hartland statue in good condition from the late 1950s will cost a few hundred dollars.

                An Aaron 8x10 signed photo is priced at $100-125, while a signed bat runs around $750-900.

                A Hank Aaron piece of memorabilia will always be a treasure for any sports collector. 

           There is some controversy over the first basketball card.   Some collectors believe strongly that it was an 1899 Enameling Coll...