1933 All-Star Signed OAL (Cronin) Ball w/Ruth, Gehrig, Grove, Mack et al (PSA Graded: Baseball: 5, Signatures: 8, Overall Grade: 7)
Conceived as merely a side-dish to the Chicago World's Fair of 1933, an All-Star baseball game was orchestrated featuring the game's premier stars. There was no grand plan to launch an annually-scheduled event such as this - but the tumultuous success enjoyed by the extravaganza immediately took root to become an institution in our American experience. From its inception, the All-Star Game has always intended to showcase the finest talent, pitting superstars of the American and National Leagues against each other in a standard nine-inning affair. Through its history, the All-Star Game has been a festive rejoicing of the game. With their superlative skills displayed before an adoring public, players strive to win, but the final score is really an ancillary by-product - it is instead the honor of invitation and a renewal of faith in the glorious game, exchanged by players and fans. For all who participated, and for all who witnessed, the 1933 All-Star Game was, indeed, a special occasion. It was clearly sensed that history was being recorded, but yet it was celebrated as a singular event, isolated in time - fleeting. This gathering of baseball stars in Comiskey Park, it was assumed, would soon be forgotten. But for posterity, there was an inclination to leave behind mementos that may be appreciated by later generations. And such was the spirit urging that year's American League squad to ink their autographs to this baseball. The lineage of this particular ball traces to Sam West who was selected as one of the Junior Circuit's outfielders for that '33 All-Star Game. (It's attended by a letter from West's nephew, in fact, who has long enjoyed second-generation custody of the ball.) The medium, as it should be, is an Official American League baseball with deliciously perfect stampings (to include the side-panel simulated autograph of Will Harridge). It is mildly, but uniformly toned (PSA Graded: Baseball: 5, Signatures: 8, Overall Grade: 7). But we're quick to report that it bears absolutely no stains or surface blemishes. The magnificence of this autographed baseball, however, is fully realized when we compare its individual signings against the selected entirety of that American League team. As if to prescription, trong>Babe Ruth occupies the sweet spot. (By 1933, he was an aging legend. However, his exclusive position on this ball is abundantly substantiated - after all, he smacked history's first home run in All-Star competition.) Then, proceeding about the panels, we identify trong>Bill Dickey, trong>Tony Lazzeri, trong>Joe Cronin, Alvin [General] Crowder, trong>Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Dykes, trong>Jimmie Foxx, Oral Hildebrand, Eddie Rommel, trong>Lefty Gomez, trong>Lou Gehrig, trong>Lefty Grove, Wes Ferrell, Art Fletcher, Ben Chapman, trong>Connie Mack, trong>Al Simmons and, on the stamped sweet spot, trong>Earl Averill. And so, it's incumbent upon us to report the variances between this ball's signatures and those American Leaguers who suited up that July 6, 1933. A little research discloses that our benefactor, Sam West, didn't sign the ball. Further, we note that Rick Ferrell's name doesn't appear either. And finally, most accounts claim that Eddie Collins coached for the '33 American League All-Star team. However, we believe that fellow retired Athletic, Eddie Rommel, served in his stead. Rommel, along with Art Fletcher, were actually the coaches on this team, thus explaining their signatures on the ball (and the absence of Eddie Collins'). It can't be overestimated that all of these players and coaches, as well as Manager Connie Mack, were immensely honored in their selection for this gala event. Their responsible signings on this ball serve as mute testimony to that pride - these signatures weren't penned for the inadvertant service of an anonymous fan; but rather, for each, a conscious statement that "I was there."
Authenticators
PSA/DNA Auction House Letter (Read Details)
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