Crazy gift for HOF auto #222

First, I will say that I had a 2nd son a week ago. I look at these boards as a hobby outlet and don't normally share personal info, but I gotta put that out there. He is named Finch, was born a solid 9 pounds, and he and mom are healthy and happy.

Anyway, my father-in-law came for a visit to meet the newbie. As some of you may recall, he has made additions to my HOF auto collection (Nellie Fox, Harry Wright, Ty Cobb) in the form of incredibly generous gifts and the idea that the collection is only temporarily mine and will be inherited by his grandson(s).

Well, he is also an avid book collector, and he knows that I have been adding quite a few pieces to my signed baseball HOF book collection. He drooled over my newly-acquired Babe Ruth book before rolling out this gift that he purchased to celebrate the birth of my new son. Unbelievable.

Here is a signed copy of a 1911 book, inscribed and signed by its author and long-time HOF member, Albert Goodwill Spalding. The book is in incredible shape for being almost exactly 100 years old, and it is the latest (and nearly greatest) of my entire collection.

I usually enjoy adding info about a HOFer when I post these things, but they are usually cut from wikipedia anyway, so go there if you don't know who Spalding is.

Here is HOF auto #222:





I have a great family, no doubt!

Thanks for looking.

Nice pickup.

I just bid on one with the exact same EVERYTHING (even the date!) except the name. Must have been from the same signing session.

Jastermereel said:

Nice pickup.

I just bid on one with the exact same EVERYTHING (even the date!) except the name. Must have been from the same signing session.

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I saw one with the same date as well. Where did you bid on it? (of course you may not want to share if it is still ongoing)

I know this one was purchased through abebooks and the price was haggled, but I'm not rude enough to ask the price of a gift!

I bid through a small auction house. I bid $1300 and didn't get it. I don't know what the final price was.

That's amazing, and I'm very envious. At one point I really wanted that exact item to go with the Cap Anson signed autobiography I had. But then I got an offer I couldn't refuse on the Anson. The two men had such an entwined history, and those two books are seminal baseball histories. How great would that look alongside this?





Still can't believe the HOF autograph collector that bought my book removed the page for his framed display.

You're father-in-law sounds like a great guy!

Jastermereel said:

I bid through a small auction house. I bid $1300 and didn't get it. I don't know what the final price was.

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Like I said, I've seen the same date on one of these before, too. I didn't know they did book signings then, but Spalding was certainly a publicist. I guess it's also possible that he got a stack of them and signed them and mailed them out that day.

Good luck getting one, there seem to be a few floating around.

gracecollector said:

That's amazing, and I'm very envious. At one point I really wanted that exact item to go with the Cap Anson signed autobiography I had. But then I got an offer I couldn't refuse on the Anson. The two men had such an entwined history, and those two books are seminal baseball histories. How great would that look alongside this?

Still can't believe the HOF autograph collector that bought my book removed the page for his framed display.

You're father-in-law sounds like a great guy!

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Three responses to this:

1. I love your site and have drooled over those images many times!
2. The dude who bought the book DID WHAT!?!!? That should be a crime!
3. My father-in-law is a very great and generous guy.

The book itself was published in New York in 1911 by publisher American Sports Publishing. I would venture to guess Spalding was in New York for the book release, and signed newly printed copies for friends and acquaintenaces on that date. At the time, he was living in Point Loma, California. The New York inscription suggests he was there on business, most likely the book release. Might be able to confirm this through a little newspaper research. I have a book on Spalding at home and I'll see if it mentions anything.

Mighty Bombjack said:

2. The dude who bought the book DID WHAT!?!!? That should be a crime!

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I tried really hard to talk him out of it. At the time, my book was one of three known inscribed copies. He had a wall of HOF cuts in his business office, and decided he wanted it consistent with his display. Probably lowered the value a couple thousand with that move.

gracecollector said:

The book itself was published in New York in 1911 by publisher American Sports Publishing. I would venture to guess Spalding was in New York for the book release, and signed newly printed copies for friends and acquaintenaces on that date. At the time, he was living in Point Loma, California. The New York inscription suggests he was there on business, most likely the book release. Might be able to confirm this through a little newspaper research.

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A search on abebooks.com lists 5 signed copies of the book for sale. One of them is dated Oct. 10, while another is dated the same as this (and I have seen a third with the same date). There are also a couple with Dec. 25, which have Point Loma in the inscription. There was another in the last REA auction with a Oct. 13th date.

You suck Wayne..........!

































j/k .........not much I can even add to this other than "CONGRATS" (to your wife too) on newborn, on having an awesome father-in-law and on this pick-up!

MaineMule said:

You suck Wayne..........!

































j/k .........not much I can even add to this other than "CONGRATS" (to your wife too) on newborn, on having an awesome father-in-law and on this pick-up!

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Thanks Scott! You have two boys yourself, no?

Any new pickups your way?

Congrats on the two great additions!

Mighty Bombjack said:

MaineMule said:

You suck Wayne..........

j/k .........not much I can even add to this other than "CONGRATS" (to your wife too) on newborn, on having an awesome father-in-law and on this pick-up!

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Thanks Scott! You have two boys yourself, no?

Any new pickups your way?

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...three boys thanks for asking

...picked up a slabbed Ed Walsh last month. I've been picky and somewhat cheap of late, though all the HOFers that I need are typically north of $350/400. Walsh makes 193 for me. 222 seems daunting. I'd love to be knocking on the door to 200 at year-end but will likely need a couple of easy ones from 2011 elections (though I could not even tell you now who's in the mix).

Be well and enjoy your new son. They grow up much too fast!!

Wo what a great pick up.COngrats on the new boy and you have a hell of a father-in-law!

gracecollector said:

That's amazing, and I'm very envious. At one point I really wanted that exact item to go with the Cap Anson signed autobiography I had. But then I got an offer I couldn't refuse on the Anson. The two men had such an entwined history, and those two books are seminal baseball histories. How great would that look alongside this?

Still can't believe the HOF autograph collector that bought my book removed the page for his framed display.

You're father-in-law sounds like a great guy!

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You should share the story of how you got that book with the board.I think I read it way back on BMB.

Wow! Incredible addition! It is great to see/read about something other than modern baseball/cards!

Wow, who's left on your list for HOF autos?

hofmichael said:

Wo what a great pick up.COngrats on the new boy and you have a hell of a father-in-law!

gracecollector said:

That's amazing, and I'm very envious. At one point I really wanted that exact item to go with the Cap Anson signed autobiography I had. But then I got an offer I couldn't refuse on the Anson. The two men had such an entwined history, and those two books are seminal baseball histories. How great would that look alongside this?

Still can't believe the HOF autograph collector that bought my book removed the page for his framed display.

You're father-in-law sounds like a great guy!

Click to expand...

You should share the story of how you got that book with the board.I think I read it way back on BMB.

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Book is gone, but the story about it is here: http://www.capanson.com/autostory.html The man I bought it from paid $1 for it at an Illinois thrift store!

brouthercard said:

Wow, who's left on your list for HOF autos?

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Here's my list. I have targeted Bresnahan, Gehrig, McGraw, and Wilson. There are a few others that are feasible, but the (relatively affordable) pickings are getting slim. Most of these guys are impossible.

Cap Anson (1B - Mgr) - 1939
Jake Beckley (1B) - 1971
Roger Bresnahan (C) - 1945
Dan Brouthers (1B) - 1945
Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown (P) - 1949
Ray Brown (P), ***** Leagues - 2006
Morgan Bulkeley (NL Executive) - 1937
Jesse Burkett (LF) - 1946
Alexander Cartwright (Builder) - 1938
Henry Chadwick (Builder) - 1938
Frank Chance (1B - Mgr) - 1946
Oscar Charleston (CF), ***** Leagues - 1976
Jack Chesbro (P) - 1946
John Clarkson (P) - 1963
Jimmy Collins (3B) - 1945
Roger Connor (1B) - 1976
Andy Cooper (P), ***** Leagues - 2006
Candy Cummings (P) - 1939
George Davis (SS) - 1998
Ed Delahanty (LF) - 1945
Martín Dihigo (P - OF), ***** Leagues - 1977
Barney Dreyfuss (Owner) - 2008
Buck Ewing (C) - 1939
Rube Foster (Mgr - P - Executive), ***** Leagues - 1981
Pud Galvin (P) - 1965
Lou Gehrig (1B) - 1939
Josh Gibson (C), ***** Leagues - 1972
Frank Grant (2B), ***** Leagues - 2006
Billy Hamilton (CF) - 1961
Ned Hanlon (Mgr) - 1996
Pete Hill (LF), ***** Leagues - 2006
Miller Huggins (Mgr) - 1964
William Hulbert (NL Builder) - 1995
Hughie Jennings (SS - Mgr) - 1945
Addie Joss (P) - 1978
Tim Keefe (P) - 1964
Willie Keeler (RF) - 1939
Joe Kelley (LF) - 1971
King Kelly (RF) - 1945
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd (SS), ***** Leagues - 1977
Biz Mackey (C), ***** Leagues - 2006
Effa Manley (Executive), ***** Leagues - 2006
Christy Mathewson (P) - 1936
Tommy McCarthy (RF) - 1946
Joe McGinnity (P) - 1946
John McGraw (Mgr - 3B) - 1937
Bid McPhee (2B) - 2000
José Méndez (P), ***** Leagues - 2006
Jim O'Rourke (LF) - 1945
Eddie Plank (P) - 1946
Alex Pompez (Executive), ***** Leagues - 2006
Cumberland Posey (Executive), ***** Leagues - 2006
Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn (P) - 1939
Wilbert Robinson (C - Mgr) - 1945
Bullet Rogan (P), ***** Leagues - 1998
Amos Rusie (P) - 1977
Louis Santop (C), ***** Leagues - 2006
Frank Selee (Mgr) - 1999
Mule Suttles (1B - LF), ***** Leagues - 2006
Ben Taylor (1B), ***** Leagues - 2006
Sam Thompson (RF) - 1974
Cristóbal Torriente (CF), ***** Leagues - 2006
Rube Waddell (P) - 1946
John Montgomery Ward (P - SS) - 1964
Mickey Welch (P) - 1973
Sol White (Builder), ***** Leagues - 2006
J.L. Wilkinson (Executive), ***** Leagues - 2006
Smokey Joe Williams (P), ***** Leagues - 1999
Vic Willis (P) - 1995
Hack Wilson (CF) - 1979
Jud Wilson (3B - 1B), ***** Leagues - 2006
George Wright (SS - Builder) - 1937
Ross Youngs (RF) - 1972

.....because of this thread this caught my eye last night.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Americas-National-G ... 45fb22d5aa