"[This] outrageously spectacular sphere remains so unchanged from the date of its birth one would almost expect to look out the window and see kids with bobby socks and greased pompadours."
So says Heritage Auction Galleries' breathless introduction to an auction sale it has dubbed "the Finest 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Team Signed Baseball on Earth."
The treasured ball will feature alongside another signed baseball bearing two of the sport's most desirable autographs, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. They are for sale at Heritage's sale this Sunday (February 21).
This Brooklyn Dodgers signed ball is from the "tough luck" team's legendarily glorious 1955 season, when it beat the New York Yankees, and bears no less than 24 signatures.
 The 24 signatures on the ball's surface are bold and plain-to-see |
Alongside the penned name of Manager Walt Aston, Campy, Pee Wee, the Duke, Hodges, Erskine, Furillo, Labine, Gilliam and the rest of the gang are all present and correct.
Most relevant to the ball's provenance is the signature of first baseman Frank Kellert, assuring its 1955 vintage.
According to Heritage, the secret to the historic ONL (Giles) ball's youthfulness is that it remained hidden in a Spalding bag for decades, shielded from time's ravages.
Each of the autographs are bold in the ball's creamy hue - each never dipping "below 9/10 in strength," according to Heritage's experts.
Baseball memorabilia has certainly proved itself to be big business in the past. Babe Ruth autographs can bring large amounts on the market.
Elsewhere, Babe Ruth's 'most important bat' commanded a final price of $537,750 when it auctioned in the US, last year.
For now, Heritage's Sunday's sale promises to be an unmissable event for collectors and enthusiasts of historic US sporting memorabilia.
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