OT- Value of a Willie Mays baseball

[Tommy-the-Greek]

My step father passed away and left me all his baseball stuff. His prized possesion was a Willie Mays signed ball. Let me give you the background of the ball.

My step dad was a batboy for the Trenton Giants the B league Giants minor league team. He was there when Willie came up from down south....south carolina I beleve. He said Willie was a shy guy who notmany of the players talked to and they kinda resented him because he was black and Jackie Robinson just broke the color barrier a few years before. They werent so keen on a young black ball player so he was shunned the first week he was there. My dad said he used to sit next to willie in the dugout and talked to him. He told me he and Willie became buddies. He got the whole team to sign a ball that week. He says it is the first autograph Willie ever signed as a Giant cause noone knew him and were asking him to sign a ball at that point. Within a few weeks everyone could tell there was something really special about this young man. At that point kids starting asking for Willies autograph.

The first summer I met my new step dad he took me to shea stadium to see a met game. We got there really early and waited by the teams parking lot. I think this was 73. Willie pulled up in a big pink caddy. I was in awe of this guy, I had his baseball cards and his glove and everything Willie I could get my little hands on. But to see him in the flesh was incredible for a little kid. My step dad yelled to him hey willie you remember me. He looked at him and said I don't think so. My dad said I was the batboy for the trenton giants when you first came up. Willie paused and a big smile came across his face. He said "Little Jimmy, I almost didn't remember you, what happened to your hair.?" he said something like my mom did it to him. They both laughed and started talking about the trenton giants for a few minutes which seemed like hours to me to be this close to a superstar. He signed my street and smith book and my step dads book. I have 3 willie autographs but I know the historic value of that ball must be worth alot more then a simple autograph. I never plan to sell it, I just want to know what it is worth. Anyone have any ideas??

Happy belated birthday to Willie.....he was born May 6th.

[RF4L]

Hey Tommy,

Cool story.

Willie Mays was my favorite player growing up, too. I used to think it was neat that his birthday was just two days after mine.

Anyway, no idea of the ball's value, but I would think that if his autograph was just one of many from a minor league team he played on, it wouldn't be worth nearly as much as if it just had his autograph alone on it. But hey, I've been wrong before.

[bulldog]

I remember hearing a sports collectibles dealer telling me a few years ago that Willie Mays has been signing EVERYTHING the past 30 years or so. Prices for his items don't fetch what most would expect them to, unless they are from early in his career with the Giants.

These things are never worth as much to someone else as they are to the person that had them signed, unless it is the Hank Aaron 755 ball or the fielding glove of say Walter Johnson

[Wacky Ralph]

I got Roberto Clemente to autograph my baseball glove in 1966. I was in a hotel, and saw Roberto walking down the hallway. I said, "Hey, Roberto!!!! Sign my glove!!! You're cooler than a million tacos!!!" He scribbled something on my glove, cursed at me in Spanish, and walked away.

Roberto was shorter and older than I thought he'd be. And for some reason, he was wearing a janitor's uniform while cleaning the bathroom. And everyone in the hotel called him "Dave." When I wished him good luck against the Cardinals, he muttered something, and walked into the broom closet.

How much do you think my autographed glove is worth????? I'm thinking of putting it on E-Bay.

[RF4L]

You got yourself a real prize there, Ralphie boy. A glove autographed by Dave Clemente himself. Bet you also have his 3000th and last hit baseball as well as the barf bag he used on his last flight.

You are indeed wacky, my friend.

[OrangeSkin]

I have the inside of a matchbox signed by Reggie Brooks, Chip Lomiller, and Norv Turner. I'm thinking I can get, oh, about 39 cents for it.

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

Tommy this might give you a rough idea of it's value:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/nygoalpostsports/wilmayautofb.html