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Lot # 650: Wahoo Sam Crawford Single Signed Baseball with Provenance

Starting Bid: $500.00

Bids: 21 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Classic 2022",
which ran from 5/20/2022 7:00 PM to
6/11/2022 10:00 PM



Sam Crawford single-signed baseball with outstanding provenance. Despite the fact that Crawford lived until 1968, his signature alone on a baseball is rare. This is one of only four we have ever offered and we have seen few others. In addition to its rarity, the offered example has a documented history. This ball originates from the personal collection of Clyde R. Worrall, a prominent attorney who resided in Crawford's home town of Wahoo, Nebraska. According to an accompanying handwritten letter of provenance from his widow, Blossom Worrall, dated June 14, 1992, Worrall personally acquired the ball at a Lions Club dinner honoring Crawford in the 1940s. As she further explains, the dinner coincided with the town naming the local baseball park "Sam Crawford Field." In addition to the letter, the ball also comes with a vintage photo (10x8") of Crawford and Clyde Worrall posing together in Worrall's office in 1957 (the date is based upon the handwritten notes on the reverse). Crawford has beautifully signed the ball "Wahoo Sam Crawford" in green ink across the sweet spot, with the signature grading 8/10." On a side panel, Crawford added "To Clyde Worrall." It appears that when writing the salutation Crawford started with a blue pen but was having some trouble with the writing instrument and had to switch over to a green pen. In doing so, he traced over portions of the name Clyde Worrall, which, with the combination of inks, now looks purple. Fortunately, there were no mishaps with his signature across the sweet spot, which projects magnificently against the cream-colored background. The MacGregor "Official 97 League" baseball appears to have been very lightly shellacked to which there is some light crazing. Black-colored foxing affects two side panels, but it is not visible when viewing Crawford's sweet-spot signature. Also included in this lot is the original MacGregor retail box (PR-FR) and a portion of the August 7, 1957 edition of the "Wahoo Newspaper" featuring a pictorial display chronicling Crawford's recent visit to Wahoo, Nebraska. 

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