John Franklin "Home Run" Baker led the American League in home runs for four seasons, 1911-14, yet the third baseman never hit more than 12 round-trippers in any season of his 13-year Major League career. Presented is a Frank Baker single-signed baseball. Baker played with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1908-14 and with the New York Yankees from 1916-22, except for 1920 when his wife passed away. He batted a career .308, with 96 home runs. Baker spent the prime years of his career in the Dead Ball Era when home runs were infrequent. He hit a lifetime .308, and he was a 3-time World Champion, each time with the Athletics. From 1911-14, Baker was a part of the Athletics' famed $100,000 Infield: with shortstop Jack Barry, second baseman Eddie Collins, and first baseman Stuffy McInnis. The offered baseball is a Reach Official American League Ball (Johnson), one that dates to 1918-24. The ball has red and blue stitches. Signing in steel-tip fountain pen in black ink, since faded in color but still easily legible, Baker inscribed and signed, "J. Franklin Baker/New York B.B.C." on a side panel. This is one of the earliest single-signed Baker singles known. The signed ball comes with a JSA LOA (CERT. #BB13763) for both the signature and the inscription. Baker's signature rates 7.5/10, and the ball is in excellent condition.

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