ShareThisBy BABE WAXPAK
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Dear Babe: I have an authentic Barry Bonds baseball bat that he used in batting practice (BP) before a game against the Florida Marlins. It is an Easton PRO STIX 238. My brother-in-law (Robby Thompson) played with the San Francisco Giants. During BP, Barry gave him the bat to give to my nephew, because the wood was soft. My nephew got it autographed after the game and gave it to me. _ Ray Cardona, Hoschton, Ga.
"The bat might sell in the $400 range for an autographed pro model with no real game use,said Dave Bushing, an expert on bats and an authenticator for www.mearsonline.com.
Dear Babe: I have a full size Raiders helmet signed on one side by Marcus Allen and Tim Brown with Howie Long and Jerry Rice on the other side. Each signature comes with its own COA from Global Authentication, Inc. _ Andrew Kort, San Diego
It's a nice group of HOFers, but Rice will almost assuredly go in as a 49er. Assuming it is not game-used, David Kohler, president of www.SCPauctions.com in Mission Viejo, put the helmet in the $200-$300 range.
Dear Babe: I have four football cards. They include Jim Brown (No. 30), Dick Bass (87), Del Shoffner (123) and Don Bosseler (184). They say "P.C.G & S.P.C.Eon the back. _ Brian Welnick, Elyria, Neb.
You've got some Philadelphia gum cards from 1964. That was the first of four sets the company issued through 1967. Brown is easily the most valuable. Tuff Stuff and Beckett put it in the $65-$90 range. The others are $2-$3 commons.
Dear Babe: We have a ball signed by Babe Ruth when he was on a goodwill train tour in Colorado. My uncle actually got the signed ball. _ Bill Savio, Jefferson, Texas
These days single-signed Ruth baseballs are worth $7,000-$20,000, said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for www.HeritageAuctions.com in Dallas. Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in New York, pretty much agreed with that, putting an average ball right in the middle of that range _ $10,000. Considerations that will affect value are condition of the ball, boldness of the signature, whether it is an official ball and whether the signature is personalized.
Dear Babe: My dad has a 1942 baseball program autographed in pencil by Babe Ruth when the Hollywood Stars played at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles. _ Jenny Triggs, Olympia, Wash.
Ruth's signature on a program in pencil is worth about $1,500-$2,200, said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for www.HeritageAuctions.com in Dallas. The value goes even higher if it can be trimmed/matted with no writing around the signature, Gutierrez said.
Dear Babe: I have a baseball my dad gave me quite some time ago. It is signed by Nelson Fox, Tony Piet, Ray Schalk and Bill Pierce. _ Charlie Fisher, Constantine, Mich.
"This is a White Sox HOF/stars ball,said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for www.HeritageAuctions.com in Dallas. He valued it at $400-$500. If by chance it can be displayed as a single-signed Schalk baseball, it might spark more interest, which could translate to a little more value.
BABE NOTES: Northern California Raiders fans can find a six-card set in 24-pack cubes of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist and Mountain Dew. The six Topps cards include Aaron Brooks, Derrick Gibson, Michael Huff, Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Warren Sapp. Cards are available while supplies last through Dec. 31.
Pepsi and Diet Pepsi cubes in the East recently featured 16 player cards on them. Pepsi cubes had one player from each NFC team, while Diet Pepsi featured a player from each AFC squad. The promotion was scheduled to end Nov. 1, but cubes are probably still in some stores. For a complete list of the players, visit my blog at www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak.
The third installment of the 54-card Topps Wal-Mart is in blaster boxes containing Updates and Highlights. Once again, for the complete list of the final 18 cards in the set, visit my blog at www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak in care of this newspaper, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak(at)redding.com. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)
