Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

Dear Babe: I have several sports articles including a ball signed by several 500 (home run) hitters and a bat signed by most 500 hitters up until recent years. The bat is a Rawlings Pro Ring Adirondack 302F dated March 3, 1993, Dallas, Texas. It is signed by Henry Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey, Frank Robinson, Ted Williams, Harmon Killebrew, Mike Schmidt and Willie Mays. The same 11 signed a Rawlings American League Bobby Brown ball. -- Danny Hays, Cleveland, Md.

The good news is you have a bat and a ball, which means you could add other living members of the 500 Home Run Club, which now numbers 23. Folks who have the Ron Lewis prints don't have that option.

The big question is whether the items are authentic. When I investigated this material a few years ago, experts agreed that the vast majority of bats and balls supposedly signed by the then 11 living member of the 500 Home Run Club were fakes. Many of the forgers scooped up in the FBI's famed "Operation Bullpen'' undercover investigation specialized in 500 HR items.

In 2002, the estimate of one expert was that there were probably more than 50,000 fakes that included bats, balls and Lewis prints. The number of authentic items was a small fraction of that astounding number. Based on the folks I've checked with, the number might fall between 5,000 and 10,000 legit items. That includes the Ron Lewis prints, bats and balls. Most were signed at the show in Atlantic City in 1989. By the time the second big show was held in 1996 -- again in Atlantic City -- Mantle had died and Murray had joined the club.

While there's no doubt some collectors put together signed items by collecting signatures one at a time most agree that number is very small.

"Most of the 500 HR stuff you see is fake,'' said Mike Breeden, an autograph expert and editor of Tuff Stuff's autograph guide. "Someone was churning out balls and bats like crazy back in the day. Could still be doing it, but you'd have to have the right balls and bats to do it now.

"Bats signed by the original 11 are very difficult because of Mantle's stance on signing bats. I wish I could remember if he was signing bats at that show in 1989, but I can't recall now. I don't think he was, but I can't swear to it. I know he wasn't signing them a year later. That would make Mantle the key to an item like this. Williams stopped signing them eventually also.''

If Mantle wasn't signing bats then, you would have had to start with one already signed by Mantle. I'd put a legitimate signed bat of the 11 guys at around $5,000-$8,000, because there are so few around. I'm sure some collectors would pay more -- if they could find one.

The balls are a different story. Mantle did sign plenty of real 500 HR baseballs, but there are more fakes out there than real ones. Real ones bring $3,000-$4,000.

"I would advise anyone considering buying either piece to do so only if they have at least one authenticator look at it, and if one passes it, I'd send it to another just for good measure,'' Breeden said.

(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak(at)charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)

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