I just got...

my treasures

1957 autographed pic of Mickey Mantle, autographed pic of Stan Musial also 1957, and an autographed baseball of the 1962 Pittsburg Pirates give to me personally by Smokey Burgess.

 

Of course, there's the famous 1958 Catawba River Sand Company bag carrying Braves' visage. A "limited edition" collectible, it was only produced around the beginning of that year's high school baseball season.

This was actually an endorser's second effort to attach Braves' unforgettable image to a commercial product. Some years earlier, the York County Hot Air Balloon Company approached him about the creation of a "Braves Special" balloon. Stretchy's great-grandfather, who sat on the company's board, suggested that they shape and paint it to resemble an intentionally scuffed baseball. (Many of you may recognize Stretchy's great-grandfather as the very umpire who officiated many of those titanic clashes between the New York Knickerbockers and Boston Braves.) Unfortunately, the untimely demise of the airship Hindenburg spooked the balloon-buying public sufficiently to deflate the idea; never allowing it to get off the ground.

 

Great story!!! I have a couple of questions though:
How much alcohol did those guys drink?
How much did Big Poppi eat?

 

Big Poppi wasn't there. There wasn't a lot of drinking going on with any of the guys. I guess with the wives present and it being midnight with them having to play game 7 the next day, they were behaving themselves. They did eat lot, though. I'm sure the wait staff made a nice tip!

 

Flying high over North Carolina tournaments

The scuffed baseball balloon was already patented by a showcase organization so Granpappy asked Mrs. Braves for a mug shot of Lil Braves so that the balloon could be made to look exactly like him. Looks perfect to me!!

 

Summer of 1984 I was working at Elk River Golf Club in Banner Elk as a cart boy. I was a senior @ App State. I get a call telling me to report to this condo to help a vacationing family move in. I drove a cart up there and it was Bob Griese and his family. Young Brian was there also. Wow here I was watching one of the great QBs that I grew up with. I acted normal, helped him move him and he ask me what time I got off work. I told around 5:00. He asked if I played golf. Well, yes I do. Around 5:00pm he walks around to the cart area tells me to grab my clubs and off we go, Bob Griese and myself where we played the front 9 at Elk River. He and I with no one else. We talked about football and he was really open with me about the game and his experience. It was really neat and something I will never forget. Oh, I also never got his autograph. That experience was pretty cool.

 

Everybody has got me digging around old stuff here at the house and I come up with a Jimmy V. picture after State won National Championship in '83. He visited Wolfpack Club members in the area and I was a Sr. in high school. I have an old 8MM film that we turned into DVD to preserve it. I have me, my cousin, and Bobby Allison with his arm around us at the, what is now, Orange Co. Speedway. I was 8. Also in these films, we played Mooresville in little league state championship game in '77 in Mooresville. Anybody on this board from Mooresville that played back then or in these games. If you like to see some high-lights, I have some on film that my dad saved. We (Henderson-Vance) lost 2 games to 1. I have no earthly idea what affliation (Little League, Babe Ruth, etc.) My son said we were not good, but he doesn't understand our era. That's all we did. I hit with wood back then too (see it on film), just not by choice.

 

When I was a Senior in High School Roman Gabriel came and was guest speaker at our Athletic Banquet. I will never forget being handed an award by Roman Gabriel. I have a picture of m brother, Roman Gabriel and I that is meaningful to me. And an experience I will never forget

 

damn Ray, I didn't know you were that old! I got an autographed cap of the 83 Pack National Champs, Ken Griffey Jr. Autographed Rookie Card, Pete Rose Auotgraphed Rookie card, and a picture of Al and Bill Bolton holding the 2005 DYB State Champions Trophy. I got to start digging for more stuff. I've also got what has to be one of the earliest umpire indicators made by Spaulding, in it's original box.

 

WOW ..... where do I start! Like most, as a young kid, (early sixties) I started collecting autographs of everyone from all Sports! Just some of my personal bests!

A $2.00 Bill autographed from Joe Frazier when he was the Champ. The $2 bill came back in style during the late seventies and I was working at a club as a bouncer when the Champ came in and was giving out the bills. I asked him to sign it and he did!

Ted Williams autographed picture.

Warren Spahn, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Casey Stengall, Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, many, many Phillies over the years. Which includes the 1963 Yearbook that I had everyone sign over the year. Don Drystale, Sandy Koufax, Walter Alston, Junior Gilliam, Ken Boyer, Bill White.

Enos Slaughter, Whitey Ford, Duke Snider, Hoyt Wilhem, Mickey Mantle, Brooks Robinson autographs all on the same ball.

Al Kaline, Robin Roberts, Gaylord Perry, Catfish Hunter & Reggie Jackson all on another ball which I happen to have signed over the years.

Pete Rose on a 1980 World Series baseball.

The 1976 Detroit Tigers whole team on a baseball. I am friends with one of the players back then.

The 1978 Boston Red Sox whole team on a ball which includes Yaz!

I could go on and on, ........... but:

My all time favorite ...... my son threw a perfect game when he was 12 years old at MARA. I have the ball he finished the game with and had him signed it for me. Probably more of a thrill for me than him!