Jim "Catfish" Hunter autoball worth?

[AutographKilla]

well i have had this for a while my grandpa had to be super lucky when he got this one. Jim "Catfish Hunter is from North Carolina and if i am correct i think this ball is from when he played for Kansas city. cause it is a game used "Offical Approved Major Leauge Preformance specifications" is what it says on the ball it is a Wilson Ball. And on the heart or sweetspot of ball it has his signature in blue ink very nice and still clear auto! I will definatley get a picture up soon but how much do u think it would be worth always wonderd. I would never sell it, because of its meaning.

Here are Pictures i finally got the imageshack to work!

http://img253.imageshack.us/i/jim2.jpg/


http://img294.imageshack.us/i/jimg.jpg/

Thanks, Justin

[packrat]

it is a game used "Offical Approved Major Leauge Preformance specifications" is what it says on the ball it is a Wilson Ball.

I'm pretty sure that at the time Hunter played they used Rawlings balls specifically made for each league and bore the facsimile signature of the president of each league. It was somewhere around the turn of the century when the two leagues combined their official ball into one and it now bears the MLB commisioner's name. So what you have is a ball that was made to fit MLB specifications, and not an official MLB ball.

As for the worth or value, I really don't know. You said it was "game used" and that could actually lessen the value of the ball, since most collectors seem to prefer a shiny white brand new ball, and on an official MLB ball to boot. You could easily do your own research to find out what his autograph is going for. Forgive me, but I just don't feel like doing the research for you. But all in all, I really don't think it's worth whatever "premium" (for lack of a better term) it is going for on today's market, given the facts you presented about your ball.

[arrowsup]

Not being an official MLB ball will hurt the value....and since it isn't an official ball it couldn't have been used by Catfish in a game. The Wilson ball you have is currently approved for use by high school teams.

[AutographKilla]

yea i am thinking this is from his high school play cause i dont think he would have come here with his MLB team he is also the same class as my grandfather. So he might have played my grandfathers team.

And as for the value it doesnt really matter to me i am just a little curious as Jim Hunter did do alot of remarkable things in his time in the MLB

[packrat]

I can't say for sure, but it is rather unlikely that anyone would seek out a high school player for an autograph. It could happen, but in order to be certain you or someone you trust would have to be a witness. You would have to ask someone in your family if they know anything about the ball and autograph.

Because you were not a witness to the signing, the most you have is an autograph on a ball. Down the road, if you should say that it was a used by Hunter in a high school game and then signed by him you would be essentially misrepresenting the item since you are only speculating.

[AutographKilla]

yea i understand that, i am going to ask my grandma more about it if she knows anything about it and yea i would never say it would be a high school ball without knowing all the facts. I just dont know how he could ever get it if it is not an offical MLB ball other than high school play

[chriscollector]

Honestly it's not going be worth anywhere neary the dollar amount you would hope for, but the sentemental value and history will be worth so much more to your fmaily in the long run. To tell you kids their greatgranDad went to school and played ball with Catfish and have the ball to show them is really something special. He's not one of the really valuable names of baseball unfortunately and having his autograph on a highschool spec ball that was used totally destroys the value.

I can't give "Proof" or numbers but IMHO any signature on a non MLB ball as compared to an official MLB ball signed by the same person, it will have 30-60% less value; if the ball is used/dirty on top of that it becomes undesirable unless it's Ruth, Mantle, Dimaggio, Cobb, Wagner, etc.

[AutographKilla]

yea, you make really great points and it helps alot! Even tho it might not be worth anything MAJOR, i am still glad he was able to get this when he could cause i mean catfish, anyone can say what they want but i mean he won 5 world series with the Yankees. So i dont care how much it is worth!


Pictures are on first post! check them out let me know what you think now that you have seen some pics!!