Thrift Treasures 100: Foul Ball! 50-year-old Game-Used MLB ball
Well, I made it to the century mark for Thrift Treasures posts. Honestly, I’ve been slippin’ in terms of posting these. Such is life I suppose.
Anyhow, today I present to you an item I unearthed in a antique store in San Jose, Calif.
Tucked in a bucket of baseballs within a locked showcase was this Pres. William Giles Spalding baseball with the side panel inscribed “St. Louis Ball Fouled in LF Stands Sept. 29, 65.”
Such an inscription is one that is typical of an era gone by when people physically wrote in their memorabilia in stead of writing the details elsewhere. Does it devalue the item? That’s a personal preference I suppose.
Anyhow, I saw the inscription on the ball and decided to make the ball mine, without even checking the box score for the game the ball is associated with.
After buying the ball I started my research.
First off, Warren Giles balls sell for a decent price, so I was already pleased with the fact that au could add such a cool ball to my collection at $35, which seemed like a steal.
But the game is what adds intrigue. The Cardinals played the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park that day, and the Cardinals went on to win the game.
Hall of Famer Bob Gibson started the game and earned his 19th win of the season. In the game Gibson also hit a GRAND SLAM off Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry. Let THAT sink in.
Anyhow, it’s unclear what St Louis player supposedly fouled this ball into the stands, or at what point the play occurred.
As for the ball itself, it’s in great shape and has a scuff, probably from when the ball was struck with a bat, or when it bounced in the dirt before getting into the stands. 
On a side note, there was a piece of paper in the bucket that listed the details of the ball and the prices. The list showed that there had previously been for sale a ball struck by Giants player Frank Linzy.
Total cost of this Treasure: $35
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