MLB authenticated home run balls

[tigerdale]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum & how it works, but so far with what I've read, it seems great. I apoligize if this is a repeat topic, but I didn't notice it in here. Does anyone out there have any actual home run baseballs that were actually authenticated by MLB. I would have to assume this may be kind of rare, as most go into the stands & fans take them home. If there are some out there, what kind of prices do they command?? I appreciate all comments, thank you...

[WadeInBmore]

Tigerdale,

To my knowledge the only Home run balls that have been authenticated by mlb have been the Bonds hrs. There is a member of this forum, whose name is Dave Davison, and he calls himself the ballhawk. I purchased a hr baseball from him a couple months back. Check out his website www.ballhawk.net. Goto gallery and then follow the link that says "available homerun baseballs." Enjoy, good luck, and happy collecting.

-wade

[suave1477]

tigerdale as you mentioend it is hard but i think they do if there able to recover the actual ball. Last year Steiner sold an Endy Chavez home run ball I believe it was mlb hologramed also because the ball was recovered from it landing in the back and delivered right back to mlb/Steiner.

Dont ask me why but yes the ball sold in a private Steiner auction at the starting bid of $1000

[allstarsplus]

Tigerdale,

To my knowledge the only Home run balls that have been authenticated by mlb have been the Bonds hrs. -wade

Wade - If anyone went to Nationals games at RFK stadium during 2005, 2006 and 2007 they witnessed all but about a dozen and 1/2 HR balls ever land in the seats as most harmlessly landed over the fence where no fans sit and were recovered by the bullpens or the MLB authenticator.

The Nationals would use those HR balls in giveaways. I was fortunate to get an Alfonso Soriano MLB Authenticated HR ball which was from his 3 HR game vs. Atlanta which was also part of his 40/40/40 season in 2006.

Some teams give fans that catch HR balls a Certificate but w/ no markings on the ball.

Anyway, great Post and maybe one day they will have a MLB Authenticator patrolling the HR Alleys in various ballparks!!!

[David]

You can find home run balls with Steiner and team LOAs. Teams used to sell home run balls through their gift shops with team or gift shop LOAs.

A guy I know of caught a home run ball. An official came up to him in the stands, took the ball (with permission) and this fan later received the ball from the team in the mail signed by the player and with team LOA.

[10thMan]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum & how it works, but so far with what I've read, it seems great. I apoligize if this is a repeat topic, but I didn't notice it in here. Does anyone out there have any actual home run baseballs that were actually authenticated by MLB. I would have to assume this may be kind of rare, as most go into the stands & fans take them home. If there are some out there, what kind of prices do they command?? I appreciate all comments, thank you...

I have a MLB Authenticated Rafael Palmeiro Home Run (game used) Signed Baseball. The MLB Number is in the Database & lists the Pitcher, date, Home Run etc...
Sean

[tigerdale]

Wow, I appreciate all this feedback. I should have mentioned in my original post that I do have a couple, but just had not noticed any others. It seems, there may be a few out there, but they are kind of a rare item, except maybe the RFK ones that were mentioned, although still, theres only so many home runs & I have never noticed one for sale. I think in the hobby, when players can use multiple bats, jerseys, the authenticated home run ball may be an item that can never be overproduced or faked for a collector. It may be a hard collection, but one that should stand the test of time. Both the the Palmeiro & Soriano are AWESOME baseballs. Pieces of history in my mind.

[allstarsplus]

Although technically not a "game" HR, there are always a few All Star Game HR Derby balls that go in the bullpen or bounce back in the field of play that get Authenticated.

Also, there used to be the Big League Challenge exhibition in Las Vegas which was a pre-season HR Derby event where most of the balls were collected and they put a OnLine hologram on the balls.

Here is a Pujols BLC HR ball that I got.
11338


I would agree that overall that any MLB Authenticated HR balls are rare.

Here is a link to the BallHawk website which is very cool.

http://www.ballhawk.net/

[ifirocked]

i know steiner also had John Maine's HR ball that was MLB authentic from lastyear and the Tigers saved a few as well.

[tigerdale]

wow...these are all great posts again, I appreciate them all. That pujols HR ball looks very cool, I'm not familar w/ online holograms, but it sure looks like a keeper to me. Very cool stuff, knowing the exact play the ball was in. I have a few world series balls which it states the exact play, & even a couple opening day balls, which states the play...most others just state the game.

[nycsports]

Tigerdale, would you mind posting pics of the World Series balls and Opening Day balls that you mentioned that are written on and state when they were used? Thanks!

[tigerdale]

Hi, I hope I didn't mis spoke (if thats a word) myself...the balls are not written on, but the MLB hologram (when the number is looked up) states which play the ball was in. For example, hologram number BB 300021 is a 2006 world series ball i have, stating 9th inning, jones pitch to wilson, hit by pitch. I have noticed this exact stating of the ball in all-star games & the WBC too.

[tigerdale]

another thing I have learned on this website, in greater detail than I have ever done is the photomatching, very cool stuff. what would a fair price for a mlb authenticated home run baseball in everyones opinion??

[allstarsplus]

what would a fair price for a mlb authenticated home run baseball in everyones opinion??

If you caught Bonds HR #762 you thought it was worth $1,000,000 and the buyer paid $376,612 so it shows you what the hype is vs. the reality. Is that a fair price, I guess on that ball it was as they had several bidders that determined the final price in an auction format.

To be more specific to your question, a fair price is extremely subjective as "fair" to one person could be thought of as unfair to another.

In a perfect world, "fair price" would be determined by historic sales prices dependent on the significance of the HR and the player that hit it, and the authenticity of the ball.