Aroldis Chapman / Yasiel Puig 1st Meeting 3 pitch "K" ball from MLB record streak

[dplettn]

Aroldis Chapman's 309th career "K" was fouled from play one pitch after the 3 fastball "K" of Yasiel Puig in the Cubans' 1st Meeting.

I personally and with tremendous focus watched the ball go around the horn after the K and be pitched AGAIN by Chapman. I knew at the time I was watching an historically significant game used baseball and I'd seen many times previously that such baseballs were not authenticated with relevance to the important play, particularly at sold out games where Reds Authentics was focused on merchandising a lot of bases, etc. It was Great Eight reunion night at GABP.

The same ball was fouled back by Adrian Gonzalez on the very next pitch and MLB authenticated to the pitch upon which it left play.

Here is the ball in the Reds HOF:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e1ec9xk964...inHOF.MP4?dl=0

Chappy ended up striking out the side that night, but it was the Puig "K" which was qualified him in what eventually became an MLB record streak of relief appearances with at least 1 strike out.

Some may have seen this ball being marketed recently. Having myself witnessed the events in person first hand, please know I have no need for anonymity in this case and the notarized provenance letter I wrote about the ball includes my personal information. That letter also details exactly when the ball was signed and inscribed with the speed of the three K pitches, batters name, and the career "K" number by Aroldis Chapman.

I am (of course) the person who purchased the ball from Reds Authentics. Myself, the Reds HOF, and the company currently marketing the ball are the only three entities to have had custody of the ball since it left Great American Ballpark.

[KGoldin]

I've heard of this somewhere!

http://www.goldinauctions.com/_K__Ga...-LOT15222.aspx

[dplettn]

I've heard of this somewhere!

http://www.goldinauctions.com/_K__Ga...-LOT15222.aspx

To affirm Ken, Goldin Auctions is the company to which I turned over custody of the ball. The Reds HOF still had the ball on display in approach of the 2015 as I was running into the deadline for Goldin's 2015 Opening Day auction. On the same day I spoke to the Reds HOF curator (Chris Eckes) to urgently have the ball ready for pick up, I shipped it off to Goldin.

Goldin's operational policy is not to display consignor information. Thus, the letters of provenance (from Reds HOF, and the separate detailed letter notarized by myself) on Goldin's site were not on Goldin's site at all during the GUU member pre-auction bidding contest. The letters were added to the Goldin item URL later after Goldin created an electronic image that blocked my name and address.

The anonymity was never requested or wanted by me. In fact, below (by my own choosing) is a URL provided by myself. I have uploaded a PDF of my original notarized provenance letter. The scan is intentionally faint so that my home address can not be read. The paper letter is on cardstock and is dark such that my home address can be read:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ikd4snlkq...0Prov.pdf?dl=0

At the time the item was up for early GUU member contest bidding, the title also did not refer to the "K". Similarly, the print catalog also does not refer to the "K". I hope that this thread may help to maximize awareness among the GU collecting community as to the full historic significance of this ball. It would be a tremendous disappointment to me if I sell the ball at a price near the minimum bid.

While I was in the Great American Ball Park Sun/Moon deck watching the ball intensely live, I do also want to share here a screenshot from MLB TV of Devin Mesoraco sending the ball around the horn as Puig swung through the 102 MPH strike 3. The ball was returned to Chapman as was then fouled and MLB authenticated on the very next pitch!

[KGoldin]

some pics