Latest pickup: 1998 Minnesota Vikings team-signed possible game/practice ball!

[BrianRichards]

Not this past weekend, but the previous one, I stumbled across an unbelievable one-of-a-kind find while visiting an antique shop I frequent in Buffalo, MN. One of the dealers there used to work for the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant trainer from 1961 until about 2005, and he puts out some pretty cool pieces on a semi-regular basis from his personal collection of items he's saved over the years. He wasn't working during my latest visit, but I managed to spot a 1998 team-signed Vikings official NFL "Duke" football (Paul Tagliabue era) in one of his display cases. Upon close inspection, and after consulting with a fellow collector, I have come to believe that the ball is not only autographed by a good portion of one of the most legendary teams in franchise history (15-1, NFC Championship Game appearance), but may also be a game used or practice ball. I was informed by my collector friend that the word "VIKINGS" scrawled on the laces in Sharpie (visible in the photos) was the method used to mark the team's actual balls intended for usage. I also noticed to the right of the #59 in one of the photos of the ball is a stray letter "J" sharpied onto the ball. I'm curious to find out if this maybe is an Official's mark from a game or something. I'm not sure on that. I am going back this weekend when Larry, the former team employee, is working at the shop to see if he can fill me in on the ball's history and backstory, and maybe help me identify some of the signatures I'm having trouble deciphering. The names I've identified so far are:

Kivuusama Mays
Jake Reed
Andrew Glover
Randall Cunningham
Matthew Hatchette
Brad Johnson
Chris Walsh
Robert Smith
Pete Bercich
Ed McDaniel
Torrian Gray
Derrick Alexander
Harold Morrow
Stalin Colinet
Robert Tate
John Randle
Mitch Berger
Randall McDaniel

The most notables are probably Randall Cunningham, Brad Johnson, Robert Smith, Jake Reed, John Randle, and Randall McDaniel. Randle and McDaniel are HOFers.

Some other ones that I believe are on there, but haven't been able to completely confirm yet, due to fading/legibility issues, are Mike Morris, Dixon Edwards, Everett Lindsay, Cory Fuller, Tony Williams, Duane Butler, and Randy Moss.

Some of the autos are a little faded, and the ball only holds about 80% of it's air, but it displays GREAT and blew me away when I saw it, as the '98 team is my personal favorite Vikings squad of all-time, and were featured on one of the NFL Networks "America's Game: Missing Rings" specials.

Can't WAIT to learn more about the history of the ball, the autos, and potential game/practice usage! I'll share more info after I talk to my contact at the shop this weekend.