Roberto Clemente Signed Baseball

Official National League (Giles) ball signed by Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente. Clemente's blue-ink signature has been beautifully scripted on a side panel, grading "9." This ball was examined by James Spence Authentication utilizing a video spectral comparator, which allows for the observation of latent writing and/or markings. That examination confirmed that this was once a multisigned ball that has been professionally cleaned, leaving only the Clemente signature on the side panel. (Trace evidence of a few of the former signatures are still visible upon close inspection.) The professional removal or covering of signatures on baseballs has become a cottage industry in recent times, carried out by only a few skilled practitioners. While many purists deride such practices there are also collectors who welcome the service, especially for those Hall of Fame players for whom single-signed balls are rare. Clemente died tragically in 1972 at the age of thirty-seven; therefore the demand for Clemente single-signed balls far outweighs the limited supply. Because of that, a ball such as this allows collectors to obtain an aesthetically pleasing Clemente single at a discount to what a true, unadulterated example what cost. The ball itself is Near Mint in appearance, with all of the manufacturer's stampings bold and bright. Full LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $500. Estimate (open). SOLD FOR $2,014.50

Spring 2013 - Item detail

Roberto Clemente Signed Baseball