Cy Young Single-Signed Ball with Special Career Notations

Sold For:

$2,280

Year:

1930

Auction:

2016 Fall

Lot #:

1276

Category:

Autographed Baseballs/Flats/Photos

Spalding "Little League" ball signed by Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, baseball's all-time leader in wins, with 511. Young's name has been scripted in blue fountain pen on a side panel, with the signature grading "4." While all Cy Young single-signed balls are highly prized by collectors, this ball is particularly special because Young has added the year of his major league debut ("1890") and retirement ("1911"), respectively, above and below his signature. This is the first Cy Young single-signed ball we can recall seeing with added career notations, making it an especially desirable example. The special notations notwithstanding, any Cy Young single-signed ball is a classic, and is much rarer than most collectors realize. Young passed away in 1955, long before the preference of collectors for single-signed baseballs was firmly established. This is only the fifth Cy Young single-signed ball we have offered in the past ten years. The ball displays light soiling and a few minor abrasions. In Very Good condition overall. Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $1,000. Estimate (open).