1909 New York Highlanders (New York Yankees) Season Ticket Booklet Presented to Neal Ball's Wife

Sold For:

$990

Year:

1909

Auction:

2020 Fall

Lot #:

2032

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Exceedingly rare New York Highlanders leather-bound ticket booklet, issued to "Mrs. Neal Ball," dating from the 1909 season. While all Highlanders tickets are scarce, ticket booklets are especially so. This is the first such example we have ever offered and we can recall having seen only one other (which has since been broken up). The wording on the front cover reads "Greater New York Base Ball Club of the American League/Season 1908/890"(890 denotes the ticket-book number) in gilt-stamped lettering. The interior cover bears the recipient's name, "Mrs. Neal Ball," written in black fountain pen. Many of the tickets in the booklet were used by Mrs. Ball, but twenty still remain in their original unperforated four-block segments. The game numbers printed on the five ticket blocks are, respectively, 57-60, 65-68, 69-72, 73-76, and 77 (the remaining three tickets in the block are lettered "Complimentary Extra"). Each individual ticket measures 2.125 x 1 inches. Neal Ball began his Major League career with the Highlanders in 1907 and was the club's starting shortstop in 1908. In May 1909, his contract was purchased by the Cleveland Naps, which probably explains why Mrs. Ball did not used many of the later-game tickets in the booklet. While Neal Ball's Major League career was brief (1907-1913), he is best known today as the first player in baseball history to make an unassisted triple play, a feat he accomplished on July 19, 1909, as a member of the Naps in a game against the Boston Red Sox. The first and final blocks' tickets display pencil notations on the reverse (the notations affect all the tickets in the first block, numbered 57-60; only two of the "Complimentary Extra" tickets are affected in the final block). Otherwise, all remain in Near Mint to Mint condition. The leather covers of the booklet (4.5 x 2.25 inches) display light-to-moderate wear, including a few light stains. Reserve $200. Estimate (open).