Dear Babe: My grandfather passed away several years ago and left me a box of baseballs. One is a New York Yankees baseball covered with signatures. Here are some I can make out: Casey Stengel and Mickey Mantle on the sweet spot; Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, Vic Raschi, Johnny Mize and Steve Kraly. -- Kent Tierney, Pleasanton, Calif.
Kraly was only with the Yankees at the tail end of the 1953 season, so that dates the ball.
He was an up-and-coming young hurler, who went 19-2 for the Binghamton Triplets in upstate New York. He was 0-2 with the Yanks in five appearances -- and earned a World Series ring when the Bronx Bombers won their fifth straight title.
And that was that. He never pitched in the majors again -- the victim of an arm injury. Apparently he made it to spring training a couple of times, which explains why his rookie card is in the 1955 Topps set. It was his only card. Despite the nagging arm problems, his minor league career continued through the 1960 season.
But there's a lot more to Kraly than just stats. Online articles by Benjamin Hill and Tom Owens (www.BaseballbytheLetters.com) provided some insight.
Now, nearing his 80th birthday, Kraly was the scorekeeper for the Binghamton Mets. He is so beloved in his adopted hometown that, in 2008, he was the winner of the team's "Choose the Next Bobblehead" voting.
In Hill's 2008 article that appears on www.milb.com (just search for "Kraly" after you get to the home page), the former Yankee said:
"... I have a World Series ring, but to be on a figurine is the ultimate. I'm especially honored that this came from the fans."
Now back to our regularly scheduled answer.
The Yankees won their fifth consecutive World Series in 1953. A really nice ball would be worth thousands. Unfortunately, it appears that the Stengel autograph and possibly the Mantle are "clubhouse sigs," which really devalues the Yankees ball.
The baseball's value depends on what an authenticator finds. If all the sigs are authentic, it might be worth $2,500-$5,000. The value drops dramatically if both the Stengel and Mantle sigs are of the "clubhouse" variety.
"If it has clubhouses, it cuts the value in half -- down to $1,500 or less," said Mike Heffner, president of www.Lelands.com auction house in New York.
Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com), estimated $500 to $700.
Dear Babe: I just came across a 1987 All-Star Game program with an All-Star Review, 1933-1986, with results and rosters. I also have a program from the 1988 Super Bowl XXII. -- Tim Benson, Banning, Calif.
Not much here, as is usually the case with more modern programs, especially Super Bowl programs that have been mass-produced. The 1987 All-Star program might be worth $10, while the Super Bowl program is worth "$5 on a good day," said Phil Regli, owner of P&R Publications in Irvine, Calif., and a longtime magazine dealer.
(Babe Waxpak is written by Bill Wagner. If you have a question for Babe Waxpak, include your full name and hometown, the card number, year and manufacturer or send a photocopy. Please do not send cards. The address is: Babe Waxpak, Box 492397, Redding CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak@charter.net.)
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