Dear Babe: I have a program from the New York Athletic Club indoor track meet on Feb. 17, 1940, autographed by Glenn Cunningham, John Woodruff and John Borican among others. -- Jack Murphy, Calimesa, Calif.
All three runners are in the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame. Woodruff was the gold medal winner in the 800 meters in the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Borican just missed making the Olympic team that year.
Cunningham was the premier middle distance runner in the mid-1930s. He was fourth in the 1,500 in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles before finishing second to New Zealand's Jack Lovelock in Berlin in one of the greatest, 1,500 meter races ever with the first five runners breaking the existing world record. He was named the winner of the Sullivan Award in 1933 as the nation's top amateur athlete. He died in 1988.
While the 1936 Olympics are remembered for Jesse Owens' performance in front of Adolph Hitler, Woodruff, who passed away in 2007, was the first African American runner on top of the podium after a come-from-behind victory in the 800 meters.
However, it's Borican, whose signature is the rarest. He competed for Virginia State University. In 1939 he beat Cunningham in the 1,000 meters at the Knights of Columbus meet in New York, setting a world record. In Jim Junot's bio on the VSU Web site, he says race officials wouldn't certify Borican's record, ostensibly because he jumped the gun but more likely because he was Black. The AAU stepped in, overruled the officials and gave him the record. In 1943 with six world records to his credit, he died at age 29 from pernicious anemia, a condition where a person stops producing Vitamin B-12. Today it is treatable with injections of B-12. In 1942 there was no cure.
"It's going to be tough to put a value on this one," said Mike Breeden, a Sports Collectors Digest columnist and autograph expert.
"Cunningham's signature is out there. Photos range from $300 to $500. Woodruff died fairly recently, so collectors had their chances to get his autograph. The wildcard is Borican. He died so early that there are likely very few of his signatures out there. He was also a Black athlete back in the days when the world wasn't exactly eager to recognize them. He also didn't make an appearance in the Olympics. If he had, his name would be better known. As it is now, his name is fairly obscure.
"While his signature is certainly exceedingly rare, there are few collectors who would recognize his name. I think the item could bring $1,000 or more if put in front of the right buyer. The problem lies in finding that buyer."
Dear Babe: I have stubs and full unused tickets to the games in which Cal Ripken Jr. tied and broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak. I attended the games, but a friend did not show up. I probably sat next to the only empty seat in the stadium. -- Lisa Farbstein, Arlington, Va.
There were more than 46,000 in attendance for each game, Sept, 5, 1995, when he tied Gehrig's consecutive games played record at 2,130 and then Sept. 6 when he broke the mark. Actually, I am surprised there are stubs. I always assumed the Orioles passed on ripping tickets, since it was a historic occasion.
"They are quite common," said Mike Heffner, president of www.Lelands.com. "It was a big event and everyone kept theirs. Stubs are worth $35 each and full tickets are worth $100. Both games sell for around the same price."
Chris Nerat, a consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com), agreed putting stubs at $30 and full tickets in the $50-$100 range.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak@charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)
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