Friday, August 20, 2004
The Cincinnati PostAutograph collector wins ball signed by the Bambino
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By Roy Wood
Post staff reporter
Autograph collector Rich Tiberi bought a baseball in a sealed box for $49.95, knowing only that it had been signed by a major league ballplayer.
When he opened the box, he found he had purchased a ball signed by Babe Ruth.
The ball is worth $10,000, said Mark Kinman, a businessman who sold it.
The Babe Ruth ball was the grand prize in a treasure hunt in which Houston-based sports memorabilia marketer Tristar Productions sold 2,025 signed baseballs over the summer.
"It was almost the ball that wasn't. I honestly forgot about it," said Tiberi.
Tiberi, a Northern Kentucky banker who has been collecting seriously for about seven years, said he had been going to Kinman's store, Planet Collectibles in Florence, for about six years.
When Kinman told him he was getting two cases of the baseballs from the Tristar promotion, Tiberi said to save him one.
"I was honestly in there for something else when Mark said, 'Hey, I've got those baseballs,' " Tiberi said.
He thought seriously about passing on the balls, but finally took a case of six of them home.
When he opened the first box, in it he found a ball saying he was the grand prize winner.
"My heart started racing, obviously," he said. "I was standing over my sleeping wife with the ball at 1:30 in the morning trying to decide whether to wake her."
He decided not to.
The next day, he took the ball back to Planet Collectibles and Kinman got on the telephone to Tristar.
"They were pleased it went to a collector instead of a dealer," Kinman said. "They decided to fly the ball out to him."
The ball is worth thousands in part because signatures of the Bambino, who died in 1948, are rare.
Kinman says he knows of one person who bought a Ruth ball at an estate sale -- and has since refused an offer of $18,000 for it.
Tiberi says he's gotten 300 to 400 items autographed over the years and still has most of them -- some displayed in a room in his basement, some in his home office.
Because he's an Ohio State University alumnus, a football signed by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin is among his favorites. He also has a ticket to the game in which Sammy Sosa hit his 500th homer -- signed by the slugger, of course.
Many of the items are signed to his 9-year-old son Blake or his 7-year-old daughter Cassady, making them worth less on the memorabilia market.
"But I don't do this for monetary reasons," he said. "I'm not going to get on eBay and sell this stuff. The Ruth ball will become my prize possession."
Tiberi has no worries about the authenticity of the signature. Tristar, formed in 1987 to create sports collectible shows, is now widely recognized as one of the top two or three companies in the United States marketing authenticated autographed sports memorabilia.
Tristar officials have just launched a second treasure hunt, says spokesman Brian Ruff. That means a second Babe Ruth ball is out there somewhere.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Roy Wood
Post staff reporter
Autograph collector Rich Tiberi bought a baseball in a sealed box for $49.95, knowing only that it had been signed by a major league ballplayer.
When he opened the box, he found he had purchased a ball signed by Babe Ruth.
The ball is worth $10,000, said Mark Kinman, a businessman who sold it.
The Babe Ruth ball was the grand prize in a treasure hunt in which Houston-based sports memorabilia marketer Tristar Productions sold 2,025 signed baseballs over the summer.
"It was almost the ball that wasn't. I honestly forgot about it," said Tiberi.
Tiberi, a Northern Kentucky banker who has been collecting seriously for about seven years, said he had been going to Kinman's store, Planet Collectibles in Florence, for about six years.
When Kinman told him he was getting two cases of the baseballs from the Tristar promotion, Tiberi said to save him one.
"I was honestly in there for something else when Mark said, 'Hey, I've got those baseballs,' " Tiberi said.
He thought seriously about passing on the balls, but finally took a case of six of them home.
When he opened the first box, in it he found a ball saying he was the grand prize winner.
"My heart started racing, obviously," he said. "I was standing over my sleeping wife with the ball at 1:30 in the morning trying to decide whether to wake her."
He decided not to.
The next day, he took the ball back to Planet Collectibles and Kinman got on the telephone to Tristar.
"They were pleased it went to a collector instead of a dealer," Kinman said. "They decided to fly the ball out to him."
The ball is worth thousands in part because signatures of the Bambino, who died in 1948, are rare.
Kinman says he knows of one person who bought a Ruth ball at an estate sale -- and has since refused an offer of $18,000 for it.
Tiberi says he's gotten 300 to 400 items autographed over the years and still has most of them -- some displayed in a room in his basement, some in his home office.
Because he's an Ohio State University alumnus, a football signed by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin is among his favorites. He also has a ticket to the game in which Sammy Sosa hit his 500th homer -- signed by the slugger, of course.
Many of the items are signed to his 9-year-old son Blake or his 7-year-old daughter Cassady, making them worth less on the memorabilia market.
"But I don't do this for monetary reasons," he said. "I'm not going to get on eBay and sell this stuff. The Ruth ball will become my prize possession."
Tiberi has no worries about the authenticity of the signature. Tristar, formed in 1987 to create sports collectible shows, is now widely recognized as one of the top two or three companies in the United States marketing authenticated autographed sports memorabilia.
Tristar officials have just launched a second treasure hunt, says spokesman Brian Ruff. That means a second Babe Ruth ball is out there somewhere.
The Sports Network - OlympicsAthens, Greece (Sports Network) - Saturday marks the final day of swimming at the 2004 Olympics and even though American Michael Phelps will not be in the pool for the 400-meter medley relay he will have a chance to tie an incredible record.
Phelps won his fifth gold medal -- and seventh overall -- at the Athens Games by beating teammate and world record holder Ian Crocker in the 100-meter butterfly Friday night. He will not race in the relay Saturday, instead giving up his spot to Crocker. However, because Phelps was in the preliminary heats that makes him eligible for a medal. Should the U.S. finish in the top three, Phelps will have eight -- surpassing Mark Spitz, Matt Biondi and shooters Willis Lee and Lloyd Spooner for the most medals by an American in one Olympics. It would tie him with Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin (Moscow, 1980) for the most medals ever won at a Summer Games.
Other finals in the pool will see the women go for gold in the 50m freestyle and the 400m medley relay, while the men's individual event will be the 1500 meter freestyle.
The track and field portion of the program gets moving again with the finals in the women's discus throw, the 100 meters and the heptathlon. Gail Devers and American teammates Latasha Colander and Lauryn Willliams qualified for the semifinals of the women's 100-meter sprint Friday night. Devers, the 1992 and 1996 Olympic champion, was a late replacement as she took the place of Torri Edwards, who was out following a doping violation. Devers appeared to struggle with her 11.31 seconds time, which was a sharp contrast to the top time of 10.99 seconds set by Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus. The semifinals and final is Saturday night. Sweden's Carolina Kluft is currently ahead in the heptathlon
The U.S. men's basketball team can clinch a quarterfinal berth with a victory over unbeaten Lithuania. The Americans were beaten by Puerto Rico last Sunday, but have since dispatched Greece and Australia.
The day could also be Maurice Greene's turn to shine as the heats of the men's 100-meter sprint take place.
The men's team gold in archery will also be decided with the Koreans once again heavy favorites. The nation has already struck gold in the women's team and individual competitions.
Gold medals will also be awarded in men's cycling track in team sprint and 4000-meter individual pursuit, while badminton comes to a close for the women's doubles and men's singles.
In equestrian, Germany has the lead going into Saturday's final day of the team dressage.
The men's trampoline gold will also be decided and in rowing a total of seven gold medals are up for grabs and two more in sailing. In shooting the final of the men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol event takes place. The fencing gold in men's team foil and two sailboat races are also to be decided as is the doubles event in men's table tennis.
One of the biggest stories of the day will be in weightlifting as Pyrros Dimas of Greece will try to become the first one in the sport to win four straight gold medals. He was the flagbearer of the Greek Olympic team and is a national icon. Dimas will compete in the men's 85kg division, while medals will also be awarded in the women's over 75kg category.
The United States leads the medal count heading into Saturday with 40 total - 17 gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze. China has 36 medals, followed by Russia with 28 and Australia with 21.
Phelps won his fifth gold medal -- and seventh overall -- at the Athens Games by beating teammate and world record holder Ian Crocker in the 100-meter butterfly Friday night. He will not race in the relay Saturday, instead giving up his spot to Crocker. However, because Phelps was in the preliminary heats that makes him eligible for a medal. Should the U.S. finish in the top three, Phelps will have eight -- surpassing Mark Spitz, Matt Biondi and shooters Willis Lee and Lloyd Spooner for the most medals by an American in one Olympics. It would tie him with Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin (Moscow, 1980) for the most medals ever won at a Summer Games.
Other finals in the pool will see the women go for gold in the 50m freestyle and the 400m medley relay, while the men's individual event will be the 1500 meter freestyle.
The track and field portion of the program gets moving again with the finals in the women's discus throw, the 100 meters and the heptathlon. Gail Devers and American teammates Latasha Colander and Lauryn Willliams qualified for the semifinals of the women's 100-meter sprint Friday night. Devers, the 1992 and 1996 Olympic champion, was a late replacement as she took the place of Torri Edwards, who was out following a doping violation. Devers appeared to struggle with her 11.31 seconds time, which was a sharp contrast to the top time of 10.99 seconds set by Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus. The semifinals and final is Saturday night. Sweden's Carolina Kluft is currently ahead in the heptathlon
The U.S. men's basketball team can clinch a quarterfinal berth with a victory over unbeaten Lithuania. The Americans were beaten by Puerto Rico last Sunday, but have since dispatched Greece and Australia.
The day could also be Maurice Greene's turn to shine as the heats of the men's 100-meter sprint take place.
The men's team gold in archery will also be decided with the Koreans once again heavy favorites. The nation has already struck gold in the women's team and individual competitions.
Gold medals will also be awarded in men's cycling track in team sprint and 4000-meter individual pursuit, while badminton comes to a close for the women's doubles and men's singles.
In equestrian, Germany has the lead going into Saturday's final day of the team dressage.
The men's trampoline gold will also be decided and in rowing a total of seven gold medals are up for grabs and two more in sailing. In shooting the final of the men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol event takes place. The fencing gold in men's team foil and two sailboat races are also to be decided as is the doubles event in men's table tennis.
One of the biggest stories of the day will be in weightlifting as Pyrros Dimas of Greece will try to become the first one in the sport to win four straight gold medals. He was the flagbearer of the Greek Olympic team and is a national icon. Dimas will compete in the men's 85kg division, while medals will also be awarded in the women's over 75kg category.
The United States leads the medal count heading into Saturday with 40 total - 17 gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze. China has 36 medals, followed by Russia with 28 and Australia with 21.
