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Negro Leagues Autographs
9 Lots
 Lot 148. Autograph of Hall of Fame Negro Leaguer Turkey Stearnes. Cool Papa Bell said, “If the don’t put him (Stearnes) in the Hall of Fame, they shouldn’t put anybody in.” In 2000, the Veterans Committee finally voted Stearnes a spot at Coopers- town. Stearnes was one of the top home run hitters in the Negro Leagues, and he hit for average as well. From 1923-32, he led the leagues in home runs seven times. He batted .353 lifetime, and .351 against white major leaguers. Double Duty Radcliffe rated him an excellent outfielder defensively. Stearns signed his actual name, “Norman T. Stearnes,” at the top of a lined index card. He then added, “Centerfielder for Chicago American Giants from 1932 until 1938. Dave Malarcher was our manager. Jack Marshall & Nat Rogers was good.” Stearns’ signature is a large mint 9 that could be matted with our without the additions. There may be a very slight traceover in the “T” representing his middle name. Stearnes signed his name and wrote the additions in purple or violet ink. The word “for” is traced over in pencil, and “Chicago” also is in pencil. The additions are bold. Stearnes passed away in 1979. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,044.
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 Lot 149. Photo Autographed by Willie Wells Sr., HoF Negro Leagues Shortstop. In a career that spanned 1924-49, Wells established himself as one of the best shortstops in any league. He was an exceptional hitter who batted .334 lifetime in the Negro Leagues and hit .392 against white major league competition. In 1997, he was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame; he passed away in 1989. His signature is nm-m 8 in the bottom border of a 3 ½” x 5” black & white photo containing his image. The photo is free of creases and nm. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $525.
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 Lot 150. Autograph of Hall of Fame Negro Leagues Pitcher Hilton Smith. Less flamboyant than Kansas City Monarchs teammate Satchel Paige, Smith may have been the Negro Leagues’ best pitcher, certainly during the 1930s and early 1940s. Bob Feller thought he was better than Paige. In his first 12 seasons, he won at least 20 games. A strong hitter and excellent fielder, he also played the outfield and first base. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, almost two decades after his death in 1983. Smith’s signature is a mint 9 to gem mint 10 on an unlined index card. There is an impression and very small stray ink mark near the “H,” indicating that the pen didn’t work properly when Smith began to sign. This distraction is miniscule. After his name, Smith added “pitcher for Kansas City Monarch.” Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $242.
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 Lot 151. Autograph of Dave Malarcher, Negro Leagues Third Baseman and Manager. In a career that spanned 1916-34 with the Chicago American Giants, Malarcher established himself as a clutch hitter, one of baseball’s best third basemen and one of the top managers in the Negro Leagues. Intelligent and educated, he became a successful real estate broker and an accomplished poet after his baseball career ended. He published three book-length poems, including a tribute to his wife following her death in 1946. Malarcher died in 1982. His signature, “David J. Malarcher,” is a gem mint 10 on a lined index card. Below his name, he added, “Known in baseball as Dave Malarcher, and called by the sports writers “Gentleman Dave.” Malarcher could eventually be a HoF candidate as a manager. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $100.
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 Lot 152. Autographs of Stars of the Negro Leagues – Newt Allen, Bill Byrd and Lou Dials. Allen is the key to this collection. Playing second base for the Kansas City Monarchs, he teamed with shortstop Willie Wells to form an outstanding double-play duo. He was captain of many Monarchs teams in the 1920s-30s. Allen hit .298 lifetime. He died in 1988. His signature, dated 3-7-71, is large and gem mint 10 on the unlined side of an index card trimmed to 2 ¾” x 4 ¾”. He added “2nd Baseman of the Kansas City Monarchs for 28 years from 1922-1950.” He wrote about his greatest baseball thrill on the back of the card. Bill Byrd signed an envelope that has a 20-cent Jackie Robinson stamp. His personalized signature is mint 9, and below it, he wrote “Baltimore Elite Giants 1935-1950.” Byrd, who died in 1991, was an All-Star pitcher who recorded a 115-72 lifetime record. There are two Lou Dials signatures, both at the end of handwritten notes on 4 ¾” x 7 ¾” stationery, possibly from the Decathlon Corp. One signature is gem mint 10, and the other, nm 7. Dials was good enough as an outfielder and hitter to be considered among the first players to break the color barrier. His batting records are disputed, however, and he hit either .268 lifetime or more than .300 for the Chicago American Giants 1925-36. He died in 1994. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $134.
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 Lot 153. Lyman Bostock Sr., Homemade Baseball Bat Signed by 27 Negro League Players. Wonderful 30” bat inscribed “Made by Lyman Bostock Sr., Negro League Legend.” Bostock signed the bat, along with Armando Vazquez, Red Moore, Wilmer Fields, Wm Bobby Robinson, Pee Wee Jenkins, Cecil Kaiser, Art “Superman” Pennington, Gene Benson, Mahlon Duckett, Larry Doby, Jim Wilkes, Joe B. Scott, Felix Delgado, Willie Pope, Warren Peace, Jim Fireball Cohen, Jose G. Santiago, Josh Gibson Jr., Wilmer Harris, Stanley Glenn, Ernest Burke, Andy Porter, Jim Zapp, Bill (Ready) Cash, Max Manning and Leroy Toots Ferrell. This is the first item we have had signed by Pope, who helped the Homestead Grays to win the 1948 Negro World Series. The bat is somewhat irregular and has been shellacked. The signatures are bold, mint 9s and gem mint 10s. Bostock became an artist after his retirement, and this bat qualifies as a one-of-a-kind piece of folk art! Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $354.
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 Lot 154. 31 Negro Leagues Signatures on a Bat – Leonard, O’Neil, Radcliffe, Etc. Nm-m 33” Rawlings Adirondack Big Stick signed by Art “Superman” Pennington, Leroy Toots Ferrell, Wilmer Fields, Monte Irvin, Armando Vazquez, Red Moore, Lyman Bostock Sr., Wm Bobby Robinson, Jim Zapp, Ernest Burke, Warren Peace, Russell Awkard, Joe B. Scott, Buck Leonard, Jim Cohen, Felix Delgado (signed twice, counted once), Sherwood Brewer, Merle M. Porter, Cecil Kaiser, Double Duty Radcliffe, Frazier Robinson, Jose G. Santiago, Buck O’Neil, Andy Porter, Lester Lockett, Mel Duncan, Bill (Ready) Cash and Stanley Glenn. The signatures are bold, mint 9s and gem mint 10s. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $121.
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 Lot 155. Uncut Sheet Set of 30 1991 Ron Lewis Negro Leagues Postcards Signed by 15. The limited edition sheet, #148 of 200 artist’s proofs, is signed by Gene Benson, Lymon Bostock Sr., Bill (Ready) Cash, Mahlon Duckett, Wilmer Fields, Jehosie Heard, Cowan “Bubba” Hyde, Monte Irvin, Buck Leonard, Lester Lockett, Max Manning, Verdell Lefty Mathis, Ted Double Duty Radcliffe, William Bobby Robinson and Armando Vazquez, The signatures are mint 9s and gem mint 10s. Ron Lewis also signed. The 17 ½” x 32” sheet is ex with very minor corner creases. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $204.
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