Auction Block: Famed Charity

While sports museums rely on the charity of others, in tough times, some pieces can end up as bank property.

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Can you spot the fake?

There's a saying that goes around the archives and collections desks at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

"You'll be amazed by what we have, and you'll be amazed by what we don't have."

You might imagine that sports museums break out wads of cash every time a must-have item goes up for sale, but that's mostly a fantasy. HOF museums are non-profit entities, and even at the highest levels, they still depend on the kindness of strangers.

"Our collection is primarily donation-based," says Tim Wiles of the Giamatti Research Library "We rarely buy anything."

Baseball's principal archivists are literally tripping over donated items; from sturdy cardboard containers shipped from defunct MLB stadiums to shoeboxes full of photographs mailed in from recently cleaned garages. They hire interns to sift through the haystacks in search of valuable needles.

What we -- as fans and collectors -- can take from this is the knowledge that we matter. Centerpiece museum displays are generally filled with items donated directly by players who have performed mighty feats. But quite often, it's regular joes who fill in the gaps in a Hall's holdings.

Ed Schott is one of those guys. The 52-year-old Baltimore native loves his hometown sports, and he's spent a lifetime collecting mementos that remind him of his favorite players. Not just the big names like Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas; there are also images of players whose names ring out on the local level more than they do nationally.

Ed works for the Baltimore Orioles, so when the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards opened in 2005, he was one of the earliest visitors. He noticed nice displays of memorabilia from local favorites like Jim Gentile and Billy Hunter, but he noticed that neither Plexiglas case contained a contemporary bubble-gum card. He had the cards in his collection. So he gave them to the museum.

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The Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards.

"They also had a room dedicated to the greatest game ever played -- the 1958 NFL championship game between the Giants and the Colts," says Schott "I had a bunch of the original football cards from that era, so I donated them to the museum, and they put up a display with my name on it."

He loaned them his Al Ameche and his Art Donovan, along with five other mint condition slices of cardboard. But there was one he just couldn't bear to part with.

"The John Unitas card is a replica," he says "It's just too valuable. I couldn't do it."

Isn't that a bit paranoid? Not really.

A fledgling for-profit organization known as the Sports Museum of America opened its doors in New York in May of 2008. When they went into Chapter 7 bankruptcy just nine months later, their assets were seized, including several items that were on loan.

Some mighty impressive donated pieces are now wards of the court, including Brandi Chastain's famous sports bra, last seen as she celebrated a championship at the 1999 World Cup. The athletic support garment joins Tony Hawk's skateboard, Richard Petty's cowboy hat and shades, and a Jesse Owens gold medal in legal limbo.

The court is asking for big payments from donors who want their stuff back. Sounds like the old saying is true -- no good deed goes unpunished.

That's not likely to happen in Baltimore, where the Sports Legends Museum is a non-profit venture run by the rock-solid Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum crew. And baseball's history probably won't be leaving Cooperstown in unmarked vans during our lifetimes, either.

If you have a unique or desirable item, and you would rather share it than sell it, that makes you a solid citizen. Just take your time and make sure the stuff that goes in free of charge comes out the same way. It's tough enough to find a way to pay for it the first time around.

We haven't yet seen any online auctions feeding directly into the pockets of incensed creditors, which is a good thing. So we'll close this edition of Auction Block with a couple of sales that are unique and very current.

Jim Thorpe Card: Thorpe is one of those athletes who could star in tall tales alongside Paul Bunyan and John Henry. Olympic gold medalist in track and field. Professional football, basketball, and baseball player. Reputed to have won a high-jump contest against collegiate athletes while wearing the 1907 version of street clothes. Simply put, one bad mamma-jamma. You just don't see an item like this very often.

Dr. Z's Medical Fund auction: You may remember Dr. Z from his many years with Sports Illustrated. The good doctor suffered multiple strokes recently, and has racked up some astronomical medical bills during his recovery. Fortunately, his friends in the fields of sports and entertainment have come up big, auctioning off everything from Dick Vermiel's wine to a date with Brooklyn Decker (We believe the appropriate term is "hubba hubba"). That's just the tip of the iceberg. Browse and gape. And bid, if you've got the cheddar.

That's all for this week. Let us know if you've seen anything rare and amazing on the auction block by contacting us at collectespn@gmail.com

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