1996 Willie Mays-signed Tablecloth
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GUEST:
It is a tablecloth signed by Willie Mays. I was at a banquet in 1996 and was lucky enough to be seated next to him. He had been asked by a lot of people for his signature, and I did not ask him for it.
APPRAISER:
Right.
GUEST:
So he said, "Do you know anything about baseball?" And I said, "I know about you, but not much about baseball." And he said, "Well, let me tell you about my life." And he took out a Sharpie and just started writing.
APPRAISER:
On the tablecloth.
GUEST:
On the tablecloth. This was the Marine Corps dinner, 1996.
APPRAISER:
Right.
GUEST:
He wrote down $100 a seat, which was the cost of attending.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
He wrote down "Say Hey Kid," his nickname.
APPRAISER:
Yup.
GUEST:
His number, this is his signature. It was just a stream of consciousness. He just was talking and writing as he went along.
APPRAISER:
So Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. And you see "S.F." is San Francisco.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
He started with the New York Giants, and then they moved to San Francisco, and then he finished his career back in New York with the Mets in 1973, which I believe is what this means. And he started of course in 1951, had a phenomenal career. Celebrity doodles are very popular, and Willie Mays is one of the most desirable signatures of ball players. You've got something that's obviously one of a kind. I'm not... he might have done this at other events, but I've never seen one. So I would think you'd have to insure this for at least $1,000 to $1,500.
GUEST:
Great.
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