So, I finally got my hands on a Vladimir Guerrero autographed baseball. Took a while, let me tell ya.
It started pretty simple. Big fan, watched him play for years. You know how it is. Wanted something cool to remember those big hits. A signed ball seemed like the obvious thing. Easy, right? Nope.
First, I started looking around online. Man, what a mess. Sites everywhere, prices all over the place. Some looked kinda sketchy, you know? Pictures weren’t great, descriptions were vague. Felt like wading through mud. Spent weeks just browsing, comparing, getting nowhere fast.
Then I thought, maybe local shops? Went to a couple of memorabilia places nearby. One guy had nothing. The other had a ball, but the signature looked… I don’t know, rushed? Plus, the price he wanted was nuts. He started talking about authentication papers this and grading that. Felt like buying a used car, all the upselling.
Tried looking for signing events. Vlad Sr. doesn’t do a ton of public stuff these days, seems like. Found some old listings, missed opportunities. Frustrating. Almost gave up, figured it was more hassle than it was worth.
Finding the One
Then, kind of randomly, I stumbled onto an online auction site I hadn’t checked before. Looked more professional. They had a Vlad ball listed. Good pictures, clear signature shown from different angles. Looked like the real deal, the kind of swing signature you remember seeing.
Here’s the process part:
- Had to register on the site. Standard stuff, name, address, payment info.
- Checked the authentication details. It came with a certificate from a known company. That made me feel a bit better. Not foolproof, but better than nothing.
- Watched the auction for a few days. Saw the bids slowly creep up.
- Decided my maximum price. Didn’t want to get carried away in the moment.
- Put my bid in near the end. Heart was pounding a bit, stupid I know, it’s just a baseball. But you get invested.
- Won it! Wasn’t cheap, but stayed within my budget, thankfully.
Paid for it, waited for shipping. Felt longer than it probably was. When the package arrived, I opened it carefully. There it was. Sitting in a clear cube. Picked it up. The signature was bold, clear blue ink right on the sweet spot. Matched the pictures, matched other examples I’d seen online during my obsessive searching phase.
Got it Done
Checked the authentication number online, matched up fine. So, yeah. It’s legit. Feels good to finally have it. Took way more effort than I expected when I first got the idea. It’s sitting on my desk now. A cool piece of history from a guy who could really smack the ball.
