Addendum: Minnie Minoso is not a Hall of Famer and has been removed from this group.
Presented here is a large group of 54 total different mid-century Hall of Famer autographs. 53 are signed on 3x5 index cards and one (Early Wynn) is a cut signature glued to a 3x5. By mid-century, we mean careers as a player, manager or umpire that mostly began post-WWII and ended by the late 1970's.
Alphabetically, the list is Hank Aaron (“Best wishes” in slightly smeared 8/10 blue ballpoint), Ernie Banks (“Chi Cubs 1968” in black), Walt Alston, Luis Aparicio, Johnny Bench, Lou Brock (red), Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, umpire Jocko Conlan (black), Larry Doby (“Best wishes”), Bobby Doerr, Leo Durocher (GPC stamped 6/25/1951), Don Drysdale, Rollie Fingers (red), Bob Feller, Carlton Fisk, Nelson Fox (“Best Wishes”), Bob Gibson, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Monte Irvin (red), Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, George Kell ("Good Luck" in 9-10/10 black marker), Harmon Killebrew, Sandy Koufax (8/10 blue ballpoint), Ed Mathews, Willie Mays Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Juan Marichal ("To Bob Best Wishes"), Willie Mays (7/10 blue ballpoint), Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey ("Best Wishes"), Joe Morgan (black), Stan Musial (9/10 black) Hal Newhouser, Phil Niekro ("Bob- my Best Wishes to you always" in 9-10/10 black ballpoint), Jim Palmer, Tony Perez ("Best Wishes"), Gaylord Perry (red), Pee Wee Reese (“Best Wishes”), Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson (black), Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo (black), Enos Slaughter, Tom Seaver, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Don Sutton, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Early Wynn (cut sig in black ink).
Most come in blue ballpoint (unless specified) ranging predominantly 8-9/10 in strength and eye appeal. Several are inscribed as noted and some include images from newspaper clippings. Each player's DOB (lifespan, if applicable) and MLB debut season are printed at the top of his index card by the meticulous collector, a former minor leaguer named Dave Hill. All of these autographs have been pre-certified by PSA/DNA.
Provenance: How does one acquire over 9,000
autographs, covering just about every Major Leaguer from 1900 to 2000?
Very diligently with an unbelievable amount of patience and
determination. For Dave Hill, the quest lasted practically his entire
life. Born in St. Louis in 1929, Hill was a standout pitcher who played
in college and then a few years professionally in the White Sox
organization before landing a position with the Central Intelligence
Agency where he had a long and decorated career. The management and
organization skills Hill developed at the CIA certainly came in handy as
he meticulously built his massive memorabilia collection.
Hill grew up a die-hard St. Louis Browns fan and always had a passion
for collecting. It became as much a hobby as an obsession as he tracked
down player after player by attending games or events where one was
present, writing them letters with his request, or purchasing from other
collectors (some autographs were dated before Hill was even born). The
relentless man did not stop until well into his 60’s. Most signatures
come on 3x5 index cards or cuts, and many are done on the player’s
baseball card, photo, news clipping or mailed postcard/GPC. The list is
mind-blowing, some signatures so rare that records of their mere
existence are blank. As a hobbyist, Hill was also recognized for his
extensive collection of St. Louis Brown photographs used to produce two
official “Brownies” albums by team archivists.
The Dave Hill Collection is easily one of the largest autograph
collections ever documented. Its size and scope is beyond anything we’ve
had the pleasure of representing. Luckily, Hill was meticulous about
keeping it organized in alphabetical order and, according to the family,
his wife Jewell deserves much of the credit. Even the years of each
player’s birth [& death] and MLB debut are noted. A total of 186 Hall of Famers
are included (out of a possible 323) and the most significant autographs
have been encapsulated by PSA/DNA, branded “Dave Hill Collection.”
David W. Hill passed away in 1995 at the age of 66.