Lot # 2369: Gil Hodges Signed Baseball - Displays as a Single - JSA

Official American League baseball (Cronin) signed by Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Famer Gil Hodges. Hodges has inscribed the ball in black ink across the sweet spot. According to JSA, there are signatures removed to give the ball the appearance of a Gil Hodges single. The professional removal or covering of signatures on baseballs has become a cottage industry in recent times, carried out by a few skilled practitioners. Though many purists deride such practices, there are also collectors who welcome the service. Single-signed balls did not become the ideal for autograph collectors until the late 1980s/early 1990s. Hodges' signature, especially alone on a baseball, is scarce due to his untimely death in 1972 at the age of 47. The ball displays a small tear on a side panel, but otherwise it remains in Excellent to Near Mint condition overall. Full LOA from James Spence/JSA.