A physical remnant of Major League Baseball’s formative years, the likes of which is seldom scene outside of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, this spectacularly rare, game-used 1911 World Series ball is signed by legendary Hall of Fame hurler “Chief” Bender whose’ Philadelphia Athletics defeated the New York Giants four games to two in just the eighth World Series played between the National and American Leagues. Official Ban Johnson American League Ball exhibits definitive evidence of game use with surface abrasions on its entire circumference and is signed by Bender on a side panel in steel-tip fountain pen, “C.A. Bender 1911 World’s Series With Giants 3-2” in reference to the score of the Athletics win in the third game. JSA confirms the inscription was signed by Bender.  Bender was 2-1 with a 1.04 ERA in 26 series innings and was credited with wins in Game Four and the decisive Game Six. Bender’s signature and inscription rate “7-8” and the ball was most likely used in Game Three of the series in which Frank “Home Run” Baker hit his second home run of the Series.

    One of a handful of early Native Americans to play in the Major Leagues and one of only two to be inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Charles Albert Bender was tagged with the “Chief” moniker because of his Native heritage. A citizen of the Chippewa tribe, Bender was born in Crow Wing County, Minn., and is one of seven Major Leaguers to emerge from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pa. He broke into the big leagues with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1903 and was among manager Connie Mack’s favorite players. Bender compiled a 212-127 record with a 2.46 ERA in 15 seasons with the Athletics and was inducted to the Hall of Fame by its Veteran’s Committee in 1953. This one-of-a-kind item is perhaps the only known single-signed Bender ball actually used in a World Series game with a World Series inscription and comes with a letter of provenance from the descendant of a friend of the Bender family and JSA LOA certification #B87799. MEARS letter of authenticity #314281. This represents one of the finest and earliest known World Series game used balls in existence, and doubling as an excellent single signed ball of one of the tougher Hall of Famers to find should make this the centerpiece to any collection.

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