Burleigh Grimes was an anachronism in baseball as the last player to (legally) throw a spitball. Grimes, who debuted in 1916, exempt from the 1920 banning of the spitball due to a grandfather clause, and parlayed that pitch into a lengthy career with 270 wins and eventually a plaque in Cooperstown. Grimes played the bulk of his career for the Brooklyn Robins, leading the NL in wins with the Robins in 1921 and with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928. Grimes retired in 1934, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964. Despite possessing a fierce competitive spirit, once throwing a ball at a batter taking cuts in the on-deck circle, Grimes was generally well-liked by baseball players and fans, which may have provided the inspiration for this folk-art baseball.

     Painted by George Sosnak, it is dedicated to a woman named Winnie Sosnak, and was created in 1973. One panel of this J. de Beer and Son baseball features a painting of Grimes’ Hall of Fame plaque, while the other side of the panel describes in brief Grimes’ life and career. This gorgeous item is very unique, and serves as a tremendous display piece!

Auction Notepad