Ronald Hoier was 13 years old in 1946 when he got to experience something every baseball fan that age dreams about--even now.

He and his mom had front row seats to a game at Yankee Stadium thanks to her connection with Joe McCarthy.

That was nice, but it got better.

Ronald spoke up and the next thing he knew he had an official American League baseball in his hands as he made his way around the Yankee clubhouse.

Now 77, he finally surrendered that ball to a local auction house and it was a story interesting enough to be published in the Buffalo News, which showed off what indeed appears to be a high-grade signed Yankee ball.

The Buffalo News followed up with a story on the auction after a local collector forked over  $9,000 for the ball...and thought he got a bargain.

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