Last year, we wrote about author Laurie Gwen Shapiro stumbling across a story from 1930 that’s the stuff of every sports collector’s fantasy. In researching another topic through old newspaper archives, she saw coverage of Bloomingdale’s department store placing a time capsule inside the cornerstone of their new building in Manhattan.
By itself, that was an interesting footnote, but what was placed inside the cornerstone—not to be opened for 200 years—was fascinating. In addition to the usual time capsule contents, store officials had supposedly secured an autographed baseball from Babe Ruth and a signed golf ball from Bobby Jones, both national icons at the time.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any concrete evidence (pardon the pun) such as a photograph and those involved have since passed on. However, it’s tantalizing to wonder how much such items would be worth, should they ever hit the open market. Sadly, unless Bloomingdale’s opts to open the cornerstone, we’ll all be gone when 2130 rolls around.
The long-forgotten details of what happened on that day 87 years ago became newsworthy again with Shapiro’s discovery, although the story never got any real national legs. That may change with a story posted by the New York Times on Monday, which explored the mystery.
Related Stories:
Mile High March Auction to Include Past, Present Icons
1933 Goudey Lajoie, Other Pre-War Cards Top Hunt Live Auction
Notebook: Collectable Accepts $182,500 Offer for Mahomes RPA; 1916 Red Sox Photo Tops RMY Sale; Ruth Signed Ball Giveaway; Card Shop Stories
Non-Baseball Stars in the 1933 U.S. Caramel Set are Plenty Valuable
1955 Dodgers World Series Ring Fetches Top Price At RR Auction Sale
Notes: Once Unloved, Ruth Ball Will Fetch Big Bucks; Ex-Bills Coach’s Playbooks on eBay
Vintage Photo of the Day: Bobby Jones at the First Masters 1934
