Donruss Co-Founder No Longer with Us
Russel Wiener passed away Wednesday in Memphis, less than two weeks shy of his 
95th birthday.
Wiener and his brother Don co-founded the company in 1954, using their first names to create the business moniker.
Donruss made various gum products and a variety of non-sports card sets it packaged with gum and was eventually purchased by General Mills but became a household name to sports collectors in 1980 when it acquired a license to produce baseball cards. Donruss put gum in its inaugural 1981 set, but a court ruling gave Topps exclusive rights to use put the pink slab with sports cards and Donruss then opted for puzzle pieces.
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PSA 10 Joe Montana Rookie Card
The market for Hall of Fame rookie cards in high grade still appears pretty strong. Five years ago, you could own a PSA 10 Joe Montana rookie card for around $3,500. This week, one of the 77 copies sold on eBay…for a lot more than $3,500.
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Autographed Cubs Memorabilia to be Donated to Charity
The Chicago Cubs say proceeds from all MLB-authenticated, game-used and autographed Cubs memorabilia sold through Cubs Authentics will be 
donated to Cubs Charities.
Cubs Authentics, which launched at the beginning of the 2012 season, offers MLB-authenticated Cubs memorabilia, including game-used jerseys and baseballs, autographed items and one-of-a-kind Wrigley Field Collection items.
Items are sold online and the team says fans can also pre-purchase game-used bases from Opening Night featuring a commemorative base jewel honoring Ernie Banks, or bases from the team’s home series in April with specialty matchup base jewels vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates, plus a Jackie Robinson Day base jewel from April 15 vs. the Reds.
Shortly after the team’s opening series vs. the Cardinals, fans will be able to bid online on a variety of rare merchandise collected by Cubs Authentics, including game-used baseballs, bases, bats, jerseys, nameplates and lineup cards. Cubs Authentics will host an online auction with items collected during Spring Training as well, featuring Spring Training locker room nameplates and game-used hats-including green St. Patrick’s Day hats.
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San Diego Padres Foundation Annual Garage Sale
The San Diego Padres Foundation will host its annual Garage Sale as part of the team’s FanFest this Saturday, inside the Park Blvd. gate. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase game-used jerseys and other items, with proceeds going to the Padres Foundation.
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Old Bullpen Cars to be used for Charitable Purposes
Remember those old bullpen cars that used to bring relief pitchers in from the bullpen? I’m not sure how many of them survive, but one used by the Mets in 1967 has—and it sold for $112,000 in the first Sotheby’s/eBay partnership live auction in New York. Jon Ledecky, a co-owner of the New York Islanders was bidding on behalf of some like-minded philanthropists who plan to use it for charitable purposes.
You can see what the souped up electric golf cart from Tom Seaver’s first year looks like—inside and out—here.
The giant letters that spelled out ‘Yankee Stadium’ on the old ballpark before it was dismantled were offered in the same auction. Reggie Jackson owns them and showed up at the auction but they didn’t draw a bid.
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