The business of sports memorabilia is a mosaic of personal obsessions where there are as many collectors as there are reasons to collect. The introduction of the internet coaxed even the most reclusive collectors out of the shadows and helped form online communities of people who share similar passions. It was under these conditions that Jeff Logan and Ryan Anderson first met and it was filling holes in a bat collection that cemented their friendship. Now the two 
friends are working together to bring a new sports memorabilia auction site online.
Crown Sports Auctions will launch its first event in mid-June with more than 400 game used bats in their initial offering.
“Being located in Lenexa, Kansas we will have the ability to offer items that will appeal to a national audience, but there will be a real focus on game used bats from the Midwest,” stated Logan.
This comes as no surprise considering Logan’s vast personal bat collection, his status as President of the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society and his position as host of the Frank White Show on ESPN 1510 in Kansas City.
Business partner Ryan Anderson is no new comer to the world of bat collecting either.
“I bought my first gamer 26 years ago and have been hooked ever since,” he explained. Anderson gave up tossing pizza dough at a restaurant he owned to help get the auction site off the ground and brings his experience and an obvious passion for bats.
“There is a reason that bats are so sought after, and that is because they are a working tool of the game. I’ve yet to find someone whose eyes don’t light up when holding a bat of one of their favorite players. It’s a special thing.”
The two partners are addressing the concern of authenticity by utilizing the services of PSA for autographs and bats that were not directly obtained through the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society’s functions and reunions. They also are trying to address something many bat collectors can identify with: having to buy large lots to get the bat of one common player needed for their collection.
“A lot of houses may have lesser bats, but they come with nine other bats in a lot that don’t fit in one’s collection,” Anderson said. “For instance if you’re looking for Disco Dan Ford or Charlie Spikes, those are some of the types of bats that you will find in our auctions as well as the various household names such as Brett, Robinson and Yaz.”
Crown Sports Auction’s inaugural offering is scheduled to have the bats of many common players but will also be highlighting a Pepper Martin game used bat, a Brooks Robinson autographed game used bat and a George Brett game used bat from the 1986 season. There will also be other sports items featured, including a full Kansas University basketball ticket from a Wilt Chamberlin “triple double” game, that has been graded a PSA 6.
Bidding opens June 16 and will close July 16 at CrownSportsAuction.com.
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Notes: Fanatics Collectibles Team Visiting Shows; Bat Auction; Randy Johnson to Talk Photos, in Deal with Topps
