News and Notes: Lawsuit Over Photos; NFL Player’s Stuff Missing; Burdick Letter

A collection of more than 250,000 vintage baseball images hangs in the balance after a lawsuit was filed recently in Arkansas.

According to a report from ArkansasBusiness.com, the heir and former owner of the George Burke and George Brace Collection, filed a breach of contract lawsuit against North Little Rock businessman John Rogers and his company, which purchased the collection in 2012.

The purchase price of the negatives was $1.3 million but the lawsuit alleges that Rogers breached the contract after missing an $85,000 payment that was due on April 1.  Mary Brace, daughter of the late George Brace, a well-known baseball photographer from Chicago, claims Rogers still owes her $765,000.

Rogers’ business and home were searched by federal agents earlier this year, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Brace, according to the story at Arkansas Business.

Numerous Brace photos, letters, publications and other items are being auctioned right now via Lelands.

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Police in Charleston, SC are looking for those who stole a BCS National Championship ring, autographed jerseys and other items related to Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

The items were stolen from the home of his father, who ironically enough, is a bail bondsman.

Watch the story below from the ABC affiliate in Charleston.

WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 – Charleston News, Sports, Weather

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Monday marked a cool milestone from baseball’s always interesting past.  It was on July 21, 1972 that the Dodgers released Hoyt Wilhelm.  He was still pitching, just five days short of his 50^th birthday and the last active player to have been a veteran of World War II.  Also interesting:  He hit a home run in his first big league at-bat and never hit another and he was the first Hall of Famer to have been selected in an expansion draft (thanks to our Facebook fans for those nuggets).

Wilhelm’s rookie card was in the 1952 Topps high number series and he was a high number again on his last Topps card 20 years later.  You can see them on eBay here.

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As part of its 2014 NSCC Break Pavilion Booth Promotion, Jaspy’s Hobbyland will give away a rare two-sided handwritten letter written by baseball card collecting pioneer Jefferson Burdick, the man regarded as the founding father of the hobby.

Burdick, who passed away in 1963, donated his complete and iconic trading card collection to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is still on display today.

The letter will be randomly awarded in Jaspy’s 2014 Super Break Baseball Deluxe Edition box break. The break will stream live on the main stage in the 2014 NSCC Case Break Pavilion. Only ten break spots will be available for purchase.  Each of the ten break participants will qualify for a chance to win the letter.

Learn more and see other prizes on their website.

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SCP Auctions has its next catalog ready to roll out in a matter of days.  The company and its founder, David Kohler, who started setting up at shows as a teenager in southern California, were recently profiled in the Orange County Register.

Related Stories:

Rogers Arrested for Contempt Allen Pleads Guilty as Memorabilia Investigation Takes New Twist Lawsuit Adds More Intrigue to FBI Investigation Report: FBI Raid Included Cards Listed as Rogers Loan Collateral Arrest Warrant for John Rogers; New Lawsuit Filed Phony Autographed Bats, Balls from John Rogers Case Put to Good Use Rare Cards, One-of-a-Kind Memorabilia on Block as SCP Auctions Opens Summer Sale Notes: MJ’s Shoes Set Record; Upstairs to Baseball Heaven, Inception Break SI Vault’s ‘Evolution of Baseball Cards’ Rogers’ Ex-Girlfriend Avoids Jail Time in Phony Memorabilia Case

About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]