It’s been an interesting few weeks for vintage golf collectors.
On July 27, writer Laurie Gwen Shapiro wrote a fascinating piece for the website Untapped Cities, revealing how two time capsules hidden in a cornerstone at Bloomingdale’s in New York included a golf ball signed in 1930 by Bobby Jones. The capsule at the department store also contained an autographed
Babe Ruth baseball.
Since the cornerstone was laid on April 23, 1930, the event took place just before Jones executed golf’s Grand Slam — winning the U.S. and British opens, and the U.S. and British amateurs in the same year. Jones traveled to England the following month, winning the British Amateur on May 31 and the British Open on June 20. He won the U.S. Open on July 12 and the U.S. Amateur on Sept. 27.
One can only imagine the condition of that golf ball, but none of us are going to see it. Bloomingdale’s is not planning to open the time capsules until 2130.
There is still a chance to see an autographed Jones ball, however. At this week’s National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, N.J., a golf ball signed by Jones will be available to view at Booth 908, as dealers Jack Wallin and Kip Ingle of The Golf Auction will put the ball on display during the show’s regular hours. The two dealers from Acworth, Georgia, also will offer private showings. From August 4-7, the ball will be on public display from 8:30 to 6 p.m.
Call Ingle at (770) 883-1131 to schedule a viewing. There is no price tag on the ball, but Ingle said offers are being conveyed to the ball’s owner.
Since there are very few legible signatures of Jones on golf balls, expect to open your wallet big time if you want a crack at this ball.
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