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When it comes to oral history, Fort Worth’s Bobby Bragan ranks among the world class in storytelling.
Bragan, who will turn 92 on Friday, can spin tales about being ejected from ballgames, playing on the same team with Jackie Robinson, meeting crusader Billy Graham, or even telling simple, yet humorous, jokes.However, Bragan’s latest project adds historical collector/archivist to his massive résumé of baseball nostalgia.Bragan provided the vital links, contacts and charm necessary to complete a set of autographed baseballs signed by every Cy Young Award-winning pitcher.The collection awaits a buyer ($400,000 minimum), with the proceeds benefiting Special Olympics and the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation.Bragan’s role in compiling the collector’s drool-inducing trove proved to be relief pitcher or, more appropriately, a closer.The project began four years ago when Special Olympics volunteer Jim Albright came up with the notion.Previously, Albright had a football signed by all living Heisman Trophy winners, which was sold to raise $200,000.So Albright looked to top the figure the football brought, understanding that the baseball memorabilia market draws higher bidders.Albright worked for two years getting the baseballs signed, but had begun to run out of leads and avenues.He then turned to Bragan’s little black book of baseball brethren.It took two more years, but finally the men have completed the set, including the signatures of four pitchers who had died.A few came to the collection as gifts from friends, from the athletes personally, from agents, from Albright traveling to card shows and even auction houses."I called Pete Vuckovich and he said, 'Bobby, I don’t sign a ball for anyone,’ " Bragan said. "So we’d just about given up on him. But I called an agent and he said, 'We gave him money to sign a number of balls. I’ll send you one.’ "The Cy Young Award began as a single award for the first 11 years, but was split in 1967 to include one pitcher from each league.The men were pleased to peruse the collection Monday morning at Bragan’s downtown Fort Worth office.There’s one with Don Newcombe’s signature. He was the first Cy Young Award winner, in 1956.There’s Warren Spahn, 1957.Whitey Ford, 1961.Is that? Yep, Sandy Koufax, the three-time winner (1963, ’65 and ’66).In all, there are 78 baseballs — at least one from each winner.One of the most unique donations to the collection came from a woman who offered a ball signed by John Denny (1983 NL winner).Someone in the woman’s family caught a home-run ball and asked Denny to sign it. "They handed it to him and he said they were 'ball-grabbers,’ " Bragan said. "So he signed it, 'To a ball grabber,’ John Denny." So how did Bragan feel when he’d finally completed the collection?"It will make me feel a lot better when we sell them," he said.
By the numbers 78Signed baseballs in the collection, including at least one from each Cy Young Award winner.66Cy Young Award winners; 14 players have won the award multiple times.14Cy Young Award winners in the Hall of Fame.$400,000Minimum bid for the collection.
TOBIAS XAVIER LOPEZ, 817-390-7760
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