Giants reveal All-Star memorabilia

SAN FRANCISCO -- The cost of one adult ticket to the DHL All-Star Fan Fest: $22. The cost of a pair of bleacher tickets to the All-Star Game: $652. Possession of the first All-Star Game lineup cards: priceless.

Well, actually it's estimated worth is $50,000.

Hunt Auctions Inc. unveiled the pricey piece of memorabilia Thursday morning at AT&T Park along with several other items relevant to San Francisco that will all be up for bid at the DHL All-Star Fan Fest at 10 a.m. July 10 at AT&T Park.

The pair of lineup cards from the 1933 All-Star game at Chicago's Comiskey Park glowed as sunlight bounced off the plastic-protected list of scribbled names that included former Giant Bill Terry and the likes of Dick Bartell, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Lefty Gomez.

The lineup cards came from late Hall of Fame manager Bill McKechine's grandson.

"A lot of people ask 'Well, why would the family sell?'" David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, said. "It's because many times the collectors, museums or whoever buys these things are better stewards than the families themselves. They're sitting in a folder somewhere not being appreciated."

The lineup cards were the All-Star items on display, but there was other memorabilia being appreciated Thursday.

The inaugural cards were surrounded by Willie Mays' 1958 San Francisco Giants home jersey ($30,000-$40,000), a signed Ted Williams game bat from his final season in 1960 ($25,000-$35,000), Willie McCovey's Giants road jersey ($10,000-$15,000), a signed baseball that Ruth hit for his 16th home run of the 1927 season ($10,000-$15,000) and the personal collection of Max Patkin, known to baseball fans across the nation as "The Clown Prince of Baseball."

All items will be up for auction before the All-Star Game, and there will be daily silent auctions featuring more affordable memorabilia throughout the DHL All-Star FanFest, which runs from July 6-10.

Collectors can also bring memorabilia to an appraisal fair.

"Whether they sell or not ... it's always exciting to see what's out there and let the fans know what their things are worth," Hunt said.

The All-Star FanFest auction started three years ago in Detroit. Last year, the Pittsburgh auction was highlighted by the $800,000 sale of the first home run ball hit at an All-Star Game by Ruth.

The Ruth baseball at this year's auction probably won't go for quite as much, but Hunt said he wouldn't be surprised if the inaugural lineup cards far exceed their estimated value of $50,000.

"We always estimate a little on the conservative side, like last year that Ruth ball was estimated at $100,000-$150,000 and it brought $800,000," Hunt said.

Whether a collector is buying a ball for $800,000 or just a couple hundred, Hunt gave advice on how to best preserve a baseball.

The DHL All-Star FanFest will be held from July 6-10 at San Francisco's Moscone Center West. There will be an interactive baseball theme park, which includes video batting and pitching cages against life-size images of Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Matt Morris and clinics given by Major League players, coaches, managers and umpires.

"FanFest is a great compliment to the All-Star Game itself because needless to say not everyone can go to the game or the home run derby," Hunt said.