The latest eBay auction of the day is for a baseball signed by 27 members of the 1984 New York Mets.
Though the auction states it is a 1985 team ball, several of the players mentioned who have signed it – notably Walt Terrell, Mike Fitzgerald and Hubie Brooks – were traded away following the 1984 season.
With just under two days left to bid, the price has only reached $20.50. The ball is a souvenir Mets baseball, not an official National League one, and that’s undoubtedly holding the price down. As you’d expect after 20-plus years, the signatures have bled somewhat as well.
The 1984 season marked a turning point for the Mets’ franchise. After almost a decade of futility, the team posted a winning record. Davey Johnson won 90 games in his first season as Mets manager. Dwight Gooden burst onto the scene with one of the most dominating rookie seasons ever. Darryl Strawberry proved that his rookie success wasn’t a fluke. Other key parts of the future World Championship team arrived in New York: Ray Knight, Sid Fernandez, Kevin Mitchell and Rafael Santana.
Most importantly, the 1984 Mets convinced their fans and themselves that they could play winning baseball.
PaulHadsall.com 