Major-league baseball teams' cash-flow problems stemming from the players' strike can be a boon for collectors.
Ball 4 Sports in Jarrettsville specializes in uniforms purchased from major-league teams. Barry Wolfsheimer and Ed Starleper correspond with teams in the off-season, then travel to Florida for spring training, where they buy the uniforms for their inventory. Wolfsheimer says that teams sell 2-year-old uniforms, saving the previous year's for emergencies.
This year, teams are calling Ball 4.
Shortly after the season was called off, Pittsburgh Pirates equipment manager Roger Wilson called Wolfsheimer, offering to sell him the team's 103 jackets and 200 jerseys.
"They just took the jackets right out of their lockers," says Wolfsheimer. "About 35 percent of them had personal items in them."
Wolfsheimer thinks the Pirates hurried because, unlike most teams that get theirs free from Russell, they buy their uniforms from Rawlings. "They wanted to recoup their money," he says. They had also fired their assistant equipment manager and cut Wilson's pay by 40 percent. Wolfsheimer says he paid "in the upper $20,000s" and that "that could pay a couple of salaries in their front office."
"Here it was September, and I had their stuff," Wolfsheimer says.
"Usually we don't get it until right before Opening Day . . . and to be contacted by those teams already, it sounds like they want to get rid of this stuff because they don't know what's in the future. . . . It's like they're saying, 'We don't know if we're going to play in '95.' "
Wolfsheimer says he has also been contacted by the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins about buying '94 uniforms. He says he expects to know more after equipment managers meet during December's winter meetings.
"They will want to get rid of the stuff. It's a bad memory," he says.
But that's good for the collector.
"I think it might help baseball because the stuff is out there," Wolfsheimer says. "People start thinking baseball."
Call Ball 4 at (410) 692-5650 between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Donruss hockey
Donruss hockey returns in mid-November with a 330-card single series plus 38 insert cards in four sets. Among the inserts are the Elite Series, 10 stars shown in watercolors by sports artist Dick Perez and 10 goalies on see-through cards.
Stadium Club basketball
Stadium Club basketball is back with 272 cards in Series I. Cards have been redesigned, and one of the insert sets is Super Teams, redeemable for prizes based on the team's performance.
Stadium Club baseball draft
Topps is moving into prospects with a 90-card Stadium Club baseball draft picks set due in mid-November. The set includes the top three picks. All players are photographed in major-league uniforms.
Flair for basketball
Fleer is bringing its super premium Flair line to the NBA, beginning with a 175-card first series in November. There will be a 14-card subset on Dream Team II, and there will be 36 insert cards.
Football in threes
Pacific brings its NFL Triple Folders back for a third season in late November. There will be 33 cards, including rookie Marshall Faulk.
Coming events
Today, Bird Expo, in part to benefit Grant-A-Wish Foundation, Pikesville Armory (expected signers include Don Baylor, George Kell, Don Larsen, Mike Cuellar, Vida Blue and Bobby Grich), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Today, card show to benefit Wellwood Recreation Center, Pikesville Middle School (7701 Seven Mile Lane), 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., (410) 887-1240.
Saturday, card show, Arbutus Fire Hall, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., (410) 536-4533 or (410) 437-9927.
Saturday, cards and memorabilia auction, The Dugout (Chatham Mall, 9200 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City), noon, (410) 461-8664.
Nov. 25-27, card show, Talbot Community Center, Easton (Route 50), Nov. 25-26, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 27, 10 a.m to 4 p.m., (410) 437-9927.
CARD OF THE WEEK
Fleer's Ultra Hockey has been redesigned and features a 10-card insert set honoring Hart Trophy winner Sergei Fedorov (shown). Series I has 250 cards plus 63 insert cards in seven series. There will be one insert card in each pack, and one pack in 72 will be all insert cards. Starting goalies' cards will be horizontal.