A look inside The Major League Baseball MLB Authentication Program

A look inside The MLB Authentication Program

By BLB Admin on December 22nd, 2010

Sports Illustrated recently published an excellent article detailing the MLB Authentication Program. It includes a review of the process that official authenticators use during games to authenticate baseballs, jerseys, bases and even “game-used” dirt from the pitchers mound. In the billion dollar memorabilia industry, where so many frauds are out to make a buck off unsuspecting collectors, the program offers security and peace of mind.

MLB Authentic Sticker

MLB Authentication benefits baseball collectors who seek official game-used balls over – or hopefully in addition to – the new in box variety. Below are some excerpts from the article, and links that include a short clip of an MLB Authenticator in action, pictures of authenticated baseballs, and even the Twitter account for the MLB authentication manager.

Excerpts from Sports Illustrated’s “Behind scenes with Major League Baseball’s authentication process” by Kyle Stack, Dec, 17, 2010:

“…the ball completely misses its mark, smacking the dirt behind home plate before bouncing into catcher Carlos Ruiz’s glove. It’s an innocuous pitch to the 46,000 people in the stands and the millions watching on TV, but it’s an important one for the Major League Baseball Authentication Program.

Ruiz hands the ball to home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, who gives the scuffed-up ball to a waiting Phillies batboy. The batboy runs back to the dugout to clean it, then hustles over to MLB authenticator Dennis Watson, who’s sitting in a small field box between the first base camera pit and the front row of seats behind home plate. This is the first of dozens of baseballs Watson will receive for authentication on this night.

“The list of items which can be authenticated has no limit. Every baseball that remains in the field of play is documented. (Foul balls and home runs that go into the stands are kept by fans.) Broken bats, lineup cards, bases, rosin bags and any other field item is ripe for authentication. Even dirt from the pitcher’s mound was collected after Roy Halladay’s no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. ‘Everything is game,’ said Howie Shelton, program manager for MLB’s authentication program.”

NOTES:

At least one MLB Authenticator attends all 2,430 regular season games, and as many as three are on hand for post-season games.
An estimated 450,000 to 600,000 items were authenticated by Major League Baseball during the 2010 season.
Holograms are added to each item, and they’re specially made to self-destruct if tampered with and removed.
- Once a hologram is applied, an accompanying portion of the sticker remains on the roll to be digitally scanned.
- The scanned number, each one being unique, is registered in an online database, cataloging its information for consumers to review on Major League Baseball’s website.
- A description of how the item was used is entered by the authenticator.

Read the entire article here at the Sports Illustrated site. Additionally, here’s a short clip of an authenticator at work, afixing a hologram sticker to a game ball used by the Phillies at Citizen’s Bank Park – likely from the 2010 playoff’s.

Do you have to place that sticker over the Rawling’s stamp, sir? Why not right above the Rawlings logo? Just a little pet peeve of mine. At least they’re not putting them over top commemorative logos. BigLeagueBaseballs.com has been following an MLB Authenticator via Twitter this season, and it’s enabled us to see some historic, authenticated baseballs. (If you’re Tweeting, you can follow us @BigLeagueBBalls – http://twitter.com/BigLeagueBBalls#.)

Check out these valuable game-used baseballs (and softballs) we’ve seen via @MLB_Authentic (the manager of the MLB Authentic Program).