This vintage Reach official American League baseball was hand signed by Dutch Ruether, Fred Haney, Ken Williams, Bert Niehoff and Hank Severeid. The unique and rare signed ball includes a Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA.
Dutch Ruether, a good hitting pitcher, played in the Major Leagues for 11 seasons for the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Robins, Washington Senators and New York Yankees. In 1919, he won 19 games with the Reds, who went on to win the World Series during the famous Black Sox Scandal. Ruether also appeared in the 1925 and 1926 World Series, and was a member of the 1927 New York Yankees World Series championship team. He holds the National League record for most innings pitched in a season opening game, with 14-inning pitched for the Robins on opening day 1923. Ruether passed away in 1970 at the age of 76.
Fred Haney was a manager for the Milwaukee Braves from 1956 to 1959. His 1957 lineup included Hall of Fame members Hank Aaron, Eddie Matthews, Warren Spahn and Red Schoendienst, and the team finished the season winning the World Series. He later served as the first general manager of the expansion Los Angeles Angels from 1961 to 1968. Haney passed away in 1977 at the age of 81.
Ken Williams was a star Major League left fielder from 1915 to 1929, primarily playing for the St. Louis Browns and then ended with the Boston Red Sox. In 1922, he led the American League with 39 home runs and 155 RBI. In the same season, he became the first AL player in history to hit two home runs in one inning, and the first player in Major League history to have 30 home runs and 30-plus stolen bases in the same season; an accomplishment that wasn’t achieved again until 1956 by Willie Mays. Williams was only one of two players to break Babe Ruth’s consecutive years leading the AL in home runs. Williams finished in the top four in the AL in home runs consecutively between 1921-1927. He still holds the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles single season RBI record with 155, and career records in slugging percentage (.558) and OPS (.961). Williams passed awa in 1959 at the age of 68.
Bert Niehoff, a classic line-drive hitter, was a second baseman with four teams in the Major Leagues from 1913 to 1918, including the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants. He had his best season in 1916, when he posted a career-high 61 RBI and led the National League hitters with 42 doubles. During his 6-season career, he had a .240 average with 104 doubles, 19 triples, 207 RBI and 71 stolen bases. After his playing career ended, he continued his baseball career as a manager, coach, scout and general manager. Neihoff was one of the first managers selected by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and managed the South Bend Blue Sox from 1943 to 1944. He passed away in 1974 at the age of 90.
Hank Severeid, known as one of the best defensive catchers of his era, played in the Major Leagues from 1911 to 1926. He played most of his time with the St. Louis Browns, but also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Senators and New York Yankees. His best season was in 1924 when he had 133 hits, 48 RBI, 23 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 36 walks, a .308 batting average in 137 games and 432 at bats; he finished 6th in voting for AL MVP. In 1925, he was traded to the Senators and helped them win the AL Pennant, and did the same for the Yankees in 1926. Severeid co-authored the book Play Ball! Advice for Young Ballplayers in 1941 with Charles Edward Chapman. He passed away in 1968 at the age of 77
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