Mantle Game Glove Controversy Emerging from EBay

[softball66]

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-RAWLINGS-MI ... dZViewItem

Here's the auction site and it features for sale a game-used Mickey Mantle glove purportedly given to Mickey Mantle Jr, Mantle's son, and Mantle Jr in turn losing it to a minor league pitcher named Lin Griffin, a long-time glove collector. The Glove Collector Newsletter ran a front page story on the glove with quotes from Mr. Griffin. I relied on some of the facts of the story as I had played ball with Mickey Jr. and knew he was in the league at that time
and might be a fellow to frequent a bar.
The glove was sold and now the gentleman who purchased the glove off eBay has placed it on eBay again with the same facts and including the
fact that it was in the newsletter.
I received an email from an interested party who had seen the auction and our newsletter mentioned. I replied to him. Then came the blockbuster: David Dalimonte who collects Kinston baseball memorabilia (Kinston is the team that Griffin claimed to have pitched for against Mantle) and discovered from the baseball cube that Griffin is not listed on
the Kinston roster at all nor was Kiinston in town for the game with Alexandria for the game Griffin alludes to. I've checked out these facts and found them to be true. I've emailed both the seller and to Lin Griffin
with this information. No word back yet. David said that he emailed the
seller and has a response. I'll provide you with more info. Any further help from our panel will help!
Joe

[Centerfield]

Nice snooping...

[MVALZ]

VERY interesting!!!! I'd like to hear Mr Griffin's side of the story...maybe he checks in with the forum????

[spedrunr]

wow, how many more "long time glovers" will be outted

[mudman]

That is very interesting, and I will be interested on how it will unfold. I have had dealings with both the seller that has the glove for sale now, and Mr Griffin. It sure sounds like a very shady deal to me.

[kinston_eagle]

Once I showed him the evidence, the seller stopped this auction. He had no way of knowing that the info he was given from Mr Griffin was false. I have every reason to believe that Wagy35 is an honest seller and was acting in good faith.

I certainly hope he will be able to recover a refund (or damages). If not, I'm sure Mr. Griffin's local DA will be very interested in the details of this transaction.

[softball66]

I've not been contacted by mr. Griffin since emailing him with the details
of the evidence on his minor league activity.
Another of our glove collectors has emailed me about some suspicious
ebay auctions of Mr. Griffin regarding some Clemente items including a game used hat that might have been previously purchased on eBay.
This doesn't sound good. And I HATE this kind of behavior. Is the little money made worth doing this sort of damage?
I will continue to post on this and urge others having any dealings with
this person or anything similar to share and discuss it here among the honest folks.

[vintagebrett]

I believe he posts on this board so hopefully he will feel free to discuss this with the collecting community.

[softball66]

No word from Lin about his minor league days on this reporter's beat. Dave Bushing just looked up another minor league source..."no Lin Griffin shows to have played professional ball anywhere."
Turns out that I may have known Mickey Jr. better than Lin.
Anybody hear anything let out a yell.

[vintagebrett]

It appears that this goes beyond baseball gloves:

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=14989

[softball66]

I've finished my glove collector newsletter on this subject with additional input from Keith Knabe who'd spotted the Clemente problem and the previous purchase of the hat on eBay. Keith's been after the guy for some time.
Lin, if you're out there, let's hear from you. . . or maybe we'd rather not after reading the game-used forum.

[doubleSwitch]

I thought it was quite odd and coincidental that proceding
Mr. Falwell's passing that this same seller ended up with
Jerry Falwell's split finger Rawlings childhood glove. On
the wrist strap it said " J.Falwell" in black marker clear as
day ! It had to be game used by Jerry. After all he just
died all his personal belongings "especially" the baseball
items ended up at Mr. Lin's home. I once emailed him about
a Macgreggor Game used Gaylord Perry glove he listed. In
his decription he says that Perry's daughter gave him the
glove because they were at the same hospital and his child
was deathly ill. Had Mr. Perry's number and everything. He
told me if i had a problem with the provinonce that i should
contact Mr. Perry's daughter. Does not the FBI investigate
people like this? I remember a few years back a KGO San
Francisco radio talk show host committing suicide and jumping
off the golden gate bridge after being caught selling fake sports
memorabillia. I mean selling and making a claim to a Jerry Falwell
glove is awfully serious ! A Clemente helmet! Keep an eye on
the car in the photo of the Clemente Helmet. Might turn out that
it used to belong to Roger Maris ! Someone drop a dime on this
guy already !

[doubleSwitch]

I emailed Wagy35, I've bought items from him in the past and he a very credible seller. I emailed him in regards to the Mantle glove and this was his reply and Lin's reply to him in regards to the glove. "

Hi, Lin claims the glove still is real. Please look at his response when I emailed him.

hi bob, you're not out anything, glove is exactly what it was stated to be. i was friends with the local radio station owner in kinston who was friends with the new owner in 78 and he hooked me up to play several games without even being carried on the roster as i lived in seven springs n.c.(15 miles from kinston) and was available to play on site without room/board. minor league ball was like the wild west back then and you could get away with a lot of things that would not fly now. the characteristics of the glove match up perfectly for a mantle also. lin


- wagy35

[softball66]

Prove it Lin!!! The minor leagues were not like the wild west, except in Griffin's imagination. You didn't jump in anywhere and pitch. Let's see the box score. Prove that you pitched anywhere!
Give us the radio station's friend's name. Give us someone, anyone who will verify your story or any of your blatant falsehoods. If any of you glove guys have continued the thread on the game used forum, i.e. Clemente hat, Maris game bat, (store model) Rose game bat (college bat) he spins the biggest yarns since P. T. and the dime novels, especially when his hand's called. I will give him credit for creativity and it's some incredible B.S. Oh yes the Mantle glove is real, a store model glove probably picked up on the internet.
Drop me an email Mr. Griffin... WITH SOME SOLID PROOF of any your claims!!!
The Glove Collector

[mudman]

This guy is a crook plain and simple. He really needs to be taken to task on all the lies he has told and continues to tell. Best advise is to stay away from him, and tell everyone that you know to do the same.