MLB Authenticators Help Maintain Integrity Of Memorabilia
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MLB Authenticators Carry
High-Tech Hologram Stickers |
MLB in '01 launched a program to authenticate memorabilia, and "now every game has at least one authenticator, watching from a dugout or near one," according to John Branch of the N.Y. TIMES. The authenticators are "part of a team of 120 active and retired law-enforcement officials sharing the duties for the 30 franchises," and several worked the home openers for the Yankees and Mets, "helping track firsts at the new stadiums." The authenticators "verified balls, bases, jerseys, the pitchers' rosin bag, even the pitching rubber and the home plate that were removed after the first game at Yankee Stadium." MLB officials noted that the new Yankee Stadium "includes an oversize broom closet of a space labeled 'Authentication Room,' the first such storage spot built into a ballpark." Branch notes nothing is "too mundane to be authenticated, if deemed potentially valuable." About 3 million items have been authenticated by MLB since 2001," when the program was created after the league became "embarrassed about reports of widespread fraud in the $1[B]-per-year sports memorabilia industry." Authenticators verified "cans of insect repellent used to combat the midges that swarmed the 2007 playoffs in Cleveland," as well as urinals from the old Busch Stadium and office equipment from Veterans Stadium. MLB Program Manager Michael Posner, who oversees the program, said, "As long as it is witnessed by an authenticator, there's no limit to what can be authenticated." Branch notes teams decide "what they want authenticated each game," and for most, it is a "dozen or so game-used baseballs, some sets of bases (swapped between innings), broken bats and lineup cards." Authenticators carry "rolls of high-tech hologram stickers" that is placed on each object. Removing the sticker "leaves polka dots of the decal attached and renders the removed sticker unusable." A second sticker, with a "matching number and bar code," is scanned by a hand-held unit, "instantly recording the item into MLB computers" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/21).
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