What is the Worst Sports Memorabilia You Own?
Posted on December 23rd, 2008 by Mike under pollAs you might have seen on here last week, my inspiration for this blogger poll came from a signed b&w 8×10 of Mo Vaughn.
I’d now like to publicly and humbly apologize to Mo. Not only did he win a MVP way back in ‘95, but a autographed photo of his is not even in the same stratosphere as what some members of the sports blog intelligentsia were willing to claim ownership of.
Check out some of the best, and help select the piece de resistance by voting in the comments.
Alana G (AlanaG.com)
I jokingly bid on this [1992 Dream Team Raft] from ebay after I saw a blog post about it during the Olympics on Fourth Place Medal. As it turned out I was the only bidder, so now I own it. As advertised, it has a slow leak, so is not usable as a float. I thought about making my living room a little Nacho Cheesier by hanging it on my wall, but I simply can’t decide which side to display: Scottie Pippin’s head or David Robinson’s armpits…
Michael Rand (Randball)
That’s an easy one: this summer, I went with some friends on our annual baseball road trip. This year included a stop in Kansas City, where we were the “lucky” recipients of Larry Gura bobbleheads on his special night. Career record of 126-97, mostly for the late 70s-early 80s Royals. But hey, it was a bobblehead. So I kept it.
Matty I (Phinsider)
About 13 years ago, there was a Sports Authority opening in my town. They advertised that a “Nets player” would be at the opening. It turned out to be Armen Gilliam. So I got his autograph on a basketball…which is now stuck in my garage somewhere.
Isaac (World of Isaac)
I’m just gonna go ahead and post our gchat conversation for this one…
Isaac: I own a Fennis Dembo autograph
he was one of the most useless NBA players of all-time
but he won a championship with the Pistons
me: who in god’s name is Fennis Dumbo?
Isaac: star college player out of wyoming
played on the bad boys
he’s a janitor now
me: that’s pretty sweet
Isaac: its easily the most useless thing I own
Chris Illuminati (Nine to Fried, Hugging Harold Reynolds)
About ten years ago, my uncle went to a celebrity golf event and John Elway was one of the participants. My uncle ran into him on the course and got him to sign a hat. He gave it to me along with the guest pass that allowed my uncle all-access to the celebs. My uncle gave me the pass as proof he was there and it’s really John Elway’s signature. First off, I’m not an Elway fan. I mean it would have been cool if I met Elway but someone else meeting him does NOTHING for my life story. Second, I can’t prove Elway signed. My uncle’s word of honor does nothing for me in the world of eBay and memorabilia selling. I can’t send it away to get authenticated because it’s not on a ball or jersey or something recognized as an object that sports stars would autograph. It’s a freaking hat. So it sits in my closet next to a small framed picture/sports card of Elway that my mom bought me to go along with the hat. All of these mementos for probably my 143 favorite player of all time. I guess it’s payback for the Super Bowl against the Giants when as a 9-year-old child I kept screaming on every Giants’ defensive stand to ‘break Elway’s legs!’
Steve Melfi (NY Hoosier)
You’re going to be flabbergasted when you find out what this is. That is a signed Nordstrom’s bag with the Hancock of a one Khalid El-Amin, former UCONN point guard. He totally wrote 99 Champs! on it too.









December 23rd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I like the raft, just for the sheer oddity of it. The goofiest item in my collection is probably a Flyers media guide with a bunch of signatures in it. Among those autographs is that of Bruce Zelig, who used to act in the Gold’s Gym commercials that ran during Flyers games. I got his autograph at a Flyers charity carnival, and he seemed really excited that someone asked for it.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
WHOA wait wait wait, this is about the *worst* sports memorabilia?? I’d like to withdraw my ‘92 Dream Team raft because obviously that’s all kinds of awesome in a totally non-ironic way.
Now that Nordstrom’s bag, that’s a true piece of crap.
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
[...] What is the worst sports memorabilia you own? (Steady. Burn) [...]
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:46 pm
El-Amin’s shopping bag. Or is that his armoire?
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I have an autographed record (the music kind) from Lenny Randle. Who is Lenny Randle you’re asking? If you’ve ever seen a MLB blooper film, Lenny Randle is the guy on his hands and knees trying to blow the slow grounder on the third base line into foul territory. Yeah, that guy. Apparently MLB made a new rule about interference because of him. After a lame baseball career he failed at music as well.
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
[...] - The Steady Burn wants to know what is the worst sports memorabilia that you own. (The Steady Burn) [...]
December 24th, 2008 at 2:09 am
I have a Kevin Billinger bobblehead. It was given to me by a home owner during my mission trip to New Orleans so I did not want to turn down the generous offer; however, I don’t even know who the guy is.
December 24th, 2008 at 10:27 am
A Tom Gordon photo ball no autograph when he was a Royal. By the way Larry Gura was a good pitcher he won 76 games between 1978-82. Also he had a 3.76 career era.
December 24th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Autographed Mark Chumura 8X10 and an autographed Pat Listach Rookie Card.
December 25th, 2008 at 11:26 am
My worst sports memorabilia is an autographed baseball not from Jose Canseco but his brother Ozzie. At least it’s only on a Minor League Baseball.
December 25th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I own a Felix Heredia signed baseball from when the Montreal Expos were still a team. I’m fairly certain the baseball was worth more without his John Hancock on it.
December 27th, 2008 at 5:12 am
If you’re talking worst piece of sports memorabilia, I will take the top prize. I have a Carolina Panthers mini helmet in a box on a shelf that was signed by Rae Carruth. If you don’t know who he is, Google him.
January 1st, 2009 at 10:46 pm
This isn’t something I own, but this will take the cake. I worked in a sporting goods store about ten years ago. Curious to see if anyone would notice, I signed a baseball with my own name and put it into the Upper Deck Authenticated display case with the other autographed memorabilia. My friend told me that two weeks later some lady came in and bought it for her son’s birthday. For $40. After laughing for ten minutes, I kind of felt bad for ruining the poor kid’s birthday.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:01 am
burn notice is my favorite show on televsion today