“Congratulations, Minor League Baseball, you are officially amazing!”
Anyone who has ever attended a Minor League game already knew this, but Guinness World Records, with adjudicator Andy Glass, made it official on Tuesday outside MLB Headquarters in New York City.
An 8-foot in diameter, 1,200-pound replica game baseball began its 2,600-mile journey on June 24 at Victory Field, the home of the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, that included stops at 15 Minor League ballparks before finally arriving in New York on July 29. The goal: create the World’s Most Autographed Baseball and have it break the record for most signatures on a single item of sports memorabilia.
With the final signature of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday, the new record was officially set at 6,750 verified signatures -- shattering the previous record of 2,146 set by the Cambridge United Football Club on a giant inflatable team jersey on Dec. 5, 2024.
“We always think about how to extend the best parts of the Minor League experience outside of the ballpark,” said Kristin Sutton, Vice President of Marketing for MiLB. “We like to have a lot of fun and we like to bring that spirit to communities all over the country. What better way to do that than to take something that happens all the time in baseball. Although, it’s usually players signing the ball. So, we thought, let’s spin that on its head and turn it into an opportunity for fans to be a part of it as well.”
So, if you were driving around the Midwest over Fourth of July Weekend, you just might have noticed a giant baseball being towed down the next lane on I-71. This was no accident, it was actually by well-thought-out design. The ball was transported in an oversized clear acrylic ball case, not just for protection, but also for the enjoyment of those alongside it on the road.
“The goal was: How do we make this not just something to experience at the ballpark, but how do you make it cool if you pass this thing on the road?” Sutton said. “A lot of people are on summer road trips. So, we created, to go along with the oversized ball, an oversized ball case that is fully clear, fully encases the ball. It’s allowed us to keep it moving without issue for the past six weeks, which is incredible.”
From Indianapolis, the baseball made stops with the Fort Wayne Tincaps, Toledo Mud Hens, Dayton Dragons, Louisville Bats, Columbus Clippers, Akron RubberDucks, Rochester Red Wings, Syracuse Mets, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Buffalo Bisons, Erie SeaWolves, Altoona Curve, Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Jersey Shore Blueclaws.
“Indianapolis really kicked things off with a bang. It was not only really fun to see the turnout there, but it also looked beautiful because we had the entire outfield as a backdrop for the ball,” said Eli Sanchez, head touring producer for the project. “Then Altoona really showed out with a police escort into their facility and in Louisville we got an awesome picture of the ball in front of the Louisville Slugger Museum big bat. We were in Erie the night after John Oliver was there for the Moon Mammoths debut. It’s been a special experience.
“This whole thing has classically Minor Leagues. It’s totally unexpected, it’s accessible, it’s fun for the whole family. It’s been really awesome seeing the fans and how they’ve been reacting. A lot of people have a real soft spot in their heart for Minor League Baseball.”
According to Glass, Lehigh Valley set the record for the most signatures by a single club at 569, although he did add that it was an unofficial record. The highest tally for signatures on the ball came on Tuesday, outside the MLB Flagship Store, with 684 John Hancocks.
And now that the journey is over and the record has been officially set, what’s next for this historic baseball?
“The plan right now is to bring it back as a fixture at future events,” Sutton said. “It will likely show up at All-Star events down the road and there may even be the opportunity to put it on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame. We’ve got some options!”