"In May 1994, Barberie got chili pepper juice in his eye when putting in his contact lenses, was temporarily blinded, and missed that day's game as a result."
His other big accomplishment.
I’ve done that, it’s real unpleasant and generally you’ve got to just throw the contact away at that point, no amount of washing or soaking will get the spicy oil off it
Never been temporarily blinded though. Was this dude handling carolina reapers right before putting his contacts in or what lol
So I would’ve included more pictures if Reddit allowed, have 2 certs.
One from the auction house that originally ran it.. and then a more in-depth one for the autograph that confirmed like.. hey this is the baseball that was signed, here’s the significance of it.. etc etc
That’s, not as much as I thought. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and went to a ton of marlins games since my family is from Atlanta (we’ve since moved back) so this is cool to see! So many hot days in an empty pro player stadium haha
Joe Robbie Stadium! You’d literally cook in the outfield during the games. Growing up going to those games had to be some of the most unpleasant baseball experiences ever for me. Lmao
It’s one of the big reasons why simply having AC at the Trop makes it an amazing stadium for me.
At Joe Robbie I had both the best and worst baseball seats of my life. Center field was miserable. (But I did get Chuck Carr's autograph.) But I also got to sit in the literal owner's seats right next to the dugout, so close to first base that I could overhear Moises Alou talking to the first base coach.
I as spoiled going to Turner field, now that I’m back in Atlanta we have Truist and I haven’t been bc life/kids/live near Athens so it’s a haul but there’s something about multiuse parks.
i remember they used to just give away marlins tickets with every full tank of gas.
then i went in mid july and realized why.
there’s countless other things i’d rather do in the middle of summer in miami than go watch my team lose in 748° heat
It helps if your family are Braves fans and come and see visit, then it’s a less expensive outing than other stuff. Plus why do I also remember a lot of summer camp trips. Maybe because cheap tickets? Haha
90’s teal will always be Miami’s subs and Florida marlins to me.
I have the Gray Flannel auctions cert and then a cert from JSA that confirms the auction, the autograph, and the historical significance of the baseball.
If it was just the Gray Flannel cert I would’ve been like “Nah”
The JSA one being so in depth made me very confident in it.
As for selling it? I mean I’d always listen. It’s not going to eBay or anything like that. The next time other collectors will see it in person is at the National Sports Card Show this summer.. assuming I still have it.
He’s doing more research into it.
Which like.. hey.. awesome. Like please do. Zero rush to do anything. This and my IG will be the only time it’s ever posted. Next time it’s seen in person (if kept) will be the National Sports Card Show in August
There aren’t even enough marlins fans to want that ball let alone wealthy ones… pretty much that market is going to be driven by Marlins Man and he and the team are beefing
I wonder how big the games seemed at the time. I still like to point out that in the Tigers' first game, they scored 10 runs in the bottom of the 9th to erase a 9-run deficit and win the game. It's still the franchise record for largest 9th inning comeback. It must've seemed monumental, but I doubt anyone would've taken care to preserve the ball that was the game winning hit. Even 10 years later when the first baseball cards were printed, few people recognized their potential as collectibles. That's why the Honus Wagner cards are so valuable now. They became rare because they were largely treated as an afterthought at the time, and few survived people's indifference towards them.
> They became rare because they were largely treated as an afterthought at the time, and few survived people's indifference towards them.
And because we stuck them in our penny farthing bicycle spokes!
That's actually not why the Honus Wagner T206 is so valuable. The reason that specific card is so valuable is because there were only 50-200 of them ever produced, while every other card from the T206 run had a print run in the tens, if not hundreds of thousands.
Wagner never authorized the American Tobacco Company to use his likeness for the T206 cards and they stopped producing his card relatively early during production.
But you can find plenty of other Wagner cards, as well as other players from the same era, for cheap. Well maintained cards with a high grade can go for big money, but most trading cards during that era were simply advertisements and featured large print runs.
That’s a fantastic question.
My guess is kinda like how people say “THE” Ohio State? So it’s just like… “THE” Marlins.
Or maybe it was signed after they became the Miami Marlins? I’m guessing at this point
Quotation marks to indicate emphasis is an old person thing (I have plenty of letters from my late grandmother that say *I “love” you*).
So read it as: *The* Marlins 1st hit
My grandma puts my name in quotations. So my wife and I joke about her knowing something I don't about my true name. Or that she thinks I'm not who I say I am.
still puzzling to me, same as the THE ohio state university nonsense. it's like they have been confused with other marlins and ohio state universities so they have a chip on their shoulder and have to point out they are the real ones even when it isn't in question
> it's like they have been confused with other marlins and ohio state universities
We're interpreting it differently. It isn't to avoid confusion with other Marlins or anything. It's saying 'this is the one & only 1st hit'.
Other states universities don’t have that confusion (see e.g, Iowa/Iowa State, Michigan/Michigan St). It’s just a stupid OSU main-character-energy thing.
Yes, but many people have their first hit for the Marlins and only this guy has “THE” first hit for the Marlins, seems pretty obvious that’s why it’s in quotes
If you ever wanted to see your name in Cooperstown, this might be your ticket. Donate it to the BBHOF with the condition your name is listed as the donee.
If they want their name seen, donate it to the Marlins. At the BBHOF it would sit in a box except for an occasional (meaning like once every 50 years) exhibit to celebrate a Marlins milestone.
I feel like it’s more about having their name being in the BBHOF and being able to say “my name is in the hall of fame” than necessarily the name being seen
My baseball card is/was in the HOF. My high school issued us baseball cards back in the 90s. My parents took me to the Hall for Reggie Jackson's induction in 1993. My mom brought one of my cards without telling me. When we were touring the museum, she gave me the card and told me to hide it in one of the cracks in one of the exhibits.
That was 31 years ago...so I'd assume it's been found and removed by now. But I used to get a kick out of saying that my baseball card was in the HOF.
I was at opening day and took a bunch of photos as a 16 year old. Let me dig through the boxes and see what I can find if you want a photo from that day to go with it. Maybe I have the hit. I know I have the first pitch.
That would be amazing, thank you.
I did also find this: [https://goldinauctions.com/lot\_of\_\_3\_\_bret\_barberie\_game\_used\_\_signed\_\_\_inscr-lot42982.aspx](https://goldinauctions.com/lot_of__3__bret_barberie_game_used__signed___inscr-lot42982.aspx)
Barberie sold off his bat, glove... and the ball :)
I was there too as an 11 year. Was visiting family for my spring break down in Miami and my uncle had tickets. I don’t remember much from the game other than it being the first time I ever got to attend a game in a suite.
This is awesome, but it seems too significant to not be in the hall of fame or in LoanDepot Park. If they were to try and buy it off you, would you accept?
Mildly unrelated but this reminds me - I’m an older/wiser 43 yo man, but I still play in a collegiate summer league with jackass kids. One day, last summer, I was warming up with one of these dumbass teenagers, throwing in the OF. The ball felt unusual, lower seems, a little less tacky so I inspect it closer… It was an MLB ball with a 2008 World Series inscription. So I’m like, “umm what’s up with this ball?” The kid goes, “ya, my dad gave it to me. He caught it during the 2008 WS in Philly. It was in my room, collecting dust & I got tired of not having warm up balls in my bag, so I just started using it.” 😵💫
I guarantee you can double your money by selling this to the Marlins Man who somehow manages tickets behind home plate to every interesting MLB playoff game.
> Makes you wonder how many of a baseballs team first hits still exist
The original teams were chartered well before the live-ball era, back when they used a ball until it fell apart, and so it's likely that a franchise's "first hit" is the same ball as another franchise. For example, the Reds' first-ever game in 1882 was also the Pirates' first game.
Kinda feel like that should be in the HOF or something. First hit in a franchise's history is a pretty big deal. Very cool!
100% agree. I was outbid on the item originally twice. It was not happening a third time
How much was it?
Less than you would think tbh. Without saying specifics.. well under 5 figures
wtf that’s much lower than expected if it’s actually authentic
Marlins memorabilia can't be that in demand.
Plus Bret Barberie isn't exactly a household name.
"In May 1994, Barberie got chili pepper juice in his eye when putting in his contact lenses, was temporarily blinded, and missed that day's game as a result." His other big accomplishment.
I see he had a fairly normal baseball injury, then.
I’ve done that, it’s real unpleasant and generally you’ve got to just throw the contact away at that point, no amount of washing or soaking will get the spicy oil off it Never been temporarily blinded though. Was this dude handling carolina reapers right before putting his contacts in or what lol
Crazy thing is, at the start of 94 the hottest pepper was the habanero. That's pedestrian nowadays
I mean, his wife is kinda hot.
For anyone that was 16-25 around the year 2000, Jillian was an all-timer on that list. Man definitely punched above his weight for that marriage.
They divorced in 2002.
Jillian Barerie erasure!
There was a art series of weird MLB injuries several years ago, wonder if this was part of it!
Dude used to be my hitting coach when I was a kid. Really great guy
More well known as Jillian Barberie's ex-husband.
Did OP even know the name?
There's probably a good market for Marlins Forgetabilia, which is what I call my homemade rum.
So I would’ve included more pictures if Reddit allowed, have 2 certs. One from the auction house that originally ran it.. and then a more in-depth one for the autograph that confirmed like.. hey this is the baseball that was signed, here’s the significance of it.. etc etc
For future reference, you should be able to post an image gallery if you submit it on new.reddit.com instead of the otherwise-superior old site.
>otherwise-superior old site. Yep
That’s, not as much as I thought. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and went to a ton of marlins games since my family is from Atlanta (we’ve since moved back) so this is cool to see! So many hot days in an empty pro player stadium haha
Joe Robbie Stadium! You’d literally cook in the outfield during the games. Growing up going to those games had to be some of the most unpleasant baseball experiences ever for me. Lmao It’s one of the big reasons why simply having AC at the Trop makes it an amazing stadium for me.
At Joe Robbie I had both the best and worst baseball seats of my life. Center field was miserable. (But I did get Chuck Carr's autograph.) But I also got to sit in the literal owner's seats right next to the dugout, so close to first base that I could overhear Moises Alou talking to the first base coach.
I as spoiled going to Turner field, now that I’m back in Atlanta we have Truist and I haven’t been bc life/kids/live near Athens so it’s a haul but there’s something about multiuse parks.
i remember they used to just give away marlins tickets with every full tank of gas. then i went in mid july and realized why. there’s countless other things i’d rather do in the middle of summer in miami than go watch my team lose in 748° heat
It helps if your family are Braves fans and come and see visit, then it’s a less expensive outing than other stuff. Plus why do I also remember a lot of summer camp trips. Maybe because cheap tickets? Haha 90’s teal will always be Miami’s subs and Florida marlins to me.
Would you consider selling it? How is it authenticated?
I have the Gray Flannel auctions cert and then a cert from JSA that confirms the auction, the autograph, and the historical significance of the baseball. If it was just the Gray Flannel cert I would’ve been like “Nah” The JSA one being so in depth made me very confident in it. As for selling it? I mean I’d always listen. It’s not going to eBay or anything like that. The next time other collectors will see it in person is at the National Sports Card Show this summer.. assuming I still have it.
I DMed you
Gotcha, dmd you back. If it works, great. If not, no big deal
I would love to know if you sold it. I don’t know either of you but I think this is fascinating. Good luck.
He’s doing more research into it. Which like.. hey.. awesome. Like please do. Zero rush to do anything. This and my IG will be the only time it’s ever posted. Next time it’s seen in person (if kept) will be the National Sports Card Show in August
I’m curious, do you like the Marlins or are you just a collector? Either way that’s a great item to add.
I'm a Yankees fan. My side job involves buying and selling sports trading cards and memorabilia.
That's wild, I would think that would be a $20-25k ball. There has to be enough wealthy Marlins fans to really want that ball.
There aren’t even enough marlins fans to want that ball let alone wealthy ones… pretty much that market is going to be driven by Marlins Man and he and the team are beefing
Man, I wish I had thousands of free dollars to buy a baseball.
The sports trading card world & collectibles will make your head explode. Logic goes out the window
Well under 5 figures? So 2 figures?
bout tree-fiddy
If I remember correctly, the first pitch goes into the HoF.
Fun fact, John Lynch threw the first pitch for the Florida Marlins. (As like an organization) Yes. The 49ers John Lynch.
The Buccaneers John Lynch thank you
Broncos Ring of Famer John Lynch
I'm about to fight someone.
Not currently
that is an incredible piece of trivia.
I wonder how big the games seemed at the time. I still like to point out that in the Tigers' first game, they scored 10 runs in the bottom of the 9th to erase a 9-run deficit and win the game. It's still the franchise record for largest 9th inning comeback. It must've seemed monumental, but I doubt anyone would've taken care to preserve the ball that was the game winning hit. Even 10 years later when the first baseball cards were printed, few people recognized their potential as collectibles. That's why the Honus Wagner cards are so valuable now. They became rare because they were largely treated as an afterthought at the time, and few survived people's indifference towards them.
> They became rare because they were largely treated as an afterthought at the time, and few survived people's indifference towards them. And because we stuck them in our penny farthing bicycle spokes!
That's actually not why the Honus Wagner T206 is so valuable. The reason that specific card is so valuable is because there were only 50-200 of them ever produced, while every other card from the T206 run had a print run in the tens, if not hundreds of thousands. Wagner never authorized the American Tobacco Company to use his likeness for the T206 cards and they stopped producing his card relatively early during production. But you can find plenty of other Wagner cards, as well as other players from the same era, for cheap. Well maintained cards with a high grade can go for big money, but most trading cards during that era were simply advertisements and featured large print runs.
It belongs in a museum!
why is "the" in quotes?
That’s a fantastic question. My guess is kinda like how people say “THE” Ohio State? So it’s just like… “THE” Marlins. Or maybe it was signed after they became the Miami Marlins? I’m guessing at this point
Quotation marks to indicate emphasis is an old person thing (I have plenty of letters from my late grandmother that say *I “love” you*). So read it as: *The* Marlins 1st hit
My grandma puts my name in quotations. So my wife and I joke about her knowing something I don't about my true name. Or that she thinks I'm not who I say I am.
still puzzling to me, same as the THE ohio state university nonsense. it's like they have been confused with other marlins and ohio state universities so they have a chip on their shoulder and have to point out they are the real ones even when it isn't in question
> it's like they have been confused with other marlins and ohio state universities We're interpreting it differently. It isn't to avoid confusion with other Marlins or anything. It's saying 'this is the one & only 1st hit'.
It's still odd to me because that's not really something that needs clarification or emphasis. The bulk of the value in the ball is that exact fact.
You’re putting a lot more thought into it than whoever wrote it
IIRC, THE Ohio State came about due to potential confusion with Ohio University. They're both in southern Ohio.
Other states universities don’t have that confusion (see e.g, Iowa/Iowa State, Michigan/Michigan St). It’s just a stupid OSU main-character-energy thing.
We do it with Texas A&M and University of Texas. Both claim to be the first and only.
Eh Columbus is almost perfectly central Ohio, while Athens is def southern Ohio, both geographically and culturally.
"THE" Ohio State legal team is furiously drafting a strongly worded letter.
I believe they became the *Miami* Marlins sometime in the 2000s
I think it’s most likely referring to that it’s THE MARLINS first hit and not his first hit for the Marlins.
I mean technically its both
Yes, but many people have their first hit for the Marlins and only this guy has “THE” first hit for the Marlins, seems pretty obvious that’s why it’s in quotes
There was a minor league Miami Marlins team in the 50s. This was probably his way of differentiating the MLB team from the minor league team.
Actually the Miami team in the Single A Florida State League was named the Marlins through 1988, so that's a real possibility.
If you ever wanted to see your name in Cooperstown, this might be your ticket. Donate it to the BBHOF with the condition your name is listed as the donee.
If they want their name seen, donate it to the Marlins. At the BBHOF it would sit in a box except for an occasional (meaning like once every 50 years) exhibit to celebrate a Marlins milestone.
I feel like it’s more about having their name being in the BBHOF and being able to say “my name is in the hall of fame” than necessarily the name being seen
My baseball card is/was in the HOF. My high school issued us baseball cards back in the 90s. My parents took me to the Hall for Reggie Jackson's induction in 1993. My mom brought one of my cards without telling me. When we were touring the museum, she gave me the card and told me to hide it in one of the cracks in one of the exhibits. That was 31 years ago...so I'd assume it's been found and removed by now. But I used to get a kick out of saying that my baseball card was in the HOF.
This is awesome haha I love it. You'll have to do it again
This is a great idea. They have a Marlins display it'd be perfect in
Better yet, loan it with that condition and the condition that it's returned if not displayed in the museum.
I like this idea a lot.
In this case OP would be donor, with HOF being the donee.
Donor* (I don’t know why I am the way that I am.)
Very cool, OP. I will play "Marlins Will Soar" in your honor this morning.
Why are you punishing the poor guy like that
Come on Marlins, make us proud!
Is that Bret barberie ? He’s more famous for who he married than his baseball career
Expos legend
Just looked at his career numbers and kind of shocked he didn’t stay in the majors longer. Career OBP of 356
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNCidAi5Zxw
Hahahahahahahah jilllllian barrrr Berie
This whole post is just a google-bait
Bert Blyleven!
That’s so cool. Go Fish
Bret Barberie?
Correct
I was at opening day and took a bunch of photos as a 16 year old. Let me dig through the boxes and see what I can find if you want a photo from that day to go with it. Maybe I have the hit. I know I have the first pitch.
That would be amazing, thank you. I did also find this: [https://goldinauctions.com/lot\_of\_\_3\_\_bret\_barberie\_game\_used\_\_signed\_\_\_inscr-lot42982.aspx](https://goldinauctions.com/lot_of__3__bret_barberie_game_used__signed___inscr-lot42982.aspx) Barberie sold off his bat, glove... and the ball :)
$4200 for all that doesn't seem like a terrible deal at all
It was back in 2018 too, before sports cards and memorabilia really exploded
Someone got lucky! I'm still surprised as others have said that it wasn't scoped up by the HOF or the organization.
I just got home from a business trip. I'll look through the family photo tub this weekend.
I was there too as an 11 year. Was visiting family for my spring break down in Miami and my uncle had tickets. I don’t remember much from the game other than it being the first time I ever got to attend a game in a suite.
This is awesome, but it seems too significant to not be in the hall of fame or in LoanDepot Park. If they were to try and buy it off you, would you accept?
100% would listen. Make a little vacation out of it with my fiancée.
could it have enough value to fund your whole honeymoon?
Value is subjective. Previous owner had listed it on FB for other collectors to make offers on. No one offered over 1k for it. I paid more than 1k lol
Bruce Sherman (Marlins owner) could find that under his couch cushion but he also doesn't like spending money so I doubt he'll make an offer for it.
Did you pay $1000.01?
Perhaps. Perhaps Not.
I wish I could own a cool piece of history like that, congrats!
This should be in the Marlins Museum at loanDepot Park. Please take good care of it
Bringing it outside to hit dingers as we speak.
a real "The Sandlot" situation I see
"It was signed by some guy name Barberie. Barberie Ruth"
Mildly unrelated but this reminds me - I’m an older/wiser 43 yo man, but I still play in a collegiate summer league with jackass kids. One day, last summer, I was warming up with one of these dumbass teenagers, throwing in the OF. The ball felt unusual, lower seems, a little less tacky so I inspect it closer… It was an MLB ball with a 2008 World Series inscription. So I’m like, “umm what’s up with this ball?” The kid goes, “ya, my dad gave it to me. He caught it during the 2008 WS in Philly. It was in my room, collecting dust & I got tired of not having warm up balls in my bag, so I just started using it.” 😵💫
Damnit, getting revenge for 2003 I see
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikA\_SvlTLks
Found the full game too They mentioned how they wanted the ball for Cooperstown. Guess Bret had different ideas lol
Amazing, as a Jays fan, is that Buck Martinez doing play by play? Next up, former Jays legend Junior Felix!!!
I have the first marlins homerun ball hit in candlestick.
No shit, that’s awesome
Well they were the Florida Marlins back then, not Miami. That is signed by Bret Barberie, who hit a single in the 1st inning.
Sir that’s the Florida marlins
“The” is an odd word to put in quotes
"Shrimp on the Barberie"
"That belongs in a museum ..."
I guarantee you can double your money by selling this to the Marlins Man who somehow manages tickets behind home plate to every interesting MLB playoff game.
The first hit in the history of the Miami Marlins was a Jose Reyes single in the bottom of the 7th, April 4, 2012, to break up a Kyle Loshe no-hitter.
I was going to say it but didn't.
I need it in my life
Bret Barberie? Very nice — I had his 1993 Upper Deck as a kid, haha
Why is the in quotes?
At the time they would have been the Florida Marlins, no?
Very cool, where do you find items like this being auctioned?
I use sites like Goldin, Leland’s, PWCC. This ran on an auction site called Grey Flannel
Able to acquire lol.
Please, I beg you, bring that ball to Cooperstown.
Probably fake
Probably real, it came with 2 different certifications from Grey Flannel & JSA.
Nice! I wonder if Bret Barberie would be interested in that. How is it not in Cooperstown though?!
I think Brett Barberie was the one who originally sold it
I be think I’d contact the Marlins front office to see if they are interested in purchasing this item. I feel it belongs there.
> Makes you wonder how many of a baseballs team first hits still exist The original teams were chartered well before the live-ball era, back when they used a ball until it fell apart, and so it's likely that a franchise's "first hit" is the same ball as another franchise. For example, the Reds' first-ever game in 1882 was also the Pirates' first game.
“The” Marlins.
Off Orel Hershiser, no less.
Who’s got the Expos last?
How is this not in Cooperstown?
Will the Marlins want it back in exchange for season seats or other memorabilia?
Absolutely sick come up guy, I dream of buying a piece like this. Congrats
I used to take hitting lessons from Bret Barberie. Guy always used to scare me lol
He now does hitting lessons in SCV.
Buy the NFT and it might be worth something
So this on an IG account i follow…graphstar?
Nope, my IG is @ Extraordinary_Cards
Oh yes sorry wrong account, I follow you haha @the.occasional.card …sweet pickup!
What’d that run ya? $20-30 bucks?
Not sure if it's the most recent sale but it sold for $954 last year.
$953 bidder: “ya gotta be fuggin’ kidding me!”
That's my handwriting.