By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

The Mick will help New York and New Jersey rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.

Mickey Mantle‘s 1960 contract that guaranteed him $60,000 with the New York Yankees will hit the auction block via Steiner Sports on Wednesday after it was donated by Mantle’s sons, David and Danny, with the proceeds to be split among New York and New Jersey.

Bidding opens at $25,000 and runs until June 2. (Click here to view the auction.)

“My mom [Merlyn] deserves all the credit for saving my father’s contracts in a file cabinet to preserve them,” said Danny Mantle in a prepared statement. “The 1960 contract is in near perfect condition and looks brand new. We watch all those people living in tents, and decided to take the contract and put it to good use to raise some money for the victims.”

The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is chaired by Mary Pat Christie, wife of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and she offered her thanks to the Mantle Family in a letter in advance of a news conference announcing the contract auction today at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center.

“I would like thank Danny and David Mantle, and the Mantle Family for this generous contribution to the Fund,” she wrote. “I also would like to thank Steiner Sports, Brandon Steiner and Brett Schissler for making the auction happen. Thank you to Dave Kaplan from the Berra Museum for hosting today. And a special thank you to Joe Pepitone for showing his support.”

According to Christie’s letter, the fund has raised more than $34 million.

Also up for auction are several other Yankees items, including a World Series ring, team-signed balls and a piece from another New York icon, Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson, whose game-used glove from the 1955 and 1956 World Series is on the block along with a Robinson bat believed to be used during his final season.

For more information or to view other auctions, click here.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor

Dick Perez is an artist well known with collectors from his many renditions in trading card sets including Donruss’ Diamond Kings.

Perez doesn’t just paint for little 3-inch by 5-inch pieces of cardboard, but puts to canvas the scenes of some of baseball’s iconic figures. Perez uses several photographs to get the exact portrait he wants, even using a bit of imagination.

Perez’s artwork was on display recently at the Agora Gallery in New York City where he put on an exhibit. The artwork included items from the last several years with a number of Jackie Robinson paintings that were bought by the Jackie Robinson Foundation to eventually be put in a museum.

I went on the last day of the exhibit, wanting to make sure to see the paintings in person. Besides the paintings, there was an extra surprise. Dick Perez was there.

We spent about 20 minutes talking about his artwork and sports, in general. He asked about the popularity of football and basketball, and mentioned how he wanted to take a little break after he spent hours upon hours getting the work done for the exhibit.

But, of course, Perez says he will be back.

Check out the photos from the art exhibit.

Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Sports Card Monthly. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Beckett Media on Facebook and Twitter.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary & Opinion

With the MLB season’s first month half over, now’s the time to look at who’s hot and who’s not …

HOT

Matt Harvey — SP, New York Mets (Beckett checklist & OPG here)
3-0, 0.82 ERA with 25 Ks and six walks in 22 innings
Harvey is the poster boy for red-hot baseball cards this season with his start on Saturday en route to NL Player of the Week honors. His next start on Friday will be just his 14th in MLB and he’ll face a young pitcher many a collector may know, Stephen Strasburg. This guy already has some uttering Gooden and Seaver, so the Big Apple hype machine is primed. His earliest cards can be found in the 2006-07 USA Baseball set — he has plenty of autographs and game-used there — while his MLB prospect debut comes in 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft. That one has generated a lot of attention with a BGS 9.5 Orange Refractor recently selling for $825, while another copy has an even loftier asking price, like many Harvey cards across the board. Remember Ike Davis’ start a couple years ago? We do, but we also remember Strasburg’s.

Jose Fernandez — SP, Florida Marlins (checklist & OPG)
0-0, 0.82 ERA with 13 Ks and three walks in 11 innings
What happens with a young pitcher unexpectedly makes a team strip-mined of talent and actually pitches pretty well? You get asking prices like this. And then you get sales prices like this. His numbers look good but he’s not gotten enough support. I’d tread lightly here — remember Josh Johnson? He never lit things up on cardboard.

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NOT

Jason Heyward – OF, Atlanta Braves (checklist & OPG)
.103 average, one home run, four RBI, seven runs in 12 games
Not long ago, he was a Beckett Baseball cover-worthy rookie. Oh how times have changed. With new talent in Atlanta, will Heyward’s not-cheap earlier cards suffer?  That’s debatable, but the batting average simply is not helping.

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Roy Halladay — SP, Philadelphia Phillies (checklist & OPG)
1-2, 7.63 ERA with 14 Ks and seven walks in 15 innings
He’s been a workhorse for years but nobody pitches forever. If it wasn’t for his last start against the Marlins (eight innings one run and just two strikeouts) he’d be looking at an ERA well over 10 and 12 earned runs in little more than seven innings of work. It can get ugly in Philly and the Phans won’t stand for that — even if it’s from the 200-game winner and two-time Cy Young winner. His RCs are cheap, so the cards that could suffer here with time are his certified autos.

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Josh Hamilton — OF, Los Angeles Angels (checklist & OPG)
.234 average, two home runs, eight RBI, six runs in 12 games
He’s picked up the pace the last two games, but his comments about his former team’s crowd and a crowded lineup that he’s in now — along with an awful start — simply spell doom for his 1999 Rookie Cards. Trout will overshadow him and Albert Pujols unless we see an unprecedented trio of powerful performances this season.

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Giancarlo Stanton — OF, Miami Marlins (checklist & OPG)
.167 average, zero home runs, zero RBI, one run in nine games
When you hit 37 home runs last season, all eyes are on you. When you’re the only potential major-league bat left on the Marlins, even more are watching.  Hobby-wise, the Marlins are a scrap heap — save for a rookie pitcher for now — so that means Stanton is all that matters. And it’s not going well at all. Keep an eye on his 2010 Topps Triple Threads RC. At $150, it’s bound to be the most volatile of the bunch. If you believe in the slugger — or that he’ll be jettisoned soon — this auto-jersey combo limited to 99 is worth keeping an eye on.

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Also cold on the field … Ike Davis, Dustin Ackley.

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Should somebody else have made either list? Tell us in the comments below.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

The Jackie Robinson movie, 42, arrives in theaters in two days and that means the world will finally get a chance to revisit the tale of one of Major League Baseball’s bravest stars and discover one of Hollywood’s newest talents in Chadwick Boseman.

If you’re a reader of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, you can find him on the cover of the May issue, which arrived in hobby shops this week and should start appearing at other newsstand outlets soon. Inside, you’ll find plenty from him — and even more about collecting as it relates to sports movies. (I’ve also got a heavy eBay bounty ready for the first JSA-authenticated copy out there signed by Boseman. — Editor)

As the marketing materials — i.e. SWAG for the film — continues to trickle out of Tinseltown with the latest being this quirky gem and a few other interesting novelties beyond some very in-demand posters, yet another impressive piece of potential memorabilia will present itself very soon at Dodger Stadium.

This statue showing three of the first four black players to make the MLB All-Star team — Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella — will be given away to the first 40,000 fans in attendance on Monday at the ballpark to coincide with Jackie Robinson Day. Presented by Warner Bros. and 42, this piece should be in demand as every player in Major League Baseball dons Robinson’s No. 42 as part of MLB’s annual tradition.

The size of the statue was not announced, so estimating its value could be tricky, but expect it to be of interest in the wake of the film. After all, SGA or stadium giveaway items can often be quirky, cool and valuable. (Check out one recent example.)

Another possibility for fans of the film who want it all is a line of T-Shirts from Aeropostale, which show a scene from the film and use its name on a few others.

If you haven’t been following our coverage leading up to the release of the film, here are some handy links to past stories and other Robinson necessities …

BECKETT.COM/NEWS COVERAGE OF 42

March 20: Chadwick Boseman talks about collecting, autographs and more

March 25: Collecting 42 via its baseball cards and its stars

March 9: “Moments” banners offer striking look at 42

Feb. 28: If you could ask Chadwick Boseman one question, what would it be?

Feb. 8: First one-sheet for 42 arrives

Sept. 21: Commentary: Modern-day rookies can’t touch Robinson’s influence (42 trailer arrives)

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Jackie Robinson Beckett.com checklist and Online Price Guide

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Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

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WIN A 42 PROMO POSTER!
Want to own an 11×17 promotional poster for the film? Check out some of our stories and leave a comment (include your email in the proper field) below. We’ll pick a winner at random from all commenters received by next Wednesday.

Lucas Black, left, plays Pee Wee Reese while Chadwick Boseman plays Jackie Robinson in "42" arriving in theaters on April 12. (Warner Bros. photo)

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By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary & Opinion

Many of us may think we know the story of Jackie Robinson — and we might from what we have read or seen on cardboard — but for many who see 42 beginning on April 12 his cardboard might be seen a bit differently.

His cards might be seen as must-haves.

Robinson is one of many in the Warner Bros. film who can be found on baseball cards — and some of the actors in the film have their share of collectibles, too. Here’s a rundown of who’s playing who along with some tidbits from an advance screening last week in Dallas as well as stats and values as found in the Beckett.com database.

Jackie Robinson (played by Chadwick Boseman)
Baseball’s social pioneer is a giant on cardboard, though he’s not quite as expensive as others from his era. His cut autographs can command top dollar, while his best Rookie Cards come from the post-war, but pre-Topps years. They’re expensive, but perhaps not as flashy as the cards from later in his career. Robinson’s game-used memorabilia cards from the last decade offer a nice option at a modest price compared to his autographs. Boseman’s performance of Robinson is quite believable and powerful, starting with his first scene across from Harrison Ford.
Robinson on cards: 1,850 cards, $59,106.33* (*excluding rarities) (click here for checklist & Online Price Guide)
Best Rookie Card: 1949 Leaf #79, $2,000
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Boseman on cards: None … yet. (Boseman items on eBay)

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Branch Rickey (played by Harrison Ford)
Ford’s transformation into the Dodgers’ General Manager as well as Rickey’s transformation in the film is captivating and entertaining in both dramatic and comedic form. From his initial motives — “Dollars aren’t black and white. They’re green.” — to his final speech when he’s asked by Robinson why he did it, this is a performance a galaxy far, far away from what we’ve seen in the past from Ford. Rickey’s original cardboard pre-dates his GM years with those from his days as a manager, though his role with the Dodgers is represented, too. Interestingly, Ford’s actually worth more on cardboard than Rickey — at least big card is.
Rickey on cards: 57 cards, $3,575.65* (checklist & OPG)
Best early card: 1914 Cracker Jack #133, $2,000
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his items on eBay.
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Ford on cards: 24 cards, $5,215* (checklist & OPG) (eBay) This card alone books for $4,000 with asking prices on eBay that are much higher.

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Pee Wee Reese (played by Lucas Black)
Reese’s public moment of acceptance before a game in Cincinnati’s Crosley Field on June 21, 1947, is a feel-good movie moment that actually did happen. In the scene, Reese cracks a joke about losing the Civil War, which Robinson replies half-smiling, “Better luck next time, Pee Wee.” After that, Reese wraps his arm around Robinson’s neck, and Black’s delivery of one line — “I have family up there [in the stands] I need them to know who I am” — during the sequence is golden and “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42″ is a bit Hollywood but a nod to the annual honor we’ll again see soon. Reese’s autographs and cards are very modestly valued for a Hall of Famer.
Reese on cards: 958 cards, $20,214.50* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1941 Play Ball #54, $600
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Black on cards: None. (eBay)

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Eddie Stanky (played by Jesse Luken)
Stanky had a long career in baseball — parts of four decades in the majors as a player and a manager — before coaching college baseball at South Alabama. He didn’t welcome Robinson initially, but was one of the players who stuck up for Robinson on the field in the face of Phillies manager Ben Chapman’s intense racial taunting. Stanky’s presence on memorabilia cards has intensified of late as Panini America has included him on several cards.
Stanky on cards: 70 cards, $14,333.35* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1949 Bowman #104, $40
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Luken on cards: None. (eBay)

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Rachel Robinson (played by Nicole Beharie)
It’s interesting that Rachel Robinson doesn’t appear on any baseball cards given her high-profile work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation and with civil rights causes through the years. The Foundation was founded 40 years ago this year. Her autographs are relatively plentiful and affordable and provide a simple memento of their story. Beharie, like Boseman, has a small number of credits before this one, but not much memorabilia, either. (Interesting trivia: They both appeared in The Express, the Ernie Davis story, but did not have a scene together.)
Robinson on cards: None
Click here to search her items on eBay.
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Beharie on cards: None (eBay)

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Ben Chapman (played by Alan Tudyk)
The ugliest examples of racial harassment in 42 come from Chapman, the Philadelphia Phillies manager and a former player, who is portrayed as a bit of a buffoon more than just pure evil. (Tudyk knows a thing about evil as Tucker in the comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, one of his many hilarious roles.) Chapman’s ugly comments weren’t only reserved for Robinson as he mentions in one scene how he insults others in the game, too, rattling off all of the things he calls them. “It’s forgotten when the game is over,” he said. Later, he is forced to change his public face because of how ugly his taunting got and that appeared in the newspapers.  He never managed past 1948, but had a 1952 Topps card as a coach for the Reds.

Chapman on cards: 47 cards, $2,714.20* (checklist & OPG)
Best Rookie Card: 1933 Goudey #191, $75
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autographs only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Tudyk on cards: 2 cards, $70 (checklist & OPG) (eBay) His cards stem from his time on Serenity.

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Leo Durocher (played by Christopher Meloni)
This former player-turned manager was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994 after a long career that included parts of seven decades in the game. Leo The Lip wasn’t one to shy from controversy, but he was steadfast about including Robinson on his team if it meant they’d win. His role for the 1947 Dodgers is an interesting one — he was suspended that season — and it also offers some great exchanges between Meloni and Ford as Rickey.
Durocher on cards: 180 cards, $6,227.35* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1933 Goudey #147, $200
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Meloni on cards: None. (eBay)

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Burt Shotton (played by Max Gail)
Shotton is portrayed as a bit of a reluctant manager of the Dodgers — and his introductory speech to the team was about as low-key as it gets. However, one comment in the scene — “You Robinson? I thought so” — showed strength in where he stood. At season’s end, of course, his team was in the World Series. On cardboard, some of his items from his playing days are very, very tough — that best early card price is not a typo.
Shotton on cards: 59 cards, $11,290.35* (checklist & OPG)
Best early card: 1914 Boston Garter Color #3, $10,000
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autograph only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Gail on cards: None. (eBay)

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Red Barber (played by John C. McGinley)
Those who know McGinley from Scrubs may do a double-take when he’s first seen on screen as the Hall of Fame broadcaster. Both Barber and McGinley have a modest amount of cardboard for collectors to chase and, interestingly, McGinley wins the battle of both quantity and quality — or as Barber would say, he’s “sitting in the catbird seat.”
Barber on cards: 12 cards, $7.50* (checklist & OPG)
Best standard card: 2004 National Pastime National Treasures #13 /500, $1
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (all cut autographs)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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McGinley on cards: 23 cards, $198.25* (checklist & OPG) (eBay) He was a Fan of the Game and then a celeb profiled on Americana cards in the past.

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Dixie Walker (played by Ryan Merriman)
Another of Robinson’s teammates who struggled with the change that the Dodgers brought to baseball. How did he handle it? Where did he end up? It’s in the film.
Walker on cards: 46 cards, $1,168.15* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1934 Goudey #39, $50
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autograph only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Merriman on cards: None (eBay)

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Clay Hopper (played by Brett Cullen)
Hopper was Robinson’s manager in 1946 with the Montreal Royals, and the Mississippi native had to learn to change his ways quickly or find a new job. He doesn’t appear on much cardboard despite a few years in the game as a minor league manager. Sports fans might recognize Cullen as Eddie Martel, the jackass veteran quarterback in The Replacements or from a few episodes of Friday Night Lights.
Hopper on cards: 2 cards, $65 (checklist & OPG)
Best early card: 1952 Mothers Cookies #55, $50
Certified autograph cards?  No
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Cullen on cards: 3 cards, $47 (checklist & OPG)  (eBay) Cullen’s time as part of the Lost cast gets him on cardboard.

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Ralph Branca (played by Hamish Linklater)
The long-time Dodgers pitcher has a small role here, popping up in a few scenes, but none are as more memorable — and funny — than a shower scene toward the end of the film. It’s one of several surprisingly funny moments, which some might not expect in a film like this. Branca is a bit of an affordable favorite on cardboard so he’s got a few autographs in the last few years.
Branca on cards: 66 cards, $2,111.90* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1949 Bowman #194, $100
Certified autograph cards?  Yes
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Linklater on cards: None. (eBay)

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Wendell Smith (played by Andre Holland)
Robinson’s biographer and “Boswell” was a sports editor whom Rickey hired to stay with the star and help him adjust to demands of life as he helped change the game. In one scene, Smith reminds Robinson: “You aren’t the only one with something at stake here.” After all, as a black reporter, Smith wasn’t allowed in the press box in some areas of the country. In 1993, Smith, who died in 1972, was honored with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has not appeared on any trading cards.
Smith on cards:None.
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Holland on cards: None.

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Carl Furillo (played by Johnny Knight)
Another memorable name from “Dem Bums” who appears in the film in a few moments. His cardboard remains somewhat popular — check out the price of that Rookie Card.
Furillo on cards: 118 cards, $4,555.35* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1949 Bowman #70, $150
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autographs only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Knight on cards: None.

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Happy Chandler (played by Peter Mackenzie)
The commissioner only appears in a couple of scenes, but they’re always important — he”s the commish.
Chandler on cards: 50 cards, $1,308.15* (checklist & OPG)
Best early card: 1950-56 Callahan HOF W576 #14, $100
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autographs only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Mackenzie on cards: None.

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Fritz Ostermueller (played by Linc Hand)
An opposing pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ostermueller wasn’t shy about pitching Robinson inside and that helped draw the Dodgers together as you’ll see in one scene and even more so in another. In 15 seasons, Ostermueller went 114-115 with a 3.99 ERA. He retired the following year.
Ostermueller on cards: 18 cards, $616.15* (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1934 Goudey #93, $175
Certified autograph cards?  No
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Hand on cards: None.

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Enos Slaughter  (played by David Thoms)
This Hall of Famer was mentioned by name and plays a pivotal role in one scene as the Dodgers chase the pennant. Slaughter’s actions prompted an immediate reaction from the Dodgers, but Robinson insisted that his teammates take the high road with the next batter: “Just get him out.”
Slaughter on cards: 510 cards, $14,555.25 (checklist & OPG)
Rookie Card: 1948 Bowman #17, $100
Certified autograph cards?  Yes
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Thoms on cards: None.
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Ed Charles (played by Dusan Brown)
What’s a member of the World Series-winning 1969 New York Mets doing here? You’ll know once you watch the sequence before the film’s credits roll.
Charles on cards: 46 cards, $381.15* (checklist & OPG)
Best Rookie Card: 1962 Topps #595, $50
Certified autograph cards?  Yes (cut autographs only)
Click here to search his cards on eBay.
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Brown on cards: None.

Other real-world players who appear on cardboard — and in the film — include: Kirby Higbe, Joe Garagiola, Pete Reiser, Bobby Bragan, Spider Jorgensen, Gene Hermanski, Hugh Casey, Andy Seminick, Herb Pennock and Eddie Dyer.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

DALLAS | It was a Tuesday for everyone, but for Chadwick Boseman an evening screening of 42 was the third leg of a long jaunt around the country, one that began in Washington, D.C., and included a stop hours earlier at Wrigley Field.

After a VIP-only early viewing of the film telling the life’s story of Major League Baseball‘s social pioneer, Jackie Robinson, the 30-year-old unassumingly walked into Theater 5 of the Angelika Film Center wearing a red, white and blue plaid shirt and weathered blue jeans as the house lights slowly raised and the film’s credits rolled behind him.

He received a standing ovation. And then he did a 20-minute question-and-answer session with the assembled film devotees before a brief one-on-one exclusive with Beckett Media about the film and, of course, collecting.

Naturally, the first question … has it started to sink in yet how life-changing this role is?

“No, I mean it’s just now hitting I guess,” he said. “You’ve done the movie, you’ve sat on it editing it, you’ve seen it, they’ve set the release date and you’re fine-tuning it. But we’ve been doing this for a while and you’re releasing a baby for everybody else. It’s a weird feeling.”

So does he think he could have endured what Robinson went through?

“I don’t know,” he said, pausing to reflect. “I would say no. I would need God to tell me. I would need some sort of sign. Maybe Jackie had that. Maybe that is what helped him get through. Me, how I am right now, I’m not sure if I could do it. I’d be fighting back. I’d be in jail. I’d be dead.”

Boseman admitted in the Q&A session that he played more basketball than anything in high school, never testing his baseball skills past Little League. He said years ago his dad told him he should have tried being a baseball player — and his dad’s fandom is what helped fuel his.

“I followed teams, but didn’t necessarily really have any favorite players. I liked the Braves, I liked the Dodgers,” Boseman said. “My dad is an avid Braves fan who tapes games now. So when I go home I will end up watching whole games to spend time with him. I’m more of a watch the sixth-to-ninth innings and watch the highlights guy.”

Talking Movies
So, does he have any favorite sports movies?

“It’s funny when you say sports movies, people a lot of times don’t include boxing, but I would,” he said. “I love Rocky. The first Rocky is an Oscar-winning film. Obviously, I loved Remember the Titans. I love Major League — it’s funny. I love Bull Durham — telling him to hit the mascot — I love that whole thing. Sports movies are definitely some of my favorites.”

Now he’s going to be one of the guys seen on those Hollywood highlight reels, one of those moment-makers. So, has that sunk in yet?

“Wow. No. You’re the first person to say that to me,” he said, pausing to absorb the thought. “Thanks a lot, man.”

Collecting Cards
So, did he ever collect baseball cards as a kid?

“No, not at all,” he said. “I had friends that definitely collected and I would keep up with them that way, but I was never really into it like that.”

How about starting a Robinson card collection now?

“I probably would — you know what, I have one,” he said, interrupting himself. “I do have one. It was a gift.”

Then, I offered some stats about Robinson that he clearly hadn’t heard about. His reaction to Robinson’s Rookie Card only being $2,000?

“I should buy it,” he said, laughing.

How about all of his cards for about $59,000?

“That seems low. Is it going to go up because of this movie?” he asked. “So the card I have could go up?”

He seemed quietly proud of that possibility, inwardly emotive — just like his performance on the screen.

“I may be a little uncomfortable with that feeling,” he admitted, perhaps even squirming a bit.

Then, he was told his autographs have an asking price of around $200 a pop on eBay for baseballs and photos.

“My autograph?” he said, pausing for a few moments and looking across the room. “My autograph is on there now? Oh wow.”

Then, he perked up a bit and stopped to ask a question of his own, playing the role of a rookie to the whole autograph experience.

“Let me ask you a question. The more autographs I sign, does it diminish the value?”

After a quick lesson about supply-and-demand and, of course, timing, Boseman also brought up how he knows props can be a hot commodity, too.

“Somebody asked me for my uniform from the movie,” Boseman said. “Obviously, I don’t have that anyway, Warner Bros. has it, but people have called me and asked about that.”

According to Warner Bros., there won’t be any prop auctions from 42, but one of his jerseys used in the film will be donated to the Negro League Hall of Fame and Museum on April 11.

With the release of the film about a month away, Boseman also was interested to hear that some posters for the film were in high demand on the auction block. A 4×6-foot “moments” bus shelter poster showing Robinson and teammate Pee Wee Reese sold for $100 on eBay earlier this week. Surprising?

“You are surprising me as we speak, man,” he said. “That’s crazy.”

Autograph Hunting
So, if there was one autograph of a baseball player Boseman would want, who would it be?

“For baseball players, I would love to get Josh Hamilton‘s autograph — that would be cool. I would love to meet him,” he said. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to meet some of the Dodgers, so Matt Kemp would be a real cool autograph. And Ken Griffey Jr. of course.”

Then he jumped right into another thought, almost as if he were kicking himself thinking back about his experiences while making the film.

“You know, what I can’t believe is I didn’t get Hank Aaron‘s autograph,” he said. “I met him a couple of times. I have to remember to get him — what am I thinking? The next time I see him, I’ll get him to sign my 42 hat.”

Those hats, by the way, have been selling for about $50 a pop on eBay — without the Aaron signature.

Considering Cardboard & Collecting …
So, if he could appear on a baseball card with someone else who would it be? A Boseman-as-Jackie card along with …

“Wow, that’s a tough one,” he said, stopping to think. “Honestly, I would go with Hank Aaron. That would be amazing to be on there. I loved when he came to set as he was a consultant. He just has a good heart. I think it would be cool to be on a card — the guy who played Jackie Robinson with the real Hank Aaron.”

After finishing up the questions, a few lingering VIPs and a couple of kids were armed with promotional mini posters hoping to get an autograph outside the Angelika’s office door. Boseman obliged, signing and personalizing at least three and one for a small boy much like the Ed Charles character seen in the film.

As Boseman signed the last two posters with a black Sharpie, the stack of a few remaining posters fell to the floor from atop a photocopying machine that had made for an impromptu writing surface. As someone bent down to pick one up and the group moved toward the door, where a couple more fans had posters handy as well, Boseman offered another thought. It was one that perhaps shows that he’s more of a collector than he let on after all — or at least that he might be collecting a bit sometime soon — once he’s not doing three cities in a single day, of course.

“I don’t even have one of those,” he said. “I need one.”

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

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Look for more on 42 and other sports-related entertainment collectibles in the upcoming Sports Movies Issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, which begins shipping to hobby shops on April 3.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor

With a new blockbuster sports movie coming next month in 42, the latest Sports Movies Issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly is set to arrive as well with our latest look at collecting things from a slightly different perspective or with a slightly different approach.

You know, one that lets you explore stuff that’s already out there once again — or perhaps dig a little deeper on the auction block where one might not normally look.

Sometimes, it’s a real-world story that shows up on the big screen like in the case of Jackie Robinson‘s tale or even someone perhaps less-remembered in history like Vince Papale here. (In the case of Papale, being the subject of a film where he was played by Mark Wahlberg sparked serious demand for the value of his 1977 Topps Rookie Card.) Other times, we get fictional characters and stories that we all remember and appreciate over time for some of those similar peculiarities or details that we latch onto as collectors in real life.

For this issue, we’re curious about what you think, what you remember and what you know about sports films. Here’s the latest 20 Questions on the topic … after the jump.

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Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly

We’ve made our picks for our 20 favorite sports movies in the past, but for the next issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly — The Sports Movies Issue — we want to hear from you.

If you have pride in your Yankees film, if you have a field of dreams out back — or maybe just a sandlot — or if you just like the money shown to you (on DVD, of course), then we want to know about it.

Heck, if you collect items relating to your favorite film, even better … tell us about that, too.

Tell us, in a comment along with your name and location … What is your favorite sports movie … and why?

It can be any sport, any era … we want to know. Make a compelling case and you just might see your response in the next issue.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

The latest in collectable promotional materials for the forthcoming Jackie Robinson film, 42, have been teased online by Warner Bros. and will start appearing at theaters and perhaps in some of the typical collector outlets soon.

The final “moments” banner was revealed Saturday morning — the latest in a series of eight images that chronicle moments in the story of Robinson, which will come to the big screen on April 12.

One image, for example, shows him signing his contact with Branch Rickey, played by Harrison Ford, watching — a memorable moment that’s been captured on more than a few baseball cards in the past. Another shows him with his wife, Rachel. Others show him traveling with the team and talking to the media — all are scenes that are sure to be key components in the film, which stars Chadwick Boseman as baseball’s social pioneer.

Another memorable moment from the field is one that actually wasn’t photographed in real life, and it shows Robinson along with teammate Pee Wee Reese, who came to his side after a botched play. The move helped silence racially motivated heckling and symbolized his acceptance on the team, which was far from a given in the early days.

“I remember Jackie talking about Pee Wee’s gesture the day it happened,” Rachel Robinson once told The New York Times. “It came as such a relief to him, that a teammate and the captain of the team would go out of his way in such a public fashion to express friendship.”

The first one-sheet (standard poster) for the film features Robinson sliding into a base with the photo used vertically (seen in gallery below). It’s already been found on eBay since its release and has fetched as much as $20.

According to Anne Chun, a Senior Publicist at Warner Bros., these banners are a bit different than the standard posters. They are 4×6 feet in size, will be used for outdoor displays only and are “not sold anywhere and rarely printed out beyond their placements.”

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

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Look for more on 42 and other sports-related entertainment collectibles in the upcoming Sports Movies Issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, which begins shipping to hobby shops on April 3.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

Jackie Robinson‘s story is a historically significant one both socially and in the sports world, a tale that had such sweeping implications the world as we know it today would look so much different had he not done one simple thing.

Play baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

However, even that wasn’t so simple and his story is coming to life on the big screen in April via 42, which stars Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Dodgers GM Branch Rickey. 

With the upcoming Sports Movies issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, we’re taking a look at this new film, which opens April 12, as well as a look back at memorabilia and other ways to collect. As part of this, I’ll be attending an advance screening of the film, sit in on a Q&A session with Boseman and, if all goes to plan, ask him a few collecting questions, too.

Here’s where you come in … What one question would you ask Chadwick Boseman?

Would you ask him about such an important role? Would you ask about collecting baseball cards? Would you ask whether he’s had any practice autographing baseballs on the sweet spot? (That’s not always as easy as it sounds.)

Time-permitting, I’ll ask one of your questions … so get creative and leave your question in the comments below.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.