I've had this card since the age of 12. Never had the opportunity until now to get his RC signed. Thanks Matt for making this happen!!
Todd McFarlane on Owning McGwire’s 70th Ball and Why Game-Used Baseball Items Hit Different
When it comes to sports memorabilia, Todd McFarlane doesn’t just collect items—he collects moments in time.
For him, the value of memorabilia isn’t just about rarity or price. It’s about preserving history exactly as it happened, telling a story, and understanding what truly makes something meaningful.
Why Some Items Should Never Be Signed
One of McFarlane’s strongest beliefs centers around preserving authenticity—especially with historically significant items.
Take Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball.
While many collectors would immediately want an autograph added, McFarlane sees it differently. To him, that ball represents a specific moment in history—and in that moment, the ball wasn’t signed.
Adding an autograph later would actually take away from its authenticity.
He views it simply:
- The ball already tells the story
- The imperfections—the scuffs, the impact marks—are part of that story
- An autograph is something that can be replicated
- The original moment cannot
If he wants a signed McGwire baseball, he’ll get another one signed. But the historic ball stays untouched—exactly as it was when it left the bat.
The Hidden Story Behind the Home Run Chase
McFarlane’s collection isn’t just about owning big items—it’s about understanding the deeper story behind them.
During the 1998 home run chase, Major League Baseball quietly tracked every ball pitched to McGwire by stamping them with small serial numbers. Umpires and officials carefully monitored which ball was in play at all times.
When a home run was hit, security could verify its authenticity instantly.
But things weren’t as organized for Sammy Sosa early on. When Sosa tied Roger Maris with his 61st home run, that ball wasn’t marked—and suddenly, a historic piece had no official verification.
That moment exposed how fragile history can be if it’s not preserved properly.
Why He Bought the 69th Home Run Ball
One of McFarlane’s most fascinating decisions was purchasing McGwire’s 69th home run ball.
At the time, the 70th ball was the crown jewel—but there was a real possibility it could be destroyed. There were rumors that a buyer might cut it apart and distribute pieces commercially.
If that happened, the true record ball would be gone forever.
So McFarlane made a calculated move:
- If the 70th ball disappeared
- Then the 69th would become the most important surviving artifact
To him, collecting isn’t just about what is valuable today—it’s about anticipating what could matter tomorrow.
Collecting the Story, Not Just the Item
McFarlane didn’t stop at one ball. He built an entire narrative.
He collected:
- Multiple McGwire home run balls from the 1998 season
- Sammy Sosa milestone balls
- Barry Bonds’ 73rd home run ball
- McGwire’s first home run of the season
- Key moments that defined the chase
Each piece serves a purpose. Together, they tell the full story.
He even sought out unusual but meaningful items—like Sosa’s 33rd home run, which marked the historic stretch where Sosa caught up to McGwire and turned the chase into a national phenomenon.
For McFarlane, the goal isn’t just ownership—it’s storytelling.
Why He Kept the Ball Out of the Hall of Fame
Many people expected McFarlane to donate the 70th home run ball to the Hall of Fame. He didn’t.
His reasoning was simple: visibility.
At the time, the Hall of Fame saw about 23,000 visitors per year. Instead, McFarlane built a traveling exhibit and brought the ball directly to fans at Major League stadiums.
Hundreds of thousands of people saw it in person.
From his perspective, if the goal is to share history with the public, then accessibility matters more than tradition.
The Steroid Era: A Different Perspective
McFarlane has a pragmatic view of the steroid era.
To him:
- The records still exist
- They are not going away
- History will not be rewritten
He believes future generations will care less about controversy and more about the achievements themselves.
His stance is straightforward—whether people like it or not, the record books still say:
- Bonds
- McGwire
- Sosa
And that won’t change.
Why Baseball Memorabilia Is Still King
Despite shifts in the collectibles market, McFarlane believes baseball still holds a unique advantage.
The key difference is simple:
Fans can own the moment.
When a historic home run is hit, the ball leaves the field and enters the crowd. A fan—not the team or league—can end up with a piece of history.
That doesn’t happen the same way in other sports:
- Footballs are typically recovered and kept by players
- Basketballs stay on the court
- Hockey pucks are returned to teams
But in baseball, the fan has a chance to walk away with history in their hands.
That makes it special.
What Makes a Great Collectible
For McFarlane, the best collectibles usually share one trait:
They represent a definitive moment.
He prefers single-season records over career totals because they are pure and equal:
- Everyone starts at zero
- Everyone has the same opportunity
- The outcome is decided within a fixed window
That creates clarity—and significance.
The Biggest Mistake Collectors Make
One of the most important lessons McFarlane shares is about how collectors build their collections.
The common mistake?
Buying too many small items instead of focusing on one meaningful piece.
His advice:
- Don’t spread your budget across dozens of low-value items
- Save for the piece that actually matters
- Buy the best item you can afford
Because if something is truly important, it will likely become harder—not easier—to acquire over time.
The Reality of Grading and Value
While McFarlane acknowledges that grading can feel subjective, he understands why it matters.
At the highest level, grading creates:
- Scarcity
- Rankings
- Bragging rights
If a card is one of only two graded at a certain level, that rarity drives value—regardless of whether the grade itself is debated.
In his view, collecting isn’t purely logical. It’s emotional. It’s competitive. And sometimes, it’s about being able to say:
“I have one of the best.”
Collecting for More Than Money
At the end of the day, McFarlane doesn’t see memorabilia purely as an investment.
Yes, it can open doors. Yes, it can generate returns. But more than anything, it’s about:
- The story behind the item
- The connection to history
- The conversations it creates
Sometimes the value isn’t just in what you own—but in what it represents.
Final Thought
For Todd McFarlane, sports memorabilia isn’t about perfection—it’s about authenticity.
The scratches, the imperfections, the context, the story—those are the things that matter.
Because in the end, the best collectibles don’t just sit on a shelf.
They tell history.
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