Stanley Harry Silver, 87, of Beverly Hills and the Parkhurst Field Foundation have entered into an agreement to have one of the most storied private baseball collections in America donated upon his passing to be on permanent display at the future NYS Baseball Hall of Fame in Gloversville, NY. The collection includes over one thousand autographed baseballs dating back to the late 1800’s and almost every World Series program and All-Star program dating back to 1903.
Stanley’s father, Harry Silver, was an avid collector and fan growing up in Chicago and had four seats for the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Cardinals and Blackhawk’s, which Stanley started going to games with him at the age of six. His love and passion for baseball started when his father came home from a hard day of work to play catch with him, in an alley next to their apartment. Harry’s enjoyment for baseball was an influence on Stanley, which led to a baseball scholarship to the University of Colorado.
Of the 1145 autographed baseballs 770 were personally given to Harry or Stanley, which consists of team, World Series, and All-Star balls. The rest are sweet spot signatures, purchased at auctions over the past seven decades. The collection has every Hall of Fame player from the 1880’s, and early 1900’s… along with every Hall of Fame player from that period on. Each item has been appraised and documented for their authenticity.
Of the 1145 autographed baseballs 770 were personally given to Harry or Stanley, which consists of team, World Series, and All-Star balls. The rest are sweet spot signatures, purchased at auctions over the past seven decades. The collection has every Hall of Fame player from the 1880’s, and early 1900’s… along with every Hall of Fame player from that period on. Each item has been appraised and documented for their authenticity.
The collection also features over four hundred Hall of Fame signature cuts, spanning the history of baseball, a music sheet showing all of the players of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings team, the first professional team paying its players, with autographs of Harry and George Wright. A February 1873 check of Alexander Cartwright, the inventor of baseball, is on display as well as Abner Doubleday, who originally got credit for it. Aside from the autographed baseballs, the collection includes one hundred and thirty-four All-Star, and World Series programs. The World Series programs start in 1903 to present and only missing two from a complete set and the All-Star programs span 1933 to present. The programs will be sent immediately and display cases designed and built to present each one for future visitors to the park and Hall of Fame.
“I chose the Parkhurst Field Foundation as the recipient of my collection to be displayed at the NYS Baseball Hall of Fame, as I wanted it shared and seen by children and their families so they may be able to experience learning the great history of baseball together,” explained Mr. Silver. “The rich one hundred year history of Parkhurst Field inspired me as it features many Hall of Fame players and common baseball history that aligns with my collection. I was impressed by their incredible story and plan to share it as a destination for families for generations to come.”
“We are honored to be the chosen future home of this incredible collection.”
David Karpinski, Executive Director of the Parkhurst Field Foundation, added “We are honored to be the chosen future home of this incredible collection. Mr. Silver and his father spent a lifetime building it together, which speaks to the special bond they had over the game of baseball. The thousands of families who come to Gloversville to play on our historic grounds will be able to experience one of the most comprehensive collections of baseballs and programs, learn the rich history of baseball in the region and celebrate all the inductees of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame, making this one of the most unique baseball destinations in the country.”
The Parkhurst Field Foundation, a 509(a)2 non-profit foundation, was formed to help promote and preserve Parkhurst Field in Gloversville, NY, one of the oldest baseball grounds in America. Our mission is to chronicle its rich history dating back to its opening in 1906, promote its historic significance through media and events, attain grants and donations to fund the revitalization and preservation of the park’s infrastructure to ensure its sustainability and to serve as a success model for other communities looking to preserve their athletic parks. www.parkhurstfield.org
The New York State Baseball Hall of Fame began in 2011. It operates a bit differently in its selection process than most other Hall of Fames. Inductees are selected based on a “body of work” and service to the game rather than statistically based. While statistics do factor, it is the contributions made by the inductee and the way in which they impacted the game or left their mark which factor in the decision. The longevity of service to the game on any level is important. We are honored to reward and recognize an inductee for their “love of the game”. The first ever physical home of the NYS Baseball Hall of Fame is set to open in 2023 in Gloversville, NY.
