Rarest baseball card on display

The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura will present "Celebrating Life through Sports: A Salute to Baseball" from Friday through Sunday, March 7 to 9 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley.

The baseball-themed fundraiser will feature the 1909 Honus Wagner T-206 baseball card and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson’s Black Betsy bat. The most valuable baseball card (valued at more than $1.2 million) and baseball bat (more than $500,000) will be displayed together for the first time in their history. The Black Betsy has only been shown in public twice and never on the West Coast.

According to the official Honus Wagner Website, Wagner—a shortstop with the Pittsburgh Pirates—is considered by many to be baseball’s greatest all-around player. He broke into the majors in 1897. His baseball card was recalled in 1909 when Wagner, a nonsmoker, objected to its distribution with tobacco as he did not want to set a bad example for children.

Jackson played for Philadelphia, Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox. His career as a sensational slugger was overshadowed by the sensation caused by the accusation that he was among a number of White Sox players who threw the World Series of 1919 in which his heavily-favored team lost to the Cincinnati Reds.

Despite being acquitted by a Chicago jury of helping to fix the series, Jackson and the others were banned from baseball for life by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

Also on display will be other rare and valuable baseball memorabilia from Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

In addition, former major league players will conduct pitching, hitting and catchers’ clinics.

Members of the women’s professional baseball league will also participate and will exhibit items from their men’s and women’s league memorabilia collection.

The three-day event kicks off Friday night with a dinner/auction/private exhibition. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat. and Sun., March 8 and 9, the public may visit the exhibit at an advance ticket price of $9. Proceeds from the event benefit the Wellness Community Valley/Ventura and local youth baseball and softball teams.

Tickets are available at the Wellness Community, 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village. For other ticket locations call (805) 379-0030 or visit the Website at www.wellnesscommunityhope.org.

All services provided by the Wellness Community Valley/Ventura are free to cancer patients and their families. These include information and emotional support. For more information about Wellness programs, please call (805) 379-4777.