September 10 1970 Wrigley Field Ernie Banks signed and dated Home Run Baseball #509. With Ron Santo and Jim Hickman on and no outs in the 4th inning Ernie Banks stepped to the plate against Montreal Expos left handed pitcher John O'Donoghue and proceeded to hit a 3 run home run the 509th of his long Hall of Fame career. (Banks would end up with a career total of 512) Long time major league catcher J. C. Martin was in the left field bull pen that day and retrieved the ball when it fell back into play from the left field basket. After the game he presented the ball to Banks who kindly signed the ball and returned it to him. J. C. has had the ball in his possession until this day. On a side panel of the ONL(Feeney) baseball Banks has signed in perfect 9-10/10 looking blue ballpoint pen "No#509 Ernie Banks Sept 10 1970 3 Run HR". Incredible piece of game used 500 Home Run Club history from the most popular Chicago Cub of them all. Direct from the player who obtained it right to you!

Martin played all or parts of 14 years in the major leagues beginning with the Chicago White Sox(1959-1967) then a 2 year stop with the New York Mets(1968-69) before finishing with the Chicago Cubs(1970-72). He is probably best know for his brief stint with the New York Mets where in 1969 he figured prominently in two plays in the postseason during this miracle march to their first World Championship. In the first game of the first-ever National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves Martin batting for Hall of Famer Tom Seaver belted a single to right to drive in Al Weis and Ed Kranepool as part of a 5 run 8th inning rally. In Game 4 of the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles Martin again batting for Tom Seaver in the 10th inning of a 1-1 tie with Rod Gaspar on 2nd base bunted the ball back to the mound. Pitcher Pete Richert hit Martin on the arm for an error which led to Gaspar scoring the winning run.(See 1970 Topps Baseball card #308 "Martin's Bunt Ends Deadlock!) Later replays showed Martin had been running inside the baseline and could have been called out for interference. The umpires involved explained they did not call Martin out as they felt he did not intentionally try to interfere with the play. As a result of this play all Big League ballparks added a running lane from half way down to the first base bag in which a runner can be hit with a thrown ball and not called out for interference.

Full LOA from J. C. Martin explaining how he obtained the ball.

Banks autograph has been Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.