Official American League (Harridge) specimen was thrown into play by Franklin Delano Roosevelt on April 17, 1935 to open the new major league season in Washington. Players, umps, and ushers on the field scrambled to make the catch but it was relief pitcher Bobby Burke who emerged from the crowd as the ball's new owner. He later had the good fortune of meeting FDR face to face, at which time he asked him to sign the prized sphere. "Franklin Roosevelt" was inked in black fountain pen that now grades a "6" out of "10" due to fading mostly to the upper portion of the signature. The ball itself, evenly toned with nicely preserved stampings is EX. Comes with a copy of the Washington Herald from April 18, 1935 that shows FDR making the toss on the front page. Originally obtained from Bobby Burke.