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Baseball document, thought worth millions, spurs court fight

Baseball document, thought worth millions, spurs court fight | iNFOnews.ca
This May 18, 2017, file photo, shows the hands of SCP Auctions vice president Dan Imler holding the 1876 constitution that founded the National League and the modern business of big league sports, that is going up for sale at SCP Auctions in Laguna Niguel, Calif. Theses pages have corrections and strikeouts, showing that the documents were very much living works in progress. The family of a late baseball executive has taken the auction house to court over the documents, one of the most valuable artifacts in sports. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

LOS ANGELES – The family of a late baseball executive is suing an auction house over the 1876 National League constitution, one of the most valuable artifacts in sports.

Mary Elizabeth Fleig, the 92-year-old widow of Fred Fleig, and others filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court Wednesday against SCP Auctions.

Last May, the two sides were working together to sell the papers expected to fetch several million dollars.

But the auction was halted when Major League Baseball claimed it was the rightful owner.

The league and the Fleig family reached a settlement for joint ownership, but the plaintiffs allege that SCP Auctions refuses to relinquish them unless it is paid a 25 per cent commission.

An email sent seeking comment from the auction company was not immediately returned.

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