Major League Baseball Authentication Program

Major League Baseball started running an authentication program in 2001 after the FBI "Operation Bullpen" became widely publicized. Phase 1 of Operation Bullpen began in 1999 and uncovered $100 million worth of memorabilia-related forgeries.{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Kevin |title=Operation Bullpen: Authenticators and autograph sellers to watch for |url=https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/collecting-101/operation-bullpen-be-aware-of-authenticators-autograph-sellers |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Sports Collectors Digest |date=December 5, 2019 |language=en}} This operation was related to the earlier Operation Foulball in San Diego, but covered nationwide crimes.{{Cite news |date=2013-03-01 |title=Operation Bullpen: Fake Autographs Still Out There in Marketplace |url=https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/operation-bullpen-the-case-that-has-never-gone-away/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Sports Collectors Daily |language=en-US |last1=Nelson |first1=Kevin }} The FBI became aware of the scale of the forgery after following up a tip by Tony Gwynn. Gwynn noticed a sloppy forgery at a team store in Encinitas and alerted both Padres team management and MLB security. From there, it grew into a national investigation of forged memorabilia.{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Tony Perry Tony Perry is the former San Diego bureau chief for the Los Angeles |date=2000-04-13 |title=Baseball Signed by Mother Teresa Too Good to Be True |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-apr-13-mn-19118-story.html |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

During the investigation, it was discovered that 75 percent of autographs purported to be from MLB players and other personnel were fake.{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/keeping-it-real-mlb-authenticators-ensure-legitimacy-of-game-used-memorabilia/274421831/ |title=Keeping it real: MLB authenticators ensure legitimacy of game-used memorabilia |work=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Megan|last=Ryan}} Among these forgeries were supposed autographs by Mickey Mantle,{{Cite web |last=Times |first=North County |date=2004-04-24 |title=Operation Bullpen strikes again |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-operation-bullpen-strikes-again-2004apr24-story.html |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} as well as a baseball with a forged signature from the Catholic saint Mother Teresa. Even official team stores sometimes unknowingly stocked fake merchandise.{{Cite magazine |last=Baccellieri |first=Emma |title=Is This 'Game-Used' Jersey (or Ball or Urinal) Legit? Consult the Little Silver Sticker |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/09/06/mlb-authenticators-daily-cover |access-date=2022-12-30 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=September 6, 2021 |language=en-us}} Operation Bullpen began in the 1990s and focused on basketball before expanding to all sports, including baseball.{{Cite web |title=How MLB's robust authentication system certifies everything from corn stalks to Aaron Judge's record home runs |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/how-mlbs-robust-authentication-system-certifies-everything-from-corn-stalks-to-aaron-judges-record-home-runs/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=CBSSports.com |date=December 13, 2022 |language=en}} Gwynn and other ballplayers like Mark McGwire assisted with the investigation by helping to authenticate items and confirm forgeries of their own signatures.

Stage 2 of Operation Bullpen began in 2002 and included forgeries which were sold online.{{Cite web |title=Operation Bullpen Overview |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2005/july/operation-bullpen-overview |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=FBI |language=en-us}} During the investigation the FBI seized large amounts of sports gear with forged signatures, and defaced the signatures to prevent them from fooling members of the public. They then donated the baseballs and bats to local youth baseball leagues, as part of Phase III.

The organization has continued to have a long-running issue with counterfeiting in general, which peaks during the postseason. For example, during the 2011 National League Championship Series between the St Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, MLB officials confiscated over 5,000 counterfeited items, with more than 80 percent being found in the vicinity of Busch Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/10/25/there-disguising-major-league-baseball-efforts-eliminate-counterfeit-merchandise/k0F2FXuf2Ix7vfJAlF9BAL/story.html|title= MLB making genuine effort to fight counterfeiting|first=Shira|last=Springer|work=The Boston Globe|date=October 26, 2013|access-date=March 14, 2018}} The largest haul is during the World Series, when thousands of knock-off jerseys, caps, bags, and other items of merchandise are seized.{{cite news|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/mlb-scours-ballpark-area-for-fake-merchandise/article_2ae1958d-e7c8-56f8-ab16-626cca191c76.html|title=MLB scours ballpark area for fake merchandise|first=Lisa|last=Brown|date=October 26, 2013|access-date=March 14, 2018|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}}

During the San Francisco Giants’ 2014 World Series race, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seized over 2,700 pieces of counterfeit MLB merchandise in the San Francisco Bay Area.{{cite news|url=http://sfappeal.com/2014/10/ice-agents-seize-2700-pieces-of-counterfeit-mlb-merchandise/|title=ICE Agents Seize 2,700 Pieces Of Counterfeit MLB Merchandise|agency=Bay City News|first=Erin|last=Baldassari|date=October 30, 2014|access-date=March 14, 2018|work=The San Francisco Appeal}}

The authentication system centers on a hologram sticker by OpSec, which carries its own individual alphanumeric code.{{Cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/authentication/program.jsp|title=MLB Authentication Program Information|website=Major League Baseball|language=en|access-date=2018-07-21}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.opsecsecurity.com/brand-protection-enhancement/licensing|title=Licensing|date=2016-01-12|work=OpSec|access-date=2018-07-21|language=en}} The sticker is tamper-resistant: the embedded hologram is ruined if the sticker is removed from the item.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.com/featured/an-inside-look-at-the-major-league-baseball-authentication-program|title=An Inside Look at the Major League Baseball Authentication Program|first=Greg|last=Bates|date=September 15, 2014|access-date=March 14, 2018|work=Sports Collectors Digest}}{{Cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/authentication/hologram_info.jsp|title=MLB Authentication Program: Hologram Information|website=Major League Baseball|language=en|access-date=2018-07-21}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.opsecsecurity.com/product-authentication/security-labels|title=Security Labels|date=2016-03-30|work=OpSec|access-date=2018-07-21|language=en}}

MLB employs approximately 220 authenticators as of 2022, with several being appointed to each team. At least two MLB authenticators are present at every MLB game, as well as the World Baseball Classic and team-specific events. MLB postseason games will have three or more authenticators. The authenticators all have a background in law enforcement and are recommended to the role by their local police departments. The authenticator usually sits in the first base camera well. Every ball that is taken out of play, without leaving the ballpark, is handed to the authenticator, who enters information about that ball into a computer database—such as "the pitcher, batter, inning and the reason the ball came out of play"—and then affixes the hologram.{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Sanserino |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2014/10/02/authenticators-leave-their-mark-1/stories/201410020346 |title=MLB's Authentication program leaves its mark on memorabilia |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=October 2, 2014 |access-date=February 26, 2018}}

While anything that goes into the stands is generally considered outside their jurisdiction, if there is a batter's milestone occurring, the authenticators will often work with the umpires to mark up baseballs to ensure that even if the milestone ball is hit into the stands, it can be tracked and later authenticated.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.esquire.com/sports/a34847/mlb-authenticity-police/ |title=The Secret Agents at Every Major League Baseball Game |magazine=Esquire |date=May 7, 2015 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Will|last=Levith}}

File:Juan Lagares Autographed Baseball.jpg]]

Usually the MLB Authentication Program authenticates items used during baseball games, with baseballs and baseball bats being the most common. Other game-used items which are authenticated include "player jerseys, locker tags, lineup cards, the pitching rubber, home plate, broken bats", and base pads. Any player can request that any item be authenticated, with the request usually being passed to the authenticators by the relevant clubhouse manager.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2010/12/17/mlb-authentication |title=Behind the scenes with Major League Baseball's authentication process |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=December 17, 2010 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Scott|last=Tinley}}

Any item with an MLB association can be authenticated. One example of this was when the Baltimore Orioles authenticated the remains of a dugout telephone that was smashed by the Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/09/22/orioles-david-ortiz-dugout-phone-destroyed-gift/90869974/ |title=Orioles present David Ortiz with dugout phone he destroyed |work=USA Today |date=September 22, 2016 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Mike|last=Coppinger}}{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-charity-items-20141013-story.html |title=Champagne corks, lineup cards, bases – Orioles fans want it all |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Jeff|last=Barker}} They then presented the phone to Ortiz during his retirement season.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/51030/hold-the-phone-david-ortizs-farewell-gift-from-the-orioles-is-a-smash |title=Hold the phone: David Ortiz's gift from the Orioles is a good call |work=ESPN |date=September 23, 2016 |access-date=February 26, 2018|first=Scott|last=Lauber}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/video/ortiz-honored-by-orioles/c-1181500283?tid=8878538 |title=Ortiz honored by Orioles |work=MLB.com |date=September 22, 2016 |access-date=February 26, 2018}} After the Houston Astros' Game 7 win in the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium, MLB authenticated jars of dirt taken from the field.{{cite news|last=Hlavaty |first=Craig |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/MLB-selling-authenticated-dirt-from-the-Houston-12335471.php |title=MLB selling authenticated dirt from the Houston Astros Game 7 World Series win|work=Houston Chronicle |date=November 6, 2017 |access-date=February 26, 2018}}

Between 500,000 and 600,000 items are authenticated each season.{{cite web |url=http://archive.boston.com/business/articles/2004/10/28/mlb_wants_to_make_sure_fans_get_the_real_deal?pg=full|title=Major League Baseball wants to make sure fans get the real deal|work=The Boston Globe|date=October 28, 2004|access-date=March 14, 2018|first=Naomi|last=Aoki}} Game-used memorabilia remains the property of each team, which authenticates items for players who have reached certain milestones, for sale to fans at the team store or on the MLB online store, and for sale to retailers and other marketers of authenticated MLB merchandise. Occasionally items are sent for inclusion in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2001 MLB Properties contracted with the Arthur Andersen accounting firm to oversee and authenticate private autographing sessions for balls, bats, base pads, and other items. The Deloitte & Touche accounting firm took over this role in 2002.

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• [https://www.mlb.com/authentication MLB authentication program]

{{Major League Baseball}}

Category:Major League Baseball

Category:2001 establishments in the United States

Category:Baseball memorabilia