How the sports memorabilia industry tries to stay ahead of fraud

Dan HajduckyFeb 18, 2026, 06:55 AM ET

CloseDan Hajducky is a staff writer for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities.Open Extended Reactions

Two men pleaded guilty last week to federal charges stemming from a 15-year operation that prosecutors said bartered fake baseballs and bats purportedly signed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner and Cy Young.

Brothers Donald and Mark Henkel, both Michigan residents, each pleaded guilty to one charge — mail fraud and wire fraud, respectively — according to documents filed with the

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