Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 13, 1990 TAG: 9007130191
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
"It appears like it was written by maybe one hand," Vincent Severs said about 13 signatures on one of the balls the Hornets donated for an auction at a public television station.
"They have gone so far as to try to cleverly disguise it," said Severs, former head of the Charlotte police crime lab. "This person here - Kelly Tripucka - it looks like they might have tried to copy his signature."
Severs compared the auctioned ball with four balls that fans said players had signed in their presence. Severs stressed that his examination was cursory, but on autograph after autograph he reached the same conclusion after comparing signatures on the WTVI ball with those on the other four balls.
The Hornets admitted Tuesday that employees faked players' signatures on some balls. Hornets vice president Tony Renaud estimated they gave away 100 balls each year, and at most 10 were fake. He said he was 99.9 percent sure the WTVI balls were authentic.
Hornets owner George Shinn said Thursday that no one would be fired over the faked signatures. He said only items signed by the players would be sent from the Hornets' office from now on.
"I am embarrassed about the situation and do not condone forgery of autographs by my staff," Shinn said. "I am even more sorry to our great fans who might feel that their item is not authentic.
The Hornets donated 20 autographed balls to WTVI for its April fund-raising auction. Buyers paid from $95 to $300.
"We have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the signatures," Anne McNeil, WTVI auction coordinator, said Wednesday. "If the signatures on the balls are not authentic, we will do all within our power to rectify the situation."
Hornets vice president Spencer Stolpen declined to respond to Severs' findings.
"I'm not going to debate with an expert," Stolpen said. "I'm not an expert. I don't know."
Debi Johnston of Charlotte, who displays her autographed basketball in a glass cabinet, said she was disappointed.
"I'm a big Hornets fan. I'm just excited to have an original signed ball in my bookcase. To think maybe there's somebody else's rather than Kurt Rambis' signature on it makes me kind of sad," she said.
Pat Butler got out his $125 leather-bound 1988-89 Hornets yearbook signed with owner George Shinn's name and checked to see if it looked authentic. Said Stolpen: "George signed every single one of those."
Butler said the news reports had made him skeptical. A season ticket holder, he joked: "Could I just draw a $100 bill and send it in for my tickets?"
by CNB