۴ý

World

    • Baseball signed by Zelenskyy to be sold for Ukraine relief

    Share

    When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy autographed a baseball for an American collector in 2019, he likely had no idea it would one day be used to help his nation during a time of need.

    The official Rawlings Major League baseball is being sold by Randy Kaplan, a renowned collector of balls signed by world leaders, with a portion of the proceeds going to war relief efforts in Ukraine, auctioneer RR Auction of Boston said Tuesday.

    The ball was expected to sell for at least US$15,000 but the leading bid as of Tuesday had already exceeded that amount, an RR spokesperson said.

    “With what's going on in the world right now it makes sense to auction it at this point because the proceeds will help the people in Ukraine,” Kaplan said in a telephone interview “What's going on in Ukraine is a disgrace and it's breaking my heart to see the people dying there. Their needs are just so dire right now.”

    The ball is signed with black felt tip both in Ukrainian Cyrillic and in Latin letters. It is accompanied by a transmittal letter signed by Volodymyr Yelchenko, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, which reads: “Dear Mr. Kaplan, Please find enclosed a baseball, signed by the President of Ukraine, H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the visit to New York in September 2019.”

    In addition to the unspecified percentage of the sale that will be donated through the global nonprofit Americares, RR Auction will contribute its buyer's premium and seller's commission to war relief efforts. Americares' website describes its humanitarian response in Ukraine as focused on the medical needs of millions of refugees.

    Kaplan is a governmental affairs specialist from New York who has many contacts with the U.N. and in U.S. politics. He doesn't buy his baseballs at auction, instead acquiring them himself through those contacts.

    He started his collection in 1996 when former President Bill Clinton signed a baseball for him at a meeting in Washington, D.C. The collection, which now numbers more than 500 items, has been displayed at museums and presidential libraries around the country.

    This is not the first time he has auctioned a piece of his collection, but this is probably the first time he has sold a ball signed by such a high profile leader, a man he has come to admire during the country's war with Russia.

    “I am really hoping Zelenskyy survives this,” Kaplan said. “He's a very brave man.”

    The auction that ends May 11 also includes autographs and artifacts from Johann Sebastian Bach, Nikola Tesla, and Albert Einstein.

    Get in touch

    Do you have any questions about the attack on Ukraine? Email dotcom@bellmedia.ca.

    • Please include your name, location, and contact information if you are willing to speak to a journalist with ۴ý.
    • Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    British Columbia woke up Sunday to a reshaped political landscape but no clear winner of a provincial election marked by the rise of the B.C. Conservatives from the political fringe to centre stage.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    A local volunteer group has agreed to step in a South Kanata home that was infested with rats.

    More than three hours after the polls closed in British Columbia's nail-biting provincial election, with both the NDP and Conservatives locked in a near standoff, New Democrat Leader David Eby urged his party’s supporters to keep the faith as they waited for the last deciding votes to be counted.

    Canada

    • British Columbia woke up Sunday to a reshaped political landscape but no clear winner of a provincial election marked by the rise of the B.C. Conservatives from the political fringe to centre stage.

    • Data from Alberta’s Ministry of Children and Family Services shows that 89 per cent of young people who have died while receiving child intervention services this year were Indigenous.

    • Ontario's education minister has asked officials to conduct a governance review of a Brantford-area Catholic school board after trustees spent $45,000 on a trip to Italy to buy $100,000 worth of art.

    • With final results in B.C.'s provincial election still pending, John Rustad has vowed to make life "as difficult as possible" for the NDP should the party be re-elected to a minority government.

    • Advance polls in the New Brunswick election brought out 110,364 eligible voters on Saturday and Tuesday, surpassing pre-pandemic advance voter turnout.

    • A local volunteer group has agreed to step in a South Kanata home that was infested with rats.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Tobacco policy experts say without further pressure, major companies are unlikely to shift their business models toward less harmful alternatives despite a proposed settlement reached that would see three industry giants pay out billions to smokers and their families.

    • A man and woman are facing multiple charges in connection with cases of extortion and gunfire targeting Montreal restaurants over the summer months.

    Lifestyle

    • Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    • While many Canadians created home offices at the height of the pandemic, recent Statistics Canada data reveal the number of people who work from home is about 18 per cent.

    Sports

    • Jordan Eberle scored 48 seconds into overtime and the Seattle Kraken beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night.

    • Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves as the New York Rangers downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Saturday.

    • Chad Kelly threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Toronto Argonauts held on for a 38-31 win over the Ottawa Redblacks to clinch a home playoff game on Saturday afternoon.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that – and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.

    A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the ‘Fellow in Yellow.’

    John Cantin vividly remembers opening day for his Victoria diner. Stress levels were high, tables were full, and one of the most popular menu items couldn’t be freed from the unyielding grip of the waffle maker.

    A Manitoba professor is warning the public after a book on regional mushrooms that he suspects is AI-generated was delisted from Amazon.

    A B.C. judge has issued a decision in a years-long dispute between neighbours that began with a noise complaint over barking dogs, crowing roosters and quacking ducks – awarding $15,000 in damages to the plaintiffs in the case.

    An Ottawa man was arrested after taking a shower in a stranger's house, Ottawa police say.

    Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.

    • British Columbia woke up Sunday to a reshaped political landscape but no clear winner of a provincial election marked by the rise of the B.C. Conservatives from the political fringe to centre stage.

    • More than three hours after the polls closed in British Columbia's nail-biting provincial election, with both the NDP and Conservatives locked in a near standoff, New Democrat Leader David Eby urged his party’s supporters to keep the faith as they waited for the last deciding votes to be counted.

    • With final results in B.C.'s provincial election still pending, John Rustad has vowed to make life "as difficult as possible" for the NDP should the party be re-elected to a minority government.

    • Ontario's legislature will resume sitting Monday after an unusually long summer break, and returns in the midst of intense speculation that Premier Doug Ford will call an early election.

    • Tobacco policy experts say without further pressure, major companies are unlikely to shift their business models toward less harmful alternatives despite a proposed settlement reached that would see three industry giants pay out billions to smokers and their families.

    • A Calgary man has been charged in relation to the stabbing of a Calgary peace officer Friday night.

    • Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Sunday morning for Calgary and the area along the Highway 2 corridor.

    • Jordan Eberle scored 48 seconds into overtime and the Seattle Kraken beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night.

    • A driver from Brockville, Ont. is facing charges after being stopped on Highway 416 while on his way to Ottawa for a date, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • Small Business Week kicks off Sunday to celebrate the hard work entrepreneurs do and the role they play in economic growth.

    • Gatineau police is asking for the public’s help in locating 12-year-old Taher Alzunni.

    • Montreal police (SPVM) have confirmed that another vehicle was set on fire in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough.

    • Eleven teachers at Bedford Elementary School have been suspended at the request of the director general of the Montreal School Service Centre (CSSDM), who made the announcement in a press release on Saturday evening.

    • A man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of 32-year-old Aaron Staszko earlier this week.

    • Two residents of Louis Bull First Nation have been charged in relation to an incident involving forced confinement and a firearm.

    • Polls are now closed for Nova Scotia's municipal elections and unofficial results are expected to start rolling in soon.

    • Halifax Regional Police say they are on scene after a sudden death at a Walmart on Mumford Road Saturday night.

    • A motorcyclist has died following a single-vehicle crash in Strathadam, N.B., early Sunday morning.

    • After a few plane rides that took them to another hemisphere on the other side of the world, eight young athletes representing Manitoba had the opportunity of a lifetime to compete and grow as individuals.

    • Winnipeg police arrested a 42-year-old man Friday in connection to an assault at a downtown bar in the 400 block of Main Street.

    • Winnipeg’s mayor is looking to create a fourth emergency service that would respond to mental health calls and wouldn’t require police.

    • Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan (CTSS) is highlighting an incident which saw a driver fail to pull over for police and subsequently park his vehicle and walk away.

    • On October 20, 1904, Thomas Clement (Tommy) Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland.

    • Voting day in Saskatchewan’s provincial election is fast approaching. Here's everything need to know before casting your ballot.

    • A Waterloo, Ont. man is sharing video of a recent encounter with a stranger to give others an idea of the hate he experiences in the community.

    • One person has died in a Brant County collision.

    • "Mighty" Myles Beaulieu is on the mend after receiving a potentially life-saving liver transplant.

    • On October 20, 1904, Thomas Clement (Tommy) Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland.

    • Julianna Tan says her world was turned upside down when she got a letter this summer summoning her to court.

    • Voting day in Saskatchewan’s provincial election is fast approaching. Here's everything need to know before casting your ballot.

    • Timmins police are asking the public to avoid the area of Sixth Avenue between Cedar Street North and Pine Street North and residents to remain inside due to a weapons investigation Saturday.

    • A number of parents at Oyster Pond Academy pulled their children from class Friday after learning about a gender identity presentation.

    • Ontario's education minister has asked officials to conduct a governance review of a Brantford-area Catholic school board after trustees spent $45,000 on a trip to Italy to buy $100,000 worth of art.

    • The Western Mustangs have finished second overall in the OUA Football Conference after punishing Windsor 46-5 Saturday at Alumni Stadium in London, Ont.

    • The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) begins Sunday with more than 90 films over eight days. The week will be capped off with the FCFF honouring Hollywood veteran and London native Victor Garber.

    • To brighten your week with good news, CTV London Meteorologist Julie Atchison is showing us the sunny side of things.

    • A pickup truck fire on Highway 400 in the Georgian Bay region Sunday morning resulted in no injuries but caused significant damage to the vehicle.

    • Around 200 participated in the Guardians Run for Special Olympics at OPP Headquarters in Orillia Sunday morning, which aimed to raise $40,000 in support of Special Olympics Ontario.

    • A driver crashed into a utility pole in Tay Township early Saturday morning after allegedly swerving to avoid wildlife that was on the road.

    • Thousands of runners glided through Windsor, Ont., Sunday morning as part of the 47th annual Detroit Free Press Marathon.

    • A sold-out crowd of professional wrestling fans in Windsor, Ont. set the stage for the debut edition of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling (MLP).

    • The Windsor Police Service (WPS) has arrested a suspect and recovered a stolen motor vehicle.

    • British Columbia woke up Sunday to a reshaped political landscape but no clear winner of a provincial election marked by the rise of the B.C. Conservatives from the political fringe to centre stage.

    • More than three hours after the polls closed in British Columbia's nail-biting provincial election, with both the NDP and Conservatives locked in a near standoff, New Democrat Leader David Eby urged his party’s supporters to keep the faith as they waited for the last deciding votes to be counted.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Calgary scored three times in the first, and three times in the third as the Hitmen defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-1 Saturday at the Saddledome.

    • The last students to graduate from Lethbridge College will make history this weekend as they cross the stage at fall convocation.

    • While the start to fall has seen above-average temperatures for much of southern Alberta, the first chance of winter is in the forecast for Monday evening, which has many in Lethbridge preparing.

    • A man from northwestern Ontario has his fishing licence suspended for three years and faces fines of $15,870 for illegally selling leeches and baitfish.

    • Members of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service’s traffic unit are investigating a motor vehicle crash that occurred earlier this week.

    • Ontario's top court breathed new life into a Charter challenge of the provincial government's emissions target on Thursday, a decision heralded as a major victory for the group of young people -- including 17-year-old Sophia Mathur from Greater Sudbury -- who brought the case and others looking to hold governments to account on climate change.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at ۴ý. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow ۴ý