Complaint Review: Jack Berke

Jack Berke is an promoter out of New York City. He puts on decent show`s for people to get autographs from older players such as Rickey Henderson and Monte Irvin exc exc. These shows normally happen in Albany or Cooperstown New York. The following report will be of 2 sepeate  times I have used him and and a somewhat major poblum.

In 2008 I sent a pitching rubber to mr. Berke to get signed by Bobby Dorre,Jim Bunning,Monte Irvin and Gaylord Perry. Up in Cooperstown in new York over hall of fame weekend. Mr Berke accepted  my money and items and had them signed. he returned the items about 2 weeks later. BUT he returned the items without the COA`S that are sopoasto come with the items. This is proof  of the actual signing. mr Berke stated multi times he would send these but for over a year he did not. Finally I got them with my second order and he cursed me out for bothering him about it and that it is just COA`S and not the end of the world. For someone who does this for a living he should know that a tansaction is not complete untill all pieces of the product arrive. Very poor C.S. skills on Jack`s part on this one transaction which took over a year to finally resolve.

In 2009  Mr Berke yet again had a autrograph show in the cooperstown show during hall of fame weekend. I had the choice of using him or one of the 3 other promoter`s that was having events that weekend. I broker things for people to get signed and one of the people wanted Monte Irvin, Robin Yount and Al Kaline on his full size home plate which weighs 25 pounds and he also got Robin Yount and Al Kaline on his other full size home plate which has only 3000 hit club members. As I was sending his items in I also included my pitching rubber the second one I have which has less auto`s I put it together for my daughter. so I sent it in for Monte Irvin. I was also going to include Al Kaline,But this is where the first issue happened. On his web site the price was I belive 89 dollers or 99 dollers. When Jack was figuing out the total 2 weeks before the show I pointed out the price is X- amount.  He said no it is this amount and it was a typo and o well and would not honer it. So I desided not to get the Kaline due  to his attitude on that subject. Just a note he knew  his listing was wrong and NEVER corrected this.

So sent the 3 items in via over night Fed-Ex so that he had the items. payed via c.c. in 2 payments. Close to $600 + shipping for 6 total autographs. When he gets the items  he complaines that the items are to heavy. He knew what was being sent a head of time but made the remark that " I`m doing you a favor and bending over backwords taking these heavy things". I have sent these out all over the USA and NEVER had a pomoter  say this to me more so they were pleased to have the chance to get your item,NOT complain b/c they accept mail order fo all items not just a baseball.

Ok so Jack has his show. I gave jack specific instructions as to how I want my item signed. This is what I pay for this is what anyone pay`s  for. He was to sign under Yogi berra as there was a spot that was  accetable for the size of his autograph. Instead  Of following the instructions fo what he was payed to do he lets Monte sign the pitching rubber to the side to start another row. If it had been to the top of the row  then in thery it would not of been an issue, BUT it was not monte signed in about  1 1/2 inches  from the top. on an item that is what 6-8 inches wide  to begin with this becomes a huge problem NOW I loose a complet spot for someone else.  His excuse  for this was O well  He was not feeling well and that it is just an autograph and I will live. I payed $55 dollers plus about $50 in shipping to NOT get what I wanted and where I wanted it. Instead of any sort of apolize I get you will live  and o well exc exc exc.

The autos on the home plate`s were fine  as there was no real instructions other then to color of sharpie.

So the show ends on that monday and Jack is back in new york city on monday or tuesday I don`t know. Before we shipped to him I had found out that Bill Mazaroski was doing a signing the following weekend. Jack told me "I can get him don`t worry" so I said alright. On Monday I found out that I could still get mr Mazaroski this signing was thue MLB them self. I told the guy with the multi auto home plate and he said he wanted him. NO EXCEPTIONS HE WANTED HIM. As jack was given an Fed ex air-bill to return over night to me this should not of been an issue. The buyer even called jack and he guarrenteed to ship that wenesday. he shipped nothing out that wenesday. So I spoke to him and he yet again guarrenteed to ship the items thusday. so I call MLB  and work out a saturday shipment at the hotel where the signing would be. MLB bent over backwords and sideways to make this happen for me. Thusday nothing is shipped. Finally on Friday Jack says he shipped the item out to get to me on monday. I do not recall I thought it was Monday and I got it on Tuesday. But the point of the matter was he ON POURPOS no matter what he might say did this so that we would not get the auto and possibally have to go thue him. This is how childish this man is. he did say he would honer the price and charge me the same. Yea  so he can make money  and not MLB and the charity he was signing for.

I finally got the items back with the COA`S and the 4 COA`S from the year before. At the time when I saw the auto of my piece he said I should get a life and be happy I got anything signed at all.

I am on a hotline where you can leave feedback for problems with promoter`s I did this yesterday giving him a dissapointment rateing not a negetive. The man calls me up and says his piece about everything tells me to shut up and listion which i do. then when I try to talk  he interups over and over again. The man is complety impossible to deal with. he will take no responcibilty for anything that he does what so ever. I ended up asking them to put a resolved  for the rateing as I did have an error on it as to the amount of days it took to get back I had put 12 I thought it was thusday but it wasent. So I closed it. I can still leave a negetive for the othe issue from last year if I want to.

Finally after I tell him I will be contacting the BBB and chaging back the $55 for the auto and $40 fo shipping he go`s off and says he will be sueing me and telling the hotline which has nothing to do with this issue. The man says yes to the $45 dollers  and then I correct him and say it was $55. And then I remembe the shipping Im out so I write him back reminding him of his typo on kaline  and that I had made one with the money needed back and I included the $40 shipping which is low. Not to mention othe tax`s and c/c fees I had to pay. he writes back stating that I should just sue him and o well.

This man is complety inpossible to deal with on any level. Thank god he is not the tell all to getting the autogaphs of people. he has Yount and Hendeson right now but not for long I`m sure.

So I am waiting for the BBB to send me the correct forms and when I fill them out I will then Chargeback the money I put out for the man having pretty messing up my item.

My advise is to avoid at all cost  this man and his guys that he has, As  there is about an 80% chance of having an issue with him or your items. All of his guys do shows elsewhere sooner or later.

One last note. The man has orlando Cepeada as one of his  exclusives right now or at least he says he is on his web page. mr Berke brought him to cooperstown for I belive  $60 dollers fo the Item we would need. You would think the promoter that owns the contract of X-player would take care of the people that get auto`s of that specific guy.  2 weeks later Mr Cepeada was in white plains for $35 fo the same item to get signed. Jacks excuse it was non of my affaire  what he charges. it just shows you what sort of bussissins man he is and how he go`s out of his way to screw over the buyer. As a buyer  do you really need that?

Hope you choose the right promoter in the future for your needs and do not get your items ruined from an uncareing promoter