August 2010
Mailday – August 31
I received another addition to the collection today, and this one’s unlike anything else I have. This is definitely one of the most unique things in my collection.
Here it is:
You’ll likely recognize Roger Maris on the left of the 8×10 photo. Beside him is then-19-year-old Sal Durante, a New York baseball fan who was the lucky one to catch Maris’ record-breaking 61th home run back in 1961. Though his mark has since been broken, it’s been broken by a bunch of roid monsters, so in many peoples’ books, 61 home runs is still a special record. As you can see, Durante added, “I caught Maris’ 61st H.R., 10-1-61.”
Durante’s story is a pretty neat one. He took his then-girlfriend (now his wife) to the game back in ’61 to impress her, hoping that he would catch Maris’ home run ball. His hopes came true, and after he grabbed it, he was ushed into the Yankees clubhouse by team staff, where he tried to give the ball to Maris. Maris told him to keep it, and Durante sold it to a collector for $5,000 and used the money to help pay for his wedding. All in all, a pretty neat story, and while Durante never played a day of pro ball, it’s exciting to have his autograph in my collection. What a neat piece of history!
More mail
As you can read about directly below this post, I opened a Mark Buehrle signed ball over the weekend. And, as I mentioned, that wasn’t the only thing I got back.
Here are two more additions to my Allen & Ginter signed set:
Twins first baseman Michael Cuddyer signed this card for me in two months, care of the team. He’s a prolific signer (I also got him two years ago) and I love his sig. He takes the time to write every letter instead of just a scribble. I think you’ll agree the signature looks great on this card.
Here’s the next addition:
White Sox hurler Bobby Jenks signed this Ginter card for me in a month, care of the Sox. Glad to have another addition to my Ginter collection.
With these two cards, I now have 26 signed Ginter cards out of the base set of 350. Sure, I’ve got a long way to go, but it’s fun to see how many I can get over time. I’ve still got a couple dozen in the wind, and hope to get most of those back this fall.
Mailday – August 30
I opened a pile of mail from the last week this weekend, and did pretty well. A chunk of it was non-baseball, so I won’t likely be posting it here. But I did add a few things for my baseball collection, including this ball:
White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle signed this ball care of the team in a little under a month. It’s exciting to get this back, especially since the lefty pitched a perfect game last season and had a no-hitter back in 2007. He signed it on the side panel, which isn’t as nice looking as if it were on the sweet spot, but when it comes to the TTM hobby, beggers can’t be choosers.
‘Graphing the Jays’ power
During last night’s 11th inning win over the Tigers, the Jays got home runs from Jose Bautista (who else?) and Adam Lind. Right now, there are eight guys on the team who’ve hit at least 10 home runs this season, and two guys stuck at eight. This team has a real shot at getting 10 guys with double digits in home runs, which is amazing.
Here’s how I’ve done in getting autographs of these guys:
1. Jose Bautista (42): I sent to him during Spring Training, and haven’t received anything back yet. Here’s hoping!
2. Vernon Wells (23): Doesn’t sign TTM, as I found out back in the summer of 2006 when I first started this hobby. But I have a handful of certified auto’d cards of him.
3. Aaron Hill (19): I have four cards signed TTM from him. Two back in 2006 and two in 2008. I’ve got another couple out to him now, and hope to get them back this fall.
4. Adam Lind (18): Doesn’t sign TTM, but before he made it to the Bigs, I loaded up with a dozen or so of his certified autograph cards.
5. Alex Gonzalez (17): No longer with the team. I don’t have anything of his.
6. Lyle Overbay (16): After a horrendous start to the season, Overbay has been one of the club’s best hitters. I’ve got him three times over the years — once on a ball, once on a Topps card and this year on an 08 Ginter card.
7. John Buck (14): I don’t have anything of his.
8. Edwin Encarnacion (13): In addition to being unable to hit, he’s also unable to sign. He hasn’t responded to two TTM requests in the last two years.
9. Fred Lewis (8): I finally found a card of his (a rookie card, when he was with SF) and sent it off a couple weeks ago. He’s shown to be a good signer to other collectors, so I hope I get it back. He’s become one of my favourite Jays this season, and also one of the most exciting to watch.
10. Travis Snider (8): Snider goes through stages in which he signs, then goes a stretch without signing. I have one of his certified autos, but sent to him TTM a few weeks back on a Topps rookie card.
Mailday – August 24
Yesterday was a short and sweet mailday, but as always, it’s exciting to get something back.
Here’s the card:
Minnesota Twins starter Francisco Liriano signed this card for me. This wasn’t sent through the mail, but rather was part of a paid signing that was hosted by a member of SCN. I don’t like having to pay for autographs too much, but when it’s for the 2008 Allen & Ginter set, I can’t resist. Liriano doesn’t sign much through the mail anyway, so this was well worth it. It turned out pretty well, and now I’m up to 23 of the Ginter base cards signed.
How to collect through the mail
Since discovering the through the mail (TTM) autograph collecting hobby in 2006, I’ve sent out hundreds of letters and received hundreds of autographs back. I’ve been collecting sports cards since 2002 (and back in the 1980s and 90s, as a kid) but I can honestly say the TTM hobby is the most fun thing I’ve done hobby-wise.
It’s great because of the element of surprise. You may get an item back, and you may not. There are a million possibilities, it seems, and it’s always exciting to open a new envelope.
I thought I’d take a few minutes to give you a rundown of how to collect autographs through the mail, especially for those reading my blog who may want to get involved in this great hobby.
1. Buy lots of stamps and envelopes. If you’re sending internationally, research how much postage will be. Never assume that an athlete will put extra postage on your return envelope. It happens sometimes, but insufficient postage is a great way to lose something.
2. Always send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). You want to make it as easy as possible for the athlete at the other end. He’s certainly not going to take the time to find an envelope, address it and stamp it.
3. When it comes to the letter, there are a couple different schools of though. I hand-write every letter to give a personal touch. Some people type form letters and simply change a few lines, but I like the personal aspect of a hand-written letter. I hope this means more returns for me, and even if it doesn’t, I think it makes this hobby look less like a big business.
4. In my letter, which is roughly a page long, double spaced, I explain that I’m a fan of such-and-such a player or team and highlight a couple reasons why I’m a fan. I then politely ask if it would be possible to have my item signed for my collection. Often, I’ll enclose a couple cards and encourage a player to keep one for his own collection. Sure, it’s a token gesture, but at least I’m giving something back.
5. If you’re sending a card, check to see if it’s glossy or not. Chances are, the older cards won’t be, but the newer ones will be. Sharpies and gloss don’t mix, and the ink will usually bubble and smear. To combat this problem, take a regular white eraser and go over the card thoroughly. This will give the ink a place to stick, and the autograph will look good.
6. If you’re sending a big item, or something you want signed in a certain colour, send the pen or marker along as well. Never write to an athlete and request he use blue Sharpie, for instance, if you’re not providing him with one. I don’t send a writing utensil when I send cards or pictures, but I always do when I send balls.
7. Stuffing your envelope is easy. Fold your SASE, and add your letter and the item you want signed. If you’re sending cash, enclose it, too. I like to send a small amount of cash for older players who didn’t make millions of dollars during their playing days. It’s a good idea to bundle all the items you’re sending (card, letter, envelope, etc.) together (not with an elastic or anything, but just fold them together) so that when the athlete opens your envelope, everything will be in one solid package.
8. It’s a good idea to send a blank index card or two with your card. I don’t always do this, but it’s a good way to improve the chances of your card coming back in good shape, as athletes will often place the signed card in the SASE with the index cards as protection. Occasionally, you’ll get an added bonus in the form of a signature on one of the index cards. Index cards also keep prying eyes from seeing what’s inside your SASE during its trip throught the mail.
9. Keep a log of everything you send, especially if you’re sending a lot. A return might take a week or two, or it might be years. My longest success to date is nearly two years — Hall of Famer boxer Carmen Basilio. A log helps you remember who the heck you sent to, especially if you’re sending a blank card to sign and the athlete has an unrecognizable signature. The log will also keep track of your success rate.
10. Never send anything you wouldn’t part with. Your mail can get lost or discarded by your athlete, and it’s senseless to hold a grudge about not having your item returned. I never send anything I wouldn’t expect to lose.
11. Sending to current players is easy. Just look up the team’s address online, and send to him care of the organization. But remember, for your letter to get to him, it’s got to go through people in the head office, the team’s mailroom and probably a clubhouse attendant-type.
12. To get an athlete’s home address, check out www.sportscollectors.net. This is the site I belong to, and it’s very reasonably priced. It provides not only home addresses for thousands of athletes and other celebrities, but also gives you success rates for each. You’ll save money in stamps by learning that so-and-so hasn’t signed TTM since 2003. This wonderful site is definitely worth the small investment. You’ll also meet the great SCN community and learn tips and tricks about the TTM hobby.
13. It’s fun to have a few projects when you collect TTM. I collect current or past Toronto Blue Jays on cards in their Jays uniforms. I am also collecting the 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter set, members of the Jays’ 1992 and 1993 World Series teams on baseballs, and a few more.
14. Questions? Feel free to post a question in the comments section, and I’ll be happy to answer it for you. It’s an awesome feeling to go to the mailbox each day with the hopes of getting an autograph back!
Mailday – August 19
I added two more balls to my collection yesterday, and I must say I’m pretty pumped about both of them. One is of a longtime star and Hall of Famer, and the other is of an up-and-coming prospect.
Here’s the first:
2009 Blue Jays first-round draft pick Chad Jenkins signed this ball for me in about a month, care of the Dunedin Blue Jays. He also personalized it on the side panel, which is neat. Jenkins, a 6’4″, 235-pound righty, began his pro career this year with Lansing, where he went 5-4 with an ERA of 3.63, and was named a mid-season all-star. He was then promoted to Dunedin, where he’s gone 2-5. He’s one of Toronto’s top-rated prospects and should be a stud in the Jays’ rotation in another couple years.
Here’s my second ball:
Baseball Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers signed this in about a month, care of his home. I think he’s got one of the neatest looking signatures in my collection, and this ball turned out beautifully. Fingers, who pitched in the bigs from 1968 to 1985, won more than 100 games and finished his career with 341 saves, which is 10th all-time. This is the fifth Hall of Famer-signed ball in my collection (behind Bobby Doerr, Robin Roberts, Bob Feller and Lee MacPhail).
Snagging
As mentioned below, I was able to snag 10 balls at the Mahoning Valley Scrappers game, and two at the Toronto Blue Jays game. (And, yes, my wife also got two in Toronto.)
Here are the Scrappers balls:
It’s pretty neat to see the different kinds of balls that are used by the team. You can see Official Major League Baseballs (top row, far left), Official New York-Penn League balls (bottom) and even a rare Official Minor League Baseballs (top row, second from left). I’ve never seen an Official Minor League Baseball, which encompasses many levels of baseball, in the past. Normally you see league-specific balls (International, PCL, NYPL, etc.), so this was a neat find.
And here are the four balls from Toronto. You’ll notice they’re in great shape compared with the balls used in the Minor Leagues.
In-person successes
As mentioned here, my recent six-game roadtrip was awesome. Here’s what I saw:
- Aug. 6: Columbus Clippers at Buffalo Bisons (AAA)
- Aug. 7: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians (MLB)
- Aug. 8: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians (MLB)
- Aug. 9: Aberdeen IronBirds at Mahoning Valley Scrappers (A)
- Aug. 10: Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)
- Aug. 11: Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)
All in all, it was great. I’ve now seen nine games this summer, with hopefully a few more to go in September.
As I said a couple entries ago, I did pretty well ball-wise on my trip. I didn’t get anything in Buffalo, nor in my first Cleveland game. (It wasn’t for a lack of trying.)
But early in the third game of my trip (the second Twins/Indians game) I got down to field level and managed to get three Twins to sign a ball for me.
All three signatures are from pitchers: Jesse Crain, Matt Capps and Scott Baker. Oddly enough, they’re the first three pitchers on the Twins in alphabetical order. Anyway, all three have good numbers this season. Crain is 1-0 in 55 appearances with an ERA of just 2.75. Capps was an all-star this season and is 4-3 with 31 saves and a tiny ERA of 2.68. Scott Baker is 10-9 as a starter, with an awesome strikeout-to-walk ratio: 121:31.
The next day, my wife and I drove to Niles, Ohio (an hour outside of Cleveland) for the single-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers (the Cleveland Indians affliate) game. I love single-A games. The ballparks are small and intimate, the players are extremely friendly and it’s good opportunity to get balls. Here’s how I did:
Scrappers manager Travis Fryman signed this ball. Pretty cool, huh? I was hoping to get Fryman’s autograph while I was down there, given his great MLB career. (Five-time all-star, 223 career HRs, 1,022 RBI, .274 average, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, etc.) If the ball looks dirty, that’s because it’s an official New York-Penn League ball I snagged during batting practice. Here’s the other side of it:
In addition to Fryman’s autograph (he signed less than five minutes before the national anthem … you wouldn’t get that in the big leagues!) I bought a Scrappers team ball and tried to get it signed by as many players as possible. I did pretty well, with 14 players. As you can read about here, I also got team balls autographed during games in Rochester and Auburn.
Anyway, here’s the Mahoning Valley Scrappers ball:
That’s pitcher Takafumi Nakamura under the team logo.
And here’s starting pitcher Mitch Talbot on the sweet spot. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s an Indians player who was in Mahoning Valley for a rehab start. A bunch of us got to talk to him before his start, which was cool, and once again something that’s tough to do in the bigs.
Next, we’ve got Dan DeGeorge, Brian Heere, Jordan Cooper and Casey Gaynor. DeGeorge and Heere were both starters in the game I saw (at second and centre, respectively). The other guys are pitchers.
Then there’s infielders Aaron Fields and Tyler Cannon and pitcher James Reichenbach.
Finally, left fielder Chase Burnette, pitcher Kyle Smith, IF/DH Kevin Fontanez, someone I can’t recall and outfielder Jordan Casas.
All in all, pretty good. It’ll be exciting to follow the progress of these guys and see if they turn into the next Indians star, or end up being traded elsewhere.
Mailday – August 18
As mentioned here, I was away for a week on an amazing baseball roadtrip. My mailbox was stuffed when I got back home, and without further delay, here’s how I did:
Tony La Russa signed this 2008 Allen & Ginter card for me in 30 days, care of the team. He didn’t have a card in that year’s set, so I sent him a card of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, which I thought was a neat idea. Some guys don’t like signing cards that aren’t their own, but I’m glad he signed it. All in all, a pretty cool success.
Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez signed this 2008 Ginter card care of the Tigers in 59 days. The majority of the Tigers (or, the stars, anyway) are no longer signing for free through the mail. You have to send $10 per autograph for the team’s foundation, which the player will match. I’m hesitant to spend money on TTMs to begin with, and while the idea of supporting a foundation is great, I hope other teams don’t opt to follow this sort of idea. Anyway, I’ve always liked Mags, and am glad to get this back. I hope my Miguel Cabrera card is on its way back, too.
I’m now up to 22 of 350 A&G cards signed. Yikes!
malcolmmacmillan
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