50 Balls

My most recent signed ball, that of MLB HOF umpire Doug Harvey, is the 50th signed ball in my collection. Not bad, considering I’ve only been collecting signed balls for the last couple years.

Here are some random facts about my collection:

First signed ball: 1989 by Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt. After that, I didn’t add another until 2007, so I’ve accumulated 49 in three years.

My favourite: Roberto Alomar. One of my two favourite players as a kid.

Blue Jays signed balls: 20 total (40%).

Hall of Famers: Seven total; Robin Roberts, Bobby Doerr, Bob Feller, Lee MacPhail, Doug Harvey, Duke Snider, Rollie Fingers.

Coolest Hall of Fame ball: My Robin Roberts ball is special to me, as he died about two weeks after I received this ball in the mail.

TTM vs. in-person: 41 balls through the mail; nine signed in-person.

Best prospects: Blue Jays Adeiny Hecchavaria; Mariners Dustin Ackley

Future HOF balls: Five: I believe Cito Gaston, Roberto Alomar, Tony La Russa, Bud Selig and Omar Vizquel will all make the Hall.

Non-baseball signed ball: James Earl Jones, received this summer TTM, because of his role in Field of Dreams.

Best young player currently in the Majors: Baltimore’s Matt Wieters. (Though I hope Toronto’s Kyle Drabek is selection 1a on this list.)

Balls signed by women: Two; signed by outstanding softball players Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman.

Duplicate signed balls: Two; both signed by Minnesota’s Pat Neshek, arguably baseball’s best signer. I got him TTM and IP.

Coolest inscription: “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World,” added to my ball by Bobby Thomson. He signed this ball about two months before dying earlier this year.

Balls still out there: I’m missing only three balls; one from Toronto’s Jesse Carlson, sent in 2009, and two from Stephen Strasburg, both sent this year when he was signing for a short period. I hope to still get the Carlson one back; doubtful on the Strasburg front.

Hopefully, I’ll get all my balls photographed and uploaded before long. In the meantime, thanks for reading. Looking forward to my next 50!