One of my son’s best friends was drafted by the Oakland A’s a year and a half ago. He spent the first half season in rookie ball but last summer was assigned to the Stockton Ports Single A team. I was excited when the ticket manager responded to a couple emails of mine asking for tickets to his debut and first win. I was able to give a couple of each to his parents and added the others to my collection waiting until the off season to get them signed. Today my son hung out with Tucker Novotny and their other buddies and got Tucker to sign the tickets for me. Tucker is a great kid from a great family and I wish him the very best for a successful career. He signed three tickets with “Minor League Debut” and five tickets with “1st MiLB Win”. These are fun items for my collection! Thanks Tucker!
The Wizard of Oz
Tom O (orr23mj on SCN) had a signing about a month ago with Ozzie Smith. I had mailed in a cool 2002 Hall of Fame induction ticket that was postmarked on the front from induction weekend in Cooperstown to get signed. It got hung up in the USPS and finally arrived today. I am excited with this one! It looks great!
Top Prospects
I met Mike Eckard via a Facebook post almost two years ago when he listed a card for sale. He recently made a trip to Arizona for the Arizona Fall League. While there, he got a couple baseballs signed and I reached out to him to purchase them. They are both highly ranked prospects who should make the Major Leagues in a couple years. The baseballs I received are:
Aiva Arquette
Kayson Cunningham w/”1st Round Pick”
What. A. Call!
Joe Davis, the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers radio station, also called the Fox Sports broadcast of the 2024 (and 2025) World Series. Some time during the past season, I sent a baseball to Joe asking for his famous call of Freddie Freeman’s walk off home run in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series. I received it today! And it is awesome! Joe signed it with his call “Freeman with a ball to right field… She is gone! Gibby, meet Freddie! Game 1 of the World Series.” Amazing call to tie the two moments together. Interesting note related to this… I have a pair of tickets from Game 1 of the 1988 World Series where Kirk Gibson hit HIS famous home run. They are both signed and inscribed by Gibby and Dennis Eckersley!