A couple weeks ago I received my April 1961 Baseball Digest signed by Al Spangler and immediately sent it to Tony Kubek to finish the cover. It shows a face shot of both men on the cover and I really do not like having items that I cannot complete or are not complete in my collection. I also sent a Ford Frick Hall of Fame postcard with the magazine. Tony was the Ford Frick recipient in 2009 being recognized for his broadcasting skills. His voice, along with Joe Garagiola, was the sound of my Saturday mornings as a kid watching the “Game of the Week”. Throw in Mel Allen on “This Week in Baseball” before the “Game of the Week” and it was a Ford Frick recipient trifecta!
Today I received both items signed in blue Sharpie for my collection.
Category: HOF
A Retired Kitty Kaat
I was at the Twins game in 2022 when they retired #36 for Jim Kaat. The team was able to get special baseballs for that game and I was fortunate to purchase a game used one, as well as a couple unused ones, for my collection. Tom O (orr23mj on SCN) offered up a couple Christmas deals and one of them was one of those baseballs already signed and inscribed with “#36 Retired 7/16/22” and I bought it. It was cheaper than if I got one of my own signed with postage and the autograph fee, etc. I am waiting to get the game used one signed exactly the same way.
Sir Rodney
A pile of Rod Carew signed items showed up today! Tom O (orr23mj on SCN) had a signing with Rod Carew as well as with Travis Wood. I started to acquire oddball Carew items since I had just about everything else signed by him and sent in a few of those oddball items. Travis Wood was signing at a different date but they were close enough that I mailed one package to Tom. Travis signed my 10.10.2016 Sports Illustrated issue. It now has been signed by twelve out of the nineteen players on the cover. This started on a whim knowing I would probably not get even half and here I am 63% complete! The Carew items I received today are:
1971 Cord Sportfacts magazine
07.01.1974 Sports Illustrated magazine
June 1975 Baseball Digest
1977 Sertoma Stars card
March 1978 Baseball Digest
Also arriving today was my April 1961 Baseball Digest signed by Al Spangler. Now that issue is off to Tony Kubek for completion!
Loose As a Goose
Today brought a single signed item but it is a cool one! Goose Gossage signed my 2008 stamped and postmarked Hall of Fame induction ticket. He signed it perfectly in the perfect location on the ticket!