Adventures in Autograph Collecting
I recently received my February, 1968 Baseball Digest back from Rick Reichardt and was hoping to find a Billy Williams signing event soon. Turns out I did not have to wait long! Jim & Steve’s Sportscards in Chicago announced Williams was going to be a guest of theirs at a signing event. I sent in my magazine and received it back today! They even sent me a picture of Billy signing my magazine!
To say I am thrilled is an understatement! Now I need a Tony Oliva signing to complete it!
One of the players I had the need for a number of cards to get signed was Jake Cave. Jake is not a difficult signature to get but he was always between AAA and the Twins. Then he was no longer with the Twins. I was fortunate to hear about a signing that Brian S (bcards on SCN) was having with Cave so I sent in and received the following cards today:
2019 Topps #576
2019 Topps Now #PWB-14
2020 Topps #525
2020 Topps Team Card #213
2020 Topps Now Road To Opening Day- #OD-149
2021 Topps #US23
2021 Topps Heritage #390
2021 Topps Team Card #156 already signed by Aaron Whitfield
2022 Topps Heritage #461
I am excited to knock off all my Jake Cave needs!
I have posted a few items I received from Jim Kaat since his Hall of Fame induction including the purchase of a signed baseball with the #36 retired logo. While I was unable to get a ticket to that game, I was able to get a game used baseball from it which, of course, had the #36 logo. I sent it in to a signing Kaat was doing and had him sign it under the logo with “#36 Retired 7/16/22” and received it back signed beautifully today! A special thanks to Donnie D (macey225 on SCN) for getting it done!
I have had some pretty good mail days but I think todays mail day is the best ever! I received items from three people and all are people I admire in baseball.
The first package was from Tom Kelly. My friend Mark B is the Tigers Ticket God. If he does not have a specific Detroit Tigers ticket he will track it down and that is exactly what he did for me. On May 26, 1975 TK hit his only MLB home run and Mark found me a pair of tickets to that game. TK signed one of them with “Only MLB HR”. I will donate the other ticket to the Twins as they have the home run baseball on display. I think a ticket would go great with it. The other item TK signed for me was a ticket for the 09.08.2012 Twins game when his #10 was retired. He inscribed that ticket with “#10 Retired”
The next package I opened was from Dennis Eckersley. I had mailed him a ticket from the 2004 Hall of Fame Induction which was postmarked from Cooperstown. He signed it beautifully. Now I need to send it to Paul Molitor to complete it.
I saved the best for last and I was blown away with how perfect everything was signed. Doug Keating (4192HITS on SCN) had a signing with Joe and I sent in a few items I had that I needed signed. The items I received are:
2015 Topps #700 SP Variation
2022 Allen & Ginter #163
2018 Topps Now Players Weekend Bonus PWB-66
2021 Topps Project 70 #629
10.06.2009 Ticket with “2009 AL MVP” and “Batting Champ .365”
09.29.2018 Ticket with “Last Run 1,018” and “Last RBI 923”
06.15.2019 Ticket with “#7 Retired”
Game used baseball from the game Joe’s #7 was retired with “#7 Retired 6/15/19”
Retail baseball from the game Joe’s #7 was retired with “#7 Retired 6/15/19”
The 2009 ticket is from Game #163 and has Joe pictured on it. It is signed in ultra fine silver deco and looks amazing. Actually, all of them look amazing. I am really excited to add these to my collection!