Category: Sports Illustrated

Jonesin’ For The King

Today I received two packages and am pretty excited.  The first was a Randy Jones Sports Illustrated I sent to him a week and a half or so ago.  I already had one but came across a mint newsstand issue and thought I would send it to him.  He has been a little harder to obtain the last few years.  He signed it with “1976 N.L. Cy Young” too!  The other package is an awesome surprise from my buddy Greg (justgreg on SCN).  Greg sent me a beautiful autographed baseball of King Felix… Felix Hernandez.  Greg has gotten me a bunch of stuff from the Seattle Mariners and this has to be tops!  Thanks pal!

An Umpire and a Commissioner

Today was a nice mail day with two packages showing up.  The first one was a return from Mike Reilly.  I had sent the October 26, 1992 issue of Sports Illustrated already signed by Roberto Alomar and John Smoltz to him a couple weeks ago and watched it go through the USPS system.  I was a little nervous as I saw it being bounced from post office to post office and then to Florida.  I should have known the post office would take care of business!  In my note, I told him I had another issue signed by both players but in blue Sharpie (the one I sent was in black) and if he did not mind if I could send that one too.  Not only did he say yes but he told me his winter address in Florida.  Nice guy!

The other package was a complete surprise.  A month ago I sent a request to Rob Manfred asking for a pair of his business cards signed.  In my note, I mentioned as soon as I could get some baseballs with his signature on them (instead of Bud Selig), I would send him one to sign.  To my surprise, he sent me one!  Not only did MLB pick up the cost of the baseball but also the cost of shipping!  That was pretty cool and a real nice surprise.  I bet I have one of the first of his model baseballs he signed!

All in all it was a great day!

Bye Bye Bones

Today I received a package I was a little nervous sending.  It had my 10.28.1985 Sports Illustrated magazine already signed by Ozzie Smith in it.  I mailed that issue and a 11.04.1985 SI issue to Steve Balboni along with a new silver paint pen and a blue Sharpie.  I followed it as it went from one place and then was forwarded to another and I got pretty nervous but Mr Balboni came through for me.  Not only did he sign each one perfectly but he used each pen on each magazine AND returned my donation I sent.  Awesome all the way around.  Thanks Steve!