Today I received a pair of packages of items that made me happy!
The first was an envelope where I received a 2017 Topps #554 card signed by Jason Castro. Since Jason was not at Twinsfest, I was unable to get it signed so I was happy to add it via Matt W (invctrl on SCN).
The other package was my second of three packages I sent to spring training signings for MLAM. This package contained a pair of Will Clark Sports Illustrated magazines… 05.28.1990 signed real nice in silver and 04.04.1988 (now to add Mark McGwire to it and finish it!). It also had an Ian Happ ticket signed with “ML Debut”. All items came with an MLB hologram on them. I am real happy how they turned out!
Category: Tickets
Rice, Rice, Devers
Today I received a package that has been months in the making. Not because of anyone’s fault but mine. Earlier this week I was going through some of the tracking numbers that I still had outstanding and realized I had not received a package of a couple Jim Rice and a Rafael Devers autographs where the signing was back in November. I went through my records and found that I mailed the items in to Sure Shot Promotions and had not received them back yet. I found their website online and called them and Mike answered the phone. I got the list of my items halfway out of my mouth when he said he was happy I called because he had them sitting there for a couple months. He said he tried contacting me but did not have a phone number or email address. I had enclosed a SASE but it must have been discarded when the items arrived and he was truly happy to hear from me and get the items to me. Today I picked up my 10.27.1986 Sports Illustrated magazine that was already signed by Gary Carter and my 04.09.1979 Sports Illustrated magazine that was already signed by Dave Parker which are now both signed by Jim Rice. Also included in my package was a debut ticket for Rafael Dever with “ML Debut” inscription. All three are beautifully signed. Mike did a great job on these and they finally came home.
Three’s A Crowd
Today I received three packages of signed baseball goodies. I am pretty excited about all three!
The first was an envelope of signed tickets that Steve S (cosmo on SCN) got signed for me at the Boston Red Sox Winterfest event. Steve did a fantastic job on a real tough signing team. He got the following tickets signed:
Andrew Benintendi- Debut Ticket
Eduardo Rodriguez- Debut Ticket w/”MLB Debut”
Blake Swihart- Debut Ticket w/”MLB” (I guess he does not know how to spell debut???)
Sam Travis- 2 @ Debut Ticket both with “MLB Debut”
Steve even included a signed bonus card of Cosmo!
The next package I received was a magazine I had sent to Dave Parker via Past Pros. Dave signed my June 1979 Sport magazine. It turned out great.
The final box I opened was three baseballs that Chris L (ChrisL999 on SCN) sent me that I purchased from him. Chris does a great job on hard to get prospects and these are nice baseballs to add to the collection especially after Baseball America released their Top 100 Prospects list last week. These baseballs are:
Brendan Rodgers
Estevan Florial
Alec Hansen
It was a pretty good mail day for the old baseball collection!
Twinsfest 2018 – Day 3
Today is always a bittersweet day. The final day of Twinsfest is exciting because it is Twinsfest but you know it is the last day. Both kids headed down with me today. Caden hung out with his friends for most of the day and Cami hung out with me for almost the entire day except when she went through a few lines for herself. I used today to finish off some players and to talk with a few friends. We arrived at Target Field around 7:30 this morning for the 9am opening. We went to the Brian Dozier line right away and I was able to knock off a couple Dozier autographs I needed. Then Caden took off with his friends while Cami and I walked to other lines. The next stop for us was Byron Buxton in the Twins Wives line. We each got a card signed. Cami went off to another couple lines while I got in line for Joe Mauer at the Twins Wives line. I had to wait a couple hours for that line to start but Cami was able to get through a pair of lines and got me a few items. When she arrived back the first words out of her mouth were “Well that was embarrassing!” I asked her what she meant. When she gave Aaron Slegers his debut ticket and asked him to inscribe the ticket ML Debut dated August 16, 2017 he said his debut was on August 17, 2017 and did not inscribe it. I told Cami that we were both right. His debut WAS on the 17th but it was the make up from the night before that was rained out so the correct ticket was the 16th. Oh well. It is signed. He probably thought she was crazy. We got through the Mauer line at the Twins Wives line and headed to the service level where we each went through a couple different lines. I headed to the Gonsalves/Mejia/Berrios line and Cami went to the Enns/Chargois/Rooker line. Once I finished the line I was in I headed to the Enns/Chargois/Rooker line and ended up running into Caden who was in that line too. After that I went and spent a fun time chatting with my friend Tony S and his son Spencer. Caden and Cami ran around to a couple more lines and we called it a day. The final day’s totals for me are (including items Caden and Cami got for me but not including things they got for themselves):
Brian Dozier: 06/01/2017 Topps Now
Joe Mauer: 06/01/2017 Topps Now, 2008 Topps 287
JT Chargois: 2 @ 2013 Bowman Chrome BCP137
Alalberto Mejia: 2017 Topps Now Wild Card, 2017 Topps Heritage 550
Byron Buxton: 11/10/2017 Topps Now, 2017 Wild Card Topps Now
Eddie Rosario: 09/13/2017 Topps Now
Jose Berrios: 2017 Wild Card Topps Now, 2017 Topps Heritage 566
Royce Lewis: OMLB
John Curtiss: 2 @ 2015 Choice
Travis Blankenhorn: 2016Bowman Chrome BCP185
Stephen Gonsalves: 2017 Bowman BP44, 2017 Topps Minors 191, 2014 Bowman BDPP49
Gene Glynn: 2 @ Minor League team issues
Garvin Alston: 1997 Fleer 582
Brent Rooker: OMLB, OMLB w/”2017 1st Round Pick”
Alex Kirilloff: OMLB
Fernando Rodney: Debut ticket
Dietrich Enns: 3 @ Debut ticket with “MLB Debut”
Lewis Thorpe: 2 @ 2014 Bowman BP32 (1 smudged)
Max Kepler: OMLB