Graphin’ With Kevin

Today was the second day of Twinsfest. I have been to every day of Twinsfest weekend going back to when I graduated from college in 1993. Today was different.

My beloved grandmother passed away Wednesday, January, 23, 2008 after 90 years of bringing happiness to everyone she met. Her funeral was today and she was sent off with the most beautiful funeral service I have ever been to. I miss her already but have a lot of great memories to remind me of her.

Once I got home from the funeral, I was greeted with a bunch of signed mail! Most of it was via trade with only the Stewart ball being bought.
I got the following:
Jeff Bagwell OMLB
Ian Stewart OMLB
Magglio Ordonez OAL
Hunter Pence OMLB
Scott Rolen ONL
Craig Biggio signed 3000th hit full season ticket.
Thanks Jeremy, Nick and Brian!

Day one of Twinsfest 2008 found me getting to the Metrodome three hours before the doors opened. It was really a dumb move on my part but I really wanted to make sure I got Mauer & Morneau on my 16×20 photo so that I can put it away without carrying it around to any more events. I was probably number 120 or so in one of the two lines outside gate H. I did all right in the cold until the last half hour when the sun went down and the concrete sidewalk we were waiting on sucked all the heat out of me. Once I got in, I immediately headed to the Mauer & Morneau line. That happened to be where about 90% of the people waiting outside was also headed. They only allowed 300 people in the line. I believe I was about 188 (at least according to the counter at the entrance). I was able to start to unthaw while I waited the hour and a half before the M & M Boys started signing. The line moved the slowest of any line I have ever been in. It rivaled Harmon Killebrew’s speed (in his defense, he has the nicest signature in baseball). I was able to get my photo signed by each player to finish it up (Santana & Hunter signed it at the autograph party in the summer of 07). I got it with about 20 minutes left of signing so I am sure that some of the last of the 300 people in line did not get autographs.

After I left the M & M line, I went to see how the line was for Kent Hrbek. There was nobody in line! I paid $30 for two autographs and got a couple cards signed for sets I am working on.

I then headed to the field to do my annual shopping adventure. I bought a couple paper items (remember the Great Airplane Toss of the late 80’s?) and some 9 pocket sheets and headed home.

Where do I start? What a weekend!

On Friday, January 11 at 10:15 am Russ, Shane, Caden and I headed to Des Moines, IA for the Iowa Cubs Fanfest. This is the fifth year Russ and I have been to the Fanfest and the second for Shane and Caden. We got to the Hy-Vee Hall about an hour before it opened. We relaxed, got organized and ready to go in. As soon as we got in, Russ headed to Tony Gwynn’s line. I went to one of the free lines and got Zach Hammes & Joel Hanrahan on some cards with Caden. We then met Russ and Shane in the Gwynn line.

I always though Tony Gwynn was a nice person but my view of him changed Friday. He is a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY nice person! in fact, he moved up to a real close second (behind Cal Ripken Jr) of my all time favorite non-Twins players. As we got to the first part of the line, Caden was looking tired after a long drive there and Tony asked him if he was tired of standing in line yet. Caden shook his head yes and he said “You are almost here”. Once we got there, I had him sign a photo to Caden. As he wrote “Caden, Best Wishes” on it, a photographer for the Des Moines Register took our picture. After I got all the items signed (he signed a couple for each person with “HOF 07” which was REALLY neat), the photographer asked me my name and where I was from and Caden’s name. I asked him who he was and he told me. I asked if the photo was going to be in the newspaper and he said “Probably not but it will be online for sure”. Saturday morning I happened to check the newspaper and on page three of the sports section was an article on Gwynn and the Fanfest along with a single colored photo… the one he took of us! Click here to see the article and picture.

I then went to get Fergie Jenkins on a Perez Steele postcard. That was pretty uneventful as he did not even look up at me. He looked a bit upset.

Then it was off to get Orlando Cepeda. He seemed nice but appeared to be on another planet. I asked him to sign a photo to Caden and he did which is a nice photo for Caden.

Shane took care of my Mike Mahoney and Randy Wells cards for me.

Caden played some of the batting and throwing games they had and enjoyed it.

Saturday morning we got up and headed back to the Fanfest. As we were walking in, I heard my name. It was Matt Bentz from Iowa. He is a fellow skedder who I had traded with before but never met. We talked for a few minutes which was bittersweet…. nice to meet him but we did not spend enough time chatting. Hopefully next time we get to Fanfest or he comes to MN we will be able to spend more time together. I enjoyed meeting a fellow collector even though he is a White Sox fan!

We got in line for Mike Schmidt as soon as we got there. Not only did Schmidt start signing a bit late, he seemed to be really grumpy. I got all my Sports Illustrated magazines signed by him and a Greats of the Game card for the set I am working on as well as some baseballs and a really neat Mitchell & Ness jersey for a friend.

The then added to my collection was Robin Roberts. He seemed really nice and happy to be there. He signed a photo “To Caden” and some baseballs for me.

One of the vendors there brought in Tommie Frazier to sign autographs. Tommie was the quarterback from the National Champion Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1994 & 1995. I got a Sports Illustrated and a photo signed. The photo is for a relative of mine who lives in Omaha. I got it personalized to him. He should be surprised when he receives it. He has no idea!

Finally, the Famous San Diego Chicken was there. He was selling photos and giving autographs. I brought a baseball card to get signed and bought three photos to have him personalize them. I got one for Caden, Camden and Amber. Amber is the daughter of a college/fraternity buddy of Shane and I and this is the second year he came down to meet us for dinner of the Friday night of Fanfest. He brought his three year old daughter, Amber. I hope this turns into an ongoing tradition much like Fanfest!

Over all I had a great weekend getting autographs!
Here is a rundown on what I ended up with:

Tony Gwynn
8×10 photo (for Caden)
4 HOF Postcards (1 for Steve)
3000 Hit ticket (for Steve)
5 balls (1 for Steve, Ryan A)
Studio baseball card (for Nick

Mike Schmidt
11×14 photo
8×10 photo (for Caden)
2000 Greats of the Game Card
2 HOF Postcards
5 Sports Illustrated Magazines
5 balls (1 for Jeremy)
Mitchell & Ness Jersey (for Steve)

Orlando Cepeda
8×10 photo (for Caden)
2 HOF Postcards
4 balls (1 for Ryan A, 1 for Jeremy S)

Robin Roberts
3 balls (1 for Jeremy S)
8×10 photo (for Caden)

Fergie Jenkins
Perez Steele Postcard

Tommie Frazier
Sports Illustrated
8×10 photo (for Jim)

San Diego Chicken
3 photos (Caden, Camden & Amber)
Baseball Card

Mike Mahoney
3 baseball cards (1 for Vince)

Randy Wells
2 baseball cards

Joel Hanrahan
6 baseball cards (1 for Vince, 1 for Caden)

Zach Hammes
6 baseball cards (1 for Vince, 1 for Caden)

I am already looking forward to Fanfest 2009!

Today I received a Ben Sheets sweet spot baseball that my pal Ryan took care of getting signed for me. I wanted a Ben Sheets ball and the only way to get him on the sweet spot was through a signing so I contacted Ryan to see if he was going to get one there and if he would help me. He did and today I got it!
Ben was signing on 9/29/2007 at Burghardt’s Sporting Goods in Brookfield, WI. It was sponsored by Legends of the Field and all told cost me $57.