My interest in Roberto Clemente has piqued of late and I reviewed the boxscore from the game he got his 3000th hit and discovered the pitcher who threw the ball is a reliable signer. So, I sent a ball to Jon Matlack asking him to write about Roberto’s 3000th hit. He wrote on the ball that he did not even know he needed one more hit to reach 3000 and the pitch he threw was not even a strike! Cool reply from someone who was such a big part of that moment. I am mailing out another ball to a fellow Pirate player soon and will hopefully get a nice reply there too.
Strop Throat
No, I don’t have strep throat. I do, however, have a few new Pedro Strop autographs in my collection! Jeremy F (jeremymichael on SCN) had a signing event with Pedro and got two 08.31.2015 Sports Illustrated magazines and a ticket from his ML Debut signed for me. Pedro made his ML Debut at the Metrodome when he was pitching with the Rangers. He signed it with “MLB Debut 8/28/2009”. I my Cubs team SI is out for a Joe Maddon signing otherwise I would have gotten that signed too. Maybe someday!
Hawk
Today was a fun day to receive a pair of Sports Illustrated magazines from 1983 signed by Andre Dawson. Years ago I had gotten a pair of these signed by Hawk at a show. Both in black Sharpie. When I first started sending requests via the mail, I sent one to an address I thought was for Dave Stieb and never received it back. I found out later that the address I sent it to was to someone else who was purporting to be Stieb so that person enjoyed my SI, marker and donation. I kept the other one I had until Mr Stieb had a private signing. He eventually did and I sent in the remaining SI as well as three others and received them back signed beautifully. Today I received two of those signed by Mr Dawson. Andre has a beautiful signature and inked these up real nice. I will eventually send the remaining one to him but not for a while. Andre now owns a funeral home, yep, a funeral home, in Miami. Interesting career change!
Here Kitty Kitty Kitty
With the recent induction of Jim Kaat into the Baseball Hall of Fame, I had to acquire a ball with the HOF inscription (I have to find a Tony Oliva one at some point too). Tom O (orr23mj on SCN) offered some for sale and I purchased it. It arrived today signed beautifully with “HOF ’22”.