Your Baseball is freaking amazing Brendan:eek::eek::eek:

I Love It!!!:D

All politics aside, I attend a rally today in the Philadelphia area for Mitt Romney. As is their custom now after the speech he went around the stage area and signed autographs. I waited with a Baseball and had a ballpoint with me but was told by the SS to put the pen away as the Gov carried his own pen. As he came closer I saw he had a sharpie and guessed that is how it was going to be. As I handed him the baseball he turned to a staff person and said, "Baseball, please give me a ballpoint".

Points to him for knowing the right way of signing a baseball

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/murphyusa/023.jpg

That's today. By tomorrow, he'll have flip-flopped, and will sign a baseball with a Sharpie.

That's true David, but also true of just about every politician including our current King...err, I mean President.

I hope all those autograph nay sayers have been looking at this thread and hopefully now have a little more appreciation for our end of the hobby.
Over 3000 hits for this thread and multi pages of great looking items, this is why we still enjoy this stuff, despite all the negative talk.
And I am so glad that this thread has not included any bashing or negative talk.
Great work guys!

Well said Richard and thanks for kicking this thread off.

Just like any niche collecting world where there's money to be made (or ill-gotten), forgers will exist. Any like any other collecting focus, it's incumbent on the buyer/collector to be well informed regarding their passion.

An Good Autograph Story
 

I don't actively collect autographs but can appreciate this positive thread about them and thought I'd add a story.

When I was turning 15 back in 1980 I started to get letters in the mail from HOFers. It seemed, my mom found an address list in my SCD and wrote about 20 HOFers a personal handwritten letter telling them it was her sons b-day and that "he would really get a kickout of receiving your autograph".

Some guys signed their HOF postcard, some index cards but regardless, it was so much fun to come home from school, run to the mailbox and get an envelope with the return address from Bob Lemon or Hank Greenberg et al. From memory I also got Koufax,Paige, Wm Terrry (my favorite. beautiful signature), Jocko Conlan, Wynn, Spahn, Freddie Lindstrom and I know there are more.

Couple of my favorites were Rube Marquard who was kind enough to include and sign a t206. I remember writing him a note thanking him and then being really saddened when he died about a month after. He mailed my auto on 4/17 and passed away June 1. I always felt good about writing him a thank you note when I got his note.

Lastly - Joe Sewell included my mom's original note with his autograph and on the bottom of her note he wrote, "thanks for remembering me." Pretty touching in retrospect all these years later right?

I think most of my autographs would be considered somewhat common to me and what they represent from my childhood, they're priceless. Still have each in mom's original envelopes.

Think I'll bring them over to her place tonight to reminisce a little.

Good thread. thanks Richard

Great story Peter.

Give your mom a hug for me.

Doug

Peter. that is amazing and wonderful.

some amazing stuff! my favorite guy here...a vintage ted williams gpc. i hope he didn't have a clubhouse ttm.

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ards/ted-3.jpg

Thanks Bilko! Great pics everyone!

Leave it to.........
 

the one and only

....................
 

Very nice! Thanks for sharing

One more that nobody has shown yet....

Could it be?
 

Could it be Elvis "the Pelvis"?

Yep; Elvis Presley!

Hey Frank, in the immortal words of Leslie Nielson, "Nice Beaver"!

brother trade
 

okay, here's my 'feel-good' family autograph story:

I took my brother to a Reds-Astros game in '73 when he was 7. We each had balls for signing after the game and needless to say, it was tough for him as a first-time autograph hound, to get many signatures. Still, he managed to get a few big names, including Pete Rose. I got more autographs, but missed Rose and was quite disappointed.

Years later, my brother attended Nolan Ryan's induction ceremony in Cooperstown, and Rose was outside signing pictures - my brother got a signed photo and mailed it to me.

I was talking with him on the phone the other day and he told me that his signed Cincinnati Reds ball from '73 had been stolen many years ago and he would love to find another '73 Reds ball in an auction. Mine only has meaning in that it was something we did together, so it's going in the mail today. Over the years, all the signatures on one of the pieces of leather have faded away, including Bench, Tom Hall and Sparky (on the sweet spot). These three, and George Foster and a few others on the other side, survived. Bye ball!

Yeah, I would grade that a '7', but you know what people would say....

Like :D

Sandy's masterpiece...
 

Just received this back from a private signing with Sandy Koufax.
This also helps complete a collecting theme for me. I now have a signed game ticket from every living pitcher that threw a perfect game. Sweet! :)

Kudos, Scott!

wow, that is very cool

Very cool Scott. When/where was Koufax's private signing? I still have a photo I need for him to sign and will have to keep on the look out if he has another one.

That is a beautifully-signed ticket - nice sig, nice placement.

Hi Mike,

Internet Exclusives, LLC in Beverly Hills had the Koufax private signing on April 4th. One of the gentlemen involved in Internet exclusives is Sandy Koufax's personal agent. I will let you know the next time I see him do a signing.

BTW, Jerald was the guy that I dealt with and they were absolutely terrific to work with. 100% first rate with communication, getting my ticket signed just the way I was looking for. Perfect!

Bilko, Mike and Scott,
Thanks for the compliments on how the ticket turned out.

Internet Exclusives, LLC and Mr. Koufax are definitely pros. I'm really happy with the final result....

.......
 

but is it authentic? This could be a prepubescent Beaver.

Very true. Authentication of this can be a hairy proposition.

'Dam' if you do, 'dam' if you don't

Scott...

That is beautiful! Congrats! I am still chasing him down and can only be as lucky as you someday!!

Finally Finished
 

I am so excited to add this to this thread.
When I re-found in a box 2yrs ago, I was missing Aaron, Musial, Berra, and McCovey. I got Berra, Musial, and Aaron through Mail order at shows. I just got McCovey through a private signing to complete it. All the rest were done in person in the 1980s.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ASYearbook.jpg

Nice Mark!
Congrats for completing this before any of these guys passed away. :)

WOW AMAZING!!!!:cool::cool::cool:

Who was the very first to sign for you???

Scott,
When I found it again, that really did concern me, especially with Musial and Berra.
The recent pictures I've seen of Stan aren't great, but the guy is still signing like a machine.
McCovey was the hardest. He doesn't do a lot of shows and has a reputation for cancelling at the last minute for those his supposed to be at.


Bilko,
It's been so long since this was started, I really don't remember the details of who signed when.
Mark

I'll add a couple from my humble collection.

When my grandmother passed in 1988, one of her neighbors gave me 2 autographed baseballs. They were a "thank you" for my grandmother being so good to him through the years, cooking him dinner, etc. One was a signed Ted Williams ball, although not an official ball. The other was a 1978 San Diego Padres team signed ball. Kind of random, but HOFers include Billy Herman, Ozzie Smith, Dave Winfield, and Gaylord Perry.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1013.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1012.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1010.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1009.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1007.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1006.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF1004.jpg

My father and I attended HOF Induction Weekend every year from 1987-1998, and then again in 2007 and 2008 before he passed in 2009. in 1992, like many people who graph the golf course, I had struck out. I thought to myself "If HOFers golf, I wonder if any of them play tennis?" I strolled by the tennis courts to find Ted Williams sitting there watching some tennis. I had done a lot of IP graphing in my time, but getting Ted Williams in person, for free, is literally the most nervous I have ever been. My knees were shaking. I remember sprinting back up to Main Street to find my Dad and tell him. We were both so excited. I wish he was there.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/PICT0028.jpg

This is one of my favorite pieces. I attended the 50th Anniversary of the HOF in 1989 with my Father. The day included the unveiling of the Lou Gehrig stamp, a parade, and an old timers game. I got this program that day, and had it "cancelled" at the Post Office. That winter I had Bob Feller sign it at a local show. Fast forward 19 years later, and in 2009 I decided to turn it into a TTM project. I actually thought I lost it at one point, when I sent it out to Whitey Herzog with donation. It never came back! I actually thought of writing him, and then one day I got a "return to sender" from the Post Office. Turns out there wasnt enough postage on it, even though I used one of those automated machines in the lobby. Ever since then, I have pretty much retired it from being in the mail (with the exception of a mail order or 2 for guys like Lasorda who dont do a lot of appearances). With the exception of Feller in 1990, and Sandberg last year, all sigs are TTM. I am hoping to add Molitor in person this summer.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...m/DSCF1797.jpg

A couple more, and then I'll stop....I promise!

My HOF Bat. All sigs have been signed IP. I rarely have ever had it leave my sight. Signatures include: Mize, Herman, Kell, Hunter, Jenkins, Newhouser, Leonard, Wilhelm, Marichal, Dandridge, Molitor, Weaver, Schoendienst, Sandberg, Doerr, Gibson, Slaughter, Aparicio, Fingers, Spahn, and Feller.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...t/DSCF1185.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...t/DSCF1184.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...t/DSCF1183.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...t/DSCF1182.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...t/DSCF1186.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/PICT0036.jpg

Here's another one of my favorite pieces. HOF lithograph signed by: Spahn, Berra, Dandridge, Doerr, Kiner, Mize, Feller, Robinson, Leonard, Slaughter and Irvin. I received all of the autographs in the late 1980s/early1990s...with the exception of Brooks Robinson. I added him in 2007. Needless to say he was excited about finishing the project. It's in it's original frame from back then. I really need to get it professionally framed.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/PICT0048.jpg

Another story behind this one. As I mentioned before, I attended the HOF Inductions from 1987-1998, and then 2007 and 2008. The first year my Dad and I went, we decided to take in an Oneonta Yankees vs Auburn Astros game the Saturday night before the Induction. We got box seats along the first base side. A few innings into the game, who comes and sits in the box seats right next to us? George Steinbrenner. I wish I remembered it better (I was 9 at the time). I dont remember who he was with, if we talked to him a lot, etc. But I was able to get him to sign my program.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCF0949.jpg

Last one and then I will stop hijacking this thread. I also collect the autographed HOF programs from the Inductions I have attended. I dont seem to have a lot of pictures of them, but here are two:

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/PICT0045.jpg

This one came out very nice, and surprisingly was free. I got Weaver at an autograph appearance in my hometown, and then Bunning TTM:

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...ionProgram.jpg

Finally, I collect the yellow HOF Plaque postcards. I recently noticed that the Richie Ashburn one is pretty expensive, due to the short window of him passing after his HOF induction. I realized that (somewhere) I have his HOF Induction Program signed. After realizing this, I have been searching online for another one, and can't seem to find one. I am thinking there are not many of these in existence. I still need to get Schmidt to sign his portion, and that now has become a high priority.

Loving this thread. Thanks for letting me hijack it, and keep 'em coming!

Great story!

Soeaking of Jocko Conlan, here's my Conlan autograph, along with Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle and Cool Papa Bell.

http://www.cal-lector.com/TimzCollec...ell-Conlon.jpg

Amazing story. Thanks for sharing. I remember Nolan Ryan responding to a letter I sent with signed pic as like a 10 year old. One of the cooler days of my childhood.

the rest of my 1933 Goudey Cubs signed team set and Michael Collins posing with my brothers space gloves after he signed him and pretending to be an alien!

Attachment 61477

Attachment 61478

LOL

I love the Collins pic. I saw it on ebay. :)

yeah he's selling one and keeping the other. I told him he HAS to keep at least one after seeing that picture.

If you ever get to MN you can run into Molitor at the Eden Prairie mall where he frequents. I saw him there once and told my wife "That's Paul Molitor" and after yelling "Hey Paul" he turned around and I ducked my head. I've met him a couple times, couldn't meet a nicer guy. He lives in EP and I believe his daughter still goes to the High School there. Nice item.

I used to like to get autographs when I was a kid, and it was still fun.

Doug

Wow, thats a cool Al Davis.
rare too.

Thanx, he sat behind me at a Warrior game a week or two after he announced that he was moving the Raiders to LA. He was very nice.

Doug

I started getting autographs in my 1962 Topps Stamp Book and have around 400 autographs in it.
Here's the Yankee page.