Quote:
Originally Posted by r2678
People did collect autographs during his era. All one has to do is to search for theatrical autographs to see this was a flourishing hobby. Was baseball that far behind the popularity of the Maude Adams and Anna Helds of the time?
Just wondering.
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That's pretty much exactly the reason. It wasn't until the 20's and the emergence of Babe Ruth that ballplayers became widely considered celebrity enough to ask for their signatures. Heck, it wasn't even until the late 1980's that people even cared about more than just the superstars in baseball - at least, that's when the boom really hit. You hear guys from the 70's say all the time how people just didn't collect all that much back when they played. Seems unreal to think of now.
Autograph collecting is an extremely old hobby but used to be reserved for actors, politicians, artists...people who found fame in those type of genres.