Post pictures of the most illegible baseball autographs from 1990 and earlier

[Scott Garner]

Who had the most illegible baseball autograph from 1990 and earlier?
Post your top picks here.

One that I certainly think fits this description is Ryne Sandberg. Great guy, crappy signature...

I got Ryno to sign a ball back in 1990 or 1991. When he finished signing it and handed the ball back to me, I couldn't believe that that was his signature. I don't believe at any point before that, I ever had received an autograph from a baseball player that was literally illegible. To this day, when I look at it, I still don't know how you ever get "Ryne Sandberg" out of a sloppy "R", hump, hump, hump, sloppy "S", hump, hump, hump, loop.

Looking back, this was a watershed moment. Maybe, Ryno was a "trendsetter", or maybe "The Godfather" of all crappy signatures??

Just a thought:

I'm curious, what other first tier players, say 1990 and before, do you recall having notoriously illegible signatures?

It might be fun to post pictures of some of the worst. Current players should be excluded because this thread may never end....

[MooseDog]

I wish I still had it, but I got Sandberg on a 3x5 in spring training in 1982 and you could read every letter.

[Ejm1]

I paid at a tri-star show about 8 years ago to meet him and get his auto. It looks just like the ball in post #1, I like him but maybe since your being paid give a little more effort.

[isaac2004]

Some people might hate me for saying this, but Willie Mays autograph always bothered me. If you didn't know what it looked like, you would have no idea who it was. Just my 2 cents

[benderbroeth]

yeah willie mays needs help lol

[packs]

Here are some beauties.

First we have good old Joel Zumaya. Remember him?



Next is the illustrious JD Drew. A real artiste.




Last, my personal favorite. Here is Manny Ramirez.




Bonus Greg Maddux. For all the grace he showed on the mound none of it translated to his handwriting. Looks like Terry Terry to me.

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

I wish I still had it, but I got Sandberg on a 3x5 in spring training in 1982 and you could read every letter.

The early Sandberg autos differ so much from what he is signing now it is almost hard to tell it is the same guy signing. Even his "relaxed" signature looks like a rushed version. As you said, his early sig you could read every letter.

As a side note, if you see an early Sandberg you might want to be wary as a few of the marketing guys for the Cubs at that time (1982 to 88 or so) were very adept at signing Sandberg's name. I saw them with my own eyes signing 8 X 10's and baseballs to give to clients and others. Their versions of a Sandberg sig were dead on to my untrained eye at that time.

[frankbmd]

Hint.......born in Cuba

[TyrusRCobb]

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by TyrusRCobb

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

If it's a no-hit pitcher, I still collect it even though the modern guys ain't pretty...

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by TyrusRCobb

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

Personally I all but stopped picking up new autographs after about 1995 as the scribbles are a joke. If the A's end up moving I'll probably do my long put off "A's in Oakland" autograph project and have to bite the bullet, I guess.

[mschwade]

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

[TyrusRCobb]

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

I haven't a clue but I like the looks of it.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

Wow! This is another "unusual" one. Is it written in Swahili?

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

Looks like it has some Picasso in there at the end.

[mschwade]

That is an in-person autograph from over the weekend that my buddy got at Yankee Stadium from Tampa Bay Rays 1B/DH Carlos Pena.

[danielsheaffer]

anybody know who this may be??unknown baseball.jpg

[earlywynnfan]

That's Jeff Bagwell, he's not as bad as some.

Ken

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

That's Jeff Bagwell, he's not as bad as some.

Ken

Ken is correct- Jeff Bagwell.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

That's Jeff Bagwell, he's not as bad as some.

Ken

+1 not nearly as bad. His rookie sigs were very legible

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by HOF Auto Rookies

+1 not nearly as bad. His rookie sigs were very legible

I knew who it was and to be honest I'd never seen his signature before.

[Cfern023]

Here's one of mine, not exactly one from the 80's but comparing them to each other and it's laughable, my favorite player or not. It's a shame.

The top one if my bat, the bottom is a random google image.

[bnuts70]

I have several signed baseballs that I simply cannot make out. I was hoping that you folks might lend a hand.

Thanks

TB

[Bigdaddy]

Not baseball, but def pre 1990. This one is the Steelers Jim Smith. Looks like he was trying to get the pen to write.

[jcmtiger]

This is what an autograph should look like.

[jcmtiger]

Never figured this one out. Some on net54 thought 2 different signatures.

[bjerome]

I purchased this Piazza rookie era signature several months back. Looks spot on to your bat.

[packs]

Another rookie Piazza for comparison. I no longer own this photo but it's probably one of the earliest of him: