Toughest signed cards possible

[stewbacca]

I am working on getting the 1976 topps set signed by everyone and besides Mike Miley passing in January of 77, Danny Thompson and Danny Murtaugh also passed in Jan of 1977. There is a 76 Miley on eBay for an unreal amount,a few Thompsons that all look different and I did see a Pirates TC signed by Murtaugh that went for over $250. Also, Mike Marshall and Andy Messersmith don't like to sign at all so their cards can run $100-$200.

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . I will throw out there that the 1966 Topps signed Chuck Dressen card is a bear to locate, even though he did not pass away until August 1966. A second heart attack earlier in the season curtailed his strength, as well as his availability.

[912Shooter]

Since its' okay to cover other sports, I can throw out the near Holy Grail of signed MLS cards. From the 1999 Upper Deck MLS set, Jefferson Gottardi. He is pictured as a member of the Tampa Bay Mutiny, he was only with the club for a portion of the season and I think just made over ten actual appearances in the US. Injury problems kept him out a lot in Tampa. The MLS card set came out mid to late in the season, I was doing in-person auto collecting in the Tampa Bay area and he was long gone from the club by the time the cards came out.

He played sporadically a couple more seasons for South American clubs and then tragically developed ALS at a very young age and passed away (with medical treatment in Cuba, not exactly an easy place to have caught up with him either). I have never met anyone working on that set with a signed card from him. I recall one on Ebay going for a wild sum and it wasn't a particularly pretty signature.

[Stanesq]

I believe the card came out on Thursday and Daryl Kile was found dead on Saturday morning.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Stanesq

I believe the card came out on Thursday and Daryl Kile was found dead on Saturday morning.

WOW! Not quite that short of a window, the card was out about 2 weeks, but that's really splitting hairs in the grand scheme of things. That's a really tough one!

[Stanesq]

Originally Posted by dgo71

WOW! Not quite that short of a window, the card was out about 2 weeks, but that's really splitting hairs in the grand scheme of things. That's a really tough one!

Ive always wondered what the exact release date was of the 2002 Topps Total set. I was told it was two days before he died but if its two weeks that gives more hope.

[Stanesq]

Dont see many Tim Horton cards around

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Stanesq

Ive always wondered what the exact release date was of the 2002 Topps Total set. I was told it was two days before he died but if its two weeks that gives more hope.

Well, not a LOT more hope, but hope nonetheless.

An additional problem concerning finding that card signed is that Kile had literally hundreds of other cards out at the time, so the chances of someone having that particular card and selecting it over another are remote. You have to feel like anyone who chose that card to get signed was doing so for a very specific reason (i.e., decided to work the set immediately when it came out, Cardinals fan, etc.) which reduces the chances of it hitting the open market. I'd be shocked if the number of signed copies of that card was even in double digits.

EDIT: Seems the window was exactly one week. This site says 6/15 was the release date:
http://www.thecardkid.com/bb02tppstotalrtl-36p.html
Kile passed away on 6/22.

[mrmopar]

Leigh Neuage is one that has to be pretty tough. He had one card that I am aware of, a 2003 Bowman card. Neuage died Aug 16, 2003. He never made the majors and was originally from Australia. Not sure if he signed much or not. I hope this is real, but really have no way to know for sure. I bought it from a guy who had a ton of common minor league caliber players and/or minor league cards. it is feasible that this guy got cards signed at his local minor league affiliate, grabbing anyone and everyone who passed through his area. Not sure when bowman normally releases. I probably could have researched this, but didn't want to risk losing this one to someone else when it was listed. The price was worth the risk of it being fake, so I went for it.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by mr2686

I think the 1964 Topps Giants Clemente and Farrell are pretty tough to find signed.

I don't recall where I got my Farrell. I got my Clemente in a Tony Carrifal(from PA) auction although I doubt it's authenticity. Unfortunatly sold the set 20 years ago. Building that was the most fun I've had in the hobby. Dick Stuart was the toughest for me and he was alive!

Originally Posted by stewbacca

Also, Mike Marshall and Andy Messersmith don't like to sign at all so their cards can run $100-$200.

Mike Marshall is doing a Chris Potter signing early next year for those that really need him.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Gmrson

I don't recall where I got my Farrell. I got my Clemente in a Tony Carrifal(from PA) auction although I doubt it's authenticity. Unfortunatly sold the set 20 years ago. Building that was the most fun I've had in the hobby. Dick Stuart was the toughest for me and he was alive!




Mike Marshall is doing a Chris Potter signing early next year for those that really need him.

It's odd to me that Dick Stuart was a tough autograph...he really enjoyed the spotlight and fame.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

It's odd to me that Dick Stuart was a tough autograph...he really enjoyed the spotlight and fame.

He disappeared for a long time. I had heard he was a little bitter about the whole "Dr. Strangeglove" comments and getting an ovation for picking up a hot dog wrapper one time. My first one had thumbprints and was a little smeared. I got it at the '89 National thanks to word of mouth from friends of friends. The story that went along with it was he did a show and showed up drunk, signed for about 10 minutes and left. He was non-existent and by sheer luck the same friend that help me get it was getting Reggie Jackson's autograph at a National Sporting Goods Association show in Atlanta and Dick Stuart walked up and Reggie seemed star-struck meeting the man that held the minor-league season home run record! My friend got a business card and I sent a couple '64 Giants, both returned personalized to me. He did one or two shows after that that I can remember. Part of the toughness of the card signed could be that it is an SP and a popular set? I don't really know if any of his other cards are tough signed.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Gmrson

He disappeared for a long time. I had heard he was a little bitter about the whole "Dr. Strangeglove" comments and getting an ovation for picking up a hot dog wrapper one time. My first one had thumbprints and was a little smeared. I got it at the '89 National thanks to word of mouth from friends of friends. The story that went along with it was he did a show and showed up drunk, signed for about 10 minutes and left. He was non-existent and by sheer luck the same friend that help me get it was getting Reggie Jackson's autograph at a National Sporting Goods Association show in Atlanta and Dick Stuart walked up and Reggie seemed star-struck meeting the man that held the minor-league season home run record! My friend got a business card and I sent a couple '64 Giants, both returned personalized to me. He did one or two shows after that that I can remember. Part of the toughness of the card signed could be that it is an SP and a popular set? I don't really know if any of his other cards are tough signed.

I don't think he was bitter about "Dr Strangeglove" and from some of the stories that I've read he spread the story about the hot dog wrapper himself...When he was in Lincoln he was so disinterested in playing defense that he would go out in the outfield and have his glove stuck under his armpit while he shelled peanuts....he also at times would barely move for a fly ball and if he let it go he would blame the center fielder for not going after it...the manager Larry Shepard got angry at him and moved him to first base so he would have to stay alert.

I know I'm biased, but he's such an interesting character that I'm surprised nobody has written a book about him yet.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I don't think he was bitter about "Dr Strangeglove" and from some of the stories that I've read he spread the story about the hot dog wrapper himself...When he was in Lincoln he was so disinterested in playing defense that he would go out in the outfield and have his glove stuck under his armpit while he shelled peanuts....he also at times would barely move for a fly ball and if he let it go he would blame the center fielder for not going after it...the manager Larry Shepard got angry at him and moved him to first base so he would have to stay alert.

I know I'm biased, but he's such an interesting character that I'm surprised nobody has written a book about him yet.

Thanks for the insight! All I had were collector stories, which we know can come from nowhere! It would be nice if someone wrote a book while some of his teammates are still with us.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Gmrson

Thanks for the insight! All I had were collector stories, which we know can come from nowhere! It would be nice if someone wrote a book while some of his teammates are still with us.

I recently acquired a bunch of Chiefs game used bats from the batboy in 1956...I asked him about Stuart and he didn't have much to say other than he was quiet and hit a lot of home runs.