...when you could still read their name

[Runscott]

disclaimer: this isn't a 'beautiful early autographs' thread

Post 'before and after' autograph pics of players whose autographs changed.

Here's an oddity - Mike Schmidt's 1973 autograph, and his 'modern' one. His might have actually gotten better (the first one is real, as I got it in person, the second one - I have no idea )

[Runscott]

I posted a very similar thread about a year ago, with the same results.

I have to wonder (please PM me if you have the answer and don't feel comfortable posting publicly)....am I treading on territory that is politically hazardous for board members to respond to?

[MooseDog]

Guy buys a signed Gary Gaetti card from me that I got in person (looks like the 87 Topps below, then says "this is a forgery, I know Gary and he didn't sign this".

I emailed him back and said fine, no problem, but I think his signature changed for some reason and sent him a scan of a certified insert card I found online.

Guy emails me back and says "OK, I talked to Gary and he did change it".

Still don't know why...

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

Guy buys a signed Gary Gaetti card from me that I got in person (looks like the 87 Topps below, then says "this is a forgery, I know Gary and he didn't sign this".

I emailed him back and said fine, no problem, but I think his signature changed for some reason and sent him a scan of a certified insert card I found online.

Guy emails me back and says "OK, I talked to Gary and he did change it".

Still don't know why...

More interesting question is if you have Gary Gaetti on speed dial, why are you trying to buy signed cards of his online?

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

More interesting question is if you have Gary Gaetti on speed dial, why are you trying to buy signed cards of his online?

I don't think the guy was trying to buy the card - he was just flaming the seller.

But this sheds light on why no one's posting - too much controversy over autographs that have changed over the years. I was hoping someone would post an early Mantle, but those who own them are probably afraid they might be forgeries. Just guessing.

[isaac2004]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I don't think the guy was trying to buy the card - he was just flaming the seller.

But this sheds light on why no one's posting - too much controversy over autographs that have changed over the years. I was hoping someone would post an early Mantle, but those who own them are probably afraid they might be forgeries. Just guessing.

But he bought it, and demanded a refund after. Seems like a lot of work to trash a seller.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I don't think the guy was trying to buy the card - he was just flaming the seller.

But this sheds light on why no one's posting - too much controversy over autographs that have changed over the years. I was hoping someone would post an early Mantle, but those who own them are probably afraid they might be forgeries. Just guessing.

Early Mantle's -1956,1951,1952

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

More interesting question is if you have Gary Gaetti on speed dial, why are you trying to buy signed cards of his online?

LOL those were my thoughts, exactly!

[sylbry]

The story as told to me is that around 1988 Gary found religion, changed his hard attitude/partying ways, and changed his signature as well. If you ask him to sign with his old signature he will. Or at least he did a few years back.

Like Schmidt, Kirby Puckett's signature became better looking with time as well.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

More interesting question is if you have Gary Gaetti on speed dial, why are you trying to buy signed cards of his online?

+100 LOL

[MacDice]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

More interesting question is if you have Gary Gaetti on speed dial, why are you trying to buy signed cards of his online?

Maybe because as a friend he felt awkward asking him for an autograph. Players have so many people the try to "leach" off of them that he does not want to appear that the friendship is just based upon the fact that he is a former baseball player. I have purchased autograph items on eBay myself rather than asking a friend to sign something.

[slidekellyslide]

I know this is not baseball related, but I had just wondered about this last week when at the antique show I was scrounging through an antique dealers ephemera box and found a Deanna Durbin autograph for $3.50...a little card is attached to it that says it was acquired in the 1940s at the State Theatre in Cleveland. I looked at Ebay to compare the sigs and it looks nothing like what she signs now. When I bought it I didn't even think she was still alive, but she's still around. Would someone fake her autograph? Anyone know what her sig looked like 70 years ago?

edited to add: If you look at this link it appears her autograph has changed so many times that I'm not sure it would be possible to authenticate it.

http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/...bin-autographs

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

Guy buys a signed Gary Gaetti card from me that I got in person (looks like the 87 Topps below, then says "this is a forgery, I know Gary and he didn't sign this".

I emailed him back and said fine, no problem, but I think his signature changed for some reason and sent him a scan of a certified insert card I found online.

Guy emails me back and says "OK, I talked to Gary and he did change it".

Still don't know why...

He changed his signature, probably because someone told him, no one recognizes this signature.

Just saw an interview with Arnold Palmer, last week at his tournament. His Grandson, I think it's his grandson was signing autographs when he joined the golf tour. Arnie says "Why are you signing something no one can read or know who signed?" With that, Sam his grandson starting signing his signature so that you can actually see who signed.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

Joe

[deadballfreaK]

Think about your own signature. In my 20s and 30s it was pretty precise and legible. Over time mine has morphed a bit. Now I'm 58 and it's lazy and sloppy. I generally leave off the last letter of my first name and the last two letters of the last name. Replaced with a kind of lazy slash. I also can remember a few times when I was so drunk or hungover that it was surprising the bank even cleared my check!

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by deadballfreaK

Think about your own signature. In my 20s and 30s it was pretty precise and legible. Over time mine has morphed a bit. Now I'm 58 and it's lazy and sloppy. I generally leave off the last letter of my first name and the last two letters of the last name. Replaced with a kind of lazy slash. I also can remember a few times when I was so drunk or hungover that it was surprising the bank even cleared my check!

You think that's something - check out this signature from singer Belinda Carlisle! And this is a check, a legal document - not a quick scribble hastily done for a fan.


(Personal information deleted from image for security purposes.)