last known autographs?

[milkit1]

I came across the old letters I had saved from when I requested an autograph and the player wrote something on my letter. In early 1989 I got Donald Honigs "Baseball in the 30's" book and started getting it signed. I ended up with 75 signatures most of which I got through the mail. Anyways, i stumbled across this letter from a friend of Lew Fonseca whom said that this may be his last autograph. I remember receiving it in the mail right after I heard he had passed away.

base 30s cover.jpg

base 30s fonseca.jpg

base 30s fonseca letter.jpg


This is two letters regarding Jack Russell. The first where Jack wrote that he would be happy to sign mu book and the second (from when I mailed the book) written by someone at the nursing home Jack was at. Its hard to tell on the scan but he started to sign the wrong photo and then the one he did sign is a lot sloppier then his usual signature (compare the book sig to the letter sig). He died the same week I rec'd this back
base 30s russel book.jpg

base 30s russel letter'.jpg


Slightly less somber one. I wrote to Lonny Frey asking if he would sign my book and I mailed him to items to sign, a 1934 Goudey and a 1933 Who's who in baseball page....Of Benny Frey! (I was 13). Thought the letter he wrote was kind of funny. When he signed my book he wrote me a long letter about how great he thought Pete Reiser was. Lonny Seemed like a real great guy

ok share your last autograph ever stories
base 30s frey letter'.jpg

base 30s frey book.jpg

[7nohitter]

These letters are fun to read! Great thread idea!

[johnmh71]

Great thread Sean. The 30's are my favorite decade for baseball. I think the stories behind the autographs make the book more valuable. Thanks for sharing.

[Scott Garner]

Red Murff was a pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and 1957.
He also happened to be the one pro scout that properly identified the genius of Nolan Ryan. Other scouts looked at him in high school, but it was Murff, while scouting for the Mets in 1964 and 1965, that said in his scouting report that Nolan Ryan had "the greatest arm that I've ever seen, bar none".

In 1999 I had the opportunity to meet at spend a fair amount of time with Red Murff. I loaned/donated about 83 different items to The Nolan Ryan Center (Ryan Museum) when they first opened in Alvin, Texas. I was asked to attend a pre-Grand Opening of the Ryan Center in April, 1999. While there, I first met Red Murff. He was an unbelievably humble and nice gentleman and we talked baseball and what it was like to scout a young teenage Nolan Ryan. He signed and inscribed a baseball for me, which says:

"I signed Nolan Ryan to his first pro contract in 1965".
I still have it and treasure it as I have been an advanced Ryan collector since he 1st came to the Angels in 1972.

I also connected with Murff at Ryan's 1999 HOF Induction at Cooperstown in July. From time to time, I checked in with Murff.

In 2008, I had a great friend of mine from Milwaukee send me a candid dugout shot of Murff and Bob Trowbridge from 1957. I sent it and a full ticket from Nolan Ryan's 300th win to Red Murff asking if he would be willing to sign them for me. Within a week I received an envelope back with a note from Red's daughter Sara that Red had contracted extreme Parkinsons and she sent back what I am quite certain were his last attempts at a signature.
Moments like these are extremely bittersweet, to say the least...
Red Murff passed away in 2008.

I also have included a picture of Red's great signature when his health was better and he was on his game.

RIP Red

[MacDice]

It is almost impossible to know if something signed is truly the last autograph ever. Non-baseball related, I remember a few years ago the album Signed by John Lennon for Mark Chapman was auctioned off. That would be an item that could be documented as a last autograph.

[milkit1]

my dad sent in to Donnie Moore before he killed himself and got a note about two months after from Moore's lawyer alng with the unsigned cards saying they were found on his nightstand. yikes

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by MacDice

It is almost impossible to know if something signed is truly the last autograph ever. Non-baseball related, I remember a few years ago the album Signed by John Lennon for Mark Chapman was auctioned off. That would be an item that could be documented as a last autograph.

No, that wasn't John's last autograph. The album was signed on his way to the recording studio. Just as he left the studio, he signed for one of the employees.

[MacDice]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

No, that wasn't John's last autograph. The album was signed on his way to the recording studio. Just as he left the studio, he signed for one of the employees.

Thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected. Personally, I would have a hard time purchasing that album with all the elements that is connected with it.

[clutch]

I started an All American Girls Professional Baseball Project about 3 years back. This was the funnest project I ever did. The items and letters I received back are priceless. Unfortunately a lot of these ladies are in advanced age. I received a lot of letters from family members saying they were ill and unable to sign. I also received some copies of obituaries back from some players I missed. I believe I got some that were among the last. I've included a few replies I got back. If you want to start a project like this, you better get to it because we are losing these wonderful ladies.

[JimStinson]

Not Baseball related but thought I'd share this anyway , Back in the 1980's I would write to various celebrities mostly sports and include two 3x5's and a SASE.
In mid November 1986 I sent a letter to Desi Arnaz. On December 2nd 1986 I heard on the news that he had passed away they Played alot of clips from "I Love Lucy" etc.
About two days later I was checking my mail and there in my mailbox is a letter with Arnaz name and return address and inside were the two signed 3x5index cards I sent to him

[HexsHeroes]

Many, many years ago I purchased a Nig Clarke signed GPC that was postmarked the day before he died. I always thought it had a chance of being among the last ones he signed. Then a year or so ago, I purchased another signed Nig Clarke GPC that happened to have been postmarked the day after he died. That realization was quite spooky. You just never know.

[clutch]

I also got this Dante Lavelli back in the mail. It came back with a memorial card. It also has "One of the last ones he autographed" written on the back.