One gentleman that hasn't been mentioned is Harold Esch. Mr. Esch started collecting in the late 1920's and continued into the next millennium! That's undoubtedly a record that will stand for years to come. A Florida resident, Mr. Esch spent many seasons obtaining signed 3X5s in-person during spring training. He would date each 3X5 at the time it was signed, offering a very unique collection once it was dispersed 10-12 years ago. He also obtained signatures by other means, but those in-person examples have certainly aided further understanding in the chronological evolution of many players' autographs. I've been fortunate to own many pieces of his collection, and lots more can be found in the marketplace today.
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