Late july pickup...finally got this

[RICHIEHARRIS]

Several months ago, I had posted a WTB for 2 MLB managers autographs on flat items that would complete my collection from present day back to the early 1920s, approx. 550 signatures. One of the two was Marlins Manager Clayton McCullough, and I had pretty much lack of success, ironic in that I live only about 45 miles north from where the Marlins play. An attempt by mail was fruitless.
I kept trolling online but all that occasionally showed available would be a signed ball at a highly inflated price. But persistence finally paid off and the other day I found this one on eBay at a really great price.
I like displaying autographs that are on cuts or plain cards with a picture or a baseball, card of the individual; I have an 8x10 of McCullough that I had bought about a month or so ago that I was going to eventually use for another attempt at sending a mailed request and will display the signed card with that.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Does it bother you to find the need to add the modern scribbles due to the particulars of your collection? It did me, and that was 30 years ago, so I stopped with modern after any player who debuted post-2000.

[RICHIEHARRIS]

I know.
I started collecting back when I was about 12 years old, which was only a little over 60 years ago. Apparently over a period of 60 years, players became unable to fully write their name out when signing.
Unfortunately, my collection is based on one theme, MLB Managers autographs. I never factored in the prerequisite as to their penmanship or whether they could spell out each letter or not.
Also, back when I started, players didn't charge either. I guess it's an understatement if I say 'times have changed'.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Believe me, I completely understand that you have to fill that void, even when it's something illegible. It's part of the theme, and part of the collector mentality of "needing" things, even if and when they may repulse you, just in your attempt to complete a project. I finally moved past that by allowing myself to alter my project. Collectors have to always keep in mind that they make the rules. They are the rulers of their happy little hobby realms. Don't let your project run you. You're the boss. But if it doesn't bother you, that's even better!

If you want to put together a 1974 Topps set consisting of one Richie Schienblum card, there is no actual rule that says you can't proclaim your set complete! If, in your own mind, that set consists solely of Richie Scheinblum, then so be it! More power to you. Laugh and move on to the next thing.

Personally, I wasn't having any fun in collecting (let alone spending money on) these things that looked like they were drawn in a fit of rage by Koko the monkey. Sometime around 1996, I think, I said to myself, "Enough. I will stick with this nonsense until the year 2000, just for the sake of ending it on a very important-sounding year.". I did, and it was incredibly freeing. But those few years from when the decision was made until I could finally quit were a painful slog. There were so many times where I was adding pieces to the collection where I really wished I could just use them as toilet paper, but that would have been an insult to toilet paper.