Super hobby assist- Mission accomplished!

[Scott Garner]

Many of you on net54 know that I collect no-hitter tickets. Currently I have tickets to 185 no-hitter games dating back to 1901.

One project that I have been working on for many years is to have the no-hit pitcher sign the ticket to their historic game. Through persistence and a little help from my friends I have been successful in getting 126 of them signed (127 different signatures overall).

The most recent one that I just got back is worth sharing the back story:

Montreal Expos starting pitcher Mark Gardner pitched a historic unusual no-hitter in 1991 against the hometown LA Dodgers. Gardner pitched 9 innings of no-hit ball before finally allowing 2 hits in the 10th inning. In 1991 MLB changed the rules surrounding what defines a no-hitter. Since Gardner did not win his no-hit game in 9 innings and eventually surrendered a hit in extras, this game would technically now be listed as an "unofficial" no-hitter.
I started collecting no-hit tickets in 1972, so I still continue to collect games like these because in the past they were considered to be no-hitters, but I digress...

Mark Gardner is currently a coach for the former World Champion SF Giants these days. Over the years I have sent several letters to Gardner asking if he would sign his "no-hit" ticket. I never received a response. Additionally, Gardner never seems to EVER do a paid signing like so many other former players. After 23 years I finally was successful at getting Gardner to sign my ticket, but not without a HUGE hobby assist by a No Cal collector named Steve Keeling that I never have actually ever met.

Over three years ago, I sold Scott Keeling something related to Barry Bonds or the SF Giants on eBay (at this point I don't even remember what it was- LOL).
When I sent the item to Scott, I sent along a handwritten note asking him what he collected since I may have had something else that he was looking for, and since I have accumulated a lot of stuff being a long- time collector like many of you. Scott actually contacted me and we talked about what both of us collected.

When I told him about my no-hit ticket collection I mentioned in passing that I was still looking for a way to get the Mark Gardner ticket signed. 3 years ago Scott took it upon himself to offer to make it a personal mission to get it signed at SF Giants spring training games, SF regular season games, etc. Remember, this is a guy that I've never even met.

We have exchanged several e-mails and phone calls over the last 3 years. Inevitably each conversation ended with the question : "Are you still up to the challenge of trying to get Mark Gardner's sig?" Every year, he basically said, "Don't worry, I will get him for you!"

2014 was my year. He attended some Giants games in AZ a couple of weeks ago and he finally did, in fact, get Gardner to sign my ticket and a Giants World Series ball that he needed for his own personal collection.

Here is a huge toast to Scott Keesling and reinforcing what is so cool about the collecting hobby. Networking like this is unbelievable. Thanks Scott!

BTW, Scott Keesling collects tickets to all Barry Bonds HR games. Out of 756 HR's, Scott is down to looking for only 40 or so tickets to complete this project.

I posted these ticket dates in the B/S/T today. Please look to see if you can help out a truly nice guy and terrific hobbiest!