Collecting Autographs in the good old days

[cdn_collector]

This isn't nearly the same, but back in 1992 [I was 12], myself and some friends mailed a letter to Kelly Gruber asking him to autograph 5 cards for us [one for each of us; 2 for the guy for whom Gruber was his favourite player]. We mailed them to the Toronto Blue Jays corporate office, and shortly after we did he was traded to California.

A few months went by and they never came back, so we started to give up hope. In August of '93, my family moved so I was sure that was the end of that experiment.

The one day in early 1994, a letter shows up at the new house addressed to me [old address, but mail forwarding hadn't quite run out yet] from Kelly Gruber's home address. In it? All five cards, completely unharmed and autographed.

I realize that is apples to oranges, comparing with the likes of Cobb, Robinson, Aaron, Snider, etc., but I was always impressed by the fact that after all that time -- and no longer even in the majors -- Gruber took the time to respond.


Regards,

Richard.