Sports Illustrated?

[Topps206]

I'm now at 127 total, with Charlie O'Brien having signed his cover. I know I'll still have to get John Cangelosi, but I count it towards my total. I was the very first one in line for him at the St. Louis show yesterday. He started signing a little early, maybe around 10:56 local time, when he was scheduled at 11:00.

I also got Mike Moore on his 1987 Topps, see the 1987 Topps thread and since St. Louis usually has inexpensive guests, I decided to add Bob Shirley to his 1983 Topps, having previously gotten him by mail on his 1987 and I believe also his 1985 card.

[Topps206]

I usually don't spend this much on a single show, but I went to the Music City Collectibles Show in Nashville/Franklin yesterday, and decided to get seven SIs signed and, being a huge WCW/pro wrestling when I was a kid, was craving a Funko pop and decided to get Lex Luger. I think that'll be my one and only Funko signed, as I like my SIs better.

I've now gotten Canseco on both of his solo covers, but I like his 1988 signed cover better, both the cover and the autograph, which turned out better than this one. However, he added the 40/40 inscription absolutely free without me asking.

Albert Haynesworth at $40 was a bargain for me, like Andy Katzenmoyer in April at $25. Both of them I've seen their signed SI covers listed at more than $100 online.

Larry Johnson, it was nice to get his SI cover signed.

Rollie Fingers appeared on a group cover in 1974 with the World Series. Here's his solo cover from 1981, and I paid the $10 to get the Hall of Fame inscription. I'd say that's a top five favorite in my collection.

Steve Garvey was on a few, including the 1974 cover with Fingers, but I tend to prefer solo covers over group covers. If I can get newsstand covers signed, like Fingers and Haynesworth, I did for Garvey. I also really like his 1982 cover, but this 1983 newsstand cover with the Padres had a cheaper price on eBay, plus it's not often I get autographs in gold paint pen. Hopefully, I can add his other covers, especially the 1982 one, at some point. But I'd put Garvey in my top 10 of favorite covers signed.

Lenny Dykstra, like Lex Luger, grips a sharpie differently these days. I know he had a stroke earlier his year.

Johnny Bench was priced at a whopping $129, and it's only the second time I've ever paid north of $100 for a single autograph, but I decided to give in because I got Will McEnaney to sign the cover at the 2023 November Cincinnati show, plus Bench will soon be 77 and you just never know. I would like to get Bench's solo SI covers signed at some point, hopefully at a lower price. But I decided to do it to complete the cover and wouldn't have paid the price for any of his other covers or if I didn't get McEnaney first.

I also have made a connection with fellow Net54 member Huck, who sent me an SI to get signed for him, which I did. I'll mail it back to him sometime this week when I'm not so busy with my job. I won't share details or pictures, as I think that's more of his place to do than it is mine.

[Bigdaddy]

The Garvey cover turned out really nice signed in gold.

I'm hoping to hit the CSA show in Oct - lots of signers there on covers. Just a matter of how much you want to spend.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

The Garvey cover turned out really nice signed in gold.

I'm hoping to hit the CSA show in Oct - lots of signers there on covers. Just a matter of how much you want to spend.

I deliberated silver or gold, my girlfriend thought the latter would be better, but you're right, I like how it turned out.

Bench was my favorite of the day, followed by Fingers, then Garvey getting the bronze.

I saw that not that long ago. Since I'm not close to Virginia, I won't be getting anything from there. Thankfully, I saved some money by getting Dominque Wilkins for free at Crossover in Indy in February, and it's easily top 5 for me, maybe top 3. I've had it as high as top 2 among my favorites in my collection.

I'd definitely get Gooden, possibly Rypien, Trammell, Sampson and Drexler/Olajuwon, if I did go. I've got Larry Brown's SI cover signed in addition to Dominique's.

My next concentration is on the Chicago November show, but I've still got the high of the Nashville show this weekend. It was one of my favorite shows as a collector overall and is right up there with Crossover in February among my favorite shows as an SI collector. I still smile looking back on Crossover.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Topps206

I also have made a connection with fellow Net54 member Huck, who sent me an SI to get signed for him, which I did. I won't share details or pictures, as I think that's more of his place to do than it is mine.

Feel free to post the LaRussa cover! I appreciate the fact that you were willing to get the cover signed for me. Hopefully, in the future I can return the favor.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Huck

Feel free to post the LaRussa cover! I appreciate the fact that you were willing to get the cover signed for me. Hopefully, in the future I can return the favor.

As you wish.

Tony turns 80 on Friday, and I wished him a Happy Early Birthday, which he thanked me for. He was wearing his rings, and I hope I'm not making a mistake in passing on him for this show, something that's also on my mind after we lost Pete Rose (R.I.P.), but I liked other covers and other autographs better. I hope the opportunity for him will come again and I can jump on it. He said he was actually embarrassed in being called the Mastermind by SI.

I'm happy to have helped you out and hope to help out other fellow collectors in the future, including you again.

[Huck]

Just received the following two covers from the Philly Show. Brad Lidge added to both covers. I might add Brad Ausmus and perhaps umpire Jeff Nelson.

[Topps206]

I had my birthday yesterday, and I'm proud to add these two to my collection:

[Topps206]

I went with my girlfriend last night to downtown Nashville, saw Chuck Foreman was going to be there signing. I just happened to purchase his cover 2-3 months ago off eBay in hopes I'd maybe visit Minnesota someday and see him there. For some reason, he came to Nashville to a couple of restaurants in a rally for the Vikings, who were playing the Titans today, and won.

I didn't realize until yesterday how poor condition the SI I ordered was. I tried tending to some bends/tears and a slight tear happened when trying to put the SI back in the toploader, paid $20 for the autograph.

I've got mixed feelings, because I don't like the condition, obviously, but I do like the autograph, and I do like the cover. I'm happy overall about it, though.