Autographs- Do you collect? Do your care?

[perezfan]

And...

Would you stop collecting Cards, just because there are reprints and altered/trimmed cards circulating out there?

Would you stop collecting early posters, ad signs and broadsides, just because some clown from Ohio tries to reproduce and profit from them?

Would an art collector stop collecting original art, because there are fakes and reproductions passed off as authentic?

Would you stop wearing your Rolex because they sell so many fake ones in Tijuana?

Of course not! As long as you know your stuff, it's just as rewarding to collect autographs as anything else. If it's not your "cup of tea", so be it... But you shouldn't stop collecting just because some idiots out there are producing bogus items.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by perezfan

And...

Would you stop collecting Cards, just because there are reprints and altered/trimmed cards circulating out there?

Would you stop collecting early posters, ad signs and broadsides, just because some clown from Ohio tries to reproduce and profit from them?

Would an art collector stop collecting original art, because there are fakes and reproductions passed off as authentic?

Would you stop wearing your Rolex because they sell so many fake ones in Tijuana?

Of course not! As long as you know your stuff, it's just as rewarding to collect autographs as anything else. If it's not your "cup of tea", so be it... But you shouldn't stop collecting just because some idiots out there are producing bogus items.

I would never let anyone or anything influence me to stop doing anything. Just a personal decision on my part.

[bbcard1]

I don't really collect autos, but I do have two projects I enjoy. I have a negro league bat that is pretty much full...it's just as well as there are few of those guys still around. I also have a Baseball Encylopedia with more than 180 signatures across the appropriate entry.

[Scott Garner]

No doubt, I have always been an autograph hawk (stalker). I primarily have collected baseball players that I liked through the years, and each has a great story that accompanies it. Too many of these to list here. Nolan Ryan and Cal Ripken were great signers and always personable. Albert "don't call me Joey" Belle was the all-time biggest tool without a doubt! That's a story that isn't fit to print.

BTW, I've also been fortunate to have gotten the autograph of quite a few of my favorite golfers (Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Corey Pavin, Johnny Miller, Tiger Woods, Bruce Lietzke, Ricky Fowler (current young gun on the PGA), Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, etc.). I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I did enjoy the LA Lakers for many years. I managed to catch Jerry West, Magic Johnson and James Worthy one-on-one and each were nice enough to sign for me. Magic Johnson was one of my favorite autograph experiences of all time. Julius Erving was another awesome experience.

These days my major autograph pursuit is trying to get the signature of every pitcher that ever threw a perfect game since 1893 (the year that they moved the mound distance to the modern standard of 60' 6"). I have personally gotten the signature of about 106 living no-hit pitchers. Additionally, I own the sig of another 140 that are no longer alive. Several of these I got in person. In order to complete my goal I still am looking for about 18 more early names. It's a brutally hard challenge, but I love it.

Collect what you like!

[bbcard1]

I had a guy in his early 20s who used to work with me who was fearless. He had a couple of monster boxes full of cards. He was about 6 foot 3 and had an athletic build and he used to take his card stuff in a bat bag and walk into minor league clubhouses posing as a player. Rarely got busted...really worked it in an organized and systematic way. Was just as glad to get autos from single A players as major leaguers.

[ksfarmboy]

Mickey Mantle ruined it for me when I was a kid. Most of the ones I have were personally obtained at shows in the late 70's, early 80's. The others I have are ones that nobody would fake like local minor league ones. Now there are so many fakes and I don't know or care to learn the difference between real and fake. I have no problem with collecting them they are just not for me. As the previous poster said the ones I got at shows take me back to when my dad and I used to go. The memory means more than the auto.

[margoaepi]

I am an autograph collector and I enjoy it more than cards because I like the idea that the player has had some connection with the item. I understand its not for everyone, and I am still learning, but I truly enjoy it.

To Tim, if you "have always looked at these people as equals, not some God-Like figure who is any better than me or anyone else, so I have never really gotten the obscession that people have with autographs of famous people/athletes", then isn't it a little weird for you to want the likeness on cardboard? I'm just saying . . .

(I see that I am echoing David's point, but I still think its a fair question)

[Tim Kindler]

David, Perezfan, and Josh,
Points well taken. Let me say again that when I posed my question: Do You Collect Autographs and Why? I clearly stated at the end I was curious to hear everyone's thoughts. I wasn't implying that if you collect autographs that there is something wrong with it and you are crazy idolizing someone like a teenage girl at a Justin Beiber concert, I just wondered why people collect them. My comment on "Godlike" status of those in which we collect autographs from, probably wasn't clearly stated by me, and I don't know if I can clearly state it at all, but what I'm trying to say is that when SOME (NOT ALL) autograph collectors clamour and pay hundreds of dollars to get someone's autograph, you can't tell me that these people feel like they have a status that is above the person seeking the autograph. Now I do get that when we buy a card, jersey, etc, of say A-ROD or somebody, I guess we are essentially doing the same thing....like I said point well taken.
There is one difference in cards as related to autographs and that is that there aren't nearly the amount of fake/fraudulant cards out there as there are fake/fraudulant autographs and the ones that are are certainly more easily detected than bad autographs and fake letters of authenticities.

Good topic to debate on and again, I'm just curious on peoples' thoughts; not criticizing any of us on what we collect and I'm especially not criticizing anyone who collects autographs, I have a few from my childhood.

Tim

[Jay Wolt]

I collect signed checks be it personal or business to me they are
a bit safer, authenticity wise then buying a file card or a photo.

Here are a couple of Catfish Hunter Yankees & A's payroll checks
both endorsed on the back by Catfish.

[JimH5]

I collect autographs because they are a personal connection to the person who signed it. Plus, each one is unique to itself, they display beautifully with a photo, and often are artistic on their own.

There's always a risk that I'm buying something that isn't authentic, but if I buy from trusted dealers within the hobby, and if I maintain a basic knowledge of what something is supposed to look like, that's enough for me.

I collected gum cards when I was a kid, and I still enjoy them, but the value of specific cards is usually only appreciated by other collectors. I can show off an autograph to a friend or someone in my family and they get a kick out of seeing something signed by Cobb vs. seeing something made by a card company.

[steve B]

I only have a few, but not just baseball. I've sold off some of the ones that didn't mean much to me, mostly stuff I bought rather than got in person.

Others I have are ones I've run across in odd ways. While those could be fake, I'd be very surprised if they were.
Johnny Most - 3x5 ish card from a live radio appearance
Happy Rockefeller - Postcard to a friend while honeymooning.
Bob Cousy - faded sig on a very worn black and white 8x10 Not basketball, but some sports club portrait.

None of those cost much at all, I think the Cousy was the most expensive at $2-3

A few authors I like sell signed first editions directly, and for almost nothing above the price of the book. (What's the rarest Terry Pratchett book? An unsigned first edition! Joke from a fan site..)

One of the most fun after Brooks Robinson And Bob Feller was Neil Gaiman. My sister was really into his sandman series of comics and he was doing a signing at a comic shop local to me. About a 2 hour line, and he stayed later than advertised to take care of everyone who was in line at the "closing time" I got the new graphic novel for her, and a comic for me. For the books he was doing personalisations and a quick sketch of a character. When I told him her name for the personlisation he gave me an odd look and said I didn't look like I matched the name. So I explained that I was getting it for her since she lived 3 hours away. He seemed a bit surprised that I'd spent 2 hours waiting to get the book signed for someone else. Especially since I was only a casual reader. It must have actually been odd, since I got a sketch on the comic, something he hadn't done for anyone else even on request. (One guy pressed the issue and was told to be a bit less cheap! )

Steve B

[Jewish-collector]

I am a huge collector of Jewish Sports memorabilia, particularly correspondences, letters & autographs. Over the last dozen or so years, I have written to many former Jewish athletes, not only from the major sports, but particularly from the minor sports like fencing, track & field, rowing, etc,… where a lot of the older athletes were Jewish. When I wrote to them, I wouldn’t so much ask them about their athletic achievements, but rather more of their “Jewishness”. My questions asked things like “how observant were you”, “what was it like being a Jewish athlete at that time”, “had you experienced any anti-semitism”, etc,… Some of the letters from these former athletes are very interesting and I'd like to send copies to some of the Jewish museums and Jewish Sports HOFs.

How I got started: Back in the mid-1990’s, I received a gift-certificate from one of the book stores. I decided to use the gift certificate on the book, When Boxing was a Jewish Sport”. It was a fascinating history of Jewish boxers in the 1920’s thru 1940’s. After I read it, I decided to research & acquire autographs from some of the guys depicted in the book, who were still alive. Then, from there, (and I’m not sure how/why it happened) but I ended up interested in Jewish athletes from all sports, the major sports like baseball and football to the lesser popular sports like golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, swimming, etc,… I have since slowed down with the hobby over the last few years, though. It was getting too time consuming and too expensive with stamps.

Alan

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Tim Kindler

There is one difference in cards as related to autographs and that is that there aren't nearly the amount of fake/fraudulant cards out there as there are fake/fraudulant autographs and the ones that are are certainly more easily detected than bad autographs and fake letters of authenticities.[emphasis added]

Really?

[Tim Kindler]

The only basis I have to say that is that the FBI says that 90% of autographs out there are fake. So, if people are being fooled 90% of the time, then they must be harder to detect. Look I'm not claiming to be an expert, just basing my comment on that stat. But I've been wrong before.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Tim Kindler

The only basis I have to say that is that the FBI says that 90% of autographs out there are fake. So, if people are being fooled 90% of the time, then they must be harder to detect. Look I'm not claiming to be an expert, just basing my comment on that stat. But I've been wrong before.

And you're wrong again.

[Tim Kindler]

David,
Are you saying Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

Seriously, debating on this board in a good spirited manner can be fun and informational. I started this thread just to pick the peoples' minds of those who collect autographs since I'm one who doesn't. Unfortunately for any of us collectors, it can be a scary thing at times with so much garbage, and horrible, dishonest people willing to sell their souls to make a buck.

Anyway, happy collecting everbody and keep pursuing your passions.
Tim

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Really?

You don't think there are more fake autos on eBay at this moment than there are fake cards? What percentage of autos do you guess are forged?

I've personally never seen, or even heard of, completely fake cards of the players I collect (pre-1970 Minnesota Twins, primarily Killebrew, primarily Topps, primarily slabbed). Wait, I take that back - I think I've seen one (a faked Bazooka card). But I've seen what I think are fake autos for just about any of them. For that matter, it seems there are fakes out there of just about any player that's ever played.

As others have stated, if I need to spend some inordinate amount of time educating myself on whether an autograph of Rob Wilfong or Dave Boswell or Cesar Tovar is real or not, then it's not the hobby for me. I have too many other hobbies that I enjoy that are much less work.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Karl Mattson

You don't think there are more fake autos on eBay at this moment than there are fake cards? What percentage of autos do you guess are forged?

I've personally never seen, or even heard of, completely fake cards of the players I collect (pre-1970 Minnesota Twins, primarily Killebrew, primarily Topps, primarily slabbed). Wait, I take that back - I think I've seen one (a faked Bazooka card). But I've seen what I think are fake autos for just about any of them. For that matter, it seems there are fakes out there of just about any player that's ever played.

As others have stated, if I need to spend some inordinate amount of time educating myself on whether an autograph of Rob Wilfong or Dave Boswell or Cesar Tovar is real or not, then it's not the hobby for me. I have too many other hobbies that I enjoy that are much less work.

Who cares whether a Dave Boswell signature is forged? Get one in person. I'm talking about vintage material--Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Wagner, Young,... The vast majority of those forgeries are quite easily detected, if you know what you're doing. (And getting to the point where you know what you're doing is one of the pleasures of collecting. Although not easy, I wouldn't call it "work.")