Autographs- Do you collect? Do your care?

David Atkatz · #1 03-05-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

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 · #2 03-05-2011, 06:32 PM

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 · #3 03-05-2011, 08:17 PM

Quote:

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 · #4 03-05-2011, 08:32 PM

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

parker1b2 · #5 03-05-2011, 08:44 PM

I enjoy collecting autographs as I feel it is important part of my memorabilia collection and really enjoy it. I got out of collecting cards in the mid 90s when too many different types were hitting the market and was no longer fun for me. But as someone said collect what you like. I would prefer to get items signed in person, but with deceseased players that is impossible. I do have a goal in life, although will almost never hit it, but to get an autograph from every baseball HOF.

Oh and Scott Garner, I have heard so many horror stories from Albert "don't call me Joey" Belle, but when my brother, me and a whole bunch of other kids at the time met him outside the Skydome when he was with Cleveland, he couldn't have been nicer. Signed for everyone for about an hour and was nice. Signed 3 times for me. But that is the only good experience I think anyone ever had with him.

novakjr · #6 03-05-2011, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parker1b2

Oh and Scott Garner, I have heard so many horror stories from Albert "don't call me Joey" Belle, but when my brother, me and a whole bunch of other kids at the time met him outside the Skydome when he was with Cleveland, he couldn't have been nicer. Signed for everyone for about an hour and was nice. Signed 3 times for me. But that is the only good experience I think anyone ever had with him.

I never really had any problem here in Cleveland with Albert either. Maybe we were just lucky. Albert could be the nicest person in the world when he wanted to be, unfortunately he had a very short fuse. If he didn't have a good game, or even if a reporter asked him the wrong question in the locker room after the game, you'd have been better off to stay away. Problem is, you never knew which Albert you were getting. Dealing with Albert was like trying to pet a stray dog, sometimes it works out, and other times you're gonna get bit.

Anyways, here in Cleveland we were lucky to have some very classy and accessible players back in the 90's. Omar, Nagy, Thome, Sandy Alomar, so on and so on. Just hanging out near the parking lot you were guaranteed great auto's. Anyone from the best player to the worst. They all signed.

mjkm90 · #7 03-06-2011, 04:22 AM

I greatly appreciate autographs and have collected a couple dozen over the years of retired players. While I have not purchased any new examples in years due to a shift in interest to other display pieces, I would not shy away from them. I agree with several posters here that some of the fun would be the education process regarding authentic signatures and the hunt.

A little side bar here. There are several guys playing today who's signature I would love to have, but you cant read the damn things. I don't want any autographs in my collection that a person off the street can't make out with a little effort. Penmanship is a rapidly fading away. Does this bother any of you?

Scott Garner · #8 03-06-2011, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by novakjr

I never really had any problem here in Cleveland with Albert either. Maybe we were just lucky. Albert could be the nicest person in the world when he wanted to be, unfortunately he had a very short fuse. If he didn't have a good game, or even if a reporter asked him the wrong question in the locker room after the game, you'd have been better off to stay away. Problem is, you never knew which Albert you were getting. Dealing with Albert was like trying to pet a stray dog, sometimes it works out, and other times you're gonna get bit.

Anyways, here in Cleveland we were lucky to have some very classy and accessible players back in the 90's. Omar, Nagy, Thome, Sandy Alomar, so on and so on. Just hanging out near the parking lot you were guaranteed great auto's. Anyone from the best player to the worst. They all signed.

Jonathan and David,
I've been collecting in person autographs for long enough that I know that anyone can have a good or a bad day. I've always believed that approach and timing are everything with regards to successfully "getting your man" (or woman).

I had always heard from other fellow autograph hawks in So Cal that Belle was one of the genuine "toughees" to get in person. Albert had established himself as an impact player with his 50- 50 season in 1995 (50 HR's and 52 Doubles). I took it on as a challenge to try to get him in 1996.

As part of my job as a National Sales Manager for a pharmaceutical company I trained many of my incoming sales reps at the Doubletree Hotel in Anaheim, California. The Doubletree was and still is the place that many visiting teams stayed at when coming in to play the California Angels. As circumstance would have it, I was training one of my new sales reps when the visiting Indians were in town at the tail end of the season. Experience had taught me that Doubletree was always a great place to get visiting player autographs as it was away from the stadium and eliminated competition and conflict from the equation. Anyway, I attempted to get Albert as he was leaving the Doubletree on the way to the stadium. Albert was the last of the Indians to leave the hotel and he was by himself. I spotted him from across the lobby and followed him out the front door where he was standing alone waiting for a cab. There literally wasn't anyone else but Albert and me for 75 feet in any direction. Normally an ideal setup to get your autograph. I asked him politely if he would mind signing a ball for me. His response was a screwed up, pissed off face and he yelled at me "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, MAN!!"

I said no problem, and that was the all she wrote.

Over the years I have asked literally hundreds of people for their autographs. I have been shut down by a few (seriously not many), but have always at least been treated politely. I'm happy to hear that both of you had quality experiences with Albert. I absolutely did not.... Yikes!!

#9 03-05-2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

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 · #10 03-05-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

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.")

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