Header - Baseball by the Letters

Month: April 2011

Get An Autograph Later! Today, Write To Keep Baseball’s Overlooked Players In the Spotlight

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Just 27 days short of
a pension? Amazing
that Clyde still signs
for fans!

Author Doug Gladstone sees the beginning of real change, real hope.

Gladstone’s book A Bitter Cup of Coffee detailed the plight of the gap players, those pension-less men with less than four years of Major League service through 1979.

On Thursday, MLB and the Players Association took a first step to restoring those rights. Lump sum payments will be made in the next two years, up to $10,000 yearly (depending on quarters of service).

Pay special attention to Gladstone’s words to the Associated Press:

“What was announced today doesn’t provide health insurance coverage, nor will any player’s spouse or loved one receive a designated beneficiary payment after the man passes,” Gladstone said. “Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction, but if commissioner Selig and Mr. Weiner really want to do right by these men, they ought to retroactively restore them back into pension coverage.”

In 2010, Gladstone shared with this blog tips on contacting the decision makers who could give these slighted players a real pension, real insurance — real recognition. He urged fans to e-mail those power brokers.

I e-mailed the author congratulations for writing a book that helped empower these scorned players. I asked if:

1. Did the e-mails make a difference in the recent concession to unvested players?
2. Could future e-mails help provide full benefits to these men in future negotiations?

Gladstone replied:

“Absolutely a “yes” to both of your questions….if you can continue urging them to keep up the pressure on both the league and the union, that would be wonderful.”

Therefore, call up the 2010 BBTL blog post. Get those e-mail addresses for all sides. Please, write soon. The retirees are facing a “beat the clock” defense by baseball. A dead unvested player’s family gets nothing. These players mattered. Let baseball show that they honor all service.

 

Joe DiMaggio’s Hobby Show Autograph Appearances? New Book Has Few Details

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“He allowed himself to be turned into a sports memorablia money machine.”

That teaser from the jacket cover of Jerome Charyn’s Joe DiMaggio: The Long Vigil (Yale University Press, $24) is never detailed.

The author is intent on showing that agent and hero worshipper Morris Engelberg lured DiMaggio into the hobby show circuit.

DiMaggio protested signing “Yankee Clipper” when people purchased his autograph. If a dealer angered DiMaggio, the Hall of Famer would storm away, ending the autograph session.

However, the author doesn’t bother detailing how many memorabilia shows DiMaggio attended. He never quotes a single show promoter or someone who paid and stood in line for a signature. He quotes Engelberg saying that a signed DiMaggio item could bring anywhere from $150 to $2,000 wholesale. It would have been simple to find out how much a hobby show sold Yankee Clipper autograph tickets for. How much did a promoter pay for a DiMaggio appearance — and how much did Engelberg keep?

I remember twice during my work at Sports Collectors Digest that show promoters faced DiMaggio meltdowns. Someone asked for a signature on a photo or magazine picturing him with Marilyn Monroe. Later advertisement warned attendees that these items would not be signed.

The chapter notes that DiMaggio hinted that his hobby show fees were meant to help support his two granddaughters. Also, DiMaggio gave autographed bats for birthday presents to the few friends he kept in his later years. These minimal mentions fill less than two paragraphs.

This 170-page book is heavy on speculation about the moody Yankee, but short on insight.

Head to your public library. Check out Maury Allen’s 1975 book Where Have you Gone, Joe DiMaggio? Or, seek the 2001 Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life by Richard Ben Cramer. Spend your money on stamps and envelopes. Write to baseball history’s survivors. It’ll be faster, more fun and offer better hope of getting original perspectives on this mysterious, pinstriped icon.

Joe DiMaggio’s Hobby Show Autograph Appearances? New Book Has Few Details

by

“He allowed himself to be turned into a sports memorablia money machine.”

That teaser from the jacket cover of Jerome Charyn’s Joe DiMaggio: The Long Vigil (Yale University Press, $24) is never detailed.

The author is intent on showing that agent and hero worshipper Morris Engelberg lured DiMaggio into the hobby show circuit.

DiMaggio protested signing “Yankee Clipper” when people purchased his autograph. If a dealer angered DiMaggio, the Hall of Famer would storm away, ending the autograph session.

However, the author doesn’t bother detailing how many memorabilia shows DiMaggio attended. He never quotes a single show promoter or someone who paid and stood in line for a signature. He quotes Engelberg saying that a signed DiMaggio item could bring anywhere from $150 to $2,000 wholesale. It would have been simple to find out how much a hobby show sold Yankee Clipper autograph tickets for. How much did a promoter pay for a DiMaggio appearance — and how much did Engelberg keep?

I remember twice during my work at Sports Collectors Digest that show promoters faced DiMaggio meltdowns. Someone asked for a signature on a photo or magazine picturing him with Marilyn Monroe. Later advertisement warned attendees that these items would not be signed.

The chapter notes that DiMaggio hinted that his hobby show fees were meant to help support his two granddaughters. Also, DiMaggio gave autographed bats for birthday presents to the few friends he kept in his later years. These minimal mentions fill less than two paragraphs.

This 170-page book is heavy on speculation about the moody Yankee, but short on insight.

Head to your public library. Check out Maury Allen’s 1975 book Where Have you Gone, Joe DiMaggio? Or, seek the 2001 Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life by Richard Ben Cramer. Spend your money on stamps and envelopes. Write to baseball history’s survivors. It’ll be faster, more fun and offer better hope of getting original perspectives on this mysterious, pinstriped icon.

Once Upon A Time, Free Signed Photos Came With Many TTM Autograph Replies

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Everyone seemed to get
this extra when writing
to the great Yankee skipper!

During the 1980s, I profiled baseball address pioneer Jack Smalling for Baseball Cards magazine.

In the article, he mentioned that an average of one of out seven autograph signers would include an extra photo in their by-mail response. Often, these were team-issued, postcard-sized photos.
Bob Feller once told me that the Hall of Fame would send bundles of the gold plaque postcards for member use.

Yes, the percentages may be more steep today. You’ll never know if you don’t try. Keep this in mind when writing to former players.

How? Consider adding a one-sentence request: “If you have a photo of yourself that you would share for my collection, I’d be doubly grateful.”

Asking is free!

Sunday, April 24: A review of the book Joe DiMaggio: The Long Vigil.

Pitcher Ray Herbert Shines As Storyteller

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“Pitch count?!? I went
9 innings in my first start.
It didnt matter if you threw
100 or 200 pitches. Just
get them out and win!”

He offered. I accepted.

Ray Herbert jotted just a few lines on his reply. However, he added his telephone number, saying, “Call if you want.”

I’m delighted I did.

I felt like Ray’s catcher. I asked for details about one of countless important dates in his career. He did the rest.

I chose September 26, 1962. Exactly one year earlier, he homered against the Red Sox. Same team. Same date. Same result!

I asked Ray Herbert about Sept. 26, 1962, when he registered a complete-game victory against the BoSox in Fenway, 9-3. “That was my 19th win.”

I paused. “I‘m impressed you‘d remember the number.”

Herbert: “You don‘t forget a thing like that.”

“Oh, really?”

Herbert: “It was the 9th inning. Jim Landis our leadoff hitter handed me a bat. They’d do things like that to give pitchers a break. I said to Jim, ‘It’s September. A new rookie. He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know if I’m a hitter. He’s going to throw me a fastball down the middle, and I’m going to hit it onto the roof.’

“He did, then I did.”

Herbert remains bemused by his 38-inning scoreless streak in 1963. “I didn’t really think about it. Every game is a new game. You just want to go out and win.”

I wanted to know about his baseball cards. “Topps never sent us any. We’d never see one, unless something gave us one to sign at the ballpark. I think we got about $125 for appearing on a card.”

What was fan mail like during the 1950s?

“There really wasn’t any. There wasn’t TV like today, so fans didn’t know that much about us. If they wanted an autograph, they’d come to the ballpark.”

Today’s fan mail is a different story.

“I read it all and sign for everyone,” Herbert said. “It is an honor to be asked for an autograph.”