Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2011

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.”

Houston’s Glenn Davis Snubbed Topps Cards

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Who’d Autograph This?

Some former players take it out on us.

Why would you want them to autograph card picturing them on THAT team? It gives them a chance to tell about the grudge they still hold.

In the 1980s, Astros slugger Glenn Davis was different.

The outspoken Christian was upset with Topps producing Garbage Pail Kids cards. In protest, he vowed not to autograph any of his Topps-made cards.

I wondered how collectors were supposed to make his case in front of Topps executives.

During my SCD days, I found Davis on the field readying for batting practice at Dodger Stadium.

“We’ve worked things out with Topps,” he said. “I’ll be signing again.”

Davis had tried to recruit other Christian players into his autograph boycott. I think Tommy Herr might have participated?

Sadly, Davis hasn’t been signing by mail for years.

Good luck to all the set collectors. I’m expecting more of these autograph protests in the future.

Pitcher Larry Gura Signs To Save Family Farm

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The sig stands tall!
Gura is still looking up.

For 16 seasons, pitcher Larry Gura faced down future Hall of Fame hitters. None of these sluggers may rival Gura’s toughest foe yet:

Real estate developers.

Gura asks a $2 donation per autograph, with checks payable to Dale Creek Equestrian Village. Wanting the rest of the story, I dialed the Village number.

Returning my call was Cindy Gura, Larry’s wife.

This is the family farm where Cindy grew up. When her parents died in 2000-2001, Cindy and Larry took over the operation.

“We have a therapeutic riding program,” she said. “A charter high school comes here weekly for equine classes.”

At Dale Creek, the Guras grow and sell organic food. They have a citrus grove and mesquite trees, complemented by a booming garden. Don’t forget the cage-free eggs from the happiest chickens in Arizona.

The trouble is, cash doesn’t grow on trees.

“We needed more money,” Cindy said, explaining the $2 per autograph policy. “We’re trying to protect this open space. We had to preserve it.”

These days, Larry Gura is pitching to protect a farm that’s been in the family more than 60 years. Although housing developments loom on all sides, the Village isn’t surrendering yet.

Is the former pitcher riding horses?

“He just rides a tractor,” Cindy said with a laugh. “He helps with riding lessons, he gardens. He built all the chicken coops. He’s very busy.”

But not too busy for fans. “Please keep writing,” she asks collectors. “He’ll sign for everyone. We enjoy every letter.”

To obtain a Larry Gura autograph, send $2 for each item to be signed (checks payable to Dale Creek Equestrian Village) with a SASE to:

Larry Gura
P.O. Box 94
Litchfield Park, AZ 85340
　

Kevin Elster, Reggie Cleveland, Larry Gura Remain Bargains For TTM Autographs

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Appreciate the facsimile sig.
This cup-of-coffee pitcher
now demands more than
$2 per letter for his last name!

 When in doubt, ASK!

One of the great parts of this hobby is knowing that veteran collectors will share their experiences with you. I called upon hobby veteran Rich Hanson for his impressions of former players charging for their autographs. I’m grateful for his words of wisdom:

“What do I look for in deciding whether to pay for a signature?  How tough the signer is otherwise, and how reasonable the fee is.

 One can find some good bargains in Harvey Meiselman’s list of signers.  HOFer Don Sutton @$5 a card, Reggie Cleveland and Kevin Elster @ $1 a card, Larry Gura $2 per.
 I’ve never had a problem sending cash by mail, but I don’t send large amounts.  Anything bigger merits a money order or check if they’ll accept it.
 I weigh the price on the player and how bad I want him in my collection.  Quite a few years ago I paid $5 each for two Dom Zanni autographs.  Now he’s charging $30.  Now I’d pass. 
Even worse is Bob Giallombardo’s $25 (double his amount of major league games, and Bob Allen’s $100 fee to sign a card (postal money order only).  This is either a joke gone awry or an extremely unrealistic request. 
 I can buy three Nolan Ryan signatures for what he’s charging.”

Tomorrow: The amazing mission of pitcher Larry Gura!