Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2011

Yankee Hector Lopez Predicted Records For Maris AND Mantle In 1961 Home Run Race

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Watching history
happen  in 1961

Former Yankee Hector Lopez is a joy. He sounds more like a fan than a co-star in baseball history, someone grateful to have been part of it all.

How did it feel watching home run history being rewritten in 1961? He recalled:

“The Maris and Mantle home run derby in 1961: I thought both were going to do it, but Mantle got hurt.”

That same year, Lopez cemented his own bit of baseball history, becoming the first Panamanian-born player to win a World Series. One year earlier, Lopez became the first native to play in a Series. To this day, he shares the glory with other countrymen.

“About the attention I got in my hometown and the country was great. Panama is a small Central American county. It was always a baseball kind of country. They had some players, very good players, before me but never made it to the Big League.


By the way, Humberto Robinson was the first Panamanian to play in the ‘Big.’ He beat me by a couple of weeks in 1955.”

Reading the Wikipedia bio of Lopez, it’s important to note that he challenged one of baseball’s last color barriers. In 1969, six years before Frank Robinson landed his Cleveland Indians job, Lopez assumed the managerial helm of AAA Buffalo Bisons.

“Being named manager of the Buffalo Bisons, I had no idea I was making history.”

Tomorrow: What are the best bargains and worst deals for TTM signers? Veteran collector Rich Hanson makes his calls.

Who’s Worthy Of Your Autograph Collection?

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Some collectors feel
anyone on a baseball
card is worthy
autograph!

Who belongs in your autograph collection?

One early rule all collectors need is:

Collect what you like and WHO you like.

However, as signing habits change for current and former baseball players, keep this in mind:

Many groups are part of baseball history. Former owners. Broadcasters. Scouts. General managers like Pat Gillick. Even mascots.

I’ve spent time with Ted Giannoulas twice. He impresses me as a student of baseball history. I hope he writes a book about his career. He was thrilled to sign his full name on my Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box.

On http://www.sportscollectors.net/, I spotted some enterprising collector who sought out Dr. Frank Jobe (the pioneer of “Tommy John surgery” who has saved so many pitching careers) by mail for an autograph.

Every fan is different. The same should be true for each collection. However, I’m not going to wait for Cooperstown to tell me who’s a worthy signature.

Coming Monday: A letter from Yankee Hector Lopez, the pride of Panama!

Philadelphia Athletics Pitcher Carl Scheib Explains Requesting Donations For Autographs

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I’m not a huge fan of numbers. Statistics can help only so much. That’s why this blog isn’t named “Baseball By The Numbers.”

Likewise, I think that the simple “asks $5 donation per autograph” doesn’t tell the whole story.

I sought out Carl Scheib, who became the youngest player in American League history when he debuted in Philadelphia in 1943 as a 16-year-old hurler.

Is the donation request to discourage autograph requests?

“Heavens, no!” the 84-year-old retiree replied. “I appreciate any mail I receive. I’m grateful to be remembered.”

For any player of Scheib’s era, consider how much — or little — they made in their careers.

I asked what his top salary was.

“Only $11,000, and I had to hold out for that!” he answered. “There were big stars, then so many players who needed second jobs in the winter.”

Without bragging, Scheib added, “We make regular donations to the American Cancer Society (with autograph funds). That’s what my wife had.”

If that’s not enough to get your envelopes ready, Scheib mentioned that any time someone sends him a donation, he tries to include an extra signed card in the reply.

To obtain Scheib’s signature, send $5 per autograph and a SASE to:

Carl Scheib
2922 Old Ranch Rd.

San Antonio, TX 78217

A great illustrated history of Scheib’s life and career can be found at the encyclopedic Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society website.

Baseball By The Letters Shares Non-Signers Of 2010 List, Or, I’m The Only One Left Out!

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Mr. Bailor seems to send this
postcard out with all
replies. Somehow, I
received no response from
this generous ex-Dodger…

I’ve seen the results posted on http://www.sportscollectors.net/. These names responded to TTM autograph requests. I thought they’d field questions. Here’s my “still waiting list that dates back to Jan. 24, 2010:

Baldshun, Jack
Bailor, Bob
Brewer, Tom
Busby, Steve
Clarizio, Louis
DeMaestri, Joe
Dyer, Duffy
Dukes, Tom
Elia, Lee
Gardner, Billy
Gernert, Dick
Gosger, Jim
Hansen, Ron
Hook, Jay
Howard, Frank
Hunter, Billy
Logan, Johnny
McAnany, Jim
Mueller, Don
Miller, Stu
Mitterwald, George
Nossek, Joe
Schultz, Barney
Segrist, Kal
Semproch, Ray
Skizas, Lou
Smith, Hal W. (Pirates)
Speake, Bob
Stevens, Ed
Stynes, Chris
Suarez, Ken
Tasby, Willie
Walling, Denny
Ward, Pete
Warden, Jon
Wieand, Ted
Zuverink, George

What does this mean? There’s so many possibilities. Some hunches include:

1. Is writing to someone write after a signing success is reported online always a good idea? I’ve wondered if a surge in mail overwhelms some lesser-known retirees.
2. Some of these guys answer questions. But they are content handling the identical query time after time. Who was your toughest pitcher? What was your greatest thrill? They have a stock reply. Anything else that makes a former player think hard gets ignored.
3. Signing seven cards then including an extra autographed photo seems like a lot. I’ve assumed those “above and beyond” responses might not mind jotting me three sentences, since I’m not asking for a single signature. However, rapid-fire autographing is a comfortable habit. Putting words to one’s past may not be as pleasing.

Despite the fact that some of these men show up weekly on autograph forums as “can’t miss” responses, I’m not trying them again. Besides, I see that some autograph replies have taken 5-10 years. I’ll try to be patient as I seek a new roster of baseball letters for 2011.

Pirate Frank Carpin Savors 2 Wins in 2 Nights

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“Take that, Yankees!”

A short but intriguing response arrived from pitcher Frank Carpin.

After seeing Carpin’s first-ever win, May 25, 1965, versus the Cubs (courtesy of http://www.retrosheet.org/), I asked for any memory of that milestone. Seems like it was just an afterglow.

“Second night I got a win. AAA previous night (Toledo). Against former Yankee teammates.”

I noted that on July 11, 1965, he beat the Dodgers with three shutout innings in front of the Forbes Field faithful.

“Struck out Sandy Koufax in that game. Fortunately didn’t have to hit off him.”


A great biography of the overlooked pitcher has been penned by “Dan,” an impressive blogger at New Jersey Baseball.