Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2011

Pitcher Turk Wendell Salutes Our Military

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Pitcher. PATRIOT!

Coming soon…

I have an amazing response from pitcher Turk Wendell. While he offered some great baseball insights, his comments on patriotism give us a perfect way to celebrate this Veterans Day.

Although I had squirreled away the whole letter for publication next week, I’m grateful that my wife Diana convinced me that I should share a bit of Turk’s inspiration for this holiday.

From Turk Wendell:

“The Armed Forces are the real heroes of the U.S.A. Although baseball is America’s game, our Armed forces should be on their own baseball cards!!”


I second that emotion.

Steve Darms Discovers Autograph Karma

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Baseball-Almanac web guru
Sean Holtz has employed
Steve’s hobby karma theory,
finding certified autographs
of tough signers who’ve
fallen from grace. Be sure
to check out Jeremy’s BA page!

Move over, “Mendoza Line.” Minnie, take a break. One hobbyist has coined a new term:

The Jeremy Hermida Principle.

I loved learning about Steve Darms. He knows that good things come to collectors who wait. Or, he’s uncovered the theory of hobby karma. Here’s his story:

Q: What are your autograph specialties? Have you ‘graphed in person?

A: My collection is all over the place, in all sports.  It probably would be easier if I just focused on one team, but I want everybody.  It doesn’t matter if they’re the star first baseman, or the pitching coach.  The one constant is that 99% of my signed items are on flat items in binders (cards, photos, and team-signed rosters).  For the record, my favorite major league team is the Blue Jays, and in our family, we HATE the Yankees…I’ll still get their minor league players to sign, though ;-).

In person, my teams are the Syracuse Chiefs, Auburn Doubledays, Binghamton Mets, and their opponents.  (I also do Syracuse Crunch hockey, and Syracuse basketball and football during the baseball off-season).  I’ve only been to a handful of major-league games, and haven’t tried to ‘graph there.  It’s always easier to just get them in the minors before they become impossible to get.  And while I do want to get everyone, I won’t go to the hotel, or come to the park 4 hours before the gates open.  I just do regular pre-game and post-game, and if I don’t get certain guys, I can trade with my fellow collectors, or just buy a cert card of them at a show. 

That’s always sweet revenge, getting blown off by a player and then finding a cert card in the dollar bin at the next card show.  (I think that phenomenon should officially be re-named “The Jeremy Hermida Principle.”)

Q: How long have you collected?

A: My first ever autograph was Bob Feller at a show when I was one, in late 1983.  My father got him to sign his 1955 Bowman, personalized to me.  When I was a kid, I would bring my program down to the Chiefs dugout at games, because it was something to do.  I really didn’t get fully bitten by the autograph bug until the summer of 1998, when Jose Cruz Jr. was on rehab with the Chiefs, and I had a card I really wanted signed.  During the game, I realized I’d heard of about half of the players on both teams.  That’s when I realized I should be coming for every visiting team too.  (I did end up getting Cruz outside after that game.)

Q: What other collectors helped you learn?

A: I think the thing that really influenced my collecting was a letter in the autograph column of Tuff Stuff magazine in the summer of 1999 (I think Ken Griffey Jr was on the cover).  A collector had written in, talking about how he mainly collected guys from the minors and other lesser-known players.  I believe his last sentence was something like: IF YOU WANT A BIG COLLECTION, REMEMBER THE UNREMEMBERED GUY.  That’s what triggered my “need” to try for everyone.  If I didn’t have a card (which was often the case), I’d get them to sign the team roster, so I’d have them on SOMEthing.  I never understood when other collectors only got the guys they had cards for, even as other players were on the verge of the majors.

Q: Have you had any personal replies in TTM collecting? Notes or letters answering questions?

A: I started doing TTM in 1998, and probably send out an average of 100 requests per year (though with each new year, I keep telling myself I should send out more).  I don’t usually ask the guys questions, but have gotten a few notes back, from John “Mule” Miles, Virgil Trucks, Billy Sample, and Bob Watson.

Q: Lastly, do you have hobby goals or projects?

A: I’ve been working on the 1985 Fleer & 1985 Fleer Update sets, and the 1999 Team Best Baseball America set.  I’d like to finish those, though there are several deceased players and expensive HOFers still to go in the Fleer set.  I guess the only other goal is to just keep getting whoever I encounter, from any sport or area of interest, even though, according to my girlfriend, that makes me an “autograph whore.”

Coming Friday: Don’t miss this one, folks: Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine talks autographs. He shares words guaranteed to make you stand up and cheer!

 

’10 Most Wanted,’ Baltimore Orioles Version

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Garcia was the first-ever
IP signer I met who wanted
to autograph an index
card VERTICALLY!

Here’s two reasons to root for the Baltimore Orioles.

Start with Ryan. Talk about a man on a mission. His Great Orioles Autograph Project blog showcases what one focused collector can accomplish. Check him out often. More than 900 men have played for the O’s in their six decades. His want list has just five names left!

More than an account of autographs, he’s proving that Baltimore will retain at least one fan in its rebuilding.

I confess. I’m toasting those Birds yearly, too.

Why? They made me believe in Bull Durham. I know a real, live Crash Davis character.

His name is Jeff Lantz. For years, he shined as media relations director for the Iowa Cubs. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was a lifetime member of triple A ball. If he was a player, he’d have 24 chances of finding a job with a major league club. Fewer jobs and fewer opportunities await a front office warrior.

But, Baltimore saw Jeff’s potential. In 2009, the Baltimore Sun blog renamed Jeff “Orioles PR Wizard.”

When the team starts winning again, I know two patient guys who deserve the first slices of victory cake.

Meanwhile, I decided to chase some Orioles magic of my own toward my mailbox. Here’s the 10 former O’s I’ve contacted:

Kiko Garcia
Larry Harlow
Pitcher Dave Johnson
Scott McGregor
Joe Nolan
Bob Reynolds
Ken Singleton
Billy Smith
Don Stanhouse
Ed Watt

Coming Thursday: Meet collector Steve Darms, who’s discovered a new hobby formula!

Homer-Catching Sal Durante Salutes Roger Maris

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Durante’s baseball fame continued into 1962.
Check out the Seattle PI website’s great vintage
feature about the movie 61*.  Durante was hired to
catch a baseball off the Space Needle. See how the
stunt ended, and the major leaguer
included in the World’s Fair doings!

Even if you never rooted for the New York Yankees, you’ve got to cheer for Sal Durante.

In the 50th anniversary celebration of the Roger Maris home run in 2011, Durante participated in the team festivities. The man who caught historic homer #61 could be bitter he never had a memorabilia auction house make him rich. Instead, Durante took every opportunity to salute the man he never stopped admiring.

Durante wrote:

“I met Roger three times when he broke Babe Ruth’s record. He told me to keep the ball and make some money.


We met in Sacramento, Calif., in Sam Gordon’s Restaurant. I received $5,000 for the ball. Sam gave the ball to Roger as a gift.


When everything was completed, we were leaving the restaurant. Roger reached down, put his hand to mine. He said, ‘This is for you.’ It was his New York Yankees lighter.

My wife asked the Yankees if it was OK to come to the stadium to take a picture with our 3 yr. old son and my wife. Roger was it would be fine with him. He was a real Gentleman.”


Anyone who saw the HBO movie 61* about the historic season may have wondered what Durante thought of being a real character.

“It was exciting being played in the movie 61*. They did a great job.”


Lastly, how did Durante feel about the other fan’s fame when a certain Yankee captain made more history?

“When Christian Lopez caught Derek Jeter’s H.R. for hit #3,000, he chose to give it to Derek. He felt Derek deserved it.


I believe he made the right choice.


Sincerely,
Sal Durante”


Coming Wednesday: My ’10 Most Wanted List,’ Baltimore Orioles edition

Chuck Estrada’s Favorite Autograph Request?

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A 12-year-old collector got a smile and an
autograph from this face!

 In February, I wrote about then-PCL pitching coach Chuck Estrada brushing off collectors, challenging them to explain why they wanted HIS autograph.

I was thrilled to hear from Theo Gideon in Tacoma, Washington. His experience asking for an autograph produced a much different, happier result. Theo wrote:

“Around the same time that you encountered Chuck Estrada, I attended the Tacoma Tigers Baseball Camp For Kids.  Chuck was a part of the camp staff.  My father had in his possession for many years a (Spalding?) Chuck Estrada [endorsed signature model] baseball glove.  Upon hearing of Chuck’s involvement in the camp, my father asked if I would take the glove to the camp the next day and have Chuck sign it. 

As a 12 or so year-old kid, I was embarrassed of my father’s request.  Grudgingly I pulled the glove out of my bat bag. I explained to Mr. Estrada that my crazy dad had his glove for many years and had even restrung it, and asked if he would sign the glove.  

I was amazed to see the Chuck Estrada’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.  He walked around with the glove showing it off to all of the young Tiger’s players and staff members.  I believe he said to a group, “You see, there was a time when I was a big deal.  Look, I even had my own glove…”  He was smiling from ear to ear and carrying that glove around. 

Many of the Tacoma players laughed and joked with him about the glove.  I wasn’t quite sure if he was going to give it back.  But he did, and signed it multiple times. I will never forget how happy he seemed, knowing that someone still had his glove.  I guess I gave him a good ‘why’ in my pursuit of his autograph.

My father still has that glove today.”

You are an all-star among collectors, Theo. Thanks for sharing!

Coming Tuesday: Golden (anniversary) memories from Sal Durante, the fan who caught the immortal 1961 homer hit by Roger Maris.