Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2013

When the ‘Can’t Miss’ Signer Ignores You

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My first ever game
in St. Louis. Will I
see Bob Gibson pitch?
Nope. Spot-start Santorini.
Sigh…

It’s easy to shrug off a non-return from a superstar. “Who DOES he sign for?” you ask. “Join the club.”

Things are different for the supposed sure-thing autographers. Why me? Everyone BUT me!

On a recent www.sportscollectors.net forum, someone posted —

“Al Santorini Hates Me.”

I couldn’t avoid reading such a story. Actually, the collector was being a bit poetic in his recap. It seems he’s gotten TTM toughies like Phil Niekro and Sandy Koufax. He wanted former pitcher Santorini for a special project collection — signed photos of all 1969 (first year) San Diego Padres.

Three Santorini requests. Three non-returns. The collector wrote me, saying he thought about using an alias or even a different address.

My advice?

1. Spell it out why you want his autograph. Make it clear he’s special, simply because of the roster he was on. Ask him to help reach your goal. Ballplayers made the majors by setting and meeting goals.

2. Hand-print your request. Occasionally, a retired player will speak up about disliking what they think is a mass-produced letter. If your handwriting is subpar, they might appreciate your suffering even more.

I think there’s nothing sinister in the failures. Santorini has signed for 83 percent (59 of 71) of collectors through the mail, says the SCN site.

Assume nothing in this crazy hobby of ours. Times change. People do, too. I’m thankful that we get more than three strikes as collectors.

Outsmarting Autograph Fees

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I just heard from a collector who got a happy surprise by mail.

Someone who has a policy of charging per autograph through the mail (a rather stiff fee, in my opinion), signed one card for free in care of the team he’s still connected with.

I’m not naming the collector who shared this fact, nor the signer. The person has employed a fan mail “service” to process autograph requests. I don’t want the signer with second thoughts getting bombarded, or the autograph broker getting revenge over a missed profit.

However, this news gives me hope. Why?

1. Perhaps, some guys using autograph fees are looking only to curb mail sent to their homes. A letter to their team is easier to handle, considering that the person is signing on paid time. If a retiree is a special coach or advisor in spring training, that could be an option if the letter is well-timed.

2. Asking for one item wins over some skeptical signers.

3. A personal letter geared to that specific person is the key to winning.

Sure, there’s a chance that a collector’s attempt to sidestep the fee will wind up with a price list and an unsigned card. Or, no return at all. You make the call.

Members of www.sportscollectors.net will post successes, including times when a charging signer has relented. Do your research. You might get lucky.

The Gift Of Al ‘Zeke’ Zarilla

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I would have loved
a real autograph on mine!
 

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away…

I was a staff member at Sports Collectors Digest.

One staff member had attended a hobby show event in Hawaii. He was muttering about a question from former outfielder Al Zarilla.

Zarilla saw several people admiring and speculating on a mint 1952 Topps picturing the man nicknamed “Zeke.”

He asked the hobby insiders how much more the card would be worth once he autographed it.

To the SCD staffer, he imagined only the lessened value. This pundit told Zarilla HIS truth, that the card would be worth less.

I never knew if Zarilla believed it. Sure, “mint” is a subjective term. Was the card untouched or unaltered by human hands through the years?

To Zarilla, the autograph was a gift. Like the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. Only 1990s collectors who reached the retiree by mail in Hawaii had a chance at his signature. A company could make tons of cards. Only one man could sign “Al Zarilla” and mean it. Like an artist and artwork, the autograph was something he had created for someone. He saw true value in that.

I second that emotion, Al.

C’mon, Chet Lemon!

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For many autograph collectors, it’s about the GETTING.

For others, it’s the GIVING.

And the HOPING.

Some hobbyists might nickname former outfielder Chet Lemon as “Lost Cause Lemon.” The always-awesome www.sportscollectors.net site says that Lemon’s last documented response came in 2007.

That hasn’t stopped Dan Brunetti and his son.

They decorated an envelope with tiny pics of all 54 of Lemon’s cards. The whole undertaking took more than an hour. Dan’s son wrote the letter. They just want one card each signed (for their Topps set projects).

Dan’s son told Mr. Lemon in the letter that he had a “cool name.”

He’s got two cool fans. Autograph or not, this pair have a classic shared memory that’ll deserve a lasting place in their collections.

Honoring John “Mule” Miles

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Miles was intent on
keeping Negro Leagues
heritage alive!
 

Thank you, Nick Diunte!

He’s a great fan, collector, historian and writer. His www.BaseballHappenings.Net site is informative fun.

Look at the tribute page he’s created to honor recently-deceased Negro Leaguer John “Mule” Miles. Anyone with a story about a surprising response from the man in the 2007 Allen & Ginter set — please add your memories.

Miles never stopped sharing with fans. Before Topps recognized his worth, “Mule” was unknown to many collectors.

More than one hobbyist got a note from the celebrated Negro Leaguer saying that HE looked forward to what the mailman would bring each day.

Just like us.