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Baseball Autographs

Would Charlie Brown respond to your TTM autograph request?

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Think twice about the letter you’re sending to a current or former player.

Is it the same “form letter” you created long ago, one that used to get you a good response, only okay now?

Do you think it doesn’t matter what you write, or that no one ever reads the letters? The player will either sign, or not sign?

Please, reconsider. Each letter costs $1.10 in postage now. Plus paper and envelopes, not counting the card or photo you might enclose.

Tell those letter recipients WHY. Why do you want an answer?

The late Virgil Trucks once told me: “In the letters, they try to tell me all about my career. They tell me things they think I don’t know, but I do.” Translated, the wise Tiger hurler meant that he wasn’t impressed by letters filled with his stats.

Years ago at a hobby show, Al Kaline spoke with me a minute. He was impressed when I said I could note all the places where he received mail. I began: care of the Hall of Fame, c/o the Tigers, c/o the TV station where he broadcasts. 

Kaline sighed and nodded. Then he raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t forget about my home address,” he groaned.  “I get so many fan letters there that our property tax statement got lost. We keep the fan mail in bushel baskets, and the tax statement got lost in a pile of all the autograph requests.”

Players, current or retired, still have expectations about a letter. Why should you deserve a response?

Here’s some initial ideas:

  1. Tell the reason for writing. For instance, the autograph will help you complete a set. Even a team set. That neutralizes the fear of, “You want MY autograph to sell on eBay?” Players have set goals. They might relate to helping you meet a goal, too.
  2. Tell why this card is special. (No. Don’t list its book value.) Just tell how you got it, or how it made you feel. What do you like most about the card photo?
  3. Tell why this player matters. Did you see him play in person? Was he the first game you saw on your big-screen TV? Did your older brother or dad like that player, too? Do you remember him from the minors?

I think 2 to 3 extra sentences would make your case. Don’t fib. Do be yourself. The truth shall set you free, and get you more autographs (quite possibly).

Even mail-starved Charlie Brown may be skeptical about some of the standard “fill in the blank” letters that some collectors rehash. You want a personal gift from someone in baseball? Try being personal yourself. 

 

 

Baseball Managers of the Year: Matt Williams, Buck Showalter and Justin Evans?

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Justin Evans is a hobby hero. 

While Matt Williams and Buck Showalter were zoned on post-season berths, Justin was building a team of his own.
His Facebook site “Baseball Autographs” proves that collecting is still fun.
The site is a FREE place for autograph fans to gather and share pictures of one signature or a whole collection. Members are sharing opinions on autograph authenticity and other topics.
Justin enforces just two rules:
1. No buying/selling/trading.
2. No profanity. He knows that some members are kids. Discussion of signers and non-signers remains G-rated.
This is the hobby I remember. Only an occasional “what is it worth?” pops up, only to be dealt with by the membership. And the answer remains (from me), “As much or as little as you value the autograph.”
Justin amazes me for another reason. He’s posted the questionnaires he’s received from some of baseball’s oldest names. He’s gotten great insights from long-retired alums who’ve shared tales of their service in the military and on the diamond. A kindred spirit of “Baseball By The Letters.”
Check out one of the brightest spots in the Facebook universe. Whether you choose to join or not, let Justin know that you appreciate his efforts to share all the things good still remaining in the world of baseball autographs.