What’s special about baseball letters?
Simple. Each piece of correspondence is a window into the heart and soul of a former player.
When I spotted this letter to parents from then-youth baseball coach Mike Matheny, I had to share.
What major league team wouldn’t hire someone who could describe his game plan so eloquently?
I hope many of the parents who received a copy treasured what they were getting.
I shared Jack Dittmer’s great letter back in 2011.
Looking back, I see a pattern:
Born 1928 in Iowa
Died 2014 in Iowa
College sports star in….
Iowa?
Yep!
Year after year, I hear from collectors and researchers who want to make contact with baseball’s past.
How do they bridge that gap?
Simple. Pay attention to the player’s roots. I think Dittmer would have replied, no matter what. After all, he was an IOWAN. However, I took no chances. I noted my commonality with him.
Want to get your letter opened and up your chances for a response? Think geographically.
Pitcher Chris Hammond logged 14 major league seasons for seven teams.
These days, he’s pitching for a different cause.
Collectors have adored Hammond for years. He’s been a faithful signer through the mail. The website SportsCollectors.net says he’s come through on 328 of 356 attempts, good for a 92 percent success rate.
When I saw on the site that some collectors noted they had sent $1 per autograph, I tracked down the hurler to ask about his fee.
His response:
“I never have asked anyone for money for my measly autograph,” Hammond replied. “But a friend of mine told me to ask for a $1 donation toward my Youth Foundation. I started a youth foundation over 10 years ago that helps underprivileged kids better prepare for life. The first area we try to help these youth is in the area of getting them to participate in sports. If not, anything they need to help them have the best life they can.”
What sparked his public service for his home state of Alabama? “I do the work I do, everyday, because of the presence of Jesus Christ in me, and the work of the Holy Spirit through me!”
Want to feel good getting some affordable autographs? Using the standard self-addressed, stamped envelope and other hobby guidelines, write to Chris Hammond, 55 Sneh St, Oxford AL 36203. Only $1 per autograph for a good cause sounds good to me. Everybody wins!
A grateful standing O to reader Brian Salgado for sharing this recent by-mail triumph.
Besides autographing two cards, Bosman answered questions about his hot rod hobby.
Some readers might snort: hot rods have nothing to do with baseball.
I think they have everything to do with baseball.
To a fan/collector, the dream of being a major leaguer would be a lifetime passion. To the men who played, some might view the athletic employment as a short-term job.
Even when researching, don’t ignore a facet of a major leaguer’s life. That off-the-field passion might tell you more about baseball than you ever imagined.
Christmas is a time for miracles.
Do whatever you can to get those envelopes opened.
Those holiday commemorative stamps are great. After all, Charlie Brown played baseball, too!
Find address labels with holiday symbols. Choose red or green envelopes. Get noticed.
Want some more inspiration? Here’s a fun tale from the archives of Christmas giving from a well-known baseball name.