How ‘The Big Hurt’ Hurt The Hobby

Cooperstown should
honor this Thomas, too,
for always-precise
penmanship. Check out
the personal website
of the FIRST Frank Thomas
here!

The OTHER Frank Thomas is trying.

Yea for speaking out against steroids in his Cooperstown induction speech.
What I’m still puzzling over is a career of abbreviated autographs. 
If he was catcher Cliff “C.J.” Johnson, it might not matter as much. Fans were sure this Frank Thomas could be a future Hall of Famer.
I remember an elderly collector telling me in the early 1990s about paying big bucks and standing in line at a hobby show for an “F– T –” autograph. He asked if that was his REAL autograph. Thomas threw in a silent grin for free. 
I loved the New York Times article earlier this year by Tyler Kepner about illegible autographs. I hope more people keep the conversation alive this year.