Header - Baseball by the Letters

www.sportscollectors.net

One Last Hit For Slugger Gail Harris

by
According to the always-superb
www.sportscollector.net, Harris
was a sure-fire signer until the end,
adding photos, notes and other bonuses
for the best fan letters!
 

I am a Nick Diunte fan.

The praise doesn’t end at fine writing. If Nick was a prospector, the other guys panning for gold would never see him. Suddenly, he’d appear with news of the mother lode. As a baseball researcher, he finds treasure where no one else is looking.

As proof, check out his latest, a tribute to the recently-departed Giants/Tigers slugger Gail Harris:

Nick added in a note:

I wrote to Gail Harris about two months ago asking to talk with him about his time in New York. He sent me back (at his cost) an envelope filled with photos (some autographed) and a few photo copies of some typed stories he had about playing for the Giants. He told me to e-mail or call him. I waited about a month because I had a few other things in front of it I had to get to. I e-mailed him at the end of October with no reply. He didn’t return my phone call either. He passed away on the 14th of November, so I am sure he was too sick to get back to me. Something must have hit him quickly. Anyway, as your encourage on your site, write to guys when they come to mind. Harris gave a Hall of Fame response. Enjoy it.

Thanks, Nick!

Coming Friday: Saying goodbye to the son of a legend.

The Ballad of Jeff Ballard

by
For years, it seemed like
facsimile sigs would be
the only thing collectors would see.

Chris James, Jeff Ballard…now Dave West.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Who are former players who didn’t like mail sent to their homes?

Alex Trebek is smiling. So are collectors who guessed that other addresses exist for these men.

I’ve seen the saga on www.sportscollectors.net. TTM autograph requests fall into a black hole. Then, someone figures out a mailing address for the guy. A family business. A “work” address that works.

Suddenly, the autographs start flowing again.

The moral? Pay attention to the “Whatever happened to…” features. Some retirees may be non-signers only some of the time.

Questions Left By Brave Dave May

by
The facsimile autograph
might be all you ever see!
 

Dave May, the player traded to Atlanta for Hank Aaron, has died at age 68.

Son Derrick May shared the news on Facebook. With the obituary, fans learn that the elder May had been suffering from cancer and diabetes. It seems diabetes was responsible for May losing a leg.

Dave May was far from the greatest signer in autograph history. According to www.sportscollectors.net, just six of 20 TTM attempts recorded since 2001 were successful. Most of those happened when fees were enclosed.

Collectors forget that age and illness can stop or hinder even the best autograph signers. May’s son shared that his dad had a 40-year friendship with Johnny Briggs. Look up Briggs and you’ll see that he has a hard-line autograph policy. Your cards are impounded, and a price list is returned. Some collectors have called it a ransom note. When one retiree has luck with such high-pressure moneymaking tactics, it’s a wonder that the stunt doesn’t spread to more retired teammates and other baseball friends. I’d call this the “Eddie Haskell” effect.

I never tried May. If I had one more chance today, I think I’d write him about Derrick. I think some former players tire of hearing their stats recited. Who ever tires of being a proud dad?

Coming Friday: Do envelopes make a difference?

Birthday Gift Ideas for Hobbyists?

by
Oct. 20 – his and mine!

I didn’t share much with Mickey Mantle.

Except a birthday.

Oct. 20 is a national holiday in my home. Before preparing my celebration, I wanted to share some suggestions.

Do you have a birthday coming up. Afraid someone will give you another necktie?

Ask for a one-year membership to www.sportscollectors.net. It’s a great way (at just $14.99) to keep current on TTM happenings.

For friends and family thinking that they don’t know what autograph to buy for a present, make it easier. Collectors need envelopes, paper, pens or computer printer ink.

Simplest of all: make it stamps! If you have a hobby pal, send them birthday greetings with a pair of stamps (one for the self-addressed, stamped envelope, of course).

Tell them, “Celebrate by writing to the guy you’ve been putting off. Give yourself a present.”

Coming Monday: Making sense of FOREVER stamps.

Champ Summers Gone At 66

by
I found a fun site called
Ed’s Autographs. The
focus was on Seattle-area
players. Mariners? Nope.
Born in Bremerton!
 

Who’s on your list to write to?

Even after all these years, I get zoned trying to contact retirees in their 70s and above. I pay too much attention to age.

John “Champ” Summers reminded of that. He lost a 2-1/2 year fight to cancer last week. He was only 66.

I didn’t move fast enough. He seemed a slow but steady signer, according to www.sportscollectors.net. Of 82 recorded attempts, he responded 71 times. Because of his years as a minor league coach, replies sometimes took a year.

The autographs I’ve seen seem that he wanted collectors to remember him by his nickname. Good luck finding a “John.” Beyond his nickname, we’ll remember.

Coming Wednesday: Two early hobby inspirations, Brendan C. Boyd and Fred C. Harris.