Update

Sigh...

This blog has become pretty boring.  Nothing happening in the mail, and little to report.  I hope baseball fans are enjoying this year's World Series - although it has been somewhat lopsided so far, it has been a pretty fun stretch of baseball.

All for now.  I'll report back when I've got something to share.

Update

Here's the new plan.  A few weeks ago during my rundown of where the collection stands, I mentioned that there are four players with no known address.  Usually when that happens I send requests to the Hall of Fame and they get forwarded on.  However I have read for those four players, the letters usually get returned to sender and never make it to the player.  Sometimes you even get a letter from the Hall of Fame explaining that the letter cannot be forwared.

I figured it would be interesting to see what happens.  Today I am sending out autograph requests to the four players - Ozzie Smith, Willie McCovey, Frank Robinson, and Ralph Kiner - all care of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  I will be sure to post if I get anything back related to these four players.

Update

Ugh.

The mailbox has been far too empty lately - at least when it comes to Hall of Fame autograph responses.  It begs the question - what do I do now?  Should I send a second request to players?  Start paying those who want money for an autograph?  Wait until next year's All Star Fan Fest for a shot at some HOFers?

I'm not sure what I'll do, but for now, my blog is pretty slow and boring.  Sorry faithful readers!

Update

It has been a slow stretch.  No mail related to my autograph collection - neither good, nor bad - for over a week.  That means it must be time to give you an update of where things stand...


67 living Hall of Famers. 

13 autographs from living Hall of Famers

9 unsuccessful returns (including 3 "return to sender") (note: this includes a copied Hank Aaron)

28 requests still waiting for a return

12 not mailed because they are known to charge for an autograph

4 players with no known address (Kiner, McCovey, F. Robinson, O. Smith)

1 player who is known to not sign through the mail (Yastrzemski) (you may remember that in my last update I listed Ripken and Brett here.  I sent them both a letter, receiving a negative response from Ripken, and nothing yet from Brett).

0 players to whom I have not yet sent a request (16 if you count those without an address, and who charge to sign through the mail)

Failure #9: Cal Ripken Jr.

Cal Ripken Jr.

The Iron Man.

Cal was inducted during the year that I made my first and only visit to the sacred grounds of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  He was a great player and is enormously popular even still today.  He occasionally appears on XM Radio with his brother Billy, and runs a wide variety of baseball programming through his family foundation.

All of this to say, it wasn't unexpected when I rejection letter from one of Mr. Ripken's associates (just a few weeks ago I had listed Ripken as one player who is too busy to sign, but I sent him a request anyway) explaining that they receive thousands of autograph requests and he is not able to accommodate all of them.

So I guess that means he does sign some of them?

Have any collectors out there had success with Cal Ripken Jr.?

Reflecting on Doug Harvey

I got a message this week from a reader named Joe who wondered if I could pass on Doug Harvey's home address from the envelope he sent me a few weeks ago.  I was happy to oblige.

Joe is an umpire himself, so getting an autograph from the only living Hall of Fame umpire was a pretty cool thing.  He was kind enough to share a photo of his prized possession with me - made out personally to him.  Joe wanted Mr. Harvey's address so that he could write a thank you note - a very noble idea if you ask me.

I love the idea of getting photos signed.  I've often wondered if my goal of having people sign through the mail is restricted because of what I send to have signed (a simple 3x5 note card).  Some Hall of Famers may be hesitant to sign a blank card, not knowing what you intend to do with their signature.

Thanks for getting in touch, Joe!  Very cool stuff.

If you have a Hall of Famer autograph that you think other readers would like to see, please get in touch!

Failure #8: Jim Bunning

I didn't know what to expect from Senator Bunning.  Yes, you read that right.  Hall of Fame pitcher, Jim Bunning is a US Senator from the state of Kentucky.  I figured he might at the very least send a political photo with a stamped signature on it. 

But alas, like many former baseball players, Jim Bunning is too busy.  He might be the one guy who actually has a clear reason for why he is too busy - or at least a good excuse.

Quite fascinating to note is the postmark on this return envelope (see photo on right).  Do you see what I'm seeing?  Cincinnati, Ohio.  Bunning is a politician in Kentucky.  Yes, I know Cincinnati is right across the river, but why would the mail be stamped and processed there, unless he (or whoever sorts his mail) sent it from Ohio?  Very strange indeed.