Yogi Berra (1925-2015)

As part of my birthday celebration this year, I ventured to New Jersey to visit the Yogi Berra Museum on the campus of Montclair State University.  This quaint little museum is actually built right next to the school ballpark, also named in honor of the Hall of Fame Yankee catcher.  While the museum is heavily Yankee-based, it was worth a visit, and is a worthy place to stop if you are a baseball fan in the greater New York area.

Aside from the exhibits, they also have a small gift shop of Yogi items including a few signed baseball cards for $20 - a small price to pay to add a signature to my collection!

Yogi Berra is considered by many to be the greatest catcher of all time.  His accolades are numerous, and include being a part of 21 World Series as either a player or coach.

Update: Mr. Berra passed away on September 22, 2015.

Bill Dickey (1907-1993) (and Sparky Anderson!)

This one takes a bit of explaining...

A few weeks ago a reader named Matt got in touch asking about my Sparky Anderson signature.  He was working on a project of retired Reds and had all the other signatures in black sharpie - excluding Sparky.  His generous offer was to send his blue ballpoint pen signature from Sparky Anderson my way WITH another signature - deceased Hall of Famer, Bill Dickey - for my Sparky.

Dickey was a player, manager, and war vet.  His career included being a part of 14 World Series Champion teams as a player and then coach.  He played in 8 All Star games and was inducted in 1954 to the Hall.  Maybe most notably, his single digit number "8" has been retired from the Yankees - joining a select group that includes Martin 1, Ruth 3, Gehrig 4, Dimaggio 5, Mantle 7, Berra 8, Maris 9 (and probably Jeter 2 in a few years).

Jim Bunning

It has been an awful long time since I've had a "through the mail" success - mostly due to the transition in my own life, and the lack of initiative.

I recently read that Hall of Famer and politician Jim Bunning had been signing through the mail since leaving office. I figured that was a good safe bet to get back in the game. Sure enough, Mr. Bunning was nice enough to sign and return my 3x5 note card! It feels good to be back in the game!

This was especially nice considering Mr. Bunning is a player I had been rejected by in the past.

Rest in Peace, Gary Carter

I was saddened to hear of the passing of another of baseball's greats.  Hall of Famer Gary Carter passed away yesterday from brain cancer. 

I was never able to get his autograph, but I respected him greatly as one of the greatest players to ever put on a Montreal Expos uniform.

Congrats to Barry Larkin

This is a little late coming but shortstop Barry Larkin was recently elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  He will join Ron Santo in 2012's induction ceremony who was elected just a short time after he passed away by the veterans committee. 

Since our move across the country I've been far too busy to get back in to my collection, but I'm going to have to get back to work and send out an autograph request to Larkin.

Congrats once again to this great player.  ESPN's press release can be read right here.

Rest in Peace, Dick Williams

This is somewhat late in coming, but I recently learned of the passing of Hall of Fame player and manager, Dick Williams.  Mr. Williams signed for me at the 2010 All Star Fan Festival in Anaheim.  I remember him as a very professional, if not a bit overwhelmed with the whole autographing experience of the convention.

Williams died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm at a hospital near his home in Henderson, NV on July 7, 2011.  This now marks the fifth Hall of Famer in my collection who has passed away in the last year and a half - a really sad stretch of time for baseball's alumni community.

Non-HoF Autographs: Maury Wills

While attending the recent Shrine of the Eternals ceremony for the Baseball Reliquary, I had the privilidge of meeting Dodger great Maury Wills.  Wills was being inducted by the Reliquary for his contribution to redefining the game of baseball - especially in how the stolen base was used on the field of play.

This was really a wonderful event.  Several people mentioned that Wills was the one baseball player who deserved to be in Cooperstown more than anyone else not within those sacred walls. 

You can see from my program that there are several other autographs.  None are former players, but most are connected to the baseball world in some way.  You can click on the image to see a closer shot and to get a sense of who was in attendance.

I posted another review of this event right here.