This just in...

The Baseball Writers have elected NO ONE to the Hall of Fame this year.  For only the 8th time ever, no one has been inducted using this tradition of writers voting.

Craig Biggio had the highest vote total, leading a list of names with plenty of question marks.  I'm sure the internet will be flooded with responses to this, so I will conclude by saying I'm a bit relieved that my quest doesn't get any bigger this year.

Frank Robinson (1935-2019)

I used a bit of Christmas money to add a signature to my collection. I haven't had any through-the-mail success with Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, but I was able to find an authentic signature from an old Hillshire Farms giveaway card series at a very affordable price.

Robinson was an incredible player and managed in the game for many years as well.  He was actually the first African American manager in the major leagues.

Update: Mr. Robinson passed away in 2019

Non-HoF (for now?) Autographs: Roger Clemens

Pitcher Roger Clemens is one of the biggest question marks on this year's controversial Hall of Fame ballot. He is arguably one of the best pitchers of all time, and yet allegations of performance enhancing drugs have clouded what was once a sure-thing first-ballot induction.

I was pleased to get an autograph in the mail! It has been a while since a successful return (especially from this high profile of a player) and this was a fun thing to find.

It will be fun if he is inducted, becoming one of the few former Blue Jays in the Hall. It will be very interesting to see which team he is enshrined under - good arguments could be made for Boston, Toronto, New York, or even Houston.

Failure #21: Lee Smith

Lee Smith is not yet in the Hall, but he may get in some day. I decided to be proactive to pursue a few players with the hope that they would be more willing to sign before their induction...

Sadly this was not the case with this 7-time All Star pitcher.

A New Ballot

The Baseball Writers Association just released their 2013 Hall of Fame ballot.  This year is not unlike other years, though there is bound to be plenty of conversation around three names that show up for the first time this year -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Sammy Sosa.  All three are first ballot inductees based on statistics alone, though their clouded past and steroid allegations mean that they may or may not be enshrined.

This will be interesting to follow...

Rest in Peace, Lee MacPhail

Baseball exec and Hall of Famer Lee MacPhail died recently at the age of 95.  At the time of death he was the oldest living member of baseball's most hallowed club.

His autograph was one of my early through-the-mail successes, and his autograph is a cherished one.  My condolences go out to his family.

Failure #20: Ernie Banks

Another day, another unsuccessful attempt at getting an autograph through the mail.

This time it was a RTS (return to sender) from Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks. I'm not sure if I have the wrong address, or if he is just not willing to sign or open small stuff these days.