Month: March 2022

Some experiences collecting baseball autographs in the 1990s

I haven’t done it for years but I used to go to autograph shows to get signatures from baseball players. Here are some recollections from back then.

The nicest player I ever met was Frank Howard. A friend was a Senators fan so I got Howard to sign a picture I could give him. He wrote such a nice inscription that you would think Howard knew him.

I have seen many Hall of Fame members such as Aaron, Musial, Mays, Mantle, Williams (both Ted and Willie), Schmidt, Feller, and Stargell. I went to several big shows in Atlantic City. The first one was for the 11 living 500 home run hitters and it was the Altamont of card shows. Very disorganized and poorly. A buddy went with me to help me out and he said he thanked Mike Schmidt. Schmidt said “Thank you”. I guess it was bad for the players too.

Mickey Mantle was just there. Not nice, not mean, just present. I guess he had heard all of the stories and was bored. One time, there was a lady next to him with a chart crossing off how many things he had left to sign (3000, 2999, 2998…). At least back then, and probably still now, the fee you pay goes to the promoter, not the player. The player gets a fee based on how long they will sign or how many items they will sign.

Ted Williams gave you a large clear signature. He reminded me of Reagan. He had (I assume) dyed hair and looked younger than he was.

I saw Joe DiMaggio in Atlantic City.  He looked much older than Williams.  There was a board with a list several feet long of things DiMaggio wouldn’t sign including Marilyn Monroe items.  He wouldn’t even sign The DiMaggio Albums (a two-book set he had authorized).

I saw Bob Feller once. He had to stand in the line for coffee like everyone else. The promoters could have done better and had someone bring it to him. I’m sure he was in his 70s at least.

If you’re looking for things that appreciate in value (which wasn’t my main goal), I recommend limited editions. You don’t know how many baseballs a person has signed. With limited editions, you know how many there are. I recommend Perez-Steele art and Gateway Stamp Company envelopes.

An article on Perez-Steele postcards

What people notice about you

Two experiences from working in a large office building:

In 1989, I lost 50 pounds in six months.  I went from 189 to 136.  I cut out junk food (most of my diet) and beer and started exercising.  (I eventually put it all back plus more.)  Many people thought I was sick but were afraid to ask directly.  They would say things like “I was talking to (another person) and they thought you looked sick.”  I felt fine but I certainly looked too skinny. I could wear 30-inch waist pants.

Women made up most of the staff in my building.  I never thought that anyone was looking at my butt but I had two women tell me that I had lost too much weight in the buns. I had an answer by the second time. I said “If you liked them, you should have said something when I had them.  Don’t tell me now when they’re gone.”

 I had a beard until 1999.  I have had a mustache continuously since I went to Pitt in 1971.  (When you’re young, you want to look older.  When you’re old, you want to look younger. )  After I had the beard cut off, four people ask me when I started growing a mustache.

Trump lost in 2020 but he got 11 million more votes than in 2016

Not the first time a camel killed a person

When I read about the new tragedy, I wanted to see if camels had killed people before. They have though it doesn’t sound like it’s common. Make sure to look at the last one.

More tweets on long COVID

Takashi Shimura – Born on this day

Takashi Shimura was a great actor. He is best known for films directed by Akira Kurosawa but he also starred in Godzilla.

I didn’t know who Bob Ross was

I was with several friends who are younger than me at a bar and they were talking about

Bob Ross. I had no idea who he was. I have since learned about him.

Here’s his grave marker