Hounding Report: Texas Rangers Caravan in Waco, January 18

The furthest I've ever traveled solely for the purposes of getting autographs was maybe about 45 minutes or so. This was 20 years ago when my dad and I went to a couple card shows at the Euclid Square Mall and Ashtabula Mall in Northeast Ohio.  In Euclid was then-looking-like-a-future-Hall-Of-Famer Carlos Baerga, while in Ashtabula was real-future-Hall-Of-Famer Ozzie Newsome. While I did a few other events that sent me further (Wichita Falls, TX to Cleveland, OH anyone?), those had other primary reasons.

That mark has been eclipsed today with a 90-minute drive to Waco, TX for the Texas Rangers Winter Caravan.  After our success last week over in Frisco, Chris and I decided a quick dash down to Waco would be good. It's not too crazily far to get there, the crowd shouldn't be as bad as the stops in Grapevine, Mesquite, or Arlington, and it's a good way to get J.P. Arencibia, the new acquisition as the Rangers' backstop, along with normally-tough signer Mike Maddux.

The drive down was pretty easy, aside from thinking I was going to get busted by a cop ten minutes into our trip for doing 70 in a 60. Fortunately a truck was going a good 75 or so and I was off the hook.  We got in at about 10:45 for a 12:30 signing, putting us 23rd and 24th in line.  The great thing about this is that Academy was handing out numbered tickets so you could get yours and walk around the store to kill time instead of just standing around.  We also met up with Matt, another collector who were were hanging out with in Frisco.

Anyways, they started pretty much right on time, just after 12:30 with the line moving pretty well.  Maddux was in a surprisingly good mood compared to how we usually see him at the Ballpark on game days.  In a year of graphing, I had only gotten him once, and it was on a single card.  This time, he signed three of the four cards on my board.  Neal Cotts did the two cards I had which Chris hooked me up with (one goes back to him).  J.P. Arencibia signed all four cards I had of him, commenting on how well-prepared I was with the book and having all of them lined up in order and everything.

Since we got through quickly, we decided to jump the line once more, chatting with a few of the other collectors we've seen around at games and other various signings up in the DFW area.  I decided this time I'd only go for two Maddux cards-- fortunately Matt helped me out and got two more done for me, while Arencibia signed the last card I had of him.

On the way back, we hit the famous Health Camp for lunch.  If you are ever in Waco, you must try them out. They've been doing shakes and burgers for 66 years now, and have been located at the Waco Traffic Circle for the last 65 of those years.  It was excellent, and I plan to go there every time I find myself in Waco, which hopefully isn't very often.

On the way back to Arlington, Chris recommended we do a little grave-stomping and visit Hall of Famer Tris Speaker. For those unaware, Speaker was from Hubbard, TX and is buried there in Fairview Cemetery, located at the end of NW 2nd Street.

The current residence of the second-greatest Pre-WWII center fielder

It took a lap of the cemetery and Chris remembering it was near a flagpole until we found it.  Speaker is buried next to his wife and under a flagpole, placed in memory of both the American and Confederate soldiers who are buried there (Speaker was a member of the Naval Reserves).  Atop the flagpole is an eagle, placed in memory of Speaker, who was known as The Grey Eagle.

An eagle for The Gray Eagle

As a longtime Cleveland Indians fan, it seemed it would be idiotic NOT to stop by.  Speaker was a top player AND the manager of the Tribe's first World Series winning team in 1920, hitting .388 with an AL-best 50 doubles.  From 1909 to 1927, Speaker hit below .300 only once, while hitting above .350 nine times.  He led the AL in OBP four times, homers once, hits twice, doubles eight times. He was the 1912 AL MVP with the Red Sox and was on the winning side in all three World Series in which he appeared.  As a fielder, he had possibly the best range of any fielder in the game; his glove was said to be "where triples go to die."

The plaque below the flagpole

Speaker was a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame's second class in 1937, one of eight men selected for the honor after the inaugural five-player class of 1936.  After his baseball career, he managed some independent teams, owned a number of businesses, was chairman of Cleveland's boxing commission, commissioner of a short-lived indoor baseball league, and served as an "ambassador of goodwill" for the Indians.  He worked to help turn then-second baseman Larry Doby into a top-flight center fielder, one who was eventually elected to the Hall of Fame. This is a major contrast to the allegations of Speaker being a member of the Ku Klux Klan: Doby, of course, was the American League's first black player.

"I never let him know how much I admired him when we were playing against each other...

It was only after we finally became teammates and then retired that I could tell Tris Speaker

of the underlying respect I had for him." - Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Speaker died at age 70 from a heart attack while pulling a boat back to dock after a fishing trip on Lake Whitney.

TOTALS: 14 autographs (13 for me, 1 for Chris)

A Report From Elsewhere: Columbus Blue Jackets in Boston, November 13

Got our first guest spot on TGC!

My friend Peter in Boston went out for the Columbus Blue Jackets and we worked a sort of 50/50 deal.  He's starting to get back into the autographing game after a few years off for college and such and so I sent a bunch of cards up to him this past week.

Peter said the Blue Jackets were pretty good signers overall, but the hotel was tough.  Apparently this particular one, a new one that wasn't in use or even in existence when I lived there, won't let 'graphers on the property.

Everything Peter got signed today

Jared Boll, R.J. Umberger, Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski, Marian Gaborik, Ryan Murray, Derek MacKenzie, and Nikita Nikitin all stopped and signed, most doing multiples.  Gaborik as usual was one-per, but Murray, a former second overall draft pick, was willing to do multiples and even inscribe.  Johnson did 3 of Peter's 5 cards as well.

8x10s from Murray and Gaborik; look closely
on Murray's and you'll see he added "Second
Overall" to the top left of his sig

Headed my way are a pair from Johnson, plus one each from MacKenzie, Wisniewski, Boll, and Umberger.  One of the Johnsons is for my Rookie Class sets too.

Cards headed my way!

So once again, a big thanks to Peter, and hopefully we'll hear from him more throughout the season!

Hounding Report: Rangers Tunnel, August 18, plus a look wayyyyyyy back

I'll keep it brief: Ron Washington 3/3 and Mitch Moreland 3/3.  That's it.  Blah.

I didn't feel like going to the game since I already have gone for the Mariners eleventy billion times this year.  I'll save my money, time, and effort for the Astros this week and the Twins in two weeks.

Anyway, I was looking through my external hard drive at the autograph site I used to have ages ago (2003-2010 or so) and remembered I still have all my old hounding reports from that time.  So, I figure I'll post a few excerpts from them.

Such as, my first ever attempt... 

Monday, January 20, 2003
Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins
1 pm
My first day! I went out at 8:45 am. Players began arriving around 10. Very cold (25, but VERY cold with wind chill below 10). Due to the weather, few players stopped to sign. The crowd at its largest point was about six of us. Steve Shields walked by with no one recognizing him until it was too late. Hal Gill walked to the arena, stopping to sign for everyone on the way. Glen Murray came out to sign, but only for 2 or 3 people (I was not one of them). I didn't bother to stick around to get the Caps. Totals: One Autograph.

I didn't know that opposing players weren't accessible at all at the Garden (or FleetCenter as it was called then).  Or that pregame wasn't worth trying 99 times out of 100.  You live and learn, I guess.  I sure did.  A week later, I found myself astonished that Martin Lapointe signed three cards for me in one fell swoop.  Needless to say, three is now average for me.  The truly awe-inspiring ones are those who sign 8 or more for me.

It took almost two weeks before I got the hotels figured out, and I was off an rolling.  My first time out was against Montreal... 

Thursday, February 6, 2003
Montreal Canadians vs. Boston Bruins
7 pm
This time, I went out to the Marriott Copley at 8 am, hoping to catch the Habs nice and early. However, I didn't know until after I arrived that they weren't leaving to skate until around 10. So, after a Burger King breakfast and a quick read of the Boston Globe, I went over to the hotel. As usual, the guys I see at Fleet Center were there with a few cronies. We all waited around, and the first to come was Niklas Sundstrom. He signed a 3x5 card for me (I would have had him sign my card if I could have seen who the hell he was). Soon after came Jose Theodore and Mike Ribeiro. I got Theo to sign my card, as Ribeiro snuck his way on to the bus. Next to come was Saku Koivu-- the big one I wanted to get!! I even wore my Finland hockey hat and everything. Everyone else got in quickly, and he signed for all of them, while I got nothing. Not long after Koivu came Andrei Markov, who signed my card very neatly in Cyrillic (much like Nikolai Khabibulin). After him, I got Joe Juneau (he only signs JJ, but it looks cool) on a card. Igor Ulanov completely blew us all off. Randy McKay stopped and signed two for me. To finish it all off, Stephane Quintal signed a 3x5 for me (see Niklas Sundstrom). So, despite knowing who very few were, I think I did all right. Totals: Seven autographs.

Whenever I hear about how tough the hotels are here in Dallas, it definitely makes me wish for the easy days of going to the Marriott in Boston. Connected to a mall, security was relatively lax, it made for many easy experiences... 

Friday, February 28, 2003
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins
Game Saturday
Day was warmer (but that's not saying much), but with light snow. I went down to the Copley Marriott just before 3 pm. For the first time, I was approached by security, asking what I was doing there. Fortunately, we all were permitted to stay. The bus came in not long after 4 pm, and the players all went for their bags, and ran for the door. Todd Warriner signed a 3x5 card for me on his way in. Jeremy Roenick signed for everyone, signing two cards for me. I followed the other autograph seekers into Copley Place to wait for more players. There we got Eric Weinrich, who signed 4 cards for me, and Eric Desjardins, who signed one per person. Soon after, Marty Murray, Guillaume Lefebvre, Dan Seidenberg, and Eric Chouinard came up the stairs together. Each (except Chouinard, whom I somehow missed) signed a 3x5 for me. Following them were Kim Johnsson and Marcus Ragnarsson. Ragnarsson signed a card for me, and Johnsson signed a 3x5 (would have had him sign my card had I known it was him). Donald Brashear was the next to come up the stairs, refusing to sign for anyone. He said "Later" to at least one person. True to his word, he came down and signed for a few of us about 20 minutes later. He signed my Hockey Fighting Department shirt. Next, I went downstairs to Starbucks and got Ken Hitchcock to sign my Flyers team card. I continued outside, where a couple of us saw Craig Hartsburg and Wayne Fleming. We followed them inside, and each signed a 3x5 for me. Finally, I got a picture taken with Brashear, and got Gary Dornhoefer to sign my HFD shirt. Totals: Eighteen autographs.

Granted, security wasn't as awesome everywhere.  Over at the Copley they were more strict about kicking people out even if all we were doing was trying to get out of the cold and the rain with the team having not arrived yet. 

Friday, April 4, 2003
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
Game Saturday
I arrived at the Westin at 2:30 pm. The largest crowd we had at any point was 5. At 7:15, I was promptly kicked out of the atrium of Copley Place. By 7:30, only two of us remained. The bus finally arrived at 7:45. Miroslav Satan signed one card for me, followed by two cards signed by Martin Biron, and four from Daniel Briere. In the mall, Ales Kotalik signed a card I had just traded for. TOTALS: Eight autographs from 4 players.

I ended up with 342 items signed that season, which wasn't too bad considering I didn't do anything from October through mid-January and usually only tried to get one card signed by each player when I first started out.

Due to heavy schoolwork and other issues, I didn't write as much in the first part of the 2003-04 season, then following a hard drive crash in August, I lost all my info from March and onward.  But there was at least a little info.

2003 was the worst year of my life, bar none.  It seemed things like this (and most of the time worse) happened on a monthly basis... 

New Jersey Devils, 10/8/03
Ritz-Carlton
7 pm game
Great weather, average sized crowd night before and at game time. The team was pretty good about signing all around. Had my bag stolen at some point, losing some cards, a puck or two, and my multi-player signed Hockey Fighting Department T-shirt. Never found it. Dammit. The crappy luck of 2003 continued.

Getting back to graphing was a nice bright spot though. Got to hang out with friends, add to the collection, and just get my mind off things.  And of course, it's cool to meet the players when they're nice, like Ryan Walter. 

Vancouver Canucks, 11/15/03
Ritz-Carlton
7 pm game
One of the best groups of signers out there. Naslund, Morrison, both Sedins, Sopel, Linden, Salo, Cooke, Jovanovski, Chubarov, Malik, Keane, May, Allen, Cloutier, Hedberg, Crawford, McIlhargey, and Ryan Walter all signed. Walter signed my only card of him (from 1990-91) and said "What, you got some old cards for me there? Hey, a 1964 one, alright!" Only rough spot on the team was Bertuzzi.

One of the things I've discovered is that the hounds in every city are exactly the same.  I can describe a guy in Boston and find a relatively good comparison to him in Dallas.  I can describe these guys to someone in San Jose, and they can put a name on them all.  The faces and names change, but the characters are the same.

Take Ace, for example.  For the life of me I can't remember his name.  But you may know someone like him.  Ace is a blocker.  He'll get in his spot and not move from it at all.  And he's not exactly a small guy either-- not huge, but enough to screen you nicely.  Most of the time, I get a guy and get out of the way, then most collectors have the courtesy to let me back in my spot.  I try to do the same for them.  Ace was a pillar: not moving.  He drove around a van loaded with giant Rubbermaid containers full of stuff to get signed.  Pucks, balls, cards, photos, books, calendars, posters... and from every team too.  I can understand it if you want to get your 2003 Bruins calendar signed by everyone in it.  But a Phoenix Coyotes one, along with a New York Rangers one and a Vancouver Canucks one?  How many calendars can you display at once?

Sadly, I got stuck behind Ace once... 

N.Y. Rangers, 1/19/04
Ritz-Carlton
1pm Game on Monday the 19th
I went to the Ritz-Carlton at 9 am. First I was able to get Brian Mullen returning from getting coffee at Starbucks. He signed all 8 cards I had for him. Coming to the bus, I was stuck behind Ace, so I got almost no one (this was due to my attempt at getting John Davidson to sign-- in related news, he won't sign his Fleer Greats of the Game card). Darius Kasparaitis signed one after running for coffee. Vladmir Malakhov also signed one. Joel Bouchard signed both my cards, and Jamie Lundmark signed one on his way to a cab (just before the bus arrived). Total: 13 autographs from 5 players.

I try to help out friends whenever I can.  Russ got some items signed for me when I was out on Christmas and/or Spring breaks, so I helped him out with a few on the Sabres, and still massively racked. This also shows the importance of doing one's homework, as I missed out on some easy graphing early in the day. 

Buffalo Sabres, 1/21-22/04
Westin
Game 7 pm Thursday the 22nd
I went to the Westin at 4 pm. It turns out, the Sabres had arrived at 2 am and had a practice at the Fleet Center. I just missed the first bus coming back. Alexei Zhitnik signed 3 cards for me out of a taxi. Riding in the same cab was Jochen Hecht, who signed two. The second bus arrived, and I get Scott Arniel to sign 6 cards. Also off the bus, Jason Botterill signed 2. Moving up to the mall, Dimitri Kalinen signed one for me. Daniel Briere signed two, and Taylor Pyatt signed one. Not long after that was announcer Rick Jeanneret, who signed my team logo card, and James Patrick who signed two cards. The coaches came by again, and I had Lindy Ruff sign my other team logo card. To finish it off, Andrew Peters signed my card of him.

I returned to the Westin on Thursday at 9 am. The players came out at around 10. Unfortunately, they paraded. I was able to key in on Brian Campbell and he signed 5 for me (3 of mine and two of Russ' cards). Next was Henrik Tallinder, who signed the only card I had of him. Alexei Zhitnik signed 3 more for me, and Eric Boulton signed my photo and Russ' card.

After this, I went to Fleet Center to get the Bruins. Unfortunately, we weren't ready and missed Samsonov, O'Donnell, Rolston, and Donato. Finally, our slump ended with Mike Knuble, who signed 3 for me. Rob Zamuner walked out and signed 3, then driving by was P.J. Axelsson, who signed two. Not long after Axey was the trio of Martin Lapointe, Dan McGillis, and Patrice Bergeron. While everyone racked on Bergeron, I got one from Lapointe, and two from McGillis. Following them were Glen Murray and Nick Boynton. Each signed one for me. Felix Potvin came out about 10 minutes later, and signed two for me. Recent call-up Shaone Morrisonn walked out with new teammate Jiri Slegr, and signed the only card I had of him. Finishing it off was announcer and former player Bob Beers, who signed the last two cards I have of him. Totals: 51 autographs from 24 players.

My lone experience with Bobby Orr has soured me on the man forever.  I have sigs from Gretzky, Howe, and Lemieux.  I just need Orr to complete the Big Four.  What happened when I tried?  This... 

Florida Panthers, 1/24-25/04
Marriott
Game 7 pm
Lanny called me at 8 am. WE HAVE A BOBBY ORR SIGHTING!!! I quickly got dressed, packed my stuff, and ran for the Marriott. After waiting for an hour or so, Orr finally emerged from Gourmeli's, and Lanny and I went for it. We asked for a picture, and Orr responded with "I didn't think your type were allowed in here." He stopped for a photo with Lanny, and turned and left before I could get a picture with him. I called out "Mr. Orr, could I get a picture with you?" He kept walking toward the escalator and down. "Mr. Orr, can I get a picture with you down there?" Orr shouted back "You can't come down here!" What an ass!

Fortunately the Panthers were pretty good about signing after Orr steamrolled me.  Even in a surprise opportunity the next day! 

It turned out, the Panthers were set to stay over one more night, so I went back to the Marriott once more at 9 am on Sunday. Juraj Kolnik walked by us inside, and Russ asked him when they were practicing. He said the bus leaves at 12:30. Se we waited around, and went outside at around 11:45. First we spotted Steve Shields, who signed 3 cards for each of us as he flagged down a cab. Next to come by was Kristian Huselius, who signed one for each of us. Next to come by was Matt Cullen, who signed one for each os us. Roberto Luongo came next, signing two for each of us, and Viktor Kozlov, who signed one. Kozlov even asked if I had anything I wanted him to sign before I got him! Donald Audette came out next with three others. He said "Aw shit, get out of here you guys!" then laughed and signed one for each of us. Last to come was Valeri Bure. He signed 3 for each of us before getting on the bus.

Remember back when the Penguins sucked?  As a fan of theirs, I do.  Believe me, I do.  They were better signers by then, but some were still sticklers about it.  Like Bob Errey... 

Pittsburgh Penguins, 2/1/04
Lenox
Game 1 pm
I went to the Lenox at 6 pm. The team came in at 7. There was a small crowd of us, only five total-- me, Marty, Russ, Tino, and Tino's dad. I got Rico Fata immediately off the bus. He signed 3 cards for me. I also got Sebastian Caron to sign my only card of him. We then moved up to wait by the street when announcer Bob Errey came out. He signed 3 of my 8 cards. (Drew's note: Russ was the one who recognized Errey but wasn't certain it was him, asking "Bob? Bob Errey?" Ever since then, I referred to him as "Bob? Bob Errey?" whenever Russ mentioned him.) After him was Brian Holzinger, graduate of Padua High School in Parma, OH. He signed my Brooklyn arena puck, and we talked about Cleveland-area hockey a bit. He said he and his family gave some consideration to US (my old high school) before going to Padua. Next to come was a crowd of several players. I got Kelly Buchberger as he crossed Boylston Street. He signed the 3 cards I had with me. Also there was Steve McKenna, who also signed all 3 cards I had of him. I waited around for another hour in case any players returned, then left at about 8:30.

I returned to the Lenox the next morning, at 9 am. There was a bigger crowd this time-- about 12 or so of us. First out was Tom Kotsopoulos, but I had nothing for him. Next was Drake Berehowsky, who hurried to a cab, but still signed one for everyone. The bus arrived, and Randy Hillier was the first to board, signing a card for each of us. Marc Bergevin was next, signing all 3 of my cards of him. Kelly Buchberger once again signed 3 cards for me. Milan Kraft and Brian Holzinger came out together, and each signed 2 for me. Hall of Famer and assistant coach Joe Mullen came out next, and signed one for everyone. Notice to all out there, he insists on personalizing pucks. Mike Eastwood was next, signing 2 of my 3 cards. Head coach Ed Olczyk was next, signing one for some, then getting on the bus. I was lucky enough to get one from him. Next came Bob Errey. He was a real asshole today. While signing, he asked "What do you guys do with these things?" One answered simply "We collect them." Errey then went on a long rant on how if you don't sell them, then you can just send to the team for autographs. He still signed one for everyone. He signed the wrong one for me, so I got Tino to get Errey to sign the right one. So he did 2 for me overall. Aleksey Morozov was the next one out with Dick Tarnstrom. I had nothing for Tarnstrom, but got Morozov to sign a card. One more time, Rico Fata signed 3 cards for me, as did goalie Jean-Sebastian Aubin. Last to come was Hall of Fame General Manager Craig Patrick, who signed one for everyone, as well as stopping for pictures. TOTALS: 40 autographs from 17 players.

RIP Brad McCrimmon.  I haven't used the term "jerseys" since you corrected me. 

Atlanta Thrashers, 2/3/04
Marriott
Game 7 pm
I went to the Marriott on Monday at 4 pm. The team, it turns out, arrived the night before and practiced at Northeastern. A few of them walked the mall. First to be spotted were Frederic Cassivi and Francis Lessard. Lessard signed my photo of the 02-03 Chicago Wolves, and Cassivi a card. Next was Zdenek Blatny, who signed a photo. We followed Byron Dafoe toward the Prudential Center mall, and he signed a card for each of us. Next was assistant coach Brad McCrimmon. A great guy, he signed 9 cards for me. He pointed out his 90-91 Score and 91-92 Pro Set cards as his favorites, the Pro Set because of the old jerseys the players were in. Or, "sweaters," as he corrected me. We waited downstairs, and I missed Ivan Majesky and Ronald Petrovicky as I tripped and fell on my way out to get them. Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov requested extra security guards so they didn't have to sign for us. I missed Marc Savard on his way into the mall, but got him to sign a card upon returning. Frantisek Kaberle signed my only card of him, and Patrik Stefan signed 3 outside while waiting for a cab. Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre signed my only card of him on his way out to a cab, as did Tomas Kloucek.

I returned at 9 am. The players paraded, unfortunately. I was able to get Shawn McEachern to sign 3 cards, and Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre to do one. Finally, we got Kovalchuk to sign as he came out at the back of the pack. However, I got stiffed by Dany Heatley, the last to leave. TOTALS: 25 autographs from 12 players.

Boston: colder than Sweden. 

Florida Panthers, 2/22/04
Marriott
Game 7 pm
I went to the Marriott on Sunday at around 2:30 pm. The small media bus was first to arrive (around 3:30) , and I was able to get Denis Potvin coming off it. He signed 2 cards for me. I got Nathan Horton off the bus to sign a puck for me. First to come inside the mall were Vaclav Nedorost, Lukas Krajicek, and Juraj Kolnik. Each signed my only card of them. Next came Matt Cullen, Branislav Mezei, and Steve Shields. Cullen signed one, Mezei two, and unfortunately, my paint pen was giving me grief, so I missed Shields. Next up was All-Star Olli Jokinen. He signed a card for each of us. Security kicked us out, and we moved downstairs, then outside. Out there, I was able to get Byron Ritchie on two cards, and Marcus Nilson on one. Marcus, hailing from Sweden, tried to claim "It's cold out" in order not to sign (Nilson was shipped off to Calgary a few weeks later. Cold enough for ya now Marcus?). Last to come was Valeri Bure, who signed a puck for me.

Sometimes, life gets in the way of things. Also, I love Burke's comment. 

Philadelphia Flyers, 2/27-28/04
Ritz-Carlton
Game 1pm
I swear, I'm never going to class on a day a visiting team is practicing. In addition, I'm not scheduling a band practice EVER when a team is coming in. Because of these, I missed half the team. Friday, I missed the Flyers practice (several people got sticks from players and tons of autographs from everyone), and missed them coming back by a matter of minutes. I arrived at the Ritz at around 4 pm. I was able to get Joni Pitkanen to sign 2 pucks. After him, Alexei Zhamnov signed 2 cards, and Radovan Somik signed 1. Craig Hartsburg signed all 8 cards I had for him. Sean Burke was next out. He did 2 cards for me, and a puck I had my friend Nick get him on. After a long wait, John LeClair came out, signing 2 pucks for me. Last for the day was Claude Lapointe, who signed my 3 cards.

The next day, I returned at 8:45 am. First out was Brian Propp, who signed all 9 cards I had of him. Bobby Clarke was next, signing a puck. Not long after him was assistant coach Terry Murray, who signed my 2 cards. The bus arrived, and all 17 of us went over. I got in a poor position, unfortunately. I was able to get Robert Esche on 3 cards, then Alexei Zhamnov on 2 pucks. Sean Burke signed my Florida Panthers puck ("I forgot I played there," he said, laughing) and Simon Gagne signed a puck as well. Last was Marcus Ragnarsson on a card. I missed out on everyone else, thanks to my crappy positioning (at a crappy hotel).

You have to love when players have good attitudes about signing.  Take Peter Bondra, for instance... 

Ottawa Senators, 3/23/04
Ritz-Carlton
7 pm game
Not as good as last trip. Most of the team signed, but the crowd was bigger and players had a team dinner. New addition of Bondra is good (He had a phone call and stopped to say "Hey let me call you back, I'm busy signing;" he also accidentally started signing the wrong card-- one of Todd White-- stopped, apologized profusely, and signed another card. I was able to remove the autograph and later get it signed by White.) but otherwise, the team wasn't as good as on previous trips. Managed to get Rob Ray on a puck, which is a victory in and of itself. When I asked him, he said Joe Kocur is, by far, the hardest puncher he's ever fought, even moreso than Tony Twist who broke his orbital bone.

Tie Domi.  If you rearrange the letters in his name, you get "me idiot." 

Toronto Maple Leafs, 3/25/04
Ritz-Carlton
7 pm game
Again, blown off by most of the team, but I did finally get Tie Domi. While I was standing with another collector, Domi came out and the guy called out to him saying "Please, Tie, I've never gotten you before!" He stopped at the door to the bus and said "Never? You've never gotten me? Alright, but don't ever ask me again." Domi signed one per for everyone and went back to the bus. At the door he turned back again and said-- "Remember, don't ever ask again" and got on. Whatever, I'll take it. And I'll certainly ask again. Back to back minor victories in getting some of my all-time favorite fighters.

I did some baseball hounding too, but didn't write about individual outings.  I did at least do a half-assed rating. 

2004, The good (consistent signers), the bad (never sign), and the ugly (VERY hard to get):
GOOD: Tom Foley (Tampa Bay coach and former MLB infielder), Sean Burroughs (San Diego 3B), Barry Zito (Oakland pitcher), Dan Gladden (Former MLB outfielder, Twins announcer), Danys Baez (Tampa Bay pitcher), Milt Thompson (Former MLB outfielder and Phillies coach), most of the New York Yankees (Joe Torre, Jon Lieber, Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, Miguel Cairo, Tony Clark, Ruben Sierra, John Flaherty, Bubba Crosby, Dioner Navarro, Tanyon Sturtze, Orlando Hernandez, and Mel Stottlemyer all signed a ball for me), Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek. 

BAD: Lou Piniella, Mike Lieberthal, most of the Phillies, the rest of the Yankees, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez. 

UGLY: Gary Sheffield, Bruce Bochy, Larry Bowa, Mariano Rivera, Hideki Matsui, most of the Red Sox. 

2005, Same deal:
GOOD: Casey Blake, Grady Sizemore, Don Mattingly, Jamey Wright, Johnny Damon, Lynn Jones, Aaron Boone, C.C. Sabathia, Kevin Millwood, Josh Bard, Jason Stanford, Robby Thompson, Jeff Datz, Dan Williams, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee, Scott Elarton, Bob Hoery, David Riske, Fernando Cabrera, Matt Miller, Steve Karsay. 

BAD: Jhonny Peralta, Jose Hernandez, Alex Cora, Jody Gerut, Buddy Bell, Joel Skinner, Eddie Murray, Rafael Betancourt, Arthur Rhodes, Juan Gonzalez, Mike Scioscia, Bengie Molina, all of the Yankees, all of the Red Sox not named Johnny Damon. 

UGLY: Alex Rodriguez, Victor Martinez, Ben Broussard, Eric Wedge, Ron Belliard, Coco Crisp, Travis Hafner, Jake Westbrook, Jason Dubois.

That's enough for now.  I'll post more from the old days in Boston and Cleveland later.  Maybe even some from my few Texas outings before TCG came into existence.

Wednesday Friendsday, Vol. 8: Joe Dahms

After a week off, Wednesday Friendsday returns with another Boston-area guy, Joe Dahms.  And yes, it's last name is Dahms, it's not a play on someone with a Boston accent trying to say Darms or something.  And if it is, well, he sure had me fooled.

Anyways, let's see what Joe has to say about his collection, his hounding efforts, and his recent battle with cancer-- a fight where he scored a KO.

Joe getting set to hit the ice
with his daughter

Name: Joe Dahms

From: Gorham, Maine

Age: 30

Years collecting: 12

Main items you collect: Autographed hockey 8x10's and cards



TGC: How did you first get into autograph collecting?

JD: One day after a Portland Pirates game I saw a bunch of people standing around by the doors where the players exit the arena to get on their bus. I didn't stay that game because I had nothing to get signed plus it was freezing out and I wasn't dressed for the weather. I remember telling myself, next game I go to I'll be dressed warmer and with stuff to get signed.

TGC: Do you remember the first item you ever got signed?

JD: The next Pirates game I went to was a game where they played against the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins. After the game my brother and I stayed after and got a Mylec Penguins logo mini stick signed by the whole team.

TGC: Do you prefer getting yours in-person, or through the mail?

JD: I prefer in person above everything and still get out when I can, but nowadays I find myself doing more TTM partly because of my job and my commitments to my daughter.

TGC: What are your top five favorite items in your collection?

JD: Gordie Howe signed stick, Bobby Orr 16x20, Wayne Gretzky 8x10, Shane O'Brien signed game used Anaheim Jersey, and my Patrick Roy signed Avs jersey.

TGC: How did we end up meeting?

JD: We met through a mutual friend who collects in Boston, Russ. Its pretty interesting to know we ran with the same people at different times in our lives, but never actually met in person.

TGC: Any fun stories from hounding over the years?

JD: Any Tie Domi, Jeff O'Neil and Bryan McCabe story is instant gold, but my favorite story so far is when no one was there to get Daniel Alfredsson at the team's hotel. It was myself and 2 other people. For some reason up till that point I was never able to get an Alfredsson autograph in my collection. He came out, we didn't have to ask him, he just came over, signed and was really talkative while doing so.

TGC: When it comes to hounding the NHL vs. the AHL, which do you like better?

JD: AHL because there is less people collecting and you get pretty much everyone you need, but the NHL adds an element of surprise because you never know who you will see or what kind of day you will have.

TGC: What's your opinion on autograph dealers?

JD: There are some dealers who are great people, help new guys identify players, offer to get stuff signed for you and make good conversation throughout the day. I respect that its a business nowadays. I think it takes away slightly from people who like to collect, its never easy trying to explain to a player that you aren't going to sell his stuff.

TGC: What is your favorite place to hound?

JD: Cumberland County Civic Center - its close to home, easy access and the people here are always friendly.

TGC: Of all the players you've encountered, pick five you would say are the friendliest in terms of interacting with fans.

JD: Daniel Alfredsson, Lyndon Byers, Wayne Cashman, Stephen Weiss and Aaron Ward

TGC: On the opposite end of that, who are the, shall we say, roughest around the edges?

JD: Eric Boulton, Chris Neil, Georges Laroque, Zach Hamill (WHO?!) and Alexander Ovechkin, but Ovie is to be expected.

TGC: About a year ago, you entered the biggest fight of your life. What can you tell us about tangling with cancer and how the battle is going?

JD: I went through, chemo, radiation, surgery, rehab, more chemo and now I'm proud to say that I'm a survivor and that I have to check in for preventative procedures monthly but its well worth it to be around for my daughter.

TGC: Has anything ever made you want to get out of the hobby?

JD: Never considered this. I have slowed down periodically (daughter was born and cancer) but always pick back up where I left off.

TGC: Any other thoughts, words of advice, anything like that for other collectors out there?

JD: Get out there and embrace the hobby. Life is too short to hold grudges because someone got someone one day when you didn't. Get out there, hear the stories, meet the players and get some signatures and make stories of your own.

Wednesday Friendsday, Vol. 7: Russell Crowell

Last week was a former member of the Boston crew, now we get a still-current member!

Russ was one of the younger hounds with me when I was starting out up there but already was a knowledgeable veteran of graphing.  I actually referred to him as "Eddie Jr." on occasion, referring to the super-vet Eddie O, who could identify any player, coach, broadcaster, or trainer in any sport, because even at 16 he was well on his way to being the second coming of Eddie.

Anyways, let's see what Russ has to say and show!

Brett Hull with Russ

Name: Russell Crowell

From: Saugus, Ma

Age: 24

Years collecting: 18

Main items you collect: Hockey, 8x10 photos, and major Boston sports items.





TGC: How did you first get into autograph collecting?

RC: My collection really took form when I was about 7 or 8 years old and my father would take me to card shows at the mall in Methuen, Ma. I would meet a lot of the old Bruins and get a lot of Parkie reprint cards as well as pucks and 8x10's signed.

Rob Gronkowski

TGC: Do you remember the first item you ever got signed?

RC: The first autograph I ever got was when I met Roger Clemens at the opening of Filene's at the Square One mall in my home town. I had him sign a card.

TGC: Do you prefer getting yours in-person, or through the mail?  

RC: I like collecting in person the best however lately I've enjoyed TTM a lot cause I can relax and do it from my couch.

TGC: What are your top five favorite items in your collection?

RC: Thats a tough one but off the top of my head I'd say
1. Bobby Orr autographed stick
2. Tom Brady + Tedy Bruschi signed 16x20
3. Fenway Park multi signed seat back

Fenway Park seatback - how many sigs can you pick out?

 4. Wayne Gretzky signed 16x20
5. Ted Williams signed 16x20

TGC: How did we end up meeting?

RC: I met you while collecting autographs at hockey team hotels in Boston during the 2002-03 season.

TGC: Any fun stories from hounding over the years?

RC: There are many but one thing I really enjoy is traveling to collect. I've been to Las Vegas for the NHL awards 3 times and once for Wayne Gretzky's fantasy camp. Drafts in Montreal, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh. Plus hounding in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Montreal, and Tampa. I feel like the road trips make for the best stories.

TGC: What's your opinion on autograph dealers?

RC: They don't bother me. Whats the difference if a dealer gets 2 sticks signed while I get 9 cards and a photo signed?

TGC: What is your favorite place to hound?

RC: Las Vegas for sure, it's laid back, warm, and there's plenty more to do when you're simply over it.

Ray Bourque

TGC: Of all the players you've encountered, pick five you would say are the friendliest in terms of interacting with fans.

RC: 1. Johan Hedberg, 2. Jarome Iginla, 3 Michael Ryder, 4. Joe Nieuwendyk, 5. Larry Robinson

TGC: On the opposite end of that, who are the, shall we say, roughest around the edges?

RC: Sean Avery, Eric Cairns, Tom Barrasso, a few others I can't remember because they usually aren't the ones that make or break your collection!

TGC: Has anything ever made you want to get out of the hobby?

RC: Sometimes when an outing doesn't go as well as I hoped or the bitter cold weather comes around but there's always a new day and opportunity down the road that renews your faith in the hobby which I believe is the best to have. I mean I spent my high school and brightest years meeting my favorite hockey players on a day to day basis. What's cooler than that?

TGC: Any other thoughts, words of advice, anything like that for other collectors out there?

RC: Collect what you like, don't chase whats gonna be worth the most cause in the end it's not going to be. I don't believe anyone's gotten rich off this stuff and I don't believe anyone will. You'll have the most fun collecting the stuff you enjoy the most!

Wednesday Friendsday, Vol. 6: Lanny Hanscombe

Due to Wednesday night's ill-fated hounding attempt (recap coming later), I was both waterlogged and late getting back to the apartment so I had to delay this in earnest until Thursday.  But now that that's all passed, let's meet Lanny Hanscombe.

Lanny and I go back about ten years as part of the Boston crew that has provided at least one previous interview, and at least one upcoming.  We were both new to the scene at the same time.  In fact, I think it was only my second or third time out when we met-- and it was only about his first or second time out.  He's back home in his native Canada now, but still collecting in person and by mail.

So here we go with Lanny!

Lanny on the left.  If you don't know
the man on the right, I suggest you learn.

Name: Lanny Hanscombe


From: Inverness, Nova Scotia


Age: 41


Years collecting: 20 years


 Main items you collect: mostly hockey





TGC: You've bounced around to a few places for regular hounding outings, notably Boston and Edmonton.  What city has been your favorite for it?

LH: Boston for sure.

TGC: How do the other hounds compare between the places you've been?

LH: Mostly the same. I've made some great friends in both places

TGC: How did you first get into autograph collecting?

LH: It started when the NHL oldtimers came to my home town when I was a kid.

TGC: Do you remember the first item you ever got signed?

LH: I know I got some when iI was young, but my first one that I really remember was from Al MacInnis when he came home after winning the Cup in '89.

TGC: Do you prefer getting yours in-person, or through the mail?

LH: In person by far.

TGC: What are your top five favorite items in your collection?

LH: 1- Wendel Clark signed jersey
2- My Crosby autos
3- Signed Gretzky Jersey
4- Bobby Baun signed jersey
5- Bobby Hull signed jersey

Bobby Hull has turned into one of the best signers in the last few years.

TGC: How did we end up meeting?

LH: We met in Boston, I guess we just started talking and it went from there.

TGC: Any fun stories from hounding over the years?

LH: n/a

TGC: What's your opinion on autograph dealers?

LH: They dont bother me.

TGC: Of all the players you've encountered, pick five you would say are the friendliest in terms of interacting with fans.

LH: 1- Jarome Iginla
2- Joe Sakic
3- Dion Phaneuf
4- Ian Laperriere
5- Sam Gagner

TGC: On the opposite end of that, who are the, shall we say, roughest around the edges?

LH: Sean Avery has this one wrapped up, with an honorable mention to Dan Cleary.

TGC: Has anything ever made you want to get out of the hobby?

LH: Yeah, all the long days in the extreme cold! But I haven't quit yet.

TGC: Any other thoughts, words of advice, anything like that for other collectors out there?

LH: Treat a new hound with respect. Help them out and show them the ropes.

Wednesday Friendsday, Vol. 4: Ron "Puckhound" Saar

Time for another edition of Wednesday Friendsday, where we get to meet another friend of mine from the autographing world.  This time we're going with another former Bostonian-- the first of the old crew to be featured here.

Although he's also moved out to warmer climates, Ron and I were part of a good size group of collectors in Boston back in the early to mid 2000's who used to hit up the Fleet Center (now TD Banknorth Garden) and various hotels.  Ron's also a long-time blogger (you'll see a number of links to his past blogs in this interview, and his current blog is linked to the right) who was part of the Sports Fans' Online Network with myself and Corey Mansfield about five years ago. Here's a little more about him!

Mathieu Garon signs for Ron (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times)

Name: Ron Saar   

From: Machias, N.Y., living now in the Tampa Bay area

Age: 51

Years collecting: About 40 years

Main items you collect: Hockey-related items, primarily pucks and cards


TGC: You're a fellow journalist. Has the profession led to you getting to meet any stars over the years?

RS: No, not really. I try to keep those two worlds separate. There were a few times, early on in my sports-writing career, when I’d get press passes (Bernie Kosar and Jim Kelly) or baseballs (Mike Schmidt) signed. Looking back, that was a big no-no.

TGC: How did you first get into autograph collecting?

RS: As a kid, I would mail letters to NHL teams and players. The New York Islanders sent me this big packet once, full of signed 8x10s. Though none of the big names (Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Glenn Resch and Billy Smith) were in it, I thought that was pretty cool. I’ve been collecting, on and off, pretty much since then. To give you an idea as to how long it has been, I still have fan packets (someplace in The Vault, so you’ll have to take my word on it) from the NHL’s Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Barons.

TGC: Do you remember the first item you ever got signed?

RS: Not exactly, but I remember getting a signed photo and note from Phil Mankowski, a fellow Western New Yorker who played for the Detroit Tigers.

TGC: Do you prefer getting yours in-person, or through the mail?

RS: Definitely, in-person hounding brings me the most enjoyment. I like the face-to-face interaction because it often leads to stories. Though I’ve done my fair share of TTM (a 1,000-request TTM project for hockey players with about a 70-plus percent success rate comes to mind) requests, I’ve gotten away from that. Living in or near NHL cities has spoiled me.

TGC: What are your top five favorite items in your collection?

RS:
1.)    A Team Canada goalie mask, with Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur, among others, on it.

"From far and wide, O Canada, we guard the net for thee!"

2.)    A Colorado Avalanche jersey signed by Joey Sakic

Who doesn't love Joe Sakic?

3.)    A goalie stick signed by Patrick Roy

"Got this in January 2006 when Patrick Roy, the owner/coach
of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Quebec Remparts
traveled to Lewiston, Maine, for a game against the Maineiacs.
I was the only person waiting for him when the bus pulled into the
Le Colisee parking lot and had him sign this and the Team Canada
goalie mask. Five hours later, after the game ended, about 200
people tried to get his autograph." - RS

4.)    A Bruins puck signed by Patrice Bergeron with his rookie number (#56) on it

"Notice the No. 56. He signed it sitting inside
Martin Lapointe's car outside the Fleet Center on
September 25, 2003." - RS

5.)    A FleetCenter sign autographed by former and current Bruins players. I was outside the newly minted TD Banknorth Garden when I noticed some workers carrying out old FleetCenter signage. I asked if I could have one. It’s now hanging on my son’s bedroom wall.

"Got this FleetCenter signage the day they were changing
the name to the TD Banknorth Garden. Has Milt Schmidt,
Ray Bourque, Wayne Cashman, Willie O'Ree, Patrice Bergeron,
and Phil Kessel on it. Name changed occurred March 14, 2005." - RS

TGC: Rip Simonick. Tell us about the (lengthy) quest in getting him to sign.

RS: Ah, Rip, the source of my biggest public hounding humiliation, back in Boston in the mid-2000s, when the longtime Buffalo Sabres equipment guy shot down my request to have him sign two pucks.

Rather than simply saying no, that he didn’t have the time, Rip noticed and then told me that one of the pucks, bearing a paper Pepsi-style bottle cap logo of the old AHL Buffalo Bisons, wasn’t an official puck.

So, not only do I get shot down by one of the original members of the Buffalo Sabres organization, but the puck also becomes worthless. But he was right. I bought the puck online, knowing the logo was a piece of paper glued on. But I figured it wouldn’t matter. Well, it did matter.

I finally caught up with Rip a few years ago down here in Tampa. This time, though, I had an official Buffalo Bisons puck, which I’d bought at the Buffalo Sabres Pro Shop during a trip back home a few years earlier. And, yes, he signed, but only after  providing another laugh at my expense.

So, thanks, Drew for bring it up. Really.

And there they are!

TGC: How did we end up meeting?

RS: Well, after bringing up Rip Simonick, I should probably be regretting that moment, eh? No, seriously, it’s OK. Most likely, we met outside of some hotel in Boston waiting for NHL players to sign. Of all the years I’ve been a hound, I had the most fun in that city.

TGC: Any fun stories from hounding over the years?

RS: My favorite story involves my son, Colin, meeting Teemu Selanne and telling the NHL great that he was responsible for him getting in trouble with his coach for celebrating his first-ever hat trick in organized hockey by mimicking Selanne’s famous duck-hunting goal celebration.

Anyways, it didn’t take long for Selanne to know what Colin was talking about.

I also get a big kick out of watching Colin interact with a few other players, particularly Boston’s Patrice Bergeron, his best NHL buddy and the reason why we wears No. 37.

The season after Patrice came back from his serious concussion, the Bruins flew into Tampa. We were waiting at the team’s hotel in Tampa when the bus arrived. The moment Colin saw Patrice walk off the bus, he started shouting “Patrice! Patrice!” Patrice looked up, dropped has travel bag and motioned for Colin to come over. Colin ran over, meeting him halfway, and gave Patrice a big hug. After telling Colin he was feeling better, the two talked hockey and school grades. That’s something I’ll never forget.

Beyond that, most of the fun in hounding comes from hanging out with my fellow hounds. We give each other grief, tell stories and, generally, have a good time. If you’re not in it for the money, and I’m not, you’re in it for the moments and memories.

TGC: What's your opinion on autograph dealers?

RS: At first, they were the bane of my existence. In Boston, I’d try to make most of their lives as difficult as I could [Drew's note: Jimmy and Pete deserve it]. Since then, especially since the economic downturn, I’ve asked myself who am I to deny someone a chance to make a living. I may not like it, but there are bigger things in life to worry about.

TGC: What is your favorite place to hound?

RS: Tampa. I spent far too many brutally cold days in Boston, relying upon visualization of far warmer climates like Tampa to cope with subfreezing temperatures, to not relish the opportunity that I have here in Hockey Bay. Sure, it gets warm, from time to time, but there’s something about hounding hockey players, while wearing a T-shirt and shorts, that makes it all worthwhile.

I also enjoyed the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Some of today’s stars (Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Corey Perry, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Patrice Bergeron, Ryan Kesler, etc.) were playing in the American Hockey League. Living near three AHL cities (Portland, Maine; Manchester, N.H.; and Lowell, Mass.) allowed me to load up on these players.

TGC: Of all the players you've encountered, pick five you would say are the friendliest in terms of interacting with fans.

RS: The first player to come to mind is Teemu Selanne. He’ll sign multiples and sign for the house. Very few players of his stature do that. He signed four pucks for me in a single day:   

Of course, Joey Sakic, one of my all-time favorite players, made my day, so he gets a top-shelf nod here as a friendly player. Mike Commodore is another good guy, who will stop and chat with you. Mike Knuble is pretty nice, too. Zenon Konopka and Andre Roy, a couple of tough customers on the rink, were excellent with fans off the ice. It’s easy to see why players like these guys, not the NHL superstars, quickly become the fan favorites.

TGC: On the opposite end of that, who are the, shall we say, roughest around the edges?

RS: Brad Marchand and Shawn Thornton from Boston, Sean Avery from New York, Todd Bertuzzi of Detroit and Robin Regehr, from whatever team he was with. Ryan Kesler could be abrupt, too. Sorry, that’s six.

TGC: Has anything ever made you want to get out of the hobby?

RS: The cost. From buying cards, pucks, jerseys, sticks to gasoline to supplies, it adds up pretty quick. Now that my son is playing hockey, I’d rather spend my money on him. That’s why I’ve scaled back as much as I have over the past few years.

TGC: Any other thoughts, words of advice, anything like that for other collectors out there?

RS: If it isn’t fun, there’s little sense in hounding. I get more enjoyment watching Colin interact with NHL players than anything else, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on for the past few seasons. Our autographed puck collection is nearing 2,500, so I/we really don’t need many more there. It’s more about having Colin meet some of his hockey heroes. And, if he can score a few autographs along the way, that’s good for him.

Now, for the grumpy old guy in me, I have one major pet peeve: Do your homework. If you’re out hounding, you really should know the majority, if not all, of any given team. Not just the stars, the rookies or AHL call-ups, but the third liners and sixth and seventh defensemen as well.

Brief thoughts on Boston

Wow.  Shocking.  Fortunately, as far as I know all my friends in the Boston area are safe among the insanity.  Glad I had a lot of work today to keep my mind off it too much throughout the afternoon.

I used to spend a lot of time around the area of the bombings.  I was actually at the finish line in 2004 and 2005 and used to do a lot of autograph hounding at the nearby hotels (mostly the Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, and Lenox).

And not to go politicizing this too much, but remember that the freedoms that you gave up for extra security did nothing to prevent this. The sham known as the Department of Homeland Security should be ashamed of itself. Just remember that when the reaction comes to this event.

I echo President Obama's comments on the city: "Boston is a tough and resilient town. So are its people. I'm supremely confident that Bostonians will pull together, take care of each other, and move forward as one proud city. And as they do, the American people will be with them every single step of the way."

Be good to each other.  The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.