This may be a tad disjointed: it's mostly going to be a stream-of-consciousness dumping of my thoughts in between choosing photos while I'm at work. It's also somewhat related to my In-Person Graphing Etiquette Essay from August.
I'm a member of several Facebook autograph and card collecting groups. I'm even an admin of two of them. I only started one of them on my own, the other was a long-running one that I was made an admin of when the founder wanted to step back almost two years ago. And he likes the way I run things.
In another group besides the ones I run, a member posted bragging about mailing 9 cards to Ron Gant, and getting them all back signed. In another post, he shows off his personal record, mailing 10 cards to Doug Jones, and getting them all back plus Jones' typical religious tract card.
I have one question...
WHY?
In the group I run (Baseball TTM Autographs), we had the members vote on how many to show per success-posting. We agreed that members should limit it to four items per request-- and if you send more than four, posts showing more than four were subject to deletion. This way it doesn't encourage others to mail off ridiculous numbers with a misguided reasoning of "The player can decide to sign what they want" or "Well I told him to keep some." When it comes to the former, sure, they can, but by not controlling the number yourself you're leaving in on them to be a disappointment. For the latter, trust me, they already have them if they want them. I worked with a former NHL player who probably has a good 50 of every card ever made of him.
I just don't see why anyone would need to send ten cards at a time. When I asked why the hell he would do that, the response was little more than "Because I can, now mind your own business," even going so far as to espouse a complete misunderstanding of libertarian philosophy, claiming I have no right to question his mailing.
Oh yeah, according to one of the people defending this guy, people have left the groups I run because they don't like my attitude about these things.
*single tear rolls down face*
I certainly do have a right, and as a hobbyist, dare I even say a responsibility to question it.
In the past few years, we've seen Rick Reuschel go from signing everything to signing nothing-- mostly because there are people out there who would send him 8 cards, then another 8 mere weeks later. Reuschel was a solid pitcher: three-time All-Star, two time Gold Glove winner, two Top-3 Cy Young finishes, 200 wins, 2000 strikeouts, even a .168 average with 4 homers which isn't too bad for a pitcher-- not a Hall of Famer but solid with longevity at least. Does anyone really need six, eight, ten of him at a time?
Wade Boggs has seen the same behavior-- He was gladly signing for $5 per card, and then people started pushing it to sometimes as crazy as 6 cards for $5-- total, not each. This is a Hall of Famer and pop culture icon we're talking about. He stopped signing for a while, then returned at $10, then $5, and once again people started pushing his generosity and he's stopped once again.
Even Brooks Robinson-- possibly the greatest third baseman of all time and a more than reasonable signer for $5-10-- has enclosed notes at times saying "No more, please" when people can't follow the rules.
We're seeing teams crack down on fan mail, some refusing it entirely (Braves at Spring Training, several NHL teams, the Seattle Sounders and Seahawks, and probably more that I'm forgetting). In-person, the Las Vegas Golden Knights have made autographs a kids-only endeavor. Sure, there's a profit motive behind it as more teams partner with organizations like Fanatics, and more players work with Steiner and their ilk. But a significant amount comes from players and teams just getting tired of dealing with it.
Have some self-control folks! This is a hobby. It's not a competition. No one is going to declare you the winner because you have more. If anything your greed is going to influence players to stop signing entirely. Newer collectors and even current collectors won't be able to get the players they want for their projects because of you.
If you have several projects you're working on, I can understand it to a degree, but space it out a bit. If you pay a player's requested per-item fee, then that's fine too as it becomes an agreed-upon business transaction at that point. If you've spoken to the player, asked his permission, and they grant it, cool.
But when you're basically cold-calling and asking for a player to do you a favor with no compensation, please, show some discretion!
I've gone over my four-item limit before, I think we all have at times. But I don't do it often: my average number mailed per request is three (3.19 items per request across 1578 requests, to be exact). When I do, it's only to players who have shown a consistent history of signing 4, or 5, or 6. And the only time I have EVER exceeded six is to a few indoor soccer players-- many of whom have written back thanking me for bringing back great memories and just being ecstatic that someone remembers their career.
In-person, I'll occasionally go further. With TTM'ing, the only investment is five minutes of letter-writing and a dollar in postage to the USPS. In-person, my justification for typically carrying more items is that I am taking more time out of my day, traveling to a venue, and in most cases contributing financially via purchasing a ticket to the game, plus food, licensed memorabilia, and by showing my support by cheering for the player and watching him perform his craft live. The player receives a direct benefit, as do I. Via mail, they receive far less of a benefit.
I've been a card collector since I was six years old. I can recall specific cards I got in the first pack I bought-- a rack pack of 1991 Donruss Series 1 baseball. Dave Stieb and Bob Welch Diamond Kings. Cory Snyder. Mark McGwire Highlights and All-Star. Alvaro Espinoza. John Marzano. Sandy Alomar Jr. All-Star. The Alomar card even went on to be my first ever TTM autograph, about a year later-- which I still have.
I got into autograph collecting on a serious basis because just collecting cards was getting to be a bore. There was no challenge. You can collect any set just by throwing enough money at it. That's a lot harder to do with autograph collecting.
I have over 125,000 cards in my collection. I'd love to get as many signed as I can. But even I know I have to draw a line. I don't need 50 from Juan Gonzalez. I don't need 100 from Matt Williams. I have something like 60 from Sergei Gonchar-- but they were all in-person, all acquired over a number of years, and if a fan of his really wanted one I would gladly give it to them free of charge.
It's a hobby. We're all in it together, so be good to each other-- that goes for other collectors, the athletes, everyone involved.
Blog is on indefinite hiatus as of November 2020.
Showing posts with label how-to. Show all posts
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Friday, February 23, 2018
Thursday, August 24, 2017
On Graphing Etiquette: a list disguised as an essay
I'll have an update on Monday of everything from July and August. I'm making my second Oklahoma City run on Saturday!
I spent some time thinking about this and have said for a while I'd write on it. I actually wrote this in 2014 and never posted it until I came across it while cleaning out my inbox. So, here goes...
Sharing Info
Sharing information is a fine line. On one hand, you need to protect your locations in some cases. If a place gets oversaturated with people, the players will find a different way to go. But on the other hand, there's a good chance someone once had to tell you where to go. I know it happened with me early on. For me, I'll tell someone some basic info, but I'm not going to spoon-feed them and walk them through every step. If someone asks a specific question, I'll tell them what I know. For example, if someone asks me what hotel a team stays at, I'll tell them if I know. Or I might tell them how to find such things. But I don't just throw info out like free candy at a parade. Ask and you (probably) shall receive. But if you don't ask, don't expect to be told either.
Patience
Unfortunately a lot of the hobby involves a sort of "hurry up and wait" mentality. It can be easy to give up quickly, but some of my best autographs are because I waited patiently. In the average pre-game session for baseball, I'm in the ballpark waiting for 2 and a half hours. There is a LOT of downtime in there.
Lines
If there's a line, get in it. This is what annoyed me about Jose Bautista signing in 2014, and also was a cardinal sin a few people thought I was committing. I moved to stretch my legs a bit and I was accused of being a line jumper. 99 times out of 100 if there's a line and you wait in it, even if people get moved around a little, if you respect others and their spot, they'll respect you and your spot. Don't jump past the line, or lean over the top of it, or run through it. The signer will get to you. Wait your turn.
Helping Others
You were new once too. Help others out as long as it doesn't hurt yourself or others to do so. Got an extra pen? Let someone use it. Know who a player is that someone needs? Point him out. See someone using a Sharpie on an official ball? Let them know why they shouldn't. Obviously you don't want to be a know-it-all prick because frankly, we're all still learning. But help educate others. The hobby will be a better place for it.
Please and Thank You
For the love of rump roast, BE POLITE. Thank a player for signing. Request nicely that he sign. Obviously you don't need a "Good morrow dear sir, could I bother you for your signature upon my cardboard photograph?" but a please and thank you go a long way.
Know the Players
Admit it, you're guilty of this on occasion. I am too. Very few people know who every player is, except perhaps Boston legend Eddie O'Keefe. I swear, you could wake Eddie up at 3 am on a random Tuesday and ask him who that player is walking out from a Starbucks in rural Wyoming and he would ask why the hell you woke him up for former Vikings punter Bucky Scribner. But you aren't Eddie, nor am I. But it's good to have a reasonable idea of who you want, who you're getting, and at the very least who's on the team. To quote the late Ron "Puckhound" Saar, "If you don't know who he is, then you don't want his autograph too badly."
Courtesy
We're all in this together. It's not a competition: he who gets the most autographs does not win anything. So be polite. Wait your turn, don't shove your way in and hold your photo or card book right over someone else's (this portion dedicated in particular to one graphing family in the DFW area who is slowly helping to ruin the hobby one game at a time). When you get yours, get out of the way. If you have other items you want signed, go to the back of the line. If you can't get out of the way, at least be willing to help pass others' items to the front. And if you're in the back, don't push forward. It's no fun-- and quite a hazard actually-- being at the front, with the weight of 2-5 people pressing you into a brick wall.
Movement
While it's tempting to not want to give up your spot, movement is your best friend. Be in a location where you can get around easily. That way you have less chance of getting trapped in a crowd, less chance of blocking others, and less chance of missing someone signing in another spot because you couldn't get to it. I'm usually not a big mover. I'll pick a general area and stay in it whether over the dugout or down the line or by the photo pit. But if you feel like running around in 100-degree heat, more power to you. Also if a player signs and you don't need him, get out of the way so those who do want him can get him. And on the other hand, if someone moved out of the way for you, let them back into their spot.
Kids
The unwritten rule of autographing is put into writing: let the kids go first. Now I'm not saying to give up your spot in a line or crowd to let a throng of kids in, but don't shove them out of the way, and if a player says he'll sign for kids only, then let them in. Don't be all petty and block them just because the guy won't sign for a big gazorp like you. If there's a kid near you, make sure the player knows. The player usually will appreciate that you're making sure the kid gets his and might just be more likely to sign for you. Exception: kids who are obviously helping out dealers. In that case, all bets are off.
Get to Know Those Around You
George Carlin once said that if everyone in the world lined up and shook hands and introduced themselves, that could end war. Because once someone says we need to bomb a certain group, the people would answer "What?! Hell no we can't bomb the Chinese, I know them!" Like I said, we're all in this together. Get to know the people around you. Who knows, they might be more likely to let you in on a hot tip about where to get someone, or hook you up with extra stuff on players you don't have, or assist you in getting a player to sign. You might even find you have stuff in common outside of autographs, or find you know someone in common. There's actually a grapher down here who knows a guy I that know from my days in Boston.
Have Fun
Because really now, isn't that the point? If you aren't having fun, then why are you doing it?
I spent some time thinking about this and have said for a while I'd write on it. I actually wrote this in 2014 and never posted it until I came across it while cleaning out my inbox. So, here goes...
Sharing Info
Sharing information is a fine line. On one hand, you need to protect your locations in some cases. If a place gets oversaturated with people, the players will find a different way to go. But on the other hand, there's a good chance someone once had to tell you where to go. I know it happened with me early on. For me, I'll tell someone some basic info, but I'm not going to spoon-feed them and walk them through every step. If someone asks a specific question, I'll tell them what I know. For example, if someone asks me what hotel a team stays at, I'll tell them if I know. Or I might tell them how to find such things. But I don't just throw info out like free candy at a parade. Ask and you (probably) shall receive. But if you don't ask, don't expect to be told either.
Patience
Unfortunately a lot of the hobby involves a sort of "hurry up and wait" mentality. It can be easy to give up quickly, but some of my best autographs are because I waited patiently. In the average pre-game session for baseball, I'm in the ballpark waiting for 2 and a half hours. There is a LOT of downtime in there.
Lines
If there's a line, get in it. This is what annoyed me about Jose Bautista signing in 2014, and also was a cardinal sin a few people thought I was committing. I moved to stretch my legs a bit and I was accused of being a line jumper. 99 times out of 100 if there's a line and you wait in it, even if people get moved around a little, if you respect others and their spot, they'll respect you and your spot. Don't jump past the line, or lean over the top of it, or run through it. The signer will get to you. Wait your turn.
Helping Others
You were new once too. Help others out as long as it doesn't hurt yourself or others to do so. Got an extra pen? Let someone use it. Know who a player is that someone needs? Point him out. See someone using a Sharpie on an official ball? Let them know why they shouldn't. Obviously you don't want to be a know-it-all prick because frankly, we're all still learning. But help educate others. The hobby will be a better place for it.
Please and Thank You
For the love of rump roast, BE POLITE. Thank a player for signing. Request nicely that he sign. Obviously you don't need a "Good morrow dear sir, could I bother you for your signature upon my cardboard photograph?" but a please and thank you go a long way.
Know the Players
Admit it, you're guilty of this on occasion. I am too. Very few people know who every player is, except perhaps Boston legend Eddie O'Keefe. I swear, you could wake Eddie up at 3 am on a random Tuesday and ask him who that player is walking out from a Starbucks in rural Wyoming and he would ask why the hell you woke him up for former Vikings punter Bucky Scribner. But you aren't Eddie, nor am I. But it's good to have a reasonable idea of who you want, who you're getting, and at the very least who's on the team. To quote the late Ron "Puckhound" Saar, "If you don't know who he is, then you don't want his autograph too badly."
Courtesy
We're all in this together. It's not a competition: he who gets the most autographs does not win anything. So be polite. Wait your turn, don't shove your way in and hold your photo or card book right over someone else's (this portion dedicated in particular to one graphing family in the DFW area who is slowly helping to ruin the hobby one game at a time). When you get yours, get out of the way. If you have other items you want signed, go to the back of the line. If you can't get out of the way, at least be willing to help pass others' items to the front. And if you're in the back, don't push forward. It's no fun-- and quite a hazard actually-- being at the front, with the weight of 2-5 people pressing you into a brick wall.
Movement
While it's tempting to not want to give up your spot, movement is your best friend. Be in a location where you can get around easily. That way you have less chance of getting trapped in a crowd, less chance of blocking others, and less chance of missing someone signing in another spot because you couldn't get to it. I'm usually not a big mover. I'll pick a general area and stay in it whether over the dugout or down the line or by the photo pit. But if you feel like running around in 100-degree heat, more power to you. Also if a player signs and you don't need him, get out of the way so those who do want him can get him. And on the other hand, if someone moved out of the way for you, let them back into their spot.
Kids
The unwritten rule of autographing is put into writing: let the kids go first. Now I'm not saying to give up your spot in a line or crowd to let a throng of kids in, but don't shove them out of the way, and if a player says he'll sign for kids only, then let them in. Don't be all petty and block them just because the guy won't sign for a big gazorp like you. If there's a kid near you, make sure the player knows. The player usually will appreciate that you're making sure the kid gets his and might just be more likely to sign for you. Exception: kids who are obviously helping out dealers. In that case, all bets are off.
Get to Know Those Around You
George Carlin once said that if everyone in the world lined up and shook hands and introduced themselves, that could end war. Because once someone says we need to bomb a certain group, the people would answer "What?! Hell no we can't bomb the Chinese, I know them!" Like I said, we're all in this together. Get to know the people around you. Who knows, they might be more likely to let you in on a hot tip about where to get someone, or hook you up with extra stuff on players you don't have, or assist you in getting a player to sign. You might even find you have stuff in common outside of autographs, or find you know someone in common. There's actually a grapher down here who knows a guy I that know from my days in Boston.
Have Fun
Because really now, isn't that the point? If you aren't having fun, then why are you doing it?
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Reader questions: The Notebook
I said I'd answer this Sunday. It's now Wednesday. Sorry!
Over at The Bench in my hounding thread, a question was asked of me by another Texas grapher...
And so, I give you a little info on my 'Graphing Notebooks.
What I have is actually not a spiral notebook, but rather spiral-bound cardstock. I have three of them-- one to hold three cards per page for the Rangers, one to hold three per page for the visiting team, and one to hold four per page for Rangers alumni. Each book is composed of 50 pieces of plain white index card weight paper, spiral bound at the top with a plastic cover on the front and back.
It took me a while to get to this system. When I first started, I was a card stacker, then a binder carrier. Both caused major problems in the winter in Boston when I was going for hockey: my choices were autographs or frostbite. After studying others and some trial and error, I advanced to spiral-bound 4"x6" index cards with plastic photo corners.
The 4"x6" size is perfect for holding two cards per page. A minor problem though is that often the cards are perforated at the top. The perforations wear out over time and eventually the index cards come out. Sure, you can tape over the perforations for some reinforcement, but you'll go through a roll of tape on a single book. Also, the size is great for players who only sign one or two cards per person. But what about those who sign more? Do you just sit happy with your two while others are getting 3, 4, or 9 done? I sure didn't.
Enter the 8-board and the 9-board. Late in that first season in Boston, I took some old folders and attached photo corners so that each folder could hold two rows of four cards-- AKA the 8-board. That way, I could hold up to 8 cards per player. Now really, there aren't a while lot of guys who will sign that many, and I usually felt like an ass if I presented a player with that many cards unless I knew for sure he was up for it (Brad McCrimmon was great about it when he was a coach in Atlanta; always commented on his favorite cards too). But whoa, hold on, prepare for your brain to explode: how about four cards each for two players? Just put the top row as Player A, and the bottom row as Player B. It cuts down on space, while holding more cards. You can make them from any sort of heavy paper, cardboard, foamcore board, anything. Just cut it to the right size and proceed onward with your photo corners. With 9-boards, you can easily do three rows of three cards on a board of nearly the same size. When measuring, just remember cards are 2.5" by 3.5" and to build in at least a quarter-inch on each side, and maybe round up to the next half-inch. So for an 8-board, at least 8" by 11". For a 9-board, at least 8.5"x12". Going slightly larger is not a bad idea.
But after a while, the boards got to be too much. It's rare a player signs four cards-- some do, but not often. And shuffling around boards quickly as players came by could be a hassle. The boards quickly would get out of order and make it harder to find players. So, I went to the Composition Notebook.
Comp Books are pretty cheap. Smaller than regular notebooks, string-bound, and just right to hold four cards per page in a two-by-two pattern. If you really want to squeeze, you can do three-by-two, or a row of three with a sideways row of two. These are good if you don't need to carry much. But packing a notebook full can get a bit burdensome, and stresses the binding. It'll need replacement every few years through heavy use. Fortunately, mine have survived due to fairly light use until this season.
And so, I went back to the spiral-bound index cards this season. But taking a tip from my friends Randy and Seth, I went to the local OfficeMax (or was it Office Depot? I doubt it matters, I'm sure both can do it) and got mine custom cut and custom bound. My three-card notebooks are made of 4.5"x9" card stock, while the four-card is 4.5"x11". It costs more (about $10 per notebook), but it's worth it. Also, make sure they use a larger spiral on it. I didn't on mine, and it's a tough fit on the alumni book. I might go and get mine refitted. I have a clear plastic cover on the front, and a navy blue one on the back. Extra protection is never a bad idea.
Another great thing about these notebooks is they can be thrown. Once in a while, a player will sign over top of the dugout, making you throw him your item. Yeah, good luck throwing a card. But a notebook like this can be turned to the correct page, held there with a pen attached with rubber bands or elastic hair ties (no friction that way if you slide it across the top of the dugout), and tossed or slid to the player. You can keep the bands around your wrist and quickly slip them on when waiting for the player to sign for others.
Also, be careful with the photo corners when putting cards in. The first time you affix them, slip them on opposite (diagonal) corners of the cards, and press them down on the card stock. Space them so that you can fit however many cards per page that you choose to have. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But on subsequent changes of cards, be cautious or the cards can get dinged corners very easily. I recommend using a piece of paper (or an index card, or a cut-off top loader piece) to use as a shim to lift the corner, slide the card in under it, then remove the shim. You'll also have the curve the card a little to get it in. Be careful not to bend it too far and crease it. Eventually if this is a problem, I can try to make a video of it.
When it comes to plastic vs. paper photo corners, I use plastic. They're cheaper and more durable. Paper once have less risk of dinging corners, but if you're careful, it shouldn't be a problem.
Another tip: if you have multiple players on one page, either space them out, or turn one upside down. I've had players sign the wrong card before. This helps prevent that.
Anyways, I hope that answers the questions on my Graphing Notebooks. If you look around at the serious graphers, you'll see almost everyone has their own notebook style.
Over at The Bench in my hounding thread, a question was asked of me by another Texas grapher...
And so, I give you a little info on my 'Graphing Notebooks.
What I have is actually not a spiral notebook, but rather spiral-bound cardstock. I have three of them-- one to hold three cards per page for the Rangers, one to hold three per page for the visiting team, and one to hold four per page for Rangers alumni. Each book is composed of 50 pieces of plain white index card weight paper, spiral bound at the top with a plastic cover on the front and back.
 |
| All prepped for the weekend's Reds outing! |
The 4"x6" size is perfect for holding two cards per page. A minor problem though is that often the cards are perforated at the top. The perforations wear out over time and eventually the index cards come out. Sure, you can tape over the perforations for some reinforcement, but you'll go through a roll of tape on a single book. Also, the size is great for players who only sign one or two cards per person. But what about those who sign more? Do you just sit happy with your two while others are getting 3, 4, or 9 done? I sure didn't.
Enter the 8-board and the 9-board. Late in that first season in Boston, I took some old folders and attached photo corners so that each folder could hold two rows of four cards-- AKA the 8-board. That way, I could hold up to 8 cards per player. Now really, there aren't a while lot of guys who will sign that many, and I usually felt like an ass if I presented a player with that many cards unless I knew for sure he was up for it (Brad McCrimmon was great about it when he was a coach in Atlanta; always commented on his favorite cards too). But whoa, hold on, prepare for your brain to explode: how about four cards each for two players? Just put the top row as Player A, and the bottom row as Player B. It cuts down on space, while holding more cards. You can make them from any sort of heavy paper, cardboard, foamcore board, anything. Just cut it to the right size and proceed onward with your photo corners. With 9-boards, you can easily do three rows of three cards on a board of nearly the same size. When measuring, just remember cards are 2.5" by 3.5" and to build in at least a quarter-inch on each side, and maybe round up to the next half-inch. So for an 8-board, at least 8" by 11". For a 9-board, at least 8.5"x12". Going slightly larger is not a bad idea.
But after a while, the boards got to be too much. It's rare a player signs four cards-- some do, but not often. And shuffling around boards quickly as players came by could be a hassle. The boards quickly would get out of order and make it harder to find players. So, I went to the Composition Notebook.
 |
| Been using this one since last year, I believe. It's now relegated to backup duty. |
 |
| Overkill? Overkill. Used since 2009, it's now my third-string. |
 |
| Could certainly use a new spiral. And this is just my current Rangers one; the Alumni is far worse. |
 |
| The bands hold the spot, keep pages from flipping, and hold the pen when throwing the book |
 |
| The ungodly huge Alumni book |
When it comes to plastic vs. paper photo corners, I use plastic. They're cheaper and more durable. Paper once have less risk of dinging corners, but if you're careful, it shouldn't be a problem.
 |
| A close-up on how to place the corners |
 |
| Space them out... |
 |
| ... or flip them around to create a visual barrier. |
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Autographs: A Short How-To Manual (Part 2)
Part two: The Russian Postal System blows
You’re still here? Geez man, you’re supposed to be out hounding. I gave you all that good advice and you’re still sitting on your duff, wasting time at the computer.
Oh, right. No teams within a two-hour radius. I feel your pain, as I have the same problem here.
Not all of us can be so blessed as to have a 15-minute walk or 5-minute subway or bus ride to get autographs. Many people live an hour or more away from the nearest team. Some of us live on a dental floss farm in rural Montana and have no major league teams within 700 miles in any direction. The two-hour drives to Dallas and Oklahoma City when I was in Wichita Falls don’t seem so bad now that I see Montana on the map.
For those of us who can’t just go hound, the US Postal Service (or Canada Post, or insert your country here) make it possible to get autographs by writing to your favorite athletes. You don’t get the same interaction, and it can be hard to get certain items signed, but in the end, you’re still getting your autograph.
And so, another brief bit of info– how to get the most out of your mailing experience.
1. Know Your Addresses
Team addresses are easy to find. Just check out a league’s website, and the mailing address for every team should be there. Home addresses are a little tougher to dig up. I went out and spent a good chunk of change to get Harvey Meiselman’s Address Lists in 2007, but they’re honestly worth every penny. As a warning, some teams do not usually give mail to players. In hockey, these teams are the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals. The latter three will give mail to players if you send via their practice facilities. Addresses for those can be found on a simple Google search. Home addresses can be found other ways, but I’ll leave this up to you to find. There are a lot of sites out there that can help you. Even SCF and The Bench both have a heck of an address database.
2. The Letter
If writing to multiple players on one team, send individual letters, not just a bulk mailing with every player in it. Make the letter you write as personal as you can. Just a simple “Sign these please” will probably end up with your items being sent back unsigned, if they even get sent back at all. If you can, write the letter by hand. Include some personal items about the player, such as congratulations on a recent milestone, or a good-luck wish for the playoffs, or best wishes for coming back from an injury. Make them know you’re not just some schmoe looking to get a free autograph that you can turn around and sell. Typing the letter works, but some collectors believe you’ll more than likely get better autographs, faster response times, and even specific requests you make fulfilled by writing by hand. I haven’t noticed a difference myself. Just make sure your handwriting is legible!
3. Send Something to Get Signed
Again, it seems obvious, doesn’t it? Via mail, cards, photos, and small items work best. Baseballs, pucks, and mini-helmets are possibilities in that vein. Avoid sending jerseys, sticks, bats, big balls (yeah yeah, ha ha, laugh it up; I mean like footballs and basketballs), or anything requiring special packaging. Usually I send a few cards. You can send usually up to about 5 in individual penny sleeves for the price of only one stamp. By the way, don’t send too many items, either. The most I ever send is 5 cards. Often, I put cards in sleeves, put a couple index cards around them to protect them a bit more, and send. Sometimes the player might sign the index cards, too, which is a fun and easy bonus. Again, do your homework. If you see a player signs one item per person, don’t send three. If they signed 8 for someone (a collecting practice I do not condone via mail), don’t hesitate to go for 4 or 5. And don’t send anything you can’t afford to lose. Don’t send an Alexander Ovechkin rookie card to get signed (I learned that the hard way; fortunately I had two of it, so I had one to fall back on) because there’s a good chance you’ll never see it again unless the player has a good track record of signing. And even then, some unscrupulous assistant might switch out the card with a different one and keep your awesome one. I had that happen a few weeks back with a Daniel Hudson jersey card. He's a good signer, but someone swapped out my jersey card for a base common.
4. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
Make sure you enclose one! And make sure it has proper postage. If you don’t enclose an easy way to get your signed items back, you may never get them back. Convenience for the player is the key here: the less the player has to do, the better your results will be. Make it easy for them, and you’ll be much better off and have more success.
5. Postage
Like I said, make sure you have proper postage. A simple 45-cent stamp will get your letter anywhere you want in the USA, but check with the Post Office for letters to Canada or elsewhere around the world. If worst comes to worst, enclose a dollar with your request to cover postage back from the player to you. Or, if your local post office has them, get an international reply coupon. Don’t bother with them in Russia, though. In fact, don’t bother sending anything to Russia for the most part. I’ve seen a success rate around 15% for others in sending to players there. I haven’t tried it. I have personally had success to hockey players in Slovakia and Sweden. I have also seen several successes for various sports in Germany, England, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, and Finland. It might also be smart to put a little extra postage on just to be safe. If the going rate is 45 cents, it might be prudent to make it 48 or 50. Of course, if you use Forever stamps for any domestic mailing, then you have nothing to worry about.
6. E-mail is a possibility for some!
Some players have widely-publicized e-mail addresses that they’ll sign through. Georges Laraque and Ken Dryden are two at the top of the list who are worth trying. Just send a similar letter to if you were writing via mail, ask if they might send a signed photo or something of the like, and make sure you enclose your mailing address. Laraque also doesn’t mind shooting the breeze with fans, as far as I can tell. Back when the Penguins acquired him, I e-mailed welcoming him to the team and reminding him that Donald Brashear and the Capitals were on the schedule in the next few weeks. I got a response thanking me and lol’ing at the reminder about Brashear.
So there you have it. I think I’ve covered everything there is to know about autograph collecting. Or at least everything I know and can remember off the top of my head. It’s a fun hobby to get into and is decently cheap as long as you just send cards. Think about it this way– for $45, you can get a roll of 100 stamps. That’s 50 requests. My success rate has been about 60%– roughly 30 of 50. If you send 3 cards per player (some more, some less, but average 3), that’s 90 cards you just got signed for a very small investment. It also helps if your significant other is very understanding, as this hobby gets addictive very quickly. At least it’s legal and non-harmful.
Have fun, may your mailboxes be full, and may your 9-boards be finished!
You’re still here? Geez man, you’re supposed to be out hounding. I gave you all that good advice and you’re still sitting on your duff, wasting time at the computer.
Oh, right. No teams within a two-hour radius. I feel your pain, as I have the same problem here.
Not all of us can be so blessed as to have a 15-minute walk or 5-minute subway or bus ride to get autographs. Many people live an hour or more away from the nearest team. Some of us live on a dental floss farm in rural Montana and have no major league teams within 700 miles in any direction. The two-hour drives to Dallas and Oklahoma City when I was in Wichita Falls don’t seem so bad now that I see Montana on the map.
For those of us who can’t just go hound, the US Postal Service (or Canada Post, or insert your country here) make it possible to get autographs by writing to your favorite athletes. You don’t get the same interaction, and it can be hard to get certain items signed, but in the end, you’re still getting your autograph.
And so, another brief bit of info– how to get the most out of your mailing experience.
1. Know Your Addresses
Team addresses are easy to find. Just check out a league’s website, and the mailing address for every team should be there. Home addresses are a little tougher to dig up. I went out and spent a good chunk of change to get Harvey Meiselman’s Address Lists in 2007, but they’re honestly worth every penny. As a warning, some teams do not usually give mail to players. In hockey, these teams are the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals. The latter three will give mail to players if you send via their practice facilities. Addresses for those can be found on a simple Google search. Home addresses can be found other ways, but I’ll leave this up to you to find. There are a lot of sites out there that can help you. Even SCF and The Bench both have a heck of an address database.
2. The Letter
If writing to multiple players on one team, send individual letters, not just a bulk mailing with every player in it. Make the letter you write as personal as you can. Just a simple “Sign these please” will probably end up with your items being sent back unsigned, if they even get sent back at all. If you can, write the letter by hand. Include some personal items about the player, such as congratulations on a recent milestone, or a good-luck wish for the playoffs, or best wishes for coming back from an injury. Make them know you’re not just some schmoe looking to get a free autograph that you can turn around and sell. Typing the letter works, but some collectors believe you’ll more than likely get better autographs, faster response times, and even specific requests you make fulfilled by writing by hand. I haven’t noticed a difference myself. Just make sure your handwriting is legible!
3. Send Something to Get Signed
Again, it seems obvious, doesn’t it? Via mail, cards, photos, and small items work best. Baseballs, pucks, and mini-helmets are possibilities in that vein. Avoid sending jerseys, sticks, bats, big balls (yeah yeah, ha ha, laugh it up; I mean like footballs and basketballs), or anything requiring special packaging. Usually I send a few cards. You can send usually up to about 5 in individual penny sleeves for the price of only one stamp. By the way, don’t send too many items, either. The most I ever send is 5 cards. Often, I put cards in sleeves, put a couple index cards around them to protect them a bit more, and send. Sometimes the player might sign the index cards, too, which is a fun and easy bonus. Again, do your homework. If you see a player signs one item per person, don’t send three. If they signed 8 for someone (a collecting practice I do not condone via mail), don’t hesitate to go for 4 or 5. And don’t send anything you can’t afford to lose. Don’t send an Alexander Ovechkin rookie card to get signed (I learned that the hard way; fortunately I had two of it, so I had one to fall back on) because there’s a good chance you’ll never see it again unless the player has a good track record of signing. And even then, some unscrupulous assistant might switch out the card with a different one and keep your awesome one. I had that happen a few weeks back with a Daniel Hudson jersey card. He's a good signer, but someone swapped out my jersey card for a base common.
4. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
Make sure you enclose one! And make sure it has proper postage. If you don’t enclose an easy way to get your signed items back, you may never get them back. Convenience for the player is the key here: the less the player has to do, the better your results will be. Make it easy for them, and you’ll be much better off and have more success.
5. Postage
Like I said, make sure you have proper postage. A simple 45-cent stamp will get your letter anywhere you want in the USA, but check with the Post Office for letters to Canada or elsewhere around the world. If worst comes to worst, enclose a dollar with your request to cover postage back from the player to you. Or, if your local post office has them, get an international reply coupon. Don’t bother with them in Russia, though. In fact, don’t bother sending anything to Russia for the most part. I’ve seen a success rate around 15% for others in sending to players there. I haven’t tried it. I have personally had success to hockey players in Slovakia and Sweden. I have also seen several successes for various sports in Germany, England, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, and Finland. It might also be smart to put a little extra postage on just to be safe. If the going rate is 45 cents, it might be prudent to make it 48 or 50. Of course, if you use Forever stamps for any domestic mailing, then you have nothing to worry about.
6. E-mail is a possibility for some!
Some players have widely-publicized e-mail addresses that they’ll sign through. Georges Laraque and Ken Dryden are two at the top of the list who are worth trying. Just send a similar letter to if you were writing via mail, ask if they might send a signed photo or something of the like, and make sure you enclose your mailing address. Laraque also doesn’t mind shooting the breeze with fans, as far as I can tell. Back when the Penguins acquired him, I e-mailed welcoming him to the team and reminding him that Donald Brashear and the Capitals were on the schedule in the next few weeks. I got a response thanking me and lol’ing at the reminder about Brashear.
So there you have it. I think I’ve covered everything there is to know about autograph collecting. Or at least everything I know and can remember off the top of my head. It’s a fun hobby to get into and is decently cheap as long as you just send cards. Think about it this way– for $45, you can get a roll of 100 stamps. That’s 50 requests. My success rate has been about 60%– roughly 30 of 50. If you send 3 cards per player (some more, some less, but average 3), that’s 90 cards you just got signed for a very small investment. It also helps if your significant other is very understanding, as this hobby gets addictive very quickly. At least it’s legal and non-harmful.
Have fun, may your mailboxes be full, and may your 9-boards be finished!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Autographs: A Short How-To Manual
I'm trying to put in one entry a day until everything hits the fan March 29-April 1. So, I'm going to do a little bit of re-hashing.
Back in the SFO days, I had a generic sports blog called Simply Drew where I sometimes wrote on autograph hounding and TTM'ing. I haven't written in it since 2009 and haven't written seriously since 2008. But there might be some fun items in there to read if anyone wants to go back in time.
After I joined Sports Card Forum (under the name HighFivingMF, then later forced to change to *censored*), I sent this in as an article and actually had it published in Tuff Stuff's Sports Card Monthly in December 2010, just before its eventual demise about a month later. So I may have killed the magazine. Sorry folks.
And so, let's give it a re-porting. I'm going to break it up into two parts: today on in-person hounding, tomorrow on TTM'ing.
* * * * *
Everyone knows that one guy.
The one who has the awesome man cave at his house. I’m not just talking a flat-screen TV, bar stools, and a pool table. I’m talking the guy with signed jerseys, photos, bats, balls, pucks, and Swedish pancake makers hanging from the walls. You’ve seen the place. Maybe you’re that guy (you lucky son of a…).
This is to help out the person who wants to be that guy. You don’t have to sink hundreds or thousands of dollars into memorabilia that may or may not be authentically signed. With a small investment in the raw materials and through use of your free time, I’ll show you how to start your own autograph collection.
There are two main ways to get the autographed items you desire– in person, or through the mail. Part one will deal with hounding in person, whereas part two will examine mailing methods.
Part one: “Can I borrow your Sharpie”– an unacceptable phrase
I spent three years as a hardcore autograph hound when I lived in Boston for college. Most of my time was spent on hockey, with some baseball and basketball to pass the time. I started in January of 2003 being unable to tell Ted Donato from Ted Lindsay, but finished my time in December of 2005 with a respectable collection in the vicinity of 1000 autographed items.
And here I am to pass my wisdom onto you. So welcome, rook. Here’s a crash course in starting your collection.
1. Have Something to Get Signed
It seems so obvious, yet I’ve seen many people who come with nothing to get signed. Almost anything works. Cards are cheap and usually easy to find. You probably have a ton yourself. If not, you can often find player lots or team lots on eBay for cheap. Ask around and work some trades at boards like SCF or The Bench. Photos look great, but are a little more expensive ($2-$5, depending on where you look). Same with pucks, baseballs, footballs, basketballs, bats, jerseys, sticks, you get the idea. They’re great single-signed or team-signed items, but they’re more expensive. If you want something simple, get a pack of plain white 3×5 cards. If they’re ruled, get them signed on the plain white side. After that, if you have a printer capable of printing on index cards, you can print a name, team logo, and really anything you want about the player on it. Make sure you test it on an unsigned card first! Be forewarned, some players won’t sign blank index cards, so think about just printing a team logo on them from your computer. If you plan to collect basketball players, go to a local home improvement store and get some plain wooden floor tiles. Signatures look great on them.
2. Do Your Homework
No one likes a collector who knows nothing about who he’s collecting. I’ve been that guy before, and I won’t lie to you: it sucks. If you hound a team, make sure you can identify at least half the players on it. Strive for knowing who every player is. What helped me out early on was to print off a sheet with every player’s color headshot, name, jersey number, height, and weight. Additionally, these are easy to get signed. If you don’t know who a player is, have them sign the sheet. They’ll usually sign right by their photo. Of course, the easiest way is to just get a team’s jersey or some other generic team item, but with that you run the risk of a player signing it twice (or more). At worst, leech off the other collectors around. If you don’t know who someone is, look at what the player is signing for someone else. Just don’t do it too much, you parasite. As the great Ron Saar once told me in my early days, “If you don’t know who he is, then you don’t want his autograph too badly.”
3. Preparation is key!
Make sure that everything you want to get signed can fit into a small backpack, messenger bag, or box. I always use a messenger bag or a laptop case to carry everything in. Make sure all your items are easy to get to. What I often do is make what I call “8 boards” or “9 boards” to hold my cards. Go to a photo supply or scrapbooking shop to get photo corners and get some rectangular pieces of cardboard, foam core board, posterboard, or something of the like (cut it to about 9″x12″). In a pinch, old two-pocket folders work well for this. Composition notebooks are great for this as well. Some will use a spiral bound pack of 4×6 index cards. Take a card, put two photo corners on it (on opposite corners– the top right and bottom left or top left and bottom right), and stick it to the cardboard. Either do it three rows of three cards vertically, or four rows of two lengthwise. You should be able to slip the cards in and out of the corners without any major problems. Don’t try to force them into the corners if it’s hard. Just get an index card or piece of paper to carefully lift the corner, then slide the card in. You may have to bend the card a little, but be careful not to crease it; just gently curve it. If your cards are super-glossy, rub them down with an eraser or a little talcum powder. This will counteract the gloss and the autograph won’t bubble up on the card. For the most part, try to limit yourself to four or fewer cards of a single player. If I make a 3×3 board, I’ll put a row for a player. If I have one card of one player, and one card of another player, I’ll put them in the same row with an empty space between. If I have two of a player and one of another, I won’t put them in the same row (unless it’s a row of 4). Keep a space between players so a player doesn’t accidentally sign a card that isn’t of him. I’ve had it happen three times so far. Once in a while, some players will sign more than two or three each (Brian Mullen, Brian Propp, Brad May, and Craig Hartsburg are ones who stick out in my mind as guys who will sign full 9 boards), but don’t get too greedy. Stick with no more than 3 items for the most part. Keep your pen ready and your items at close reach. Nothing is worse than seeing a player, having to dig something out, or going and getting something, and looking up to find him gone.
4. Have Something to Sign With
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But the thing everyone seems to forget, or know little about, is the proper pen. It all depends on what you’re getting signed. Lumocolor pens are the best on the market but are pretty tough to find. I highly recommend Sharpie markers. Blue Sharpies work best on cards, photos, light colored jerseys, bats, floor tiles, sticks, and index cards. Black Sharpies are good as well, but I recommend blue over any other color. It can be seen easier on a dark spot on a card than can any other color of marker. Black is best to use on a basketball. If you want to get darker items signed, like some bats, jerseys, footballs, or pucks, get a silver paint pen. Silver Sharpies are good, but highly unreliable. I’ve had them die on me at the worst possible moments. Try to find a Liquid Gold, or Liquid Silver brand pen. Ball-point pens should be the only things used on official, authentic baseballs. Use a Sharpie on those cheap "Official League" balls, or just try to avoid them outright. Always keep your writing implement close at hand. I often stow mine in my hat.
5. Location, Location, Location. And Timing.
Know where you’re headed. There’s nothing more futile than not having a good sense of a time schedule and not knowing where to go. A lot depends on what sort of event you plan to hound. Is it a team hotel, or a stadium/arena? What time does the game start? It varies for every sport, sometimes for every team, so you’ll have to deal with a little trial and error at first. With hockey, I often hounded morning skates and visiting team hotels, and occasionally practices. I can’t tell you a perfect system of timing, except that for baseball, players are usually at the park by 3 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game (and begin arriving as early as noon in some cases). Hockey players often have a morning skate at 10 or 11 am for a 7 p.m. game and will leave for the rink between 3 and 4:30. Hotel arrivals vary wildly depending on the team’s schedule the previous day. Make friends with a few collectors and they’ll hook you up. Within my first two months of hounding, I had a schedule completely set and even had one give me the number for the Boston Bruins Media Info Line so I could find out exact times of practices and morning skates.
5a. Loose Lips Sink Ships. Or In This Case, They Dry Up Sharpies.
Don’t get too chatty about visiting teams’ hotels. I hounded in Boston a lot, and in 2003 during the ALCS, crowds around the Yankees’ hotel(s) were small: 10 or 20 people. A year later, it was around 100 people for the Yankees at the 2004 ALCS. Word spreads quickly. Don’t say too much about where teams stay or you’ll get a bunch of slack-jawed yokels just there to stare and get junk like scraps of paper or dollar bills signed.
6. Be Polite
Don’t cuss out a player for not signing. I remember hounding a Red Sox game once in the illustrious Summer of 2004: a player ignored us and a woman shouted “Thanks for nothing!” She was met by a groan from the rest of the collectors. Fortunately, she kept quiet the rest of the time. Don’t get mad that you missed out on a player. There will be other opportunities (unless it’s Tim Wakefield who signs one day per season and if you miss him, too bad). Don’t shove anyone out of the way to get to a player or people will do it to you. Say “Please” and “Thank you.” Address the player as Mr. Shanahan, or Brendan, maybe Shanny, never just as Shanahan. Don’t shout out “There’s Jagr!” or you’ll have about 50 other collectors trailing you to get to him. Don’t run toward a player. If hounding at a hotel, don’t follow the players into the lobby. Leave them alone if they’re in the bathroom or eating a meal. If they’re on the phone, try to wait until they finish their conversation. Simply, just treat the players how you would want to be treated in their situation. And don’t crowd players. During the aforementioned 2004 ALCS 100-person-crowd, I was pinned between the crowd and the wall of the hotel as Joe Torre walked out. The hotel security folks had put out a rope barrier which was about as useful as an ashtray on a Harley. At least five people pushed against the rope screaming for him to sign. I politely waited and asked “Mr. Torre, will you please sign my ball?” He came over, took my ball and pen, backed up a few steps, signed, handed it back to me, and got on the bus. No one else got him, and why? Because I was the polite and calm one.
Now how hard is that? If I could fit in the time to do it while
holding a 3.4 GPA in a college journalism program while pursuing two
minors, you can do it too. I don’t get out to hound as often as I used
to, but I do enjoy it whenever I have the time. And I plan to do it much more now that I'll be living so close to the ballpark.
When free time and traveling abilities are rare, you may have to find other ways to add to your collection. Those ways will be discussed in Part Two, coming tomorrow.
Back in the SFO days, I had a generic sports blog called Simply Drew where I sometimes wrote on autograph hounding and TTM'ing. I haven't written in it since 2009 and haven't written seriously since 2008. But there might be some fun items in there to read if anyone wants to go back in time.
After I joined Sports Card Forum (under the name HighFivingMF, then later forced to change to *censored*), I sent this in as an article and actually had it published in Tuff Stuff's Sports Card Monthly in December 2010, just before its eventual demise about a month later. So I may have killed the magazine. Sorry folks.
And so, let's give it a re-porting. I'm going to break it up into two parts: today on in-person hounding, tomorrow on TTM'ing.
* * * * *
Everyone knows that one guy.
The one who has the awesome man cave at his house. I’m not just talking a flat-screen TV, bar stools, and a pool table. I’m talking the guy with signed jerseys, photos, bats, balls, pucks, and Swedish pancake makers hanging from the walls. You’ve seen the place. Maybe you’re that guy (you lucky son of a…).
This is to help out the person who wants to be that guy. You don’t have to sink hundreds or thousands of dollars into memorabilia that may or may not be authentically signed. With a small investment in the raw materials and through use of your free time, I’ll show you how to start your own autograph collection.
There are two main ways to get the autographed items you desire– in person, or through the mail. Part one will deal with hounding in person, whereas part two will examine mailing methods.
Part one: “Can I borrow your Sharpie”– an unacceptable phrase
I spent three years as a hardcore autograph hound when I lived in Boston for college. Most of my time was spent on hockey, with some baseball and basketball to pass the time. I started in January of 2003 being unable to tell Ted Donato from Ted Lindsay, but finished my time in December of 2005 with a respectable collection in the vicinity of 1000 autographed items.
And here I am to pass my wisdom onto you. So welcome, rook. Here’s a crash course in starting your collection.
1. Have Something to Get Signed
It seems so obvious, yet I’ve seen many people who come with nothing to get signed. Almost anything works. Cards are cheap and usually easy to find. You probably have a ton yourself. If not, you can often find player lots or team lots on eBay for cheap. Ask around and work some trades at boards like SCF or The Bench. Photos look great, but are a little more expensive ($2-$5, depending on where you look). Same with pucks, baseballs, footballs, basketballs, bats, jerseys, sticks, you get the idea. They’re great single-signed or team-signed items, but they’re more expensive. If you want something simple, get a pack of plain white 3×5 cards. If they’re ruled, get them signed on the plain white side. After that, if you have a printer capable of printing on index cards, you can print a name, team logo, and really anything you want about the player on it. Make sure you test it on an unsigned card first! Be forewarned, some players won’t sign blank index cards, so think about just printing a team logo on them from your computer. If you plan to collect basketball players, go to a local home improvement store and get some plain wooden floor tiles. Signatures look great on them.
 |
| Cards. Cards everywhere. |
2. Do Your Homework
No one likes a collector who knows nothing about who he’s collecting. I’ve been that guy before, and I won’t lie to you: it sucks. If you hound a team, make sure you can identify at least half the players on it. Strive for knowing who every player is. What helped me out early on was to print off a sheet with every player’s color headshot, name, jersey number, height, and weight. Additionally, these are easy to get signed. If you don’t know who a player is, have them sign the sheet. They’ll usually sign right by their photo. Of course, the easiest way is to just get a team’s jersey or some other generic team item, but with that you run the risk of a player signing it twice (or more). At worst, leech off the other collectors around. If you don’t know who someone is, look at what the player is signing for someone else. Just don’t do it too much, you parasite. As the great Ron Saar once told me in my early days, “If you don’t know who he is, then you don’t want his autograph too badly.”
 |
| And carry a camera. You never know when a photo op could arise with your favorite player (in this case, then-Bruin P.J. Stock ten years ago) |
Make sure that everything you want to get signed can fit into a small backpack, messenger bag, or box. I always use a messenger bag or a laptop case to carry everything in. Make sure all your items are easy to get to. What I often do is make what I call “8 boards” or “9 boards” to hold my cards. Go to a photo supply or scrapbooking shop to get photo corners and get some rectangular pieces of cardboard, foam core board, posterboard, or something of the like (cut it to about 9″x12″). In a pinch, old two-pocket folders work well for this. Composition notebooks are great for this as well. Some will use a spiral bound pack of 4×6 index cards. Take a card, put two photo corners on it (on opposite corners– the top right and bottom left or top left and bottom right), and stick it to the cardboard. Either do it three rows of three cards vertically, or four rows of two lengthwise. You should be able to slip the cards in and out of the corners without any major problems. Don’t try to force them into the corners if it’s hard. Just get an index card or piece of paper to carefully lift the corner, then slide the card in. You may have to bend the card a little, but be careful not to crease it; just gently curve it. If your cards are super-glossy, rub them down with an eraser or a little talcum powder. This will counteract the gloss and the autograph won’t bubble up on the card. For the most part, try to limit yourself to four or fewer cards of a single player. If I make a 3×3 board, I’ll put a row for a player. If I have one card of one player, and one card of another player, I’ll put them in the same row with an empty space between. If I have two of a player and one of another, I won’t put them in the same row (unless it’s a row of 4). Keep a space between players so a player doesn’t accidentally sign a card that isn’t of him. I’ve had it happen three times so far. Once in a while, some players will sign more than two or three each (Brian Mullen, Brian Propp, Brad May, and Craig Hartsburg are ones who stick out in my mind as guys who will sign full 9 boards), but don’t get too greedy. Stick with no more than 3 items for the most part. Keep your pen ready and your items at close reach. Nothing is worse than seeing a player, having to dig something out, or going and getting something, and looking up to find him gone.
 |
| Index cards are easily customizable. |
4. Have Something to Sign With
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But the thing everyone seems to forget, or know little about, is the proper pen. It all depends on what you’re getting signed. Lumocolor pens are the best on the market but are pretty tough to find. I highly recommend Sharpie markers. Blue Sharpies work best on cards, photos, light colored jerseys, bats, floor tiles, sticks, and index cards. Black Sharpies are good as well, but I recommend blue over any other color. It can be seen easier on a dark spot on a card than can any other color of marker. Black is best to use on a basketball. If you want to get darker items signed, like some bats, jerseys, footballs, or pucks, get a silver paint pen. Silver Sharpies are good, but highly unreliable. I’ve had them die on me at the worst possible moments. Try to find a Liquid Gold, or Liquid Silver brand pen. Ball-point pens should be the only things used on official, authentic baseballs. Use a Sharpie on those cheap "Official League" balls, or just try to avoid them outright. Always keep your writing implement close at hand. I often stow mine in my hat.
 |
| Note how the signature is bleeding a bit around the edges. In hindsight, a cheap ball should be avoided. |
5. Location, Location, Location. And Timing.
Know where you’re headed. There’s nothing more futile than not having a good sense of a time schedule and not knowing where to go. A lot depends on what sort of event you plan to hound. Is it a team hotel, or a stadium/arena? What time does the game start? It varies for every sport, sometimes for every team, so you’ll have to deal with a little trial and error at first. With hockey, I often hounded morning skates and visiting team hotels, and occasionally practices. I can’t tell you a perfect system of timing, except that for baseball, players are usually at the park by 3 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game (and begin arriving as early as noon in some cases). Hockey players often have a morning skate at 10 or 11 am for a 7 p.m. game and will leave for the rink between 3 and 4:30. Hotel arrivals vary wildly depending on the team’s schedule the previous day. Make friends with a few collectors and they’ll hook you up. Within my first two months of hounding, I had a schedule completely set and even had one give me the number for the Boston Bruins Media Info Line so I could find out exact times of practices and morning skates.
5a. Loose Lips Sink Ships. Or In This Case, They Dry Up Sharpies.
Don’t get too chatty about visiting teams’ hotels. I hounded in Boston a lot, and in 2003 during the ALCS, crowds around the Yankees’ hotel(s) were small: 10 or 20 people. A year later, it was around 100 people for the Yankees at the 2004 ALCS. Word spreads quickly. Don’t say too much about where teams stay or you’ll get a bunch of slack-jawed yokels just there to stare and get junk like scraps of paper or dollar bills signed.
6. Be Polite
Don’t cuss out a player for not signing. I remember hounding a Red Sox game once in the illustrious Summer of 2004: a player ignored us and a woman shouted “Thanks for nothing!” She was met by a groan from the rest of the collectors. Fortunately, she kept quiet the rest of the time. Don’t get mad that you missed out on a player. There will be other opportunities (unless it’s Tim Wakefield who signs one day per season and if you miss him, too bad). Don’t shove anyone out of the way to get to a player or people will do it to you. Say “Please” and “Thank you.” Address the player as Mr. Shanahan, or Brendan, maybe Shanny, never just as Shanahan. Don’t shout out “There’s Jagr!” or you’ll have about 50 other collectors trailing you to get to him. Don’t run toward a player. If hounding at a hotel, don’t follow the players into the lobby. Leave them alone if they’re in the bathroom or eating a meal. If they’re on the phone, try to wait until they finish their conversation. Simply, just treat the players how you would want to be treated in their situation. And don’t crowd players. During the aforementioned 2004 ALCS 100-person-crowd, I was pinned between the crowd and the wall of the hotel as Joe Torre walked out. The hotel security folks had put out a rope barrier which was about as useful as an ashtray on a Harley. At least five people pushed against the rope screaming for him to sign. I politely waited and asked “Mr. Torre, will you please sign my ball?” He came over, took my ball and pen, backed up a few steps, signed, handed it back to me, and got on the bus. No one else got him, and why? Because I was the polite and calm one.
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| The 2004 ALCS Joe Torre signature; note the lack of ink bleed when compared to the Westbrook above. |
When free time and traveling abilities are rare, you may have to find other ways to add to your collection. Those ways will be discussed in Part Two, coming tomorrow.
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