Acquired: TTM
Sent: 12/2/13
Received: 1/9/14
Turnaround: 38 days
Submittal: $25, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: The off-season appears to be the best time of year to catch Ryne Sandberg for an autograph request through the mail. The timing makes perfect sense as Sandberg has worked various managerial gigs for years. As for which address to target, the success rate to his home address in Arizona seems to yield the best results. Please note that there are accounts of fans achieving this outcome from Ryno for much less than $25 -- some have even reported including only a handful of dollars. Nevertheless, I aimed high and included $25 for two reasons. First, I wanted to ensure any kind of success. Second, I requested a HOF 2005 inscription. In the end, I achieved the former, but not the latter. It will be interesting to see if Sandberg continues to sign with alacrity, now that his interim status as manager of the Philadephia Phillies has sequenced into a full-time role. Proceeds go to Sandberg's charity.
Acquired: TTM
Sent: 12/13/13
Received: 1/2/14
Turnaround: 20 days
Submittal: $25, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: Last year during Spring Training, I had the opportunity to meet Fergie Jenkins at Hohokam Park, the former Cactus League home of the Chicago Cubs. On March 9th -- a Saturday afternoon -- Jenkins made an appearance to sign autographs on behalf of the late Ron Santo's favorite charity, JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Santo, Jenkins's former teammate on the Cubs, passed away in 2010 after battling diabetes throughout his life. In 2012, Santo was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame through the Veterans Committee. At any rate, I was both surprised and touched to see a Hall of Famer like Jenkins set up like this -- seated at essentially a card table behind the concession stands -- to honor his former teammate and raise money for Santo's charity. In March, Jenkins signed a cheap ball for me rather than a ROMLB. At the time, and in my mind, the autograph was merely an impulse buy and a donation than anything else. Last month, however, I decided to circle back with Jenkins through the mail to obtain an autograph on a legit ball. The result is the autographed ball pictured above. The accompanying photo is from March when Jenkins graciously offered to pose for pictures as well as sign.
Acquired: TTM
Sent: 10/11/13
Received: 11/20/13
Turnaround: 40 days
Submittal: $20, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: Landing an autographed ball from Billy Williams through the mail has been my favorite success to date. When this ball came back to me, I was thrilled. There are two key reasons for this. First, I've been a Cubs fan all my life. Second, Billy Williams has a reputation as an erratic signer through the mail. Overall, I love it when the low-percentage shots pan out from your favorite players. I worded my LOR thoughtfully, which probably helped a great deal with this outcome.
Acquired: TTM
Sent: 9/25/13
Received: 10/19/13
Turnaround: 24 days
Submittal: $20 check to the Andre Dawson Foundation, ROMLB, LOR, SASE.
My Request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Charity: The Andre Dawson Foundation
Commentary: Andre Dawson has a classic autograph. Like Pete Rose, Dawson doesn't rush his signature. Considering the way Dawson carried himself on the field, it's not a surprise that he has terrific penmanship. Proceeds go to Dawson's charity.
