Gaylord Perry -- Hall of Fame 1991

Acquired: Private Signing 
Promoter: N/A
Signing Date: 4/12/14
Submittal: 50/50
My Request: Sweet spot, blue pen, HOF inscription
Commentary: Once again, the 1991 Hall of Fame class has proved to be very accessible for autographs. In fact, this was my first experience participating in a 50/50. For the unenlightened, a 50/50 is a form of a trade that plays out as follows: 

Step One
Person A sends Person B two items -- in this case the items are baseballs. 

Step Two
Person B keeps one baseball as compensation and returns the other ball to Person A after the ball has been autographed. 

As background, Gaylord Perry appeared last month at the Mickey Mantle Classic in Commerce, Oklahoma. As a guest, Perry did a signing then and there. Prior to the appearance, a reliable member on SCF made the trade arrangements with me. 

In a complicated world, a simple 50/50 is a thing of beauty. Transactions don't get any easier than this. I would welcome the opportunity to do more 50/50s, but I suspect they will be few and far between.

Red Schoendienst -- Hall of Fame 1989

Acquired: Private Signing
Promoter: Tom Orr
Signing Date: 4/8/14
Submittal: $35 check, ROMLB, SASE
My Request: Sweet spot, blue pen, HOF inscription
Commentary: I recently connected with Tom Orr for my first autographed ball obtained via private signing. I was pleased with that outcome -- an autographed Ozzie Smith ball. As a result, I utilized Orr once again for another Cardinal Hall of Famer, Red Schoendienst. Schoendienst is currently 91 years-old, yet his signature remains clean and not shaky. I have now obtained autographed balls from two members of the 1989 Hall of Fame class; first Johnny Bench and now Schoendienst. Yaz -- who is accessible but not cheap -- represents the final piece of the puzzle.

Ozzie Smith -- Hall of Fame 2002

Acquired: Private Signing
Promoter: Tom Orr
Signing Date: 3/1/14
Submittal: $50 check, ROMLB, SASE
My Request: Sweet spot, blue pen, HOF inscription
Commentary: This Ozzie Smith ball represents my first acquisition through a private signing. Prioritizing a modern Cardinals Hall of Famer might at first blush seem like a strange move for a Cubs fan like myself. But I harbor no ill-will towards Ozzie Smith. Above all -- I had a seven-year hole to fill in my project between 1997 and 2005. Overall, both the '97 inductees and the '05 inductees have signed for me TTM. The Hall of Famers in between, however, have not been as accessible for autographs.

Doug Harvey -- Hall of Fame 2010

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 2/3/14
Received: 2/21/14
Turnaround: 18 days
Submittal: $15 cash, ROMLB, SASE
My Request: Sweet spot, blue pen, HOF & "god" inscriptions
Commentary: With the addition of this baseball, I have now completed the 2010 Hall of Fame induction class -- Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog and now former umpire Doug Harvey. In my LOR, I requested the double inscriptions along with his autograph. Got all three. I'm happy about that because I have always thought that "god" was one of the best nicknames in the game. For context, Doug Harvey is the only living umpire in Cooperstown. The induction of an ump is rare, but he was that good -- hence the nickname. 

Tony La Russa -- Hall of Fame 2014

Acquired: TTM via Foundation
Sent: 1/10/14
Received: 1/31/14
Turnaround: 21 days
Submittal: $50 check, ROMLB, LOR, return envelope. I was instructed not to include postage on my return envelope.
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Charity: ARF -- Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation
Commentary: I obtained this successful outcome through Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, or ARF. Shortly after Tony La Russa had been elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans' Committee, I contacted Kathleen at ARF through its website. A formal process had not been put in place yet for submissions, so I e-mailed an inquiry. Kathleen quoted a price of $50 which includes an autograph and the HOF inscription. On one hand, this is the second highest I have ever paid for a Hall of Fame autograph through the mail. On the other hand, the price is reasonable and even understandable in light of La Russa's recent induction and the subsequent media exposure. Overall, the ball looks great, especially with the double inscriptions.

Rollie Fingers -- Hall of Fame 1992

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 12/13/13
Received: 1/2/14
Turnaround: 20 days
Submittal: $15, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: The background behind my Rollie Fingers ball is similar to that of my Fergie Jenkins ball. The story is that I met both Hall of Famers last year at Hohokam Park during Cactus League. Proceeds from their March 9th autograph session went to the late Ron Santo's favorite charity -- JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Overall, I was surprised and touched to see both Jenkins and Fingers devoting a Saturday to raise money for the key charity that Santo supported. I donated to both of the former pitchers, but since the autograph session took me by surprise, I was unprepared. As a result, I was unable to land their autographs on official baseballs. Months passed. Nine months later, I decided to circle back with Fingers through the mail to obtain his autograph and a HOF inscription on an official ball. The outcome of my latest success is pictured above. Note that Rollie signs through the mail for $10 less than Fergie. 

Ryne Sandberg -- Hall of Fame 2005

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.

Whitey Herzog -- Hall of Fame 2010

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 12/13/13
Received: 12/24/13
Turnaround: 11 days
Submittal: $15, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: There are accounts of people achieving this outcome from Whitey for only $10. But there are also accounts of Whitey leaving off the HOF inscription with $10 donations. I didn't want to risk not getting exactly what I wanted, so I included $15. Setting aside the inscription aspect, submitting to Whitey Herzog was about as straightforward as it gets. I wish they were all this easy. Proceeds go to his charity. 

Fergie Jenkins -- Hall of Fame 1991

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. 

Bob Feller -- Hall of Fame 1962

Acquired: Foundation Purchase

Purchase Date: 11/5/13

Received: 11/12/13
Turnaround: 7 days
Commentary: Even though Bob Feller passed away three years ago, a stockpile of his autographed baseballs remains available for sale. I made this purchase online through the Bob Feller Museum. This marks the first time I have outright purchased an autographed baseball for my collection. It's also my first acquisition from a deceased player. The Venn diagram below summarizes the motivation behind my purchase. But really, the decision was a no-brainer. As an added note, the ball and the autograph are in excellent condition. This is a real plus when you consider there's no way of knowing for sure how long ago Bob Feller signed this ball. 

Phil Niekro -- Hall of Fame 1997

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 11/22/13
Received: 11/29/13
Turnaround: 7 days
Submittal: $25, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: Phil Niekro turned around my request within a week and followed through on everything asked of him -- with one small exception. The knuckleballer signed with black pen instead of blue. The autograph, however, looks fine and so does the ink. Interestingly, I know Niekro had a blue pen readily available. When he returned the ball to me, he included a nice note both written and signed in blue pen. Niekro's stationery was embroidered with Hall of Fame lingo, including a Cooperstown logo at the top with the names of his fellow induction class. I wonder if that's a perk of induction or if he had that custom-made.

Rod Carew -- Hall of Fame 1991

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 11/7/13
Received: 11/29/13
Turnaround: 22 days
Submittal: $10 (he returned my $), ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: Apparently, Rod Carew is the nicest guy in the world. To my knowledge, he does not sign TTM. Yet, he did for me probably due to a unique set of circumstances. On July 4th, my wife and I were standing outside of Angel Stadium while waiting on another couple to join us. At a certain point, I nudged my wife and said, "I think that's Rod Carew!". Turns out it was. In fact, he was walking around outside The Big A like a civilian and everyone else seemed too busy to notice. Months later, I dropped a ball in the mail as well as two ticket stubs to demonstrate that, indeed, I had truly been at the game. I don't know why exactly, but I also added $10 in cash. The end result is that Rod Carew signed the ball, signed a ticket stub, and returned my money. I had only requested the ball to be signed. Because it was such a surprise, this has been the best TTM success thus far for me.

Billy Williams -- Hall of Fame 1987

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. 

Tommy Lasorda -- Hall of Fame 1997

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 10/29/13
Received: 11/8/13
Turnaround: 10 days
Submittal: $20, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
My request: Blue pen, sweet spot, HOF inscription
Commentary: Overall, this was a successful submission with a fast turnaround. Having lived in Orange County as recently as July, I have seen Lasorda charge $80 to sign at local appearances. From that standpoint, landing an autograph through the mail for $20 is a win. As for the downside, this submission marks the first time I did not receive exactly what I specified. Intentionally -- or not -- Tommy overlooked my request for a HOF inscription. Generally speaking, I do not get too excited about pursuing HOF balls from former managers, but I pursued Tommy in part for sentimental reasons. I spent a lot of time in Dodger Stadium from 2008 to 2013. When I had good seats, I always saw Tommy Lasorda there. I think he attends every game. 

Pete Rose -- #4256

Acquired: In Person
Date: 7/20/13
Location: Art of Music in Mandalay Place. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Comment: Of course, Pete Rose is not technically admittedly to Cooperstown but he would have been. Setting that debate aside, which is a huge debate to set aside, it is not uncommon to see Pete Rose in Las Vegas. I focus on sports and food while I'm there, and apparently so does Pete Rose. Over time, our paths have crossed many times, mostly in the sports book at Mandalay. I have even seen him at my favorite restaurant in town, CUT. I never approach anyone famous, so I have always left Pete Rose alone. But when I was in Las Vegas for a bachelor party recently, I learned that Pete Rose had an autograph table set up. Long story short, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet the Hit King. 

Bobby Doerr -- Hall of Fame 1986

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 10/24/13
Received: 11/2/13
Turnaround: 9 days
Submittal: $0, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
Commentary: True to his reputation, Mr. Doerr signed quickly and for free. Pretty cool, given that he is 95 years-old! Because of Mr. Doerr's history of signing with alacrity, I sent no money with my request. It would appear that the former Red Sox second baseman genuinely loves interacting with fans and keeping pace with the seemingly unending demand for his Hall of Fame signature.

Jim Bunning -- Hall of Fame 1996

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 10/11/13
Received: 10/25/13
Turnaround: 14 days
Submittal: $0, ROMLB, LOR, SASE
Commentary: Perhaps due to Bunning's background as a former U.S. Senator, I sent no money with my request. Something just feels weird about mailing cash in an envelope to a U.S. Senator, so I did not include money with my submission. Overall, I still feel guilt-free about that decision but I cannot entirely rationalize it. Anyway, in my LOR, I wrote that I genuinely admired his ability to succeed in two vastly different fields -- baseball and politics. I meant what I wrote. Setting anyone's personal politics aside, his accomplishments are impressive. 

Andre Dawson -- Hall of Fame 2010

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.

Johnny Bench -- Hall of Fame 1989

Acquired: TTM via Foundation
Sent: 9/24/13
Received: 10/12/13
Turnaround: 18 days
Submittal: There is a detailed submission process outlined on Johnny Bench's official web site. I submitted a ROMLB, SASE and money order. 
Commentary: Unlike most Hall of Famers, Johnny Bench has a true process in place for submissions including a web site and a printable form to complete for send-ins. There are pros and cons to the formality. The benefit is that there's no need to cross your fingers with your submission because a real process exists. The downside, however, is that following Johnny Bench's process is more work and more expensive. Overall, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. I definitely would rather have this kind of access to Johnny Bench than no access at all. 

Wade Boggs -- Hall of Fame 2005

Acquired: TTM
Sent: 9/25/13
Received: 10/7/13
Turnaround: 12 Days
Submittal: $10 cash, ROMLB, LOR, SASE.
Commentary: Rumor has it that Boggs will sign for free, which is unprecedented for a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Including $10 felt like the right thing to do. Better to be safe than sorry.