The autographs by mail project

[Eric_the_Red]

I wanted to start a collection of autographed sports cards for my son, so I decided to mail out cards and SASEs to various players. I thought it would be interesting to track what, if any, response I get.

I bought a bunch of packs of 2010 Topps cards and picked a few cards to mail to the players. I included a little note asking the players to please sign and return the card, as well as a couple sentences personally about that player and maybe his team.

The first batch went out today to:
1. Josh Beckett
2. Gordon Beckham
3. Ken Griffey Jr.
4. Tommy Hanson
5. Albert Pujols
6. Chase Utley
7. Matt Kemp
8. Kevin Youkilis
9. Ichiro Suzuki
10. Jonathan Papelbon
11. Evan Longoria
12. David Price
13. Tim Lincecum
14. Joe Mauer

I'll keep this thread updated as I mail out other cards, and will keep a tally of which players respond.

The only other time I've done this is as a kid when I mailed a card and envelope to my favorite player, Will Clark. I mailed the card, waited for months, and forgot about it. Then one day over a year later I got a letter in the mail, and it contained the signed card from Clark. I was ecstatic!

Any cards I get back I will either store in top loaders or in a 9-card page binder for my son to enjoy when he gets older. (He is only 1 now.) This could turn into a yearly father/son tradition.

[bigredbunter]

I'll be curious to know what kind of success you have with this. I have two boys, and it's a great idea.

[Dom Heffner]

I have a friend who did this with nearly the entire set of 1973 Topps baseball cards.

You might have greater success once they are out of their prime and demand slows, but I'll bet you'll hit on at least 50% of what you sent out.

[Stephenk29]

I did this when I was little. Kirby Puckett hooked me up. Just wish I sent a nicer card now!

[Dom Heffner]

My only fear of this is you never know who is signing. One of my good friends is the brother-in-law of a major celebrity (think wrestler turned actor- rhymes with "Smock" LOL) and he tells tales of help signing photos along with other family members....

[savafan]

I know for a fact that Griffey Jr. doesn't sign through the mail. I don't know if this still happens, but I assume that it does, that there are some players who won't sign the cards, but will instead send you back a signed photo. I had this happen with Pat Burrell, Pete Rose Jr. and Mark Brunell.

I've had a lot of success with this though.

The craziest was getting back a Dale Murphy card 7 years after I sent it.

[Kingspoint]

I have a friend who did this with nearly the entire set of 1973 Topps baseball cards.

What year did he do that?

[guttle11]

There was an article about this in ESPN the Magazine a few weeks back. The writer sent something to every team in the four professional sports (star players, coaches and mascots). Got some autographs, but mostly the things sent back where letters, media guides, promotional items, and things like that. The best response came from Joe Mauer, a personally autographed letter. The article then becomes about Mauer and how he sits down with his mother every couple of weeks and actually goes through and responds to every piece of fan mail he gets. Pretty cool article.

[Eric_the_Red]

There was an article about this in ESPN the Magazine a few weeks back. The writer sent something to every team in the four professional sports (star players, coaches and mascots). Got some autographs, but mostly the things sent back where letters, media guides, promotional items, and things like that. The best response came from Joe Mauer, a personally autographed letter. The article then becomes about Mauer and how he sits down with his mother every couple of weeks and actually goes through and responds to every piece of fan mail he gets. Pretty cool article.

Yeah, I read that. It was the inspiration for this project. And I big reason why Mauer was one of the first guys I mailed to.

[Dom Heffner]

What year did he do that?

I think he has done it over the years. He was telling me a few weeks ago that he just received some new ones.

[bucksfan2]

I did that years ago when I was young. I think I sent 3 or 4 letters, with cards, to Barry Larkin and he returned them all. Raul Mondesi was another guy I liked at the time and got his auto. David Justice also signed a card for me.

I have heard things have changed quite a bit since ebay became a hit. Larry Walker was a guy who I had heard would write back and explain why he wouldn't sign an autograph because of ebay. Its a shame because I can remember the thrill of getting my self addressed envelop back with an auto card in it.

[Eric_the_Red]

I have the next 11 letters ready to be mailed tomorrow.

15. Homer Bailey
16. Clayton Kershaw
17. Pablo Sandoval
18. Adam Dunn
19. Adam Jones
20. Neftali Perez
21. Josh Hamilton
22. Prince Fielder
23. Jorge Posada
24. Mark Teixeira
25. Ian Kinsler

Less superstars in this group. We'll see if that produces more positive results or not.

[George Anderson]

This is a hobby I did back in the early 80's to about the late 80's.

I used a book by this same author but a 80's version.


http://www.amazon.com/BASEBALL-AMERI...8166927&sr=8-1

I had alot of luck and off the top of my head got responses from Burleigh Grimes, Stan Coveleski, Willie Mays, Edd Roush, Sadaharu Oh and way to many more to count.

I did get DiMaggio's autograph but I was told his sister signed his name for him.

It is a fun hobby though, nothing like getting a SASE letter in the mail and wondering what player sent it.

[redsmetz]

An interesting thread. I have to tales to recount.

My family knew Roger Staubach because his girlfriend/fiancee (now wife) lived across the street from us. When my younger cousin told me he was a big fan of Staubach's, I told him I'd send him his football card to him and ask him to autograph it. Instead of signing the card, he sent my cousin and 8 X 10 signed photo and he walked on air for years.

My son wrote to a bunch of teams back when he was little. They sent a lot of the same paraphanalia: hats, pins, shirts, yearbooks etc. The Red Sox even sent him a small bag of dirt from home plate. When he was cleaning out his room when he went away to college, he asked me to sell some of the stuf for him. I sold some of it, but still have some of the pins from the Rays first season and stickers from the A's and Phillies, media books from the Padres and Astros. He kept the Fenway dirt though.

[Eric_the_Red]

My son wrote to a bunch of teams back when he was little. They sent a lot of the same paraphanalia: hats, pins, shirts, yearbooks etc. The Red Sox even sent him a small bag of dirt from home plate. When he was cleaning out his room when he went away to college, he asked me to sell some of the stuf for him. I sold some of it, but still have some of the pins from the Rays first season and stickers from the A's and Phillies, media books from the Padres and Astros. He kept the Fenway dirt though.

Somewhere I have some warning track dirt from Wrigley Field. We went to see the Reds play in Chicago in 2000 and it was picture day. Fans were let on the field before the game to get pics of Cubs players. We walked to the outfield and watched the Reds warm-up and said hi to Casey and Dmitri. I put some dirt in an empty film case.