TTM Successes
Another solid week from the post office…
Reggie Smith
I often forget Reggie was a seven-time All-Star and hit 363 career home runs between four teams.
I’m running out of players in my 1972 set who are reliable, affordable signers, and also living. Smith fortunately checks all three boxes and works with J.D. Legends Promotions out in California for signings. During his career, mail to his home address typically came back “refused” so it’s nice to see collectors now have an option–and at a reasonable price.
He signed these at a price of $15 each in about two months.
Ron Rothstein
Rothstein’s NBA coaching career has been primarily as an assistant for five teams, but he was Miami’s first head coach before taking over for Chuck Daly in Detroit. He won three NBA championships with the Heat and spent time on Mike Fratello’s staff in Cleveland.
He signed these in three weeks via his Florida home.
Rod Higgins
This journeyman spent time with four NBA teams and one CBA team in four seasons before finding his niche in Golden State for six seasons. He later spent seven years as a GM for the Warriors and Charlotte Bobcats and was president of the Charlotte Hornets.
Rod signed these via his Nevada home in 2 weeks.
Bobby Hebert
The Cajun Cannon led the Michigan Panthers to the first USFL championship and later went 49-26 as the Saints starter from 1985 to 1992. His time in Atlanta is better off forgotten, where despite playing in a Pro Bowl he went 7-18 and lost his starting job to Jeff George.
Bobby signed these in two weeks. He’s a sports talk show host on WWL in New Orleans.
Sal Butera
Butera played for five MLB teams– including both in Canada– and won a World Series with the Twins in 1987. His son Drew played twelve years in the majors and now coaches. Sal himself also coached a bit, serving on Italy’s staff at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Sal signed these for me in two weeks via his home in Florida.
Ernie Whitt
Hey look, another catcher! Whitt played over 1200 games as a Blue Jay, with 110 combined between Boston, Atlanta, and Baltimore. He was an All-Star in 1985 and has recently worked as an instructor for the Phillies and manager for Team Canada in various international competitions.
He signed these cards for me in two weeks via his Michigan home.
Julio Franco
When I saw Julio was working with Five Tool Signings for only $15, I knew I had to jump on it– most of his appearances have been double that. Franco was always a great signer when I had gotten him in the past. I just hadn’t started working on the Diamond Kings until after the last time I saw him– which was when he hit .222 for the Fort Worth Cats in 2014– at age 55.
He signed this for me in two months via Five Tool Signings.
IP Report
A few months ago, I told a friend I’d get Pete Incaviglia to sign a couple cards for a project he’s working on. Despite Pete being an incredibly nice guy and consistent signer, I’m still trying.
A couple weeks ago I left a game early just to avoid being out in the heat– and Pete got ejected anyway, so it would have been a waste of my time to have stayed. Cleburne lost a total bloodbath of a game that night anyway so I’m sure he and others would have been in no mood to sign.
Fast forward to this past weekend. With a chance to redeem myself and help a friend out… Pete got ejected again, arguing over a pitch up and in that he insisted hit his batter. I don’t think Pete got more than three words out before he was shown the door.
I’m trying Carl, I swear!
On the positive side, I did at least finish off what I had for most of the team. Former Red Sox hurler Mike Shawaryn is the only one I have left, as he’s been the starter in most of the games I’ve gone to. But former Phillie Aaron Altherr was his typically great self, signing for me before stretching. Shed Long did as well– the former Mariner typically doesn’t sign a ton unless you get him before warmups, which I fortunately did. Once he’s out on the field, forget it. I also got Cleburne’s newest acquisition, Jordan Viars who was recently released from the Phillies’ organization.
Postgame with the Gary Southshore Railcats, I did at least get Cody Reed whom I mentioned last week. But beware: the Cody Reed in 2014 Bowman Draft and Panini Elite Extra Edition is a different Cody Reed! He did at least sign the correct cards I had with me. Spencer Adams also signed a card that my friend Andrew gave me.
Congrats, but… really?!
I’ve been fortunate that in this hobby the good interactions outweigh the bad by a solid 20-to-1 ratio. And even the bad ones aren’t too bad, all things considered. I’ve never been physically assaulted, arrested, or permanently barred from a place– and I know graphers who have had all three happen.
So when Jen Pawol made history this week as the first female umpire in Major League Baseball, it made me both celebrate the accomplishment and cringe thinking back to my road trip three years prior.
The Bowie Baysox took on the Harrisburg Senators, and Arron and I did our usual thing, getting players to sign both before and after the game inside, then tried our luck outside. During the game, Pawol was one of the umpires on the three-person crew.
So afterward we waited out back with the other graphers at a waist-high fence at the parking lot near where Bowie’s bus was parked. Colton Cowser signed, as did then-top prospects Connor Norby, Drew Rom, and Joey Ortiz. And as we waited for others, the umpires all walked out together, with their car parked right near where we were standing. So I quickly dug into my bag to get my ticket stub– why not see if Pawol would sign it? I can’t imagine umpires get asked to sign very often.
So I asked “Jen, would you sign my ticket?”
She looked at me on the other side of the fence like I was a bottom-feeder that had just crawled out of the surrounding Susquehanna River.
“Uhh… no,” she said, seeming almost disgusted that I would ask. I thought she was joking at first, but then stood there completely dumbfounded as she and the other two umpires got in their car and left.
So, congrats to Ms. Pawol on a great accomplishment, but… I still look back on my lone interaction with her with a sort of “what did I do to deserve that?!” feeling.
TTMCast Preview
Troy Rutter rejoins the show as this month’s co-host while Arron is out on the road. Speaking of which, Arron checks in from the Carolinas and tells us about the graphing in the southeast while Drew and Troy talk about upcoming shows and signings, recap an unfortunate few weeks of losses in the Vern Rapp Minute, and cover their TTM successes.
You can listen to this week’s show here.
Don’t forget, we’re going to have Les Wolff on the show in October for some appraisals, so if you want him to take a look and offer his opinion on your sports items, send info and photos to TTMCast@yahoo.com.
If you have any graphing questions, you can reach Drew via email at DFWGrapher@gmail.com
