TTM This Week: National Talk; Next Gem; a Mailbox Full of Hall of Famer Autographs

TTMCast this Week

We’re talking about the upcoming National Sports Collectors Convention with Director of Communications Ray Schulte this week. The 43rd The National is set for July 26-30. Ray and I also take a look at the state of our hobby and more.

We also have our weekly chat with Les Wolff. We get Les’ take on some recent hobby news.

On this Wednesday’s TTMCast 1-on-1 show, Co-Founder and President of NextGem, Scott Wright joins me. We’ll hear what’s happening with the app that allows collectors to showcase their cards, buy, sell and trade. We’ll also learn about what else they have planned for the rest of 2023.

You can listen to all our podcasts at ttmcast.podbean.com.

TTM Successes this Week

Returns from baseball Hall of Famers continue to roll in. I received 20 cards from seven different Hall of Famers last week.

Orlando Cepeda

Cepeda played for six teams from 1958 – 1974. He was NL Rookie of the Year in 1958 with the Giants and NL MVP in 1967 with the Cardinals. He was an 11-time All-Star and won a World Series in 1967 as a member of the Cardinals. “The Baby Bull” won the first Outstanding Designator Hitter Award with the Red Sox in 1973. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Cepeda has become a consistent signed through the mail over the past few years. He signed his 1963 Topps card and 2021 Topps Heritage cards for me in about three weeks. He required a $20 fee per autograph.

Wade Boggs

“The Chicken Man” spent 18 seasons in MLB with the Red Sox, Yankees, and Devil Raya from 1982-1999. He tallied 3,010 hits and batted .328 for his career. He was a 12 time All-Star and 5 time AL Batting Champion. He won a World Series in 1992 as a member of the Yankees. Boggs was a first ballot Hall of Famer, appearing on 91.9% of the ballots.

Boggs is an outstanding signer through the mail. He signed 4 cards for me including his 1991 Topps, 1992 Topps All-Star, 1990 Donruss and 1999 Topps Magic Moments card in about two weeks, all for $10 each.

Rollie Fingers

Fingers saved 341 games for the A’s, Padres, Brewers from 1968-1985. In 1981 he won both the MVP an Cy Young awards while with the Brewers. He was a 7 time All-Star and won the World Series MVP in 1974 with Oakland. He won 4 Rolaids Relief Wards during his career. He was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992.

He signed his 1978 and 1980 Topps cards for me in about three weeks. Fingers requests $15 per autograph.

Paul Molitor

Moiltor amassed 3,319 hits in 21 seasons in the majors. From 1978-1998 he played for Milwaukee, Toronto, and Minnesota primarily as a Designated Hitter. He was a 7x All-Star and won World Series MVP in 1993 with the Blue Jays. He won AL Manager of the Year in 2017. He was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2004 when he appeared on 85.2% of the ballots.

He’s been a Hall of Famer for the TTM community since he retired. He signed his 1984, 1985 and 1988 Topps cards and 2021 Topps Heritage card in less than three weeks. Molitor required a $10 donation per autograph.

Whitey Herzog

Herzog’s playing career ran from 1956-1963 playing 634 games for Washington, Kansas City, Baltimore, and Detroit. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 by the Veterans Committee because of his excellence as a manager. He managed Texas, California, Kansas City and St. Louis from 1973-1990. He won NL Manager of the Year in 1985 and a World Series guiding St. Louis in 1982. He also won 6 Division titles and three pennants. Herzog won 1,281 games as Manager. Herzog has been an outstanding signer through the years.

He autographed his 1984 and 1985 Topps cards as well as Topps All Time Fan Favorites cards in less than 10 days. He suggests a $10 per autograph donation.

Ryan Sandberg

“Ryno” stared his Hall of Fame career with the Phillies in 1981 but was traded to the Cubs in 1982 where he went on to make ten consecutive All-Star appearances and nine consecutive Gold Gloves. Sandberg also won seven Silver Slugger Awards hitting 282 home runs and knocking in 1,061 runs. He won the 1984 NL MVP Award and led the NL in home runs in 1990.

The Hall of Famer signed his 1985 Topps card and 1993 Donruss card in about four weeks.

He requests $10 per signature.

Mike Mussina

“Moose” won 270 games pitching for Baltimore and New York Yankees from 1991-2008 including at least 11 games in 17 consecutive seasons. He was a 5X All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner. Mussina struck out 2,813 batters during his career. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 when he appeared on 76.7% of the ballots.

He’s been a great TTMer since he retired. He signed his 1991 Upper Deck rookie card, 1994 and 1998 Topps cards in about three weeks. He requests a $10 per signature donation.