TTM This Week: Chat with 92-Year-Old Baseball Legend; Autograph Returns

TTMCast this Week

Wilma Briggs, one of the top home run hitters in the history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League joins me on this week’s TTMCast podcast to talk about her time in the game. She played from 1948-1954 as an outfielder in the AAGPBL.

She recalls playing for Hall of Famers Jimmie Fox and Max Carey, who managed in the league and shares several fun stories about her time in professional baseball.

At 92, Wilma is still actively signing TTM requests. This week I’m giving away a signed Wilma Briggs card. Send me an email ([email protected]) if you’d like to enter in the raffle.

Author and soccer expert Clementi Lisi also stops by talk soccer cards including players who have seen their value increase based on their performance in Qatar during the World Cup.

Finally, hobby veteran Les Wolff and I discuss the goings on in our hobby and review some cool holiday gift ideas for collectors. It’s three hours of hobby and sports talk–our longest show ever– and you can listen below.

TTM Successes This Week

The mailbox continues to be full as returns come in from baseball and football players of the past.

Could it be that Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry was taking care of autograph requests from collectors right up until he died last Thursday at age 84? At first, it seemed that way, but apparently it was just someone close to him doing some ghost isgning.

I had sent a 1968 Topps card with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to his address in South Carolina about three weeks ago. After hearing he had passed, I figured my card was lost forever.

Much to my surprise, as I opened the mail the day after hearing the news, I spotted my return envelope. Inside was the card–bearing a Perry signature. .

Unfortunately, it appears that the card wasn’t actually signed by Perry himself.

SC Daily reached out to Kevin Keating, lead authenticator at PSA, who told us,

“I sent it out to our entire team and, as I suspected, we all concur that this is NOT signed by Perry, but signed on his behalf by someone for him — i.e., a secretarial signature.

The formation is stiff and mimics his signature style from an earlier time-period. His more recent signature was generally more “sloppy” and diminished in both size and structure as one might expect from the hand of a person in his 80’s–he was 84.”

Ah well. Thanks to Kevin and his staff for their assistance, even if it would have made for a good story.

Perry won Cy Young awards in both leagues and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991. He was a regular autograph guest at shows all over the country after his playing days ended in the 1980s and even sold items to collectors through ads in hobby publications.

Wade Boggs

I had picked up a Boggs game used relic numbered to 199 out of a dollar box at the National Sports Collectors Convention in July. As soon as I saw it I knew it needed Boggs’ signature to complete it. I finally got around to sending it to him a few weeks ago and it came back as good as I could have hoped.

Boggs is a great TTMer and he didn’t disappoint with this beauty. He does ask for a modest sum, which is certainly understandable for a player of his stature and popularity. I sent $10 along with the card and received it back in about two weeks.

Dan Pastorini

Pastorini played for the Houston Oilers from 1971-1979 but would go on to finish out his career with Oakland, LA Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles. He actually won a Super Bowl ring with the Raiders in Super Bowl XV. He was swapped with Ken Stabler in 1980 making for another player in the wrong uniform.

Pastorini has a beautiful signature and added his uniform number, too, returning his 1980 Topps card in about five weeks.

Jim Haslett

Haslett was 1979 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1979 for the Bills. He played seven seasons with Buffalo from 1979-1985 before playing one season for the Jets in 1987. After retiring Haslett would coach for many teams including the New Orleans Saints where he won AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2000.

He signed his 1986 Topps card in about two weeks.

Ken Geddes

I added another expansion Seattle Seahawk to my collection with a TTM success from Ken Geddes. Geddes was one of 17 in his family. He starred at Nebraska and was selected by the Lions in the 7^th round of the 1970 NFL Draft. Despite the odds of a player drafted that low to stick for a long time in the NFL, Geddes played eight seasons with Detroit, the LA Rams and Seahawks from 1970-1978. He played in 95 NFL games and intercepted six passes during his career.

He signed his 1976 Topps card for me in about 10 days.

Mike Hartenstine

Hartenstine played defensive end for the Bears from 1975-1986 who selected him in the second round of the 1975 NFL Draft out of Penn State. He was the oldest member of the Super Bowl champion Bears in 1985. In all, Hartensttine played in 184 games for the Bears and Minnesota Vikings before retiring.

He signed his 1983 Topps card for me in less than two weeks, adding his uniform number, 73.

Alvin Hall

Hall played safety for the Detroit Lions for six seasons from 1981-1987. He had seven interceptions during his career with the Lions and returned a kickoff for a touchdown during the 1982 season.

Hall signed his 1983 Topps card in about a week, adding his uniform number and “Detroit Lions.”

Doug English

English played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1975-1985 at defensive end. He played in four Pro Bowls and was named First-team All-Pro in 1982. He co-holds the NFL record for most career safeties with Ted Hendricks, Jared Allen and Justin Houston with four.

He is one of 17 players to have a recorded two safeties in a single year. He played in 131 games for the Lions and recorded 55.5 sacks during his career. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

He signed and personalized his 1983 Topps card for me in about three weeks.

Rod Perry

Perry played cornerback for the Rams and Browns from 1975-1984. He incepted 30 balls and scored four touchdowns during his career. He played in 1978 and 1980 Pro Bowls while he was a member of the Rams. After retiring he served as Defensive back coach for numerous teams including the Seahawks, Rams, Oilers, Chargers, Panthers, and Colts.

He signed his 1983 Topps card for me in less than three weeks.

Gerald Willhite

In seven seasons with Denver from 1982-88 Willhite rushed for 1,688 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. He appeared in Super Bowl XXI for Denver.

He signed his 1983 and 1986 Topps cards for me in about three weeks.

Tim Young

Young scored 195 goals during his NHL career as a Center for Minnesota, Winnipeg, and Philadelphia from 1975-1985. His best season was in 1979-80 when he scored 31 goals and had 43 assists for the North Stars. Young played in the 1977 NHL All-Star game for the Campbell Conference.

He signed his 1977-78 and 1979-80 Topps cards for me in about two weeks.

Bert Campaneris

“Campy” became the answer to a trivia question when he played all nine positions for the Oakland A’s in 1965 in a game vs the California Angles. He was s a six-time All-Star and led the AL in stolen bases six times. He was a three-time World Series champion with the A’s and also played with Texas, California, and the New York Yankees. When he retired in 1983, he ranked seventh in most steals in MLB history with 649.

Regarded by collectors as a great signer through the mail, he signed his 1972 Topps card for me in less than two weeks.

Here are some others who are currently signing for free. I have had success with all of them in the past: