Last of My TwinsFest Autographs - Sunday

Sunday's main goal was to get Jason Kubel on the game used bat I had bought. After taking Johnny to a couple of the shorter lines during the first shift, we joined my wife and younger son in line, even though there was nearly 3 hours before that shift started. During this time, my younger son went and played a few games, and my older son walked around the card show a bit.

Before the first shift ended, Johnny ran to another line for me. He got Denard Span on a 2009 Allen & Ginter, and got Jerry White and Scott Ulger on my team ball.



While waiting for Kubel, Young and Hardy, I decided to run through the second shift line which was Kevin Slowey, Alexi Casilla and Francisco Liriano.

I had Slowey and Casilla sign their 2009 Topps Heritage, and Liriano signed a 2007 Topps Heritage.Then we got back in line and waited, a long time, for Kuble, Young and Hardy. My wife was along, so I got two autographs of each of them. I had Kubel sign the ticket stub from his April 2009 game in which he hit for the cycle.


Young signed a bobblehead.


And I had J.J. Hardy sign another ball for me since the one I had got on Friday night was smudged.


My wife had Kubel sign my game used bat, Young a 2009 Topps Heritage, and J.J. Hardy, a 2009 Allen & Ginter.



We were some of the first to get through the Kubel line, so we had time to also go through another one during that session. I went through Blyleven's line to get a ball signed for a friend, and Johnny ran to the Joe Nathan/Carl Pavano line. He got Nathan to sign a 2005 All Star Game ball for me (and got Pavano on his hat).


Johnny and I spent the last session looking around the card show. David and my wife went through one last line, and my wife got Pat Neshek on a picture for me, and Jeff Manship on my team ball.





That wraps up our TwinsFest autographs for 2010. Things will really slow down for me now. I haven't sent out any ttm requests. I have a few paid signings that I've sent to, including Morneau.

Continuing Johnny's TwinsFest Autographs - Saturday

The Saturday of TwinsFest was a busy day. Johnny's old enough now and has his own cell phone so I feel comfortable splitting up for periods of time. Usually this would be me sitting in a line holding his place, while he runs to other lines.

When we got to the Dome on Saturday, we got our spot in Rod Carew's line, who wasn't signing until the second session. Once we had our spot, Johnny ran down to the Dome floor to go through a line with Pridie, Stelmaszek, Greg Olson and Brian Raabe. His main goal was to get Olson to sign his Sports Illustrated that Gladden had already signed at TwinsFest two years ago.


After that line, he came back and joined me in Rod Carew's line for a while. Towards the end of the first signing period, he ran back down to the floor to go through a line with Kubel, Guerrier and Casilla. He got Casilla and Guerrier on his hat (which I haven't taken pictures of yet) and Kubel on his ticket from the game last April when he hit for the cycle.

Then he hustled back and was going to take some of my items back down to that line, especially the bat I had for Kubel to sign, but there wasn't enough time. We both got through Carew's line and each had him sign a John Wheeldon print. These prints were give-aways at Super Valu in 1970. I have almost the whole set of 12, and Johnny really likes them, so I bought him the Carew portrait for Christmas.


We got through the Carew line pretty quickly, so we had time for Johnny to go through a line with Dan Gladden and Roy Smalley. Johnny had them both sign his 1987 World Series program.

After that, we got in Bert Blyleven's line. Johnny had Bert sign an old picture of him pitching for the Twins. Bert asked if he'd like it made out to someone, and again, John was happy to have it personalized.


Next, we got in line for Paul Molitor, even though he wasn't signing until the 5th and last session, and it was time for the 4th session to start. While waiting in this line, Johnny went through a line with Tony Oliva and Jack Morris twice. Once for him, and once for me, while I held our place in the Molitor line. Johnny had Morris sign a 2005 Donruss Diamond Kings card, which is a set he really likes. He had Oliva sign a bobblehead I had given him for Christmas.




After that, we waited for the Molitor line to begin, and each got Molitor on a mini helmet. After TwinsFest was over, we realized that Johnny doesn't even have Molitor on a ball, so that will be his goal next year. (Observant readers will notice that in the picture, Mr. Molitor is signing the brim of the helmet, yet Johnny's helmet is signed on the side. Johnny had mentioned that he wanted it signed on the side, yet forgot to request that when he handed it to him, so I requested it on mine and traded him afterward.)


Finally, we had time to go through Joe Nathan's line, where we both had Nathan sign a 2009 All-Star Game ball.





Whew. A long day. Lots of running but a lot of waiting in line. Since John and I split up for a lot of the day, I didn't get as many pictures of him and the players as I usually do, but I've included the few that I got here.

Last of My Younger Son's Items From TwinsFest

On Sunday (1/31), David skipped the first two autograph sessions. He hit in the home run derby, played a little whiffleball, got his face painted, and other kid's stuff. We all got in line pretty early for the Hardy/Kubel/Young signing, which also took up a good part of his morning. We got through that line though, which was lucky. By the time the session started, the line wrapped around the big square around autograph stations #1 and #2. So, people who were at the end of the line, could see the people signing, but then had to wrap all the way around the floor and back the other side. My wife said that not everyone in that line made it, which is rare for the stations on the floor.


David had Delmon Young sign a Twins program that he's had for a while. It looks really nice.

He had Kubel sign a picture.


And J.J, Hardy signed a 2009 Topps Heritage.

All four of us went through this line with a variety of items including a bat, some bobbleheads, cards and pictures. Because of this, our hands were full and I didn't get any pictures of the players signing like I usually do.

That left just one line, where Swarzak was supposed to be, but didn't attend. So that left Jeff Manship and Pat Neshek. David had them both sign a bat that he painted at one of the booths on the Metrodome floor.


That wraps up David's items from TwinsFest. You'll notice a lack of Hall of Famer/retired player autographs. David is really only interested in the current guys that he sees play. My older son, John, is really interested in the older players. I'll start showing his items next.