3000th Request

I didn't receive any returns today, but I did get a few ready to send out.

Included in this bunch is my 3000th request, to Mr. Jack McKeon.

I started sending out request in June of 2003.  In those last seven months of that year, I sent out 506 requests.  I don't know how, but I do remember picking my kids up from day care and as we drove to the mailbox on our way home, we would guess how many returns were waiting for me that day.  It was often seven or eight returns a day, and rarely a day came when there were no returns.

I sent out 491 requests the whole next year, and only hit 200 a couple years since then.

I've been fortunate enough to receive returns from such great players as Hank Bauer, Duke Snider, Monte Irvin, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra and Harmon Killebrew, among many others.

My requests have dwindled the last several years because many of the players I enjoyed writing to have passed away.  I've shifted my requests to "younger" players, those that played in the 1960's and 70's, but I really enjoyed receiving requests from those older players.

Next year I'm going to start sending to even younger players, perhaps working on some Topps Heritage sets from the early 2000's, but I'm guessing there won't be as many willing signers in those sets.

As of today, I've received 2628 successful returns.  I still have 245 requests outstanding from the last 16 years.  It will be a couple years until I reach my 3000th success, but I guess that's my next milestone.