Orlando Cepeda TTM Giants Team Cards

There are several Hall of Famers that are great ttm signers for a small fee.  Off the top of my head: Jim Palmer, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg and Orlando Cepeda.

I'm pretty sure all these guys will sign a baseball card for just $10.

I included $30 cash with my request to Orlando Cepeda, who signed the 1961, 1963 and 1965 Topps Giants team cards in just over two weeks.

I don't intend to have other players sign these cards.  I also had Juan Marichal sign these cards and will leave his as the only signatures on those as well.  I will send another copy of these cards out to the other players on these Giants teams as I get around to it.

It's interesting that both these players signed the cards in roughly the same spot, despite there being no other signatures on them to work around.

Baldschun, Colavito, Farley and Phillips

I received four ttm returns today.

Despite his 90% success rate on SCN, Jack Baldschun has been pretty spotty the last couple of years.  I sent a couple cards to him in January of 2022 that I didn't receive back.  I really wanted to add another 1964 Topps Stand Up to my set and had been waiting for his signing to become more consistent again but then decided that might not happen. So, I sent just this one card to him, and he signed it in about 2.5 weeks.  This might be the last one I get signed.

I added another card to my 1963 Topps set by breaking down and paying Rocky Colavito's $55 fee.

Bob Farley signed his 1962 Topps as well as the 1963 Tigers and White Sox team cards.

And Taylor Phillips signed his 1958 and 1959 Topps as well as the 1961 Phillies team card. Mr. Phillips also answered a question I had in my letter and signed that as well.

I feel like I've sent out hundreds of team cards yet most still only have 2-3 signatures on them.  It will take another year to start showing some decent progress probably.  

The Returns Continue to Trickle In

 I have over 30 requests out from the last 30-45 days, so I would expect to be getting more returns, but today I received just one.

Dick Green signed the Athletics team cards from 1965, 1971, 1972 and 1973.  He signed the 1971 on the back.  There is room on the front, so I'm wondering if he isn't in the team photo.  I'm not sure why else he'd sign the back.

Rod Carew, Goose Gossage and Mickey Rivers

The ttm returns have been slow but should pick up next week.  Today, I only received one return.  Rich "Goose" Gossage signed his 1975 Topps for his $10 fee.  I sent this at the beginning of January.

I received a 1973 Topps signed by Rod Carew and slabbed by Beckett from Mill Creek via their web site.

Finally, I received four cards signed by Mickey Rivers that I bought from Tom Orr (Atommic Sports) on eBay.  I bought these for just over $5 each, whereas Mr. Rivers charges $15 per card ttm.  I was surprised that no one else bid on the three of the four auctions.  Each of these cards belongs to a set I'm working on.

More TTM, Purchases and Mail-In Signings

In 2019, Al Kaline signed this 2010 Topps Heritage "Then & Now" card ttm for me.  He passed away in 2020.  The card sat on my desk until about a month ago, when I saw there was a signing with Joe Mauer from a promoter I had used several times before.

I was a little worried it would get smeared, lost in the mail, bent, etc, but it turned out just fine.

I also ordered a Gold Glove ball from the signing.  I expect Mauer to be a Hall of Famer in the next few years, so I thought I'd pay the price now rather than 2x the price after he gets elected.

I received a couple Topps Heritage Real One Autograph cards on eBay, including a 2018 Zack Granite and a 2022 Neslon Cruz.  This is my only Nelson Cruz autograph.  I'd like to get a Twins Heritage card signed by him from his time with the Twins.

I got back three ttm returns today.

Al Downing signed the 1965 Topps strikeout leaders card, signed and smeared by Camilo Pascual.  I decided it wasn't so bad that I coujldn't send it to Downing, but if Dean Chance were around to finish the card, I would probably have tried to start a different card to have a nicely completed copy.

He also signed his 1975 Topps.

Mr. Downing has a fee of $7.50, which is genius.  Not many people are going to send him $7.50.  They'll probably do I like did and find another card to send in order to make it easier to include cash.  I sent $15 with my request.

Brooks Robinson signed the 1972 Topps Orioles team card.  I think this completes the team cards that I want to have Mr. Robinson sign, but maybe I'll send the '73.

Finally, Marty Keough generously signed his 1961 Topps, as well as a few team cards.  I have several other requests waiting for this return so I can send the team cards on to other players.  I'm making pretty good progress on the 1961 Indians card which has six signatures so far:

1. Dick Stigman
2. Ted Bowsfield
3. Frank Funk
4. Marty Keough
5. Ty Cline
6. Ken Aspromonte

I've decided the 1958 team cards are really bad for autographs.  I like how the card lists the players on the front, but it takes up too much room.  The 1972 cards are bad too.  The 1963 Topps team cards have some pretty good spots for signatures and the 61's aren't bad either.

Long Weekend Updates

I received one ttm return and a few purchases over the weekend.

The ttm return was from Jim Driscoll, who signed his 1971 Topps in just nine days.  Angel Mangual is deceased, so this card will be put away now.

I won a couple cards from Tom Orr's (Atommic Sports) eBay auctions last weekend that arrived Saturday.  I received the 1978 Topps Batting Leaders card signed by both Carew and Parker, as well as a 1975 Topps card signed by Rollie Fingers commemorating Game Three of the 1974 World Series.

I won a few more of his auctions last night so I'll have those to share, hopefully by Saturday.

A Couple Private Signing Returns as Well as TTM

Yesterday I received two private signing returns.

I finally broke down and paid to have Eddie Murray sign his 2008 Goudey, a set I've been working on since it was released.  I'm not trying to collect the whole set, just the retired players in it.

I also added to my Twins Topps Heritage and Allen & Ginter sets with a Josh Willingham signing.  He signed his 2013 Allen & Ginter and his 2013 and 2014 Topps Heritage cards.

Yesterday also brought ttm returns from Steve Blass and Chuck Essegian, 

Steve Blass signed the 1971 Pirates team card, his 1972 Topps and the 1972 Topps showing the Pirates celebrating their 1971 World Series win, and the 1973 Pirates team card.

Chuck Essegian signed the 1961 Dodgers and 1963 Indians team cards as well as his 1963 Topps card.

I also decided to buy the "Blue Pants" version of Bert Blyleven's Victory Sports bobblehead.  A couple years ago I bought the version with tan pants.

Today brought ttm returns from Ted Kubiak and Bob Veale.

Ted Kubiak signed his 1972 Topps, as well as the 1971 Brewers, 1972 and 1973 A's team cards.

Bob Veal signed his 1967 Kahn's Weiners card and 1973 Topps.  He used a ballpoint pen which was nearly invisible on the 1973 Topps, but showed up okay on the Kahn' card.  The Kahn's card was a little expensive for a ttm request, so maybe I'd should have sent it along with a blue sharpie.

As you can see, most of my requests include team cards.  I continue to try to add signatures to team cards from the sets I collect, including 1961, 1963, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1978.