Five More Successes Including a 64-Year-Old Ticket Stub and Bill Mazeroski

I am enjoying receiving returns every day, but it can't last.  I need to take some time to write a few more letters.  I have the cards to send out, I just need to find the motivation. 

After receiving a return from his brother, Ken, a few days ago, Bob Aspromonte returned my request with four cards.  He signed a 1963 Fleer, 1965 Topps, 1966 Topps and the 1966 Topps Astros Aces card with Rusty Staub.  The aces card would have been great to get signed by both of them, and I'm sure many collectors did.  

Staub didn't sign ttm much, but he did do a signing or two each year for a decade or so before he passed away in 2018.  I only sent to one signing, back in 2017, where he signed his 1963 and 1965 Topps.  I wish I had also sent his 1971 Topps to that signing.  I still don't have one signed by him.

While browsing eBay one evening, I came across a 1960 ticket stub for a Reds/Braves game at Milwaukee County Stadium.  Jay Hook threw a 2-hitter and won the game 9-0.  I decided to buy it and send it off to him to sign, which he did nicely with the blue sharpie I included (presumably).  I had the ticket affixed to cardboard and most of it covered up with post-it notes and since I had him sign the back you couldn't see the front of it.  I thought he might want to see the ticket, so I scanned it and printed it out, along with the box score to the game, and included it with my letter.  He didn't comment or anything, and he returned the scan and box score.  Hopefully he enjoyed the memory.

After receiving my check and unsigned cards back a few weeks ago, Bill Mazeroski signed a couple cards for the $20 cash I included.  I know players mostly prefer cash over checks, but I didn't want to send $50 cash in the mail.  So, I'll send requests with fewer cards and less money.  I have sent him checks in the past, which he cashed, but he must have changed his mind.

He signed the 1958 and 1961 Topps Pirates team cards for me.  The card from 1958 has 10 signatures on it now and I am considering retiring it.  I bought this card with the Bob G. Smith (d. 2003) and Bill Virdon (d. 2021) signatures already on it and got the rest ttm. 

I have another copy of the 1958 Pirates team card that I've been working on for some reason.  The first signature on this one was Gene Freese (top margin) in 2011, and the latest was Bennie Daniels (lower right) in 2023.

I previously had Maz sign the 1961 team card and left it with just his signature but decided it would be nice to add him to more cards with his teammates as well.  The 1961 Pirates team card is rather expense, since it is in the high number series, and it commemorates the World Series-winning 1960 team when Maz hit his dramatic home run.  I paid a little more than $30 for each of my two cards.  It's hard to find decently centered cards and bad centering is my biggest pet peeve!  Looking at the sold auctions on eBay just now, it looks like I was lucky, or patient, to get cards in this condition in the $30 range.

1961 Topps #312, which commemorates Maz's World Series-winning home run in 1960, is one of the toughest cards to find well-centered that I have come across.  You can buy one for $10 or less, but the centering and printing spots are usually issues at that price.  I paid $16-$17 for each of the two cards I have.  The first one was signed by Mazeroski in the summer of 2021.  The second one was part of my ttm request with the check that was returned unsigned, so I'll send it to him again in a while.  I really want to upgrade the first card that has poor centering.

Former-Twin Dave Goltz signed four cards for me, including a 1982 Topps as I start working on that set.  On the 82, his signature is a bit uncharacteristic, mostly the "D" in his first name.  I'm sure it's just a little sloppy as he worked through signing the cards and I'm not at all doubting its authenticity, but I can see how someone else might if it were up for sale or trade (which it is not).

Another-former Twin, Rich Reese, signed his 1967 and 1971 Topps as well as a pretty-crowded 1972 Twins team card.  His signature is changing a bit, probably due to age, but it is smaller and less loopy, for lack of a better description.  The team card is close to retirement.  I'll have to review who I don't yet have on it and decide if it's worth the risk to send it out again.

Here are a couple cards he signed for me in 2021.

I shipped a few bobbleheads for upcoming signings with Rick Aguilera and Jim Kaat.  I signed up for a lot of signings in the next couple of months, mostly for cards.  My attempt to curb my spending this year so far has been a huge failure, and I may need to take more drastic action.  I may try to see if I can go 30 days without spending a cent on this hobby.  I could still send out existing cards with my existing stamps, etc., but no new purchases or signings.  We'll see.