Whitey Ford and Harmon Killebrew

I'm running a bit behind on my posts as I've been busy attending some of my sons' year-end playoff and tournament games.

On Thursday I received a success from Whitey Ford who signed a 1961 Topps for me.  I had enclosed $25 with my request.

I also received an Ebay purchase: an 8x10 signed by Harmon Killebrew.  I have plenty of Killebrew pictures and other autographs, but he's a favorite of mine and the price was right.

Carlos Gomez and Some 1972 Topps Purchases

I haven't been mailing out many requests, but I did send some cards to a Carlos Gomez signing and purchased some 1972 Topps from Mickey's on Ebay, all of which arrived in my mailbox today.

I've been trying to work on some of the Allen & Ginter and Topps Heritage Twins team sets so I took the opportunity to have Gomez sign his 2008 AG and 2009 TH.

I had this photo of him to get signed at TwinsFest or some other opportunity but then he was traded from the team.  I decided to send this in as well since I think it's a cool picture.  Gomez's signature isn't too impressive!

I purchased four signed 1972 Topps but I already had two of them.  I"m not sure what I was thinking.  They weren't too expensive, so no harm done I guess. I added Dick Williams and Joe Rudi as the two cards I didn't have yet.

Ken Singleton and Jim Roland are the duplicates.

Steve Dunning

Yesterday I received some cards I sent to Steve Dunning back in January.

He signed a 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1978 Topps for me.

This brings me to 362 signed cards from the 1972 Topps set.

Bobby Valentine

I was surprised to find any return in my mailbox today, and more surprised to see that it was Bobby Valentine.  This is the second 1972 Topps I received back from him.

I sent one to him way back in September of 2010.  When I didn't receive anything back and saw some successes from him posted on SCN, I sent another in July of last year.  When I received the first one back in September (which I posted about here), I assumed it was the one I just sent, but now I have no way of knowing.

Regardless, he was kind enough to sign my card and send it back.

Update on 2012 Collecting Goals

 I can't believe the year is half over already.  I really haven't done any requests through the mail for the last few months so I've avoided updating my goals, but here it goes anyway:

• Goal: Send out 150 requests through the mail.  Status: I've sent out 77 requests so far, just 7 since I updated my goals in early April!  The only cards I have to send out are ones that I already have signed, so I'll need to come up with a new project or two to get me going.

• Goal: Get 3 more bobbleheads signed from the 1987 Twins set.  I only need Don Baylor, Randy Bush, Mark Davidson, Greg Gagne and Les Straker to complete the living players.  Status: I got Mark Davidson and Greg Gagne to sign their bobbleheads at the Minneapolis Sports Card and Autograph Convention.  Now I'm down to needing just Baylor, Bush and Straker.I haven't made any progress on this goal in the last three months.

• Get 8 more bobbleheads signed from the 1991 Twins set.  Status: I've already surpassed this goal, having gotten 6 of them signed at TwinsFest, as well as three others.  It will get more difficult now as I've gotten the easy ones done.

• Reach 400 signed 1972 Topps. I have 323 so far, so I'll need to add 77 more.  Status: I have 361 signed, so I've only added 38 so far.  This will be a tough one to reach.

• Additional sets - Add 5 more 1958 Topps (not including team cards), 15 more 1961 Topps and  10 more 1965 Topps.  Status: I've added one 1958 Topps, 10 1961 Topps, and 2 1965 Topps.  I'll have to open my wallet to make much progress on these.  

My boys' baseball seasons are wrapping up so I hope to have some more time to send out requests and go to shows to buy cards.

Ben Revere Fan HQ Signing

Ben Revere was signing Thursday night at Fan HQ at Ridgedale but I wasn't able to be there.  Instead, I drove over Wednesday after work and placed my order and my son and I drove back today to pick them up.

Both my sons and I got an 8x10 of Revere's award-winning catch at the wall from last year.  This was especially cool for us because we were at that game.

I also dropped off a 2012 Topps Heritage for him to sign.

While we were there, I also picked up a nice 16x20 of Jason Kubel celebrating after hitting a grand slam to complete the cycle.  This was another game that my older son and I attended, which I posted about here.  I had Kubel sign my ticket stub which I posted about here.

Bobby Doerr

Today I received an 8x10 back from Bobby Doerr.  I sent this to Mr. Doerr early last week.

Bill "Shorty" Pleis

A week ago I sent out a couple of requests including a Nicholas Volpe, Western Oil portrait to Bill Pleis.

I received it today in just 7 days.  The portrait got a little beat up on its journey there and back, but actually looks much better than it does in this scan.

He was also kind enough to enclose a small photograph personalized to me.

Matt Cain Perfect Game Ticket

One of my coworkers was in San Francisco last week and decided to take in a ball game.  Luckily for him (and me), he happened to see Matt Cain throw a perfect game against the Astros.

When he emailed me that he had attended the game, I told him to save the ticket stub.  He said he would if the hotel maid hadn't already thrown it away!  He's not a collector.

He was kind enough to save the ticket and give it to me when he returned this week.

Joe Cunningham

I'm always happy to get a return lately since it's been over a month since I've sent any requests out.

Today I received a 1962 and 1963 Topps signed by Joe Cunningham.  He also included a signed custom card that is made to look like a 1969 Topps.

 

I've been so busy with my boys' baseball games that I haven't had a chance to buy any cards or send out any requests.  It will probably be this way for another month or so.

Jim Hickman Return

Although I don't have many requests out, I managed to get a return today.  I sent Jim Hickman a couple of cards in January and I received them back today.

Mr. Hickman signed a 1967 Topps as well as a 1972 Topps for my set.  I now have 361 signed 1972 Topps.

Nolan Ryan and My 800th Post

This is my 800th post since beginning this blog in October of 2008.  I'm a little surprised I've kept it up this long, but I've found that I like having a record of what I get back through the mail as well as our in-person experiences.

Today I received my cards back from a Nolan Ryan signing organized by Tom Orr at Atommic Sports.  I had him sign a 1972 Topps as well as a 2008 Upper Deck Goudey. 

 
It's been quite a while since I added a card to my 2008 Goudey set.  I'll have to take another look at the remaining cards I need and see if I can make some more progress on it.  I'm only targeting the retired players.

Art Ditmar Return

Today I received a couple of cards back from Art Ditmar that I sent in early April.  He was kind enough to sign his 1956 and 1962 Topps for me.

I also received a 1972 Topps Mickey Stanley signed card that I bough from Chris Potter via Ebay.

Coleman and Crimian

Two nice vintage returns in the mailbox today.

First, Jerry Coleman signed a 1951 Bowman and 1952 Topps for me.

And Jack Crimian signed his 1956 Topps.

Fritz Peterson - 1972 Topps

I received a card back from a signing that a fellow SCN member held with Fritz Peterson.  Unfortunately, I didn't notice that he also has another card from the set (In Action) so I missed the opportunity to get that one signed.

This is the 359th card I have signed from the set.  I have 41 to go to reach my goal of 400 signed cards from 1972.

Bobby Bolin TTM Return (after 1160 days!)

I came home from my son's baseball tournament today to a very nice surprise.  Bobby Bolin signed his 1965 Topps that I sent to him on March 16, 2009!

This is my second long return from Mr. Bolin.  I sent two request in 2007 and this one in 2009.  In January of 2010, I received the first request I sent, after 1032 days.  I have one more outstanding request, that I sent in 2007.  I assume that one isn't coming back.

Returns From Chris Potter Sports Signings

Today I received several cards back from various signings held by Chris Potter Sports.  I was able to get some tough ttm signers for my 1965 and 1972 sets.

I had Tony Taylor sign his 1965 and 1972 Topps.

Doug Camilli signed his 1965 Topps.

Stan Bahnsen and Terry Crowley also signed 1972 Topps cards for my set.

Stigman and Lopata

I received two returns yesterday but didn't have time to post them.

Dick Stigman signed his 1959 Topps rookie card, as well as a 1963 and 1964 Topps.

 

Stan Lopata signed his 1951 Bowman and 1956 Topps.

Laurin Pepper Return

It's been very slow lately, but yesterday I received a return.

Laurin Pepper signed his 1956 Topps for me.

I've sent out 3 or 4 requests over the last couple of weeks but really don't have much else to send out.  I have a couple of Western Oil give away portraits that I've had around for a while that I"ll send out once I remember to buy some larger envelopes.

Alexi Casilla is signing tomorrow at a Sports Authority.  I ordered some 2012 Topps Heritage Twins cards but didn't receive them yet so I don't think I'll go.

Twins 5 - Tigers 3 - August 11th, 1964

A while ago I received another old Twins program that I bought on Ebay.  This program is from a game against the Tigers on Tuesday, August 11th, 1964.  You can view the box score at baseball-reference.com.

It was a good game for the Twins, with Al Worthington picking up the win, having pitched the last 3 innings.  Tony Oliva was 2 for 4 with a home run and a double.  Early Battey went 3 for 4.

The Twins kept Al Kaline under control, holding him hitless for the game.

Unfortunately, the game wasn't very meaningful, as the Tigers were 13.5 games out of first place and the Twins were 15.5 games back.

Inside the program were a couple of interesting ads.  First, there was an ad for the Western Oil Portraits of the Twins players by Nicholas Volpe.  I guess you had to pay 10 cents for them.  I had thought they were free.  The ad also includes a tumbler with the Twins facsimile autographs on them.  I'm not sure I've seen one of these before.  I may have to keep my eyes out for one.

There is also a Bubble UP ad featuring Killebrew and Allison.