Fun stuff to do
From the August 2005 issue of Boys' Life magazine
Get that autograph
By Tim TibbittsFrom the August 2005 issue of Boys' Life magazine
It’s not as easy to get an autograph in person as it was when your dad was your age.
Professional athletes today tend to keep their distance, and some will sign autographs only for money. Still, there is a way to get autographs both from current players and from players who have been retired for years: the U.S. mail.
HERE’S HOW:
- Go through your sports trading cards and identify a player you would like to ask for an autograph. It’s probably best to start with less well-known players, because they’re less likely to receive as many requests.
- Write a polite, friendly letter asking the player to autograph your card. Remember that athletes, like all celebrities, receive many requests from fans. Writing a thoughtful letter is key.
- If the player is still active, simply mail him your request in care of his team. Addresses for all Major League teams can be found at www.mlb.com. For retired players, most libraries will have a book or two containing player addresses. Try Jack Smalling’s “The Baseball Autograph Collector’s Handbook,” available in some libraries or at www.baseballaddresses.com. This book, updated periodically, contains more than 11,000 addresses of players, coaches and umpires.
- Once you have a player’s address, mail the letter and the card with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and be patient. It can sometimes take months to receive a reply. Good idea: Send only cards of which you have duplicates. Some players won’t respond, and you’ll never see the card again.
When you do get a signed card back, be sure to send a thank you note.
WHAT AUTOGRAPHS DO YOU HAVE?
Tell us which autographs you’ve collected and how you got them in the comments field below.
still easy at shorebirds all you do is go to the home side and stick your ball down
i have a derek jeter rookie card
I have an Eagle Scout Congratulatory Postcard (Note Card) that was autographed by President Richard Nixon and presented to an Eagle Scout at an Eagle Scout National Court of Honor to someone who earned the rank of Eagle Scout when President Richard Nixon was President of the United States.
I have an Eagle Scout Congratulatory Postcard (Notecard) that is autographed by President Barack Obama and presented to an Eagle Scout at an Eagle Scout National Court of Honor to someone who earned the rank of Eagle Scout when President Barack Obama was President of the United States.
I have an Eagle Scout Congratulory Postcard (Notecard) that was autographed by President George H. W. Bush and was presented to an Eagle Scout at an Eagle Scout Award National Court of Honor to someone who earned the rank of Eagle Scout when President George H. W. Bush was President of the United States of America.
I have a photograph autographed by Michael Phelps, Olympic medalist in the swimming events of the Summer Olympics that were held in Beijing, China.
A friend of mine showed me a baseball that was autographed by Eddie Murray before he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
I have an autographed photograph signed from the entire cast of the Television Show “Law and Order” and also I have an autographed photograph signed from the entire cast of the Television Show “Weeds”. They are my favorite television shows. I have the DVD set of Law and Order Television Show for all nine seasons and the DVD for the Weeds Television Show for five seasons. These are really great television shows. Hopefully, these autographed photographs will be really great collectible items in the future.
I also wrote to Laura Bush when she was first lady and got a nice reply back and lots of photos of the White House.
I have a special hat that was signed by all of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (minor league baseball team) after a baseball camp with the players in 2008. Everyone at he camp got a sheet of uncut baseball cards and the players signed their photos.
A friend of mine showed me a basketball that had the autographs of all of the members of the Harlem Globetrotters Professional Basketball Team.
A friend of mine has shown me an autographed photograph of Bob Hope in his golf course uniform. He received the autographed photograph several years before Bob Hope died at the age of 100 years old in the 1990’s.
I have a football from a indor arena football league that I caught from a kick the went really high. I jumped of my seat and caught it and got it autographed by the whole team. I was the person of the game because I caught the football and they put the cameras on me
i have an autograph of alex rodriquez
I almost got Marlon Bird but the guard told us to go away the game was about to start
I started doing this about 3 years ago. I have some from Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome, Hank Blalock, and Matt Tuiasosopo
love the tips! tried and am waiting for a response. also, sometimes in certain parks, like the LI Ducks, if you get there early, they line up in the dugout, and sign autographs. sure its minor, but its good to know if your planning on going and better than nothing
I’m thinking of getting Chipper Jone’s autograph
I got one from Hanley Ramirez and Cody Ross on the Marlins over vacation. But I live in MA so I have David Ortiz, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Jason Varitek, Jacoby Ellsbury and I HATE the Yankees but Derek Jeter is a good player so I mailed him a request and got an autograph like 5-7 months later.
I got a autograph from Bengie Molina, my favorite catcher on the SF giants, from just bieng patient, and reading this collum. You should @ least try!!!
I think this is a very good idea and might try it ^^
This is how i got several autograph’s from Don murphy, I found his mailing card for his book Pinewood. And with the order card i wrote a small letter. telling hem how much i enjoy the pinewood derby! I also sent my pinewood derby car with this!! Surprise when his book pinewood and my pinewood derby car were autographed! Some times all’s it takes is a letter with your autograph!
I have two balls signed by Jamie Moyer. You just have to be patient and make sure to call them by their last name ( it shows respect)