A Signature Look at Baseball History … Guest post by a dedicated autograph seeker

Why I Love Baseball – How my Autograph Collection

Furthered my Interest in Baseball’s Past

 Guest Post by Scott Perry

I’ve been incredibly interested in history for as long as I can remember. Presidents, pioneers, major battles – you name it, I’ve likely studied it at one time or another.

At the same time, I’ve always been passionate about baseball. I grew up playing the game daily and watching it on TV practically every night. These were the days when names like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, or Cal Ripken Jr. were at the tip of the tongue whenever kids were asked “Who’s your favorite player?”

It only seems right when, in retrospect, I consider how my passion for the national pastime’s unique heritage has grown. In many ways, my ever-expanding interest in baseball’s history fueled another passion: collecting autographs form the players who helped shape that history.

Starting my Collection

I was a typical 9-year-old kid in the summer of 1996, who – despite spending a ton of time outdoors with friends – would also find myself “bored” from time to time. One day that summer, I decided to try something new to help alleviate my boredom: I wrote a letter to the legendary Hank Aaron. I sent that letter to the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark, the address of which I found listed in a Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine.

Much to my surprise, a large, manila envelope arrived in the mail for me a few weeks letter. In it was a letter from Hank Aaron, thanking me for my note, as well as an autographed 8 x 10 photo.  I was amazed and felt like I had been gifted this unique, precious thing that hardly anyone else had. I grabbed an old 8 x 10 frame that my Mom no longer used, put the autographed picture in it, and promptly hung it in a place of honor in my bedroom.

The success I experienced in getting a signed photo from Hank Aaron prompted me to try my luck with a number of other legendary ballplayers. So, I wrote to Hall of Famers like Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and Stan Musial – players who, in my mind, helped write the history of the game. Each piece of return mail I received from these legends was exhilarating; amplifying my love of baseball and prompting a deeper examination into its history and that of its most notable figures. I used the process not only to expand my baseball knowledge, but also to determine whom I should contact next. I was hooked.

Learning of Memorable Men and Moments from Baseball’s Past

Like many, when I first began my hobby of collecting autographs, I only knew of the ultra-famous names associated with baseball’s past. Think of names like Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. As I began digging deeper, however, I learned that there was a large number of ballplayers in the Hall of Fame, many of them living, and most of whom I had never heard.

I read about these men, about their accomplishments and career statistics. Then I began to write them, asking for autographs. Soon enough, I was getting signatures in the mail from Hall of Famers like George Kell, Robin Roberts, Lou Boudreau, Duke Snider, and more.

Recognizing Unique Characters and Moments

 While I especially cherished (and still do) getting autographs from Hall of Fame players, my own studying soon led me to understand that there were incredibly interesting players not enshrined in the Hall of Fame, each of whom contributed in one or more ways to baseball’s wonderful past.

I learned about Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, the 1976 AL Rookie of the Year and quirky pitcher who made a name for himself yelling at the baseball while he pitched, among other antics. Soon enough, I had a signed picture of Fidrych to add to my collection.

I also learned about the famous “Shot Heard Round the World,” when Bobby Thomson hit a ninth-inning home run off of Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca to send the New York Giants to the World Series.  This bit of baseball history set me on a quest to get the signatures of both Branca and Thomson. Just as these two players were connected in baseball lore, I wanted them to be connected in my collection. That turned out to be the most nerve-wracking collecting challenge I have faced.

First, I sent the card to Branca and got his signature. I next mailed the card to Thompson, who countersigned the card and added the famous October 3, 1951 date between the two signatures.  Why was this so nerve-wracking? It took a while to get both signatures, and I worried that I might lose my new Branca autograph when I popped it back in the mail to go to Thomson!   For a youngster, the few weeks I had to wait for the card to return seemed like an eternity. Ultimately, however, I had an autographed card to commemorate this unique baseball event and the players who created it.

I was also intrigued by Dodgers outfielder Al Gionfriddo’s incredibly famous catch of a Joe DiMaggio line drive during the 1947 World Series. Though Gionfriddo’s career wasn’t overly notable, the picture of him making that catch in such a huge game was a defining image of 1940s baseball. In an old, beat-up baseball book I found a copy of this picture – and I promptly cut it out and sent it to Gionfriddo for him to autograph, which he so kindly did.

I’ve also worked to collect the signatures of some of baseball’s most unique characters.  Perhaps the most peculiar player whose autograph I’ve received is Bill “Spaceman” Lee. He was a great pitcher and has nearly 120 MLB victories under his belt. However, he had a very unusual personality and was known for his off-field behavior probably more than his on-field results.

The Race in ’98 to Beat Maris’ Record

My collection and interest in baseball history was really surging back in the summer of 1998. As any baseball fan knows, that was the summer when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were racing against each other to be the first to break Roger Maris’ record of 61 home runs in a single season.

Photo: SABR.org

In the midst of this home run craze, I learned about a man named Joe Bauman who had actually hit more home runs than Roger Maris did. Bauman accomplished this feat in 1954, when he hit 72 home runs in a season for a minor league team named the Roswell Rockets. Despite his tremendous power, Bauman never made it up to the major leagues. He never became famous, and his name lived on only as a piece of arcane baseball trivia.

My curiosity was piqued. Why wasn’t anyone talking about Bauman? Why wasn’t he in any of my baseball books? I was determined to write to him, get his autograph and recognize his accomplishment in my collection. Yet, I couldn’t find his name and address anywhere.

Turns out he was living a normal life in Roswell, New Mexico, where he had run a gas station after his playing career ended. After days of searching, I finally discovered an address in the white pages and sent off a letter hoping it was to the right Bauman. Weeks later, an envelope from New Mexico appeared in my mailbox, and in it were a signed card and a note from Bauman thanking me for my letter and for remembering him.

I was thrilled. It was one of the highlights of my summer in 1998 – even more exciting to me than watching McGwire and Sosa finally eclipse 61 homers.

My Favorite Autograph

As I reflect on my collection, the Aaron autograph always stands out. It was the first real autograph I received in the mail, as well as the response that fueled my passion and laid the foundation for my collection.  Still, my most prized autograph is probably a signed 8 x 10 from Reggie Jackson. The story behind it is this:  While still a young kid, I drew a picture of Jackson wearing his pinstripe Yankees uniform and sent it to him. Jackson actually sent me a note back saying he liked the drawing and asked if he could include it in his newsletter. Wow!

Of course, I wrote back quickly, more – way more – than happy to give my permission. About two weeks later, a glossy, full color, personalized and autographed 8 x 10 photo of Jackson arrived in the mail. It was awesome.

My Collection Since

As time has gone by and I have grown up, the “busy-ness” of life has often taken precedence over watching ball games and reading about baseball’s past. College, a job, family, and increasing responsibilities will do that kind of thing to you.

Yet whenever I get a moment here or there, I still manage to send out an autograph request or two. My growing collection now includes autographs from over 500 major league ballplayers, signatures of men who played from the 1930s to today. My collection includes autographs from Hall of Famers, perennial Gold Glove winners, World Series MVPs, as well as from men who only played a handful of games in the big leagues.

Cracking open the multiple binders I have that are filled with autographs takes me back to my childhood, in many ways. It also reminds me of the colorful, poignant, and timeless game that I love, and of the legendary ballplayers and moments that made it what it is.

This is one of the reasons why I love Baseball.

SCOTT PERRY AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION ALL STAR TEAM

Note: Includes only players whose autograph I received free of charge through the mail.

                    RF: Hank Aaron

                    CF: Duke Snider

                     LF: Stan Musial

                     3B: Mike Schmidt

                     SS: Ozzie Smith

                     2B: Bobby Doerr

                     1B: Ernie Banks

                     C:   Jorge Posada

                     SP: Nolan Ryan

                     RP: Trevor Hoffman

About the Author

Scott Perry is the founder of Catchers Home, a website dedicated to Baseball and Fastpitch Softball Catchers. Catchers Home provides educational articles for Catchers, as well as reviews of all types of catcher’s gear. Check out his site over at www.catchershome.com.

Baseball Roundtable thanks Scott for sharing is autograph-seeking experiences.  Perhaps it will inspire some readers to head to the post office for stamps.  Or inspire additional readers to contribute their “Why I Love Baseball” stories.  

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.