UPDATE — Ken Howell died on Nov. 9, 2018, just seven months after signing my card.
Today, April 30, 2018, I opened the mail and the card was back home and signed.
Monday, April 30, 2018
(RIP)Ken Howell Autograph Arrives After an Eight Year Wait
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Rick Wrona TTM Arrives After 600 Plus Days
 |
| Oakland A's Fan Pack |
 |
| Rick Wrona Autograph |
So far the last few weeks have been good for through the mail autograph returns including four that have come back home after 600 plus days.
Former Chicago Cub catcher Rick Wrona’s autograph after a 681 days.
Needless to say, I figured this card was gone forever but I continue to learn the words never give up.
In recent times long waits have become part of the norm.
The 681 day wait for Wrona still doesn't touch the 2,104 day wait for a Bob Tewksbury autograph.
https://mlbttmautographs.blogspot.com/2016/12/bob-tewksbury-responds-to-ttm-request.html
Another success recorded this month is a response from the Oakland A’s concerning a Fan Pack.
https://mlbttmautographs.blogspot.com/2016/12/bob-tewksbury-responds-to-ttm-request.html
Another success recorded this month is a response from the Oakland A’s concerning a Fan Pack.
I sent the team a Fan Pack Request Postcard https://www.zazzle.com/z/o9hno?rf=238261382663730841 and in return received a Khris Davis card, schedule and team history sheet.
Stay tuned for posts naming the other three TTM successes this month that took over 600 days.
For addresses visit
http://www.sportscardforum.com/forum.php?referrerid=72224
Looking for cards to buy visit
https://www.sportlots.com/dealers/?dealer=smrbrave
Adding new cards almost daily.
Looking for cards to buy visit
https://www.sportlots.com/dealers/?dealer=smrbrave
Adding new cards almost daily.
Also check out Scentsy’s products and their MLB warmers at
https://smrowen.scentsy.us
Also, visit www.thelamfoundation.org and become aware of a deadly lung disease striking out women called Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, (LAM.) There is no cure and doctors are not sure what causes it.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
How A box of Twinkies Kicked off My Card Collecting
 |
| My first cards. |
My passion for baseball card collecting and the game kicked off in 1979 when my father brought home a box of Twinkees with three baseball cards on the bottom.
Chicago Cub, Rick Reuschel; Kansas City Royal, George Brett, and New York Yankee, Lou Pinella were my first cards.
I carefully cut them off the bottom of the box, well as careful as a nine year old can, and tucked them away somewhere. Later I reunited them with a 1973 Roger Staubach sticker that was floating around the house obtained from a Sugar Daddy.
Then ever so often I would obtain a card here and there.
Soon after that TBS was added to the cable channel line up and I discovered the Atlanta Braves. Before that about the only exposure I had to baseball was the St. Louis Cardinals on our local AM radio station.
It was the 1981 season and the Braves lineup included Chris Chambliss, Glenn Hubbard, Rafael Ramirez, Bob Horner, Bruce Benedict, Claudell Washington, Jerry Royster, and Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Gene Garber and so many more.
Soon I discovered the store up the alley was selling 1981 Donruss cards and the obsession kicked in full force. I had many goals, finish the set, get the Braves and so many more.
Back then the cards were affordable, you got your money’s worth and for a youngster, it was a great way to improve your reading skills.
Later, when I accompanied my father on grocery store trips to Safeway, I would find a way to get a pack of Topps and or Fleer.
In my rookie days of collecting Donruss, Topps and Fleer were the only brands I knew.
A pack of Fleer was a treat because they weren’t offered at many places in my area.
Then one year Kraft put cards on the back of Mac and Cheese boxes.
I had stacks of boxes.
Finally one day, I cut the cards off the boxes.
Looking back, not sure that was the right thing to do.
Through the years I also collected the Beckett magazines and figured I was on the road to riches with growing collection.
That road is not paved in gold but I do have a few gems.
My father wasn’t a sports fan, so I shared my passion with the neighbor next door named Ed, who also watched the Braves.
I probably drove him and others crazy with my latest cards.
Later a card shop opened up downtown.
A guy named Scot was the owner.
I’m betting I was one of few females who collected in this town, if not everywhere. Looking back I’m sure I drove him crazy.
Over 30 years later Scot and I would end up colleagues in the newspaper business. The difference, he no longer has his cards nor collects, but I do.
Later another card shop opened and another shop owner to drive crazy.
We too would cross career paths and today he still sells cards and deals with me.
The obsession has lived in me since those early days.
It did taper off for a while as of course life always finds a way to get in the way.
In recent years the focus turned to fantasy baseball and then TTM autograph collection.
I still have those three original cards. However, back then I didn’t know much about preserving cards.
They are cut and laminated but still viewable and are icons in my collecting history.
Baseball cards have been my passion, friends and escape. The hobby help me develop organization skills that have become helpful in my work, math skills, as I used to try and figure out the formula used to figure the stats on the back of the card, and maybe even contributed to my love for photography.
Now if could be one of the lucky ones to learn how to make money with the hobby, but that is kind of impossible when you don’t off any for sale.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
A TTM Autograph from Al Pedrique
Former Pittsburgh Pirate Al Pedrique took a short 24 days to sign and return my 1988 Score baseball card.
Pedrique is a former infielder and is currently the first base coach for the Oakland A’s.
For addresses visit
Also check out Scentsy’s products and their MLB warmers at
Also, visit www.thelamfoundation.org and become aware of a deadly lung disease striking out women called Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, (LAM.)
There is no cure and doctors are not sure what causes it.
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Cub Fan Striving for 1 Million Cubs Cards
 |
| Shawn Boskie may become one of my only Cubs TTM autographs as I like many others have sent many Cubs Cards to Beau Thompson as he seeks to acquire 1 million Cubs cards. |
VERONA, Wis. — Major League Baseball fans can be found everywhere displaying their passion for the game and their team in many ways.
One Chicago Cub fan has decided to exercise his love for the Cubs by striving to acquire 1 million Cubs baseball cards.
From 1893 pitcher Bert Abbey, to 1916 first baseman Dutch Zwiling and all the Cubs in between including Earnie Banks and today’s stars such as Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo, if there is a bubble gum card, Wisconsin Cub fan, Beau Thompson wants it.
Thompson said he started collecting cards 30 years ago.
“I started the One Million Cubs Project because I have a million cards that I don’t really want,” said Thompson. “So I decided to trade them for Cubs. Since one million is a good milestone, I decided on that number.”
Thompson is making many of his trades with card collectors on Twitter.
Most trades are card for card such as 100 Chicago Cubs cards for 100 Atlanta Braves cards.
I have donated to his Cub collection twice and the Braves cards I received in return are awesome.
Thompson’s quest has him developing ties with people all across the country.
In March he received nearly 4,000 Cubs cards from a collector in New Hampshire. In return Thompson sent out Montreal Expos and New England Patriots. In February he traveled to Illinois where he picked up at least 150,000 cards.
As of now Thompson’s Cub card count stands at 108,764 and counting.
Thompson said once he reaches his goal, his is not sure what is next.
“I still haven’t decided what the end game will be,” he said. “It is probably going to take five years to get there.”
Thompson can be found on Twitter @onemillioncubs and his website is
He can be reached by email at onemillioncubsproject@gmail.com
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Bill Landrum TTM in the Wind
My through the mail autograph from former Pittsburgh Pirate Bill Landrum seems to have had adventure.
I sent Landrum a 1991 Studio Baseball card on Feb. 17.
On April 9 I found the card in my neighbor’s yard agains the house post marked March 2.
March winds have been full blast here in recent weeks so I have a lot of theories as to how the piece of mail may have got there.
The mailman dropped it and the TTM was dust in the wind until by luck it lodged up against my neighbor’s house until I found it.
OR
It made it to my mailbox and I dropped it as I retrieved the mail and blew to its resting place.
Whatever the scenario the self designed postage and address label caught my eye and the autograph is now home and resting with the others in my collection.
For addresses visit
Also check out Scentsy’s products and their MLB warmers at
Also, visit www.thelamfoundation.org and become aware of a deadly lung disease striking out women called Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, (LAM.)
There is no cure and doctors are not sure what causes it.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Randy Kutcher TTM Success
Former Boston Red Sox Randy Kutcher is my latest through the mail autograph success. The retired outfielder returned my 1990 Score card signed in a short 26 days.
For addresses visit
Also check out Scentsy’s products and their MLB warmers at
Also, visit www.thelamfoundation.org and become aware of a deadly lung disease striking out women called Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, (LAM.)
There is no cure and doctors are not sure what causes it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)