Classic TTM Success: Bobby Witt, Ted Higuera, and Dale Murphy

Full Moon Can Cooler
by SMRJigsawPuzzles

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Dec. 16, 2012.

Former Oklahoma Sooner and Major League Baseball pitcher Bobby Witt is the latest player to respond to a through the mail autograph request.

Witt began his professional career with the Texas Rangers. He also pitched for the Oakland As, Florida Marlins, St. Louis  Cardinals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks  before leaving the game in 2001.

He pitched in the playoffs three times and was part of the 2001 World Series Champion Diamondbacks roster. He finished his career with more losses then wins but is ranked 79th on the all time strikeout list with 1,955. Today, Witt lives in Texas and is a baseball player agent.

Former Milwaukee  Brewer Mexican Professional Hall of Fame member Ted Higuera is one of many athletes responding to fans through the mail autograph request.

Higuera spent his nine-year major league career with the Brewers.

He never swung at a pitch or played in a playoff game. The 1986 season was his best as he won 20 games and was named to the AL All Star team. He also ranked sixth in strikeouts that year with 207. Higuera's career was cut short by injuries. He missed the 1992 season with a tore rotator cuff ending his career with the Brewers. He attempted a comeback with the San Diego Padres but didn't make the team.
Today Higuera lives in Arizona.

Longtime Atlanta Brave Dale Murphy honored my through the mail autograph request by signing and returning two baseball cards.

Murphy played with the Braves from 1976 to 1989 before going to the Philadelphia Phillies  for three years and then to the Colorado Rockies  for his final year.

Murphy is a seven-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove winner. His No. 3 is retired in Atlanta and his true fans want to see him voted into the Hall of Fame this year.

NASCAR'S Mark Martin Responds to a TTM

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Dec. 12, 2012.

Long time NASCAR driver Mark Martin is the first non-Major League Baseball player to respond to one of my through the mail autograph requests.

I sent Martin a card in October and 52 days later returned signed.

Martin is known as the old guy to some NASCAR fans.

He began his NASCAR career in 1981 and has yet to win a championship but has finished second five times.

This year Martin drove for Michael Waltrip Racing and finished 26th.

He has 40 career wins and 270 top-5 finishes.

In addition to racing cars, Martin sells cars. He owns two car lots in Arkansas.

Classic TTM Success Lonnie Smith

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Dec. 10, 2012.

Former MLB outfielder Lonnie Smith is a quick responder to through the mail autograph requests and a great autograph to add or start a collection with.

Smith began is major league career with the Philadelphia Phillies  in 1978.

He also played for the St. Louis  Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, and the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates  and Baltimore Orioles.

He made it to the World Series with the Phillies in 1980 and helped the team defeat the Royals for the ring.

In 1981, Smith and the Phillies returned to the National League Division Series but was defeated by the Montreal Expos.

In 1982, Smith got a taste of post season again as a member of the Cardinals. They defeated the Milwaukee Brewers  for the ring.

In 1985 Smith returned to the World Series against the Cardinals as a Royal. The end result was another ring for Smith.

He made to the World Series two more times with the Braves but was unable to claim the ring.

Classic TTM Success: Rick Luecken

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now obsolete. So in order to keep a record of my successes, I started this blog.  Here is what I published on Dec. 5, 2012.

Rocky Mountain Landscape Jigsaw Puzzle
by SMRJigsawPuzzles

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Rick Luecken responds to through the mail autograph requests quickly and personalizes them.

It took seven days to get my baseball card signed and returned.

He addresses the card to the fan then adds, best wishes and references Bible verse Rev. 3:20 which reads " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Luecken pitched for the Kansas City Royals  in 1989 and the Atlanta Braves in 1990.

While with the Braves, he clashed with manager Bobby

Cox and was placed on waivers. The Toronto Blue Jays picked him up and he played one game, his last.

Luecken played in a total of 56 games and finished his career with three wins and five losses.

Today he lives in Texas.

Classic TTM Success: Zane Smith

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Dec. 3, 2012.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Zane Smith is a quick through the mail autograph responder and a true fan of the fans.

I sent Smith a baseball card to an address in Atlanta, Georgia with a note stating that I loved him as an Atlanta Brave, but was only able to find a Montreal Expo card to send.

In 11 days I received my Expos card and a Braves card of Smith signed. In my opinion, that's a true fan of fans.

Smith began his career with the Braves in 1984.

He also played for the Expos, Pittsburgh  Pirates, and Boston Red Soxs.

He finished his 13-year-career with 100 wins and 1,011 strikeouts.

He made it to the National League Championship Series two times with the Pirates and the American League Championship Series with the Red Sox.

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MY TTM Failures Part 3

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Nov. 27, 2012.

The hobby of collecting baseball card autographs through the mail is filled with ups and downs with the downs being when a card does not come back.

Some of the players I have sent cards to and received no response from are: Former Cincinnati Red Eric Davis.

I sent Davis a card on Oct. 4, 2010 to a charity address in Los Angeles, California.

The name of the organization is Hitting From the Heart.

I sent the request their after seeing success posted on www.fanmail.biz.

Well after two years I think its safe to assume my request is a failure.

A check of sportscardforum.com shows no success for anyone at any address, so it seems TTM autograph collectors should not waste their stamps on Eric Davis.

Randy Milligan is also a no response. The former major leaguer is a scout with the Baltimore Orioles which is where I sent the card on Oct. 25, 2010. Over two years and counting and no response. Two people have recorded attempts at his home address. One reports success and one reports failure. Probably not worth a second try.

Former Kansas City Royal Danny Tartabull is also on my failure list.

I mailed Tartabull on Nov. 2, 2010 at an address in California and no response is the result.

However, the address I got must have been bad because there is a lot of success recorded at another California address.

So Tartabull is going on the try again list.

Former St. Louis  Cardinal Joe Magrane is a no response at this time.

I sent a card to Magrane on Nov. 8, 2010 and so far no response. There is no success posted for Magrane so no second try will be attempted.

It saddens me when I get no response from the Atlanta Braves, but no response is the result of a request sent to Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell.

I mailed a card to McDowell on Nov. 8, 2010, so far nothing. However maybe my card got lost in the mail, because many success are recorded for McDowell so a second try is warranted.

Rick Aguilera is also on my failure list. I mailed a card to a Cailfornia address on Nov. 8, 2010 and no response is the result. There is no success posted for Aguilera so no second try here.

The cards that do not come back via return to sender, it does make one wonder what becomes of them. Do the players keep them or are they lost in the mail? I guess only the cards know the answers.

Classic TTM Success: Alejandro Pena

I started collecting MLB autographs through the mail in 2010. I posted my stories on a content mill that is now shutting down. So in order to keep a record of my successes, it is time to move them to my blog. Here is what I published on Nov. 23, 2012.

Former Atlanta Brave and Los Angeles Dodger Alejandro Pena is the latest former major leaguer I have received an autograph through the mail from.

In addition to the Braves and Dodgers, Pena also pitched for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Soxs, and the Florida Marlins.

Pena began his career with the Dodgers in 1981 and ended his career with the Marlins in 1996.

Pena made it to the World Series three times earning one ring with the Dodgers and one ring with the Braves.

In 1991, Pena and Braves pitchers Kent Mercker and Mark Wohlers combined to throw a no hitter against the San Diego Padres.

The achievement is marked on baseball card featuring all three pitchers.

Today, Pena is the pitching coach for the Dodgers's Dominican summer league team.