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Kevin Elster

Kevin Elster, Reggie Cleveland, Larry Gura Remain Bargains For TTM Autographs

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Appreciate the facsimile sig.
This cup-of-coffee pitcher
now demands more than
$2 per letter for his last name!

 When in doubt, ASK!

One of the great parts of this hobby is knowing that veteran collectors will share their experiences with you. I called upon hobby veteran Rich Hanson for his impressions of former players charging for their autographs. I’m grateful for his words of wisdom:

“What do I look for in deciding whether to pay for a signature?  How tough the signer is otherwise, and how reasonable the fee is.

 One can find some good bargains in Harvey Meiselman’s list of signers.  HOFer Don Sutton @$5 a card, Reggie Cleveland and Kevin Elster @ $1 a card, Larry Gura $2 per.
 I’ve never had a problem sending cash by mail, but I don’t send large amounts.  Anything bigger merits a money order or check if they’ll accept it.
 I weigh the price on the player and how bad I want him in my collection.  Quite a few years ago I paid $5 each for two Dom Zanni autographs.  Now he’s charging $30.  Now I’d pass. 
Even worse is Bob Giallombardo’s $25 (double his amount of major league games, and Bob Allen’s $100 fee to sign a card (postal money order only).  This is either a joke gone awry or an extremely unrealistic request. 
 I can buy three Nolan Ryan signatures for what he’s charging.”

Tomorrow: The amazing mission of pitcher Larry Gura!

Ex-Met Kevin Elster Keeps Mum On Autographs

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I ask questions. Sometimes, I get answers. Other times, just clues.

I wrote to infielder Kevin Elster to ask about his autograph rule. Each signature is $1, plus a SASE. Want your three cards signed? Better include $3.

Why so reasonable? Is the money going to a charity? Is the fee to discourage “collectors” from taking advantage of a kind signer? Has the “buck a sig” rule changed the quantity or quality of fan mail? Or, do collectors not even bother with letters, just sending their money to “purchase” autographs?

I wrote a praiseworthy, polite letter. I noted that $1 was quite fair. I think some retirees have penalty fees, hoping their high prices will discourage people from writing. Or, after watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, they believe every signature will turn to gold (no matter how unknown they were in their brief time in baseball).

The bad news about Kevin Elster? Not a question got answered. The good news? I received three autographed cards, a gesture I appreciate. I could have received my letter back unsigned, or no envelope at all.

I won’t annoy the Elster family again with a follow-up. Instead, I’ll just theorize on the kind response, which could have meant:

1. If we send the blogger an autographed card, he’ll tell others to send in a dollar for a signature.
2. What letter asking about autograph policy? I just saw the SASE, and grabbed some signed cards for the guy.
3. The poor fan didn’t have a card or a dollar, so he made up a story about a blog in hopes of getting a reply.

In the days ahead, I’ll keep asking questions to retirees about how they view autographs and collectors. Signatures are as much a part of the game’s history as any stat.

Autograph Collectors: Asking is Free

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I’m marveling over the newest edition of Harvey Meiselman’s comprehensive baseball address list. A whopping 246 pages, the list is a collector’s greatest ally in making the most of your efforts. Every collector should own one.

I have an interview with Harvey that I did eons ago. I’ll be sharing that on the blog in the future.

For now, I wanted to focus on the 4-1/2 pages of “Players Who Charge.”

The fees vary, some as low as $1 per signature for Kevin Elster or Reggie Cleveland. Some former players demand cash. Although this statement might sound like some autograph signers are hoping to dodge the IRS, I think some of the motivation is in avoiding hassles with the bank.

During a 1980s card show I covered for Sports Collectors Digest, I listened to Johnny Vander Meer grumble to Luke Appling that he was trying to solicit donations for the Baseball Assistance Team — only to have collectors bounce checks.

I think the list will keep growing. Everyone has the right not to respond, or to charge for their autograph.

I’ll remain grateful for what I receive. I’m not sending any items to be signed. Just 2-3 questions. Furthermore, I don’t second-guess someone who answers questions without signing his name. I read that one ex-player who responded (now in his 80s) has macular degeneration. His “reply” looked dictated. The ornate, loopy cursive appeared to be that of a teen female. No matter. Someone cared enough to give me the gift of his insight.

It is a gift. Every reply. A reply I send a thank-you note for.

An autograph for a fee is a product, with buyers and sellers.