Pitcher Bob Kipper Enjoys Autographs


One of the best hobby stories of the 1990s starred pitcher Bob Kipper.

Yes, Kipper’s last year in the majors came in 1992. He lost his baseball card collection in a 1997 house fire. That’s when collectors proved why this hobby is special.

The letters started coming. Not autograph request letters, but gifts. Gifts of replacement cards.

I contacted Kipper when writing my 2001 book Collecting Baseball Cards. At that time, he had appeared on 43 different cards. His gratitude hadn’t dimmed. Kipper replied:

“Till this day, I still get a charge out of signing a baseball card of mine. It is definitely a big thrill to be on so many baseball cards. It was my dream to become a major league baseball player. I think it’s a kick to think other individuals would actually want an autograph of mine!”

Leave a Reply