Comments on: The Gift Of Al ‘Zeke’ Zarilla https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/ Hand-written memories from those who lived The Game! Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:07:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: Tom Owens https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68121 Wed, 07 Aug 2013 00:22:23 +0000 http://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68121 Agreed, and agreed, to both comments! An autograph should be an experience, not just a product. Interacting with a current or former player makes the signature even sweeter!

]]> By: Andy P https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68120 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 22:38:11 +0000 http://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68120 I used to promote card shows in Hawaii and Al Zarilla was a frequent guest. He would always take the time to talk to everyone who purchased his autograph and to thank them. He loved talking baseball. While it’s true that his signing a card might devalue it on the secondary market, anyone who had Zeke sign a card for him in person in Hawaii would tell you that the card (and the experience) were priceless.

]]> By: Steve D https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68107 Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:55:34 +0000 http://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/06/04/the-gift-of-al-zeke-zarilla/#comment-68107 Here’s a humble 30-year-old’s take on this:

The guy was pretty much right in the sense that, on the secondary market, the signing of a card negates most (if not all) of whatever value the card had before, and at that point, the signature is the thing giving it any value. That isn’t to say that the staffer was dissing Zarilla, or autographs in general. Also, keep in mind: yes, a company can produce tons of cards, but the owner of said company could also take tons of those cards out to sea and dump them, making that particular year rarer, as Sy Berger did with the unsold ’52s. (Now if only we all could collectively get together and do that with all our 1990 Topps or 1991 Fleer and make those worth something.)

With collectors of vintage cards, they need to have cards in the best possible condition (that they can afford, anyway). To them, an autograph on a vintage (or rare) card is not a good thing.

Collectors of autographed cards, on the other hand, such as I, usually don’t care how valuable/great/amazing the card is by itself…if we can get it signed, we’ll jump at the chance. A lot of us have no use for a card unless it’s signed.

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