Carolyn Beckwith – Baseball by The Letters

Virgil Trucks, Award-Winning Autograph Signer? Autograph U, Matt Raymond Make It Happen!

Tom Owens — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 01:22:00 +0000

With great in-person advice, too,
www.autographu.com never fails
to please this reader!

A standing O goes to Matt Raymond, super blogger and collector supreme at his site Autograph University.

Check out his six recent honorary degrees awarded to noted signers, as chosen by his readers.

Virgil Trucks received a posthumous degree. His daughter Carolyn Beckwith wrote me, telling how proud her dad would be.

Matt’s awards are a great message for all of us. A thank-you note can be just as moving for some retiree who’s been spending hours each month trying to please strangers. In fact, it’s a way to convince a signer’s FAMILY that the effort is important.

If you love an autograph you’ve gotten, don’t just tell other collectors. Write the signer. Tell them why they matter.

If we keep doing that, we, as collectors, will keep mattering, too.

Send Virgil Trucks Your Thanks

Tom Owens — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Mister T loving
the cards at his
birthday party.
Let’s do it again!

Do you have room for one more name on your Christmas card list? Do you have an extra thank-you card needing a home?

Thanks to the reader who mentioned the sad irony of having all of Virgil Trucks’ mail RTS-ed. There seemed to be no way to mail a note of gratitude to one of the game’s greatest ambassors.

I pointed this out to Virgil’s daughter. She replied:

Tom,

I think that would be wonderful. I know he read every get well card and was so blessed by them.

Thank you on behalf of my Dad too.

Carolyn

Here’s our chance to fire up “Fire” one last time. Please, do not ask for an autograph. No SASEs. If you’re wanting a chance to be thankful before Thanksgiving, here it is.

Mr. Virgil Trucks

c/o Carolyn Beckwith

55 Salser Lane

Columbiana, AL 35051

Thank you, everyone. Meanwhile, check out the heroic effort by James Webb. Yea! Add your name and your support to this online petition.

Happy Veterans Day, Virgil Trucks

Tom Owens — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:59:00 +0000

The WWII vet is still looking up!

He served the U.S. Army in World War II.

He threw two no-hitters.

He honored fans and collectors with untold autographs for more than a half-century.

Virgil Trucks is a hero on so many fronts. That’s why this last curtain call must be so hard.

The fabled hurler suffered a broken leg this year. Sadly, his time away from signing is becoming permanent. The update is from daughter Carolyn Beckwith:

“I had a long visit with Dad on Monday. He was sleeping in his recliner when I got there. He looked good and said he felt pretty good. We talked about fan mail and autographs. He has carpel tunnel in both hands and his fingers don’t have feeling in them. He has been dealing with this for quite some time. It has gotten to the point now it is hard for him to hold a pen in his hand. His autograph is not good and he feels it is time for him to end what has brought him a tremendous amount of joy, hearing from his fans.

His greatest wish has always been to be inducted into Cooperstown. He asked me to tell you, if the fans want to send a letter to Bud Selig, he would appreciate that so much.

Thank you Tom and please thank all of the fans for the cards and concern for my Dad.

Sincerely,

Carolyn”

Please, no more autograph requests to his Alabama home. The family has been RTS-ing mail since the injury. For those of us who received signatures, letters and encouragement from Mr. Trucks, we are grateful.

Virgil Trucks + Tigers Update!

Tom Owens — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:29:00 +0000

Don’t close the
book on Virgil yet!

“We interrupt this broadcast to report…”

I’ve never had “news as it happens.” Until now, perhaps!

Bless you many fine readers who’ve sent get-well cards to the senior Detroit Tiger alum, Virgil “Fire” Trucks.

This tireless signer has been rehabbing on his own disabled list, from a broken leg, hoping to be well enough to field fan mail again.

Here’s a report from his daughter, Carolyn Beckwith:

“Please thank all of his fans for the cards and concern. He has read them and appreciates them so much, as do I. It is a big part of his recovery. He still of course cannot handle the fan mail for now. Maybe later and I will keep you updated on that progress.

Thank you so much for all you do.. Its appreciated so very much.”

Carolyn has noted that her Dad remains as savvy and witty as ever. The injury didn’t extend to his spirit.

Ah, but that’s not all the news.

I’ve received an e-mail from Eli Bayless, director of promotions for the Tigers. During Saturday’s game, the team will make a ballpark announcement and present photos on the scoreboard to honor the 60^th anniversary of Virgil’s no-hitter against the Yankees (his second thrown in 1952).

I had e-mailed the team. I did not assume the front office had thought of everything. I sent a polite, specific note saying that Tigers fans would never get tired of celebrating a win against the Yankees!

Did my note make the difference? All I know is that someone listened to someone like me.

One letter can make a difference. Make a difference to Virgil Trucks, if you haven’t sent a card yet.

Send your get-well wishes to him in care of his daughter:

Carolyn Beckwith
55 Salser Lane
Columbiana, AL 35051

Coming Monday: An “Autograph Addict” redfines the definition of a “baseball autograph.”

Seeing Is Believing: OUR Virgil Trucks Party!

Tom Owens — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:18:00 +0000

With inflation, a picture is worth far more than a thousand words.

However, these pictures left me speechless.

All of you readers made me proud in April, sending surprise birthday cards to a former Tigers hurler.

Thanks to wonderful Carolyn Beckwith, who shared photos of her Dad’s 95th birthday party. Here’s three looks at a special day for a special man, the one and only Virgil Trucks:

Look closely. Maybe you’ll spot your card!