Charging for TTM autographs? Who gets the money? Baseball Address List creator Harvey Meiselman weighs in on hot hobby topics

Talk about hobby hope! The 2019 Baseball Address List will help ring in my new year.

His letter to past address list buyers got me psyched for the long winter. As usual, Harvey’s adding features and updates to his 2019 edition. For instance, this volume will have a list of more than 250 baseball names who are now charging for TTM autographs.

Whoa! How many?

“Yes, over 250 players are now charging,” Harvey said.  “Some are donating the money to charity, but most are keeping the money themselves. They see the value of baseball autographs on eBay and places like that and want to get in on the action and make some money on their signatures. No big surprise with what PastPros is doing with a lot of the lesser-known MLB players. Charging ridiculous fees (they make almost as much on a handling charge as the players make on a signature) and all requests have to go through their company in Canada so it takes a long time. I hear a lot of complaints from my customers about them.”

I asked about high-end autograph fees (as someone who has never paid by mail for any autograph). Harvey rattled off examples: “Lou Brock used to charge $85 a signature but he is no longer able to sign due to health reasons. Orlando Cepeda gets $60 per signature. Roger Clemens gets $100 per signature. Reggie Jackson gets $89 for a signature. Whitey Ford gets $40. Pete Rose gets $100 per signature. Nolan Ryan gets $90.There are a few that get over $30 per signature but most are in the $10-25 range.”

How can Harvey often update addresses of moved players so quickly? He has address-hunting experience that runs far beyond his days in the hobby. “My search engine costs me $400 a month and is updated every week,” he said.” It was the same search engine I used when I was a skip tracer at a Florida bank. That’s why my lists are so good.”

To learn more about Harvey’s address lists (baseball is just one of many sports he covers), go to www.SportsAddressLists.com.

Jim Hickman, Claude Osteen: Two 1970 All-Star Game Memories

Did "Gentleman Jim" ever smile while at bat?
Did “Gentleman Jim” ever smile while at bat?

I watch the All-Star Game yearly.

The first Mid-Season Classic I remember was from 1970.

That’s why I was delighted that Jim Hickman and Claude Osteen each shared their moments with me.

These two letters are worth an encore.

Pete Rose’s Forged Autographs

What years did you get your Pete Rose autograph by mail?

Do you know who really signed it?

I wasn’t dreaming when I mentioned last week that I seemed to recall a book from the 1980s detailed how Rose delegated his fan mail duties to an assistant.

“Dear Pete” by Helen Fabbri (the secretary) & Larry Names; published by the Laranmark Press in 1985.
This confirmation comes from noted baseball book dealer Bobby Plapinger:
“HERE’s my “catalog blurb” about it: Pete Rose’s story as told (mostly) through his fan mail w. connecting narrative supplied by Ms. Fabbri, his “personal fan mail secretary” for over 9 years. Fwd. by Rose who says he likes letters from kids because “their innocence and faith in me makes all the hard work worthwhile”. He, of course, would go on to reward his young fans’ “innocence & faith” in him for the rest of his career in and out of the game. BW photos.”
 

Even the book held a hidden story. Could it be that the likely ghost-signer of Rose autographs used a ghostwriter for author?

“Actually, I wrote the book for her. All she did was pick out the fan letters, and i let her have credit as author. Yes, she did sign Pete’s fan mail for him. So anybody who has a response from Pete in those years she was his fanmail secretary might have a forgery. I had Pete’s autograph on something. He signed something for me when we had breakfast together down in Tampa on the last Sunday of spring training 1985. He even picked up the check. Personally, I like Pete and think he’s getting a raw deal from MLB. But that’s another story. – Larry Names”

How’s this for some juicy subplot for the Rose TLC show?

Pete Rose TV Reality Series???

I’ve kept it since 1973. It’s a government postcard rubber-stamped (or auto-penned?) reply from Pete Rose. The “Hi, Tom” is no match for the facsimile signature.

When I saw that Rose’s TLC reality series was using his AUTOGRAPH as a show title/logo, I remembered that he was one of the first stars ever to admit to employing a “secretary.”

I can’t find a picture of the book anywhere. But I know it existed. In a rip-off of Art Linkletter’s “Kids Say the Darnedest Things,” there was a book reprinting KID letters to Pete Rose. Teen me never wanted to see if my heart-felt request was included.

Will he talk about autographs on his new series? Sorry, I don’t have the stomach to stay tuned.

Coming Wednesday: Harvey’s here! My 2013 Baseball Address List arrives!!!

Washington Pitcher Carl Bouldin Mulls Over His TWO Biggest Career Victories

Beloved in Venezuela!

Here’s a quick tip for anyone wanting to correspond with former players:

Realize that there’s more than one way to judge a career highlight.

I thought Carl Bouldin would have some nice memories about Sept., 15, 1962, when he twirled a 7-hit win at home versus the White Sox. (Thank you, http://www.retrosheet.org/.) However, I never said “your best game ever seems like…” Instead, I asked about the day, then followed up with:

If this wasn’t your best game ever, please describe what was?

Bouldin replied:

“Getting a complete game was big for me, or anyone, I think. I felt like I belonged and knew I could pitch in the ‘bigs.’

My best game was probably in winter ball in Caracas, Venezuela. In a big city rivalry, I pitched against a team with the three Alou Brothers and won, 3-1. Pete Rose was on my team and after that game the fans carried me around on their shoulders.

A fun time.”

Tomorrow: The Autograph Addict hits the jackpot with Cub Bob Will.