Mike Sweeney, My First TTM Autograph Success
He is the first baseball player to respond to my through the mail (TTM) autograph request.
On Sept. 9 I decided to try my hand at another chapter of sports card collecting, TTM autograph seeking.
The task is simple, pick a player, find an address, send a card or photo along with a self addressed stamped envelope and then wait.
The hardest part of the equation is locating an address for the players.
If the player is active, the autograph seeker can send the request in care of the player's team.
Any team address can be located on the Internet.
If the player is retired, the task can be a little more difficult.
Harvey Meiselman's address list seems to be highly recommended.
So far I have been using www.fanmail.biz as my source of addresses.
The site features team addresses and posts from users stating successes or failures at requests.
The users usually post the date they mailed their requests and the address they sent it to.
By using this site, you can access a list of addresses without purchasing a list, get an idea if your favorite player will respond, and learn tips as to how to go about making a request.
So far since Sept. 9 I have sent out 20 requests.
I sent one request to retired player Tony Eusebio in care of the Houston Astros.
The mail came back and no current address for Eusebio seems to be available on the Internet.
An attempt to track down Craig Paquette through one of his old teams failed but I managed to locate an address for him in Phoenix on the fan mail site and the request is back in the mail.
Other players that I have sent requests to are: Livan Hernandez; Latroy Hawkins; Tony Pena Sr; Omar Vizquel; Tim Wakefield; Steve Cox; Scott Sanderson; Tommy John; Steve Garvey; Ron Gant; Pete Incavigla; Rich Gedman; Bryan Harvey;Tommy Lasorda; Bob Horner; Ray Fontenot, and Bill Swift.
Check back for updates on if these players respond.
So if your baseball card collector and have found yourself bogged down with hundreds or thousands of duplicate cards, why not give TTM autograph collecting a try.
The most you have to lose is a card, a couple of stamps and a couple of envelopes.
But if you get a reply you get with it a smile.
Published by Marie Lowe
I have a degree in journalism and work for a daily newspaper. In 2005 I was honored as the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Journalist of the Year. Have just entered the fourth year of my mother's battle with ovarian... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentGreat article, I tried writing to wrestlers when I was younger. No replies from any wrestlers but WCW did send me a few magazines.
what a great idea! I have boxes of baseball cards from the 80's, many are duplicates. I think you've inspired me to give it a shot!
What I said when I got Thurmon Munson's autograph: we named a hamster over you. Too bad I did not take all those Yankee programs and yearbooks when I left my husband. They are now long gone, and he always made me go hang by the field trying to get the autographs.
Not a baseball fan, nor collector, but will have to pick up some baseball card packs. You gave me a great idea for Yankee fanatics with a capitol F gift. I worked in a restaruant/bar owned by Lou Pinella. He often stopped by in the evenings. I worked lunch shift, but saw him from time to time. A waiter kept telling me I should come back to work to party with them. We switched shifts one night and I had the pleasure of waiting on Pinella's party of 12. We were in the kitchen when I asked for his autograph for my daughter who had recenlty been in a car accident that almost killed her. The next time I saw him, I was surprised when he asked about her well-being.
Nice article - glad to see he responded.
Not a sports fan, but glad for you that you were able to get your autographs.
I have several autographed copies of players and stars. Great info!
That is cool that it worked :-)
Great one!