1985 Orioles Debuts, #397-408

Compared to the few following seasons that I recently profiled, the Orioles debuts during the 1985 season  saw a few bigger names and/or players that actually stuck around Baltimore for at least a few seasons.  The highlights were probably Fred Lynn, and Alan Wiggins, but a few of these other guys had some decent success in Baltimore as well. 

Here's my older posts in the series...
(2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986)

Fred Lynn #397, 4/8/85 (1985-88)

Don Aase #398, 4/8/85 (1985-88)

Fritz Connally #399, 4/10/85 (1985)

Lee Lacy #400, 5/13/85 (1985-87)

Al Pardo #401, 7/3/85 MLB Debut (1985-86)

Alan Wiggins #402, 7/5/85 (1985-87)

Phil Huffman #403, 7/13/85 (1985)

Brad Havens #404, 9/8/85 (1985-86)

Brad pitched eight seasons in the Majors between 1981-89 for five different teams and never was able to find much prolonged success at the MLB level. He was the Opening Day starter for the 1983 Twins and he was once involved in a trade for Rod Carew.

He also has a long-standing tradition of not signing TTM requests, dating back at least a decade, so I'm very happy to have his autograph in my collection.

Tom O'Malley #405, 9/8/85 (1985-86)

Tom's career was similar to that of Brad's in a few ways. He played nine seasons in the big leagues for six different teams, also including two with the O's, but never was able to get in a groove and spent much of his MLB in a back-up role. Their paths split when Tom went on to play six seasons in the Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league following his time in the Majors. He found consistent success in Japan and was one of the league's better players during much of his time there, even winning the Central League MVP award in 1995. He hit over .300 over every season that he played in Japan.

Kelly Paris #406, 9/18/85 (1985-86)

Eric Bell #407, 9/24/85 MLB Debut (1985-87)

John Habyan #408, 9/29/85 MLB Debut (1985-88)

"To Ryan"

As some of you already know, I prefer my Orioles autographs personalized to me whenever it's possible. Getting autographs can be tough enough and adding the extra personalization request can further complicate things at times. But it lets the players know that I have no intent of flipping the autographs I receive and I really like how it makes the autographs unique to my collection.

Over the years, I've added personalized autographs to my collection in a few different ways.

The two most common have been:

Public Signings/Appearances- especially when there is a small number of attendees and/or you can pay a little extra for personalization. Some of these autographs are probably 15 years old at this point.

 

Every Orioles fan has an Al Bumbry autograph if they really want one. Dude is always around town.

 

I was a Pirates fan when I was younger. Drabek later played for the O's, so this card has stuck around.

 

 I have an abnormally large amount of Rick Krivda autographs, even for me. 

I remember something about a private signings with very few attendees, many years back.

 

Dave is another guy who lives in the Baltimore area and has appeared around the vicinity for many years.

To the best of my recollection, Tackett is one of very few Orioles to have appeared during his playing days at the mall "card show" in my relatively small hometown of Carlisle, PA. Demand was pretty low for him too.

Sheets is yet another omnipresent former Oriole.

Singleton might have also made the trek to Carlisle, but I can't say for sure.

 

I got this one done through a signing on Sportscollectors.net. 

Probably the method that is responsible for the most personalized autographs in my collection is TTM requests. Players who sign autographs through the mail generally are happy to personalize as well..

 

I was really happy to come across this oddball Orioles issue of Pete Smith, even happier to see 

that he signs TTM, and happier still when he returned this to me after over 250 days.

Dave charges to sign TTM, but at least he signs.

Kelly was even nice enough to add "Best Wishes"

At just under a year, this one took a long time to get back, but I'm always happy to get those envelopes!

The third most effective way to add personalized autographs is in-person, which is easiest when the players are in the minor leagues. 

 

As is the case with former Oriole and current AA Bowie Baysox member, Armando Gabino.

 

Devo is currently a coach with the hi-A Frederick Keys; he was nice enough to personalize earlier this year.

Wrapping up the Trade- Signed Index Cards

Here's the rest of the autographs from my recent trade. These are all cut or signed 3x5s, so I would still like to find signed Orioles cards of these guys, but am happy to add these to my collection for now.

Del Rice was a catcher who played from 1945-61 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles. He appeared in only one game for the Orioles in 1960, and had just one at-bat with the Birds. He was a member of two World Series Championship teams, the '46 Cardinals and the '57 Braves, and was elected to the 1953 N.L. All-Star team as a reserve.

Del was a baseball lifer and immediately following his playing career jumped to coaching, and later managing, eventually rising through the ranks to manage the 1972 Angels. He passed away from cancer in 1983. The Orioles Crown card, which was released in 1991, is his only "Orioles" card, so this cut autograph will stay in my collection.

Dave Pope played four seasons in the Major Leagues from 1952-56 for the Indians and Orioles. He briefly played in the Negro Leagues before his time in the Majors, and had an older brother, Willie, who also played in the Negro Leagues. He passed away in 1999 from leukemia.

Kelly played parts of five seasons in the Majors from 1982-88 and spent parts of 1985-86 with the Orioles, appearing in five games each season. He played at least ten games (of the 92 he appeared in during his career) at each infield position.

I sent him a TTM request in October, but haven't got anything back yet, so traded for this 3x5 in the meantime. A private signing with Kelly was recently announced through MLAM, so I will try to get his Crown card signed that way.

 

Gordon Dillard pitched two games for the Orioles in 1988 and five for the Phillies in 1989. I sent him a TTM request in July 2009, but he never sent my card back and has signed for at least one other collector since then according to SCN. Maybe he didn't like my letter. Who knows?