Some Recent Upgrades

Between doing some in-person graphing at games and picking up some signed cards via consignment, I've been able to upgrade a number of autographs in my collection recently, mainly of the current players on the team. 

I was able to get a few players to sign their first Orioles cards, including

Wei-Yin Chen,

 Wilson Betemit,

and Tommy Hunter.

I also "upgraded" a few of the autographs in my collection to include personalizations from the players.

Thanks to JJ,

Ryan Flaherty,

Darren O'Day, 

and Steve Johnson for personalizing their autographs.

Also, I just noticed that Steve's picture on his Bowman Dodgers card was taken at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD, home of the Orioles' short season Aberdeen Ironbirds. The only connection I can make is related to Steve being from the Baltimore area, but that still doesn't really place him at the stadium. Oh well.

I was able to finally get an "in-person" signature of DeMarlo Hale via consignment. He has handily ignored me each time I've called out to him this season.

Miguel Socolovich signed this team card for me. I only had one single minor league card of his prior to the season, which he signed for me during spring training, and couldn't pass up the opportunity at an autograph, so this works for now. At least until I receive my 2012 Norfolk Tides team sets.

Finally, Al Bumbry made an appearance at a AA Bowie Baysox game a few weeks back to celebrate his bobblehead night  (pictures coming at some point), and he was signing for everyone.

I gladly scooped up an orange uni autograph and his York Revolution coaches card.

"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.

Some Orange Uniform Collection Additions

It's been a little while since I've shown any new Orange Uni autographs, so here we go.

My dad threw in this Milacki and Haynes with the cards from my last post.

I really like these old Keys jerseys. I wish they still had that awesome eagle logo.

I got the Hoiles and Bumbry cards signed at various Orioles Alumni signings at O's games.

An attempt to catch up...Orioles Alumni Autographs

I am so far behind on things I want to post that if I can share half of what I have I will still be a few weeks behind. If that even makes sense.

The two main things I will try to get to this week are my pictures and autographs from the Nats Picnic in the Park two Saturday's ago and my pictures from Harold Baines' Orioles Hall of Fame induction this past Saturday. I know Steve at White Sox Cards will be especially interested in those.

But today's post will showcase the autographs I've got at the past four or five Orioles Alumni Autograph series. Most of these are available in a trade if you are interested.

And here we go...


This was the first time I ever got Dave's autograph. Nice addition to my collection!



If you are an O's fan and don't have "the B's" autograph, you are doing something wrong.



My Devo autograph collection is much larger now than it was before. My favorite is the upside down one.


Ken Gerhart, yep.



This was the first time I got Ross's autograph in person. Check out his cards from back in the day. He had some wacky hair styles. This one wasn't too bad, in comparison at least.



John Habyan, another first time in person auto.



Billy Hunter was nice as always.



Dave Johnson is always around the Yard. Another guy that any O's collector should have.



McGregor is a local guy; which equals me having 50 autographs of his. Give or take 20.



Gary is not around nearly as much so I don't have very many of his signatures. And couldn't Donruss and Fleer changed the border colors up just a little bit? Ah, the 80s.



Dave made an appearance, taking a break from his Minor League duties.



My Larry Sheets autograph collection rivals my McGregor & Bumbry collections.


Bill Swaggerty doesn't look like this at all. At least, not anymore.

Alumni Autograph Pictures & new TTMs in!

To start out, I want to mention that two players made their Orioles debut yesterday: Chad Moeller & Robert Andino. Add those two to the list of guys I don't have autographs from!

So here are the pictures of the players and autographs my girlfriend, Kalina, snagged for me at the game yesterday. While I have some Bumbry & Tippy autographs from over the years: it's pretty funny that Billy Hunter sent back my TTM on Monday when I had no idea he was scheduled to be at the Yard on Thursday!

Tippy, Bumbry & Hunter

From Kalina's first hand info, Mr. Hunter is a very nice guy and seemed pleasantly surprised to see the card she brought him to sign. Prior to seeing this card, I had no idea that Billy had been a base coach for the O's at one point!



This is a great card of Tippy, he normally was clean shaven but decided to rock a pretty sweet mustache in '86 or '87! He threw out the first pitch of the game after he was done signing.

And the always entertaining Al Bumbry, who later appeared on MASN's pre-game show!



I also got my 2nd recent Oriole TTM request back in this John Halama card. He has a pretty cool, loopy signature and signed within about 2 weeks.


And Mr. Mele was also kind enough to return my request. He signed in about a week and his signature seems to be pretty consistent with what it was when Topps used it for this original card back in the 50s.


Let's hope the O's can continue their winning ways by taking the series from the new AL East powerhouse Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. See you at the Yard!

Time for the Brooms & Alumni Autograph Series

Since the O's have a chance to sweep the Yanks for the first time in like 4 years, it's hard not to be excited today. The O's have won the first two games of the season the right way, with good starts from Guthrie & Koji and by mashing the ball off of CC and Wang. It would be excellent to start the season 3-0, especially to the detriment of the Yanks.

I've also been meaning to write about the newly implemented Orioles' Alumni Autograph Series which will bring over 20 former O's players out to the Yard to sign autographs throughout the season. This is a perfect year for this to start for me since it coincides with my refocused autograph project. While I have autographs from most of the guys that will be appearing, there are 4 or 5 that I have yet to add to my collection, so I'm pumped.
Two or three players will be at the MASN booth on Eutaw Street from 1.5 hours until 30 minutes prior to the first pitch during every Monday and Thursday home game. Today was the first appearance with Al Bumbry, Tippy Martinez & Billy Hunter signing; my awesome girlfriend was able to get them all for me while I was at work!

Here is the complete list of players that will be signing throughout the season:
(* indicates an auto I need)

Paul Blair
Al Bumbry
Ken Dixon
*Joe Durham
Ross Grimsley
Dick Hall
*Ron Hansen
Bill Hunter
Dave Johnson
Rick Krivda
*Calvin Maduro
Tippy Martinez
Scott McGregor
*John Miller
*Curt Motton
Tim Nordbrook
Joe Orsulak
Larry Sheets
John Stefero
Bill Swaggerty
*Jimmy Williams

So come out to the Yard and check out the past players. It should be a fun season!