A Bunch of Recent Upgrades

Over the past few months, I've had luck upgrading some of the autographs in my collection. A few were obtained TTM, others were had via trade, while I had to shell out a few bucks for some others. But I have at least written briefly about all of them in the past, so I'll try to keep the write-ups short.

I'll lead off with the man with the bad attitude, Albert Belle (Oriole #636). This certified autograph replaces an "Orioles" card that pictured him in a White Sox uniform, something that I could never quite get past, especially considering the number of certified 'graphs that showed Big Al in a legitimate Orioles uniform.

This Lenny Webster (Oriole #600) card came to me via a trade on Sportcollectors.net and replaced a signed Orioles postcard. Lenny had been on my need list for way too long and I was thrilled to knock off his name.

Dick Brown had also been in line for an upgrade for quite some time before I came across this awesome Orioles postcard. This replaced a cut 3x5 autograph in my collection and while Dick technically has a Topps Orioles card, it doesn't picture him in an Orioles uniform, so I feel like this postcard is as good as it will get for him.

This is the third Juan Guzman (Oriole #627) autograph that has trickled through my collection, and this one is here to stay.

Shawn Boskie (Oriole #603) was kind enough to add a very unique inscription to this signed Orioles postcard. This is definitely better suited for my collection than an Angels card.

Here is another Orioles postcard upgrade, this of the spectacled Chuck McElroy (Oriole #658), which interestingly also knocks a signed Angels card from my collection.

This Keith Moreland (Oriole #474) Crown card knocks out a Cubs card that I obtained from the 2010 National from my collection.

Chuck Diering (Oriole #12) sent me one of the more interesting TTM returns I've ever received when he added his signed business card to my request. This personalized autograph replaces an unpersonalized Crown in my collection. 

He also answered the question in my letter about his favorite Orioles memory, and it turns out he was the team's MVP during their inaugural 1954 season. 

This personalized Joe Durham (Oriole #37) card is going to stay in my collection along with the 1958 Topps card he had signed for me at an Orioles alumni signing a few years back.
 

I'm confident that this Dave Skaggs (Oriole #326) autograph is legit, unlike the one that was previously a part of my collection.

And finally, this Dave Van Gorder (Oriole #429) Red Wings card is about a 50% upgrade over the signed Reds card that it is replacing. I hope to one day finally have Van Gorder sign an Orioles Crown card for me, but I haven't had any luck so far.

Unpossible Autograph Friday- Dick Brown, Oriole #192

(Every Friday, I profile a former Oriole who has passed away. I've substituted the word unpossible for impossible as an homage to a line from "The Simpsons". Young Ralph Wiggum, who is a few pennies short of a dollar, says "Me fail English? That's unpossible.")  

Continuing to count down my unpossible Orioles autographs, up this week is former Orioles catcher, Dick Brown. My autograph of his is obviously a cut signature, and it's affixed onto a 3x5 index card. He did appear on one card as an Oriole during his lifetime, a '63 Topps, so I'm hoping to one day upgrade the autograph in my collection to a signed copy of that card.

Dick was a big league catcher from 1957-65 and spent the last three years of his career with the Orioles. He made his O's debut on April 8, 1963, which was Opening Day that year, and was the 192nd player who donned the O's uniform in a game. During his time in Baltimore, he split the catching duties with John Orsino, and appeared in 59, 88, and 96 games during his stint with the O's. The discovery of a brain tumor cut his career short and forced him to retire at the age of 30 following the '65 season. He spent his remaining years as a scout with the Orioles but passed away due to that brain tumor in 1970; he was only 35.

His passing at a young age and over forty years ago seem to be the main factors behind the scarcity of his autograph. It's very rare to see one available for sale, and rarer yet to come across an autographed card. I have never seen a signed copy of his '63 Topps, but the fact that he lived for seven years after it was issued makes me think that some signed copies of it have to be out there somewhere.

Dick's younger brother, Larry Brown, played twelve seasons in the Majors from 1963-74, and appeared in 17 games for the '73 Orioles, making his Baltimore debut on April 15th and becoming the 286th player to appear in a game for the O's. Larry was kind enough to sign my TTM request, which you can see in the post (third card down) if you click his name.

RIP, Dick. You died way too young.