As I have mentioned in a few recent posts, I am getting more and more addicted to the autograph portion of baseball card collecting. This probably stems from my youth as I did TTM requests as a teenager and had some great successes back then as well.
Onto, the mystery box. If you recall, I sent this box out a few weeks ago and it is finally back home with me. I tested something new this time – I sent a baseball out without receiving prior approval. With the Fergie Jenkins and Jim Abbott balls, I had made arrangements with the people hosting the events that these guys were attending. This time, nada. I was just shooting for some luck to come my way.
I think I scored big, what about you???
Mark Grace signed my Rawlings official game baseball in just 3 weeks. Obviously, a lot more went into getting this ball to ‘Gracey’ as I couldn’t just stuff it in an envelope, but I am so happy he signed this for me. I have literally been a Mark Grace fan since his debut with the Cubs and I cannot wait to add this ball to my collection!!!
And just when I thought it was over, I found my plastic case with a card inside – SIGNED!!!! Sweet, and it’s his 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie too!!! When I sent this baseball to Grace, I included 9 or 10 baseball cards and offered them to him to use for himself or to give to kids that asked for his signature but had nothing to get signed. I thought it was a nice gesture since he probably gets hounded for his autograph quite a bit. I certainly didn’t ask for, or expect, anything back besides the ball but I am not going to complain about it either.
What’s really funny about this is that the card he signed for me is the same 1 he sent me a few months ago that came back pretty damaged. Now I can finally add this perfect autograph to my collection and feel a sense of it being complete!!
Thanks Gracey!!!