An Autograph A Day

Jan. 10 Report: Former Dolphins and Colts DB Lyle Blackwood

2011-01-10T21:13:00.003-05:00

A quick turnaround from the first new request I made in 2011. Former Miami Dolphions and Baltimore Colts defensive back Lyle Blackwood signed and returned all three cards I sent him. I offered him to keep the duplicate but he graciously sent all back signed and inscribed with different Bible verses.

Most of us know John 3:16, but the other two passages cited were 1 Peter 3:18:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

and Ephesians 2: 8-9:

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

I'm probably one of a very few who take the time to look up the citings, but I think they tell you a lot about the person.

250: the number of different autographs I've gotten since starting this blog in January 2010

Jan. 5, 2011 Report: Olympic gold medalist Tracy Caulkins

2011-01-05T17:51:00.006-05:00

So I start the year by adding a three-time Olympic gold medalist to my collection.

That, unto itself, is pretty cool.

Made even cooler by the fact that Tracy Caulkins is also a former University of Florida swimmer, so I add another Gator to that collection as well.

As I write this I also realize this is the first swimming autograph I have in my collection. So it's cool on a lot of levels.

Tracy spends a lot of her time in Australia these days, so it took almost a year for her to sign the photos I sent her here in the States and return them to me. Definitely worth the wait though.

249: the number of different autographs I've gotten since starting this blog in January 2010.

New Focus For The Blog

2011-01-05T17:47:00.003-05:00

OK, my first active year back in the hobby didn't see me get average an autograph a day for the course of the year. It still got me jazzed about an old passion, and that's cool enough for me.

So rather than try to do the same thing as last year, I'll just continue to enjoy the hobby and report on recent additions to my collection.

Happy New Year to all those who read this and enjoy collecting. Best of luck in your collections in 2011.

Dec. 23 report: Former NFL Kicker and Golf Nut Al Del Greco

2011-01-02T14:49:00.005-05:00

This turned out to be the final addition to my autograph collection in 2010. I was unable to send out many requests throughout the later half of the year, so I came up a bit short of my goal of having 365 new ones by the end of the year.

In all I tallied 248, which I am thrilled about.

I guess it is fitting that the final autograph is on a golf ball. Just so happens it is the signature of Al Del Greco, who made his name as being am excellent placekicker in the NFL for the Packers, Cardinals and Oilers/Titans.

He's a regular on the Celebrity Golf Tour and he is also a high school golf coach in Alabama.

Day of the Year: 353
Number of Autographs This Year: 248

Dec. 20 Report: Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Bubby Brister

2011-01-02T14:42:00.004-05:00

Chalk this one up to a surprise return. Nearly a year after I sent a pair of cards off to former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Bubby Brister I had figured them as gone.

But not to be. Not only did Brister sign and return the two cards I sent him, but he also added two other cards and signed them as well.

So I add four signed Brister cards to my collection.

Brister's career spanned from 1986-2000, spending time with the Steelers, Eagles, Jets, Broncos and Vikings. He passed for more than 14,000 yards and he owns two Super Bowl rings as part of the Broncos' championships teams in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII.

Day of the Year: 350
Number of Autographs This Year: 247

Dec. 18 Report: Top High School Football Recruit Tony Steward

2011-01-02T14:26:00.004-05:00

Definitely a first to report on this blog, and that is the addition of a high school player to the collection.

Tony Steward is the nation's top linebacker recruit and is one of only a handful of 5-star recruits who will be committing to a major college on National Signing Day in February. Whichever school he chooses -- currently Florida State and Clemson lead the way -- will certainly land a tremendous talent, not to mention a 5-star young man who will be a role model for the community much like he has been in his hometown.

All the best to this young man in all that he does.

Day of the Year: 348
Number of Autographs This Year: 246

Nov. 6 Report: 2003 Masters Tournament Winner Mike Weir

2010-11-07T07:25:00.003-05:00

Few things, in terms of autographs, make me as happy as adding a new major championship winner to my collection.

So this late in the year as the autographs seem to trickle in every 10 days or longer I was happy to get an envelope that I instantly recognized as one containing a major championship trophy photo I had sent out months ago.

When I cracked it open and pulled out the photo I was disappointed to see it unsigned. Bummed. But I had momentarily forgotten I had also sent a Masters ticket from 2003 when I was at the event along with the photo.

Sure I was disappointed the photo wasn't signed since I have a nice collection of them hanging on the wall in frames, I was also quite happy to have the ticket signed from the event Mike Weir won his first major championship.

I will look forward to adding this to the shadow box alongside the other tournament tickets and badges I've had signed this year.

Day of the Year: 306
Number of Autographs This Year: 245

Oct. 26 Report: Former Washington Redskins Kicker Chip Lohmiller

2010-10-30T19:02:00.004-04:00

Back-to-back successes this week on autograph requests that were made some time ago.

Received a pair of signed cards back from Chip Lohmiller, a Pro Bowler in 1991.

Day of the Year: 295
Number of Autographs This Year: 244

October 25 Report: Former No. 1 NFL Pick Jeff George

2010-10-27T12:15:00.004-04:00

Well sadly it has been a month since I've been able to post a success in this autograph space. Sad, but not unexpected, however as some setbacks have kept me from being able to buy postage at the same rate I was earlier in the year.

We'll see if November allows me to make a late-season push.

In the meantime I received a nice 1990 Fleer card signed by former No. 1 pick Jeff George. George took the time to sign it and inscribe it exactly as I asked, which was terrific.

The down side is he also personalized it. Not that I mind personalized autographs at all, I just wish I knew who Rick was. It's definitely not me!!

Day of the Year: 294
Number of Autographs This Year: 243

George Blanda: The Passing of a Legend

2010-09-27T18:43:00.003-04:00

Read the news late this afternoon that Football Hall of Famer George Blanda passed away at the age of 83.

It is always sad to hear that a part of your childhood has passed on to football heaven. Hopefully over the next few days the football world will reflect on what an amazing talent and man Blanda was to all who played with or against him, and to those who knew him outside of football.

I'll look forward to reading those accounts with the hopes of learning more about him.

Back in my heyday of collecting autographs (1980s and early 1990s) I had the chance to get a signature from this legend, and he didn't disappoint. One thing is for sure -- he was a Raider through and through.

Rest in Peace sir. Best to your family.

Sept. 23 Report: Former Chicago Bears Kicker Bob Thomas

2010-09-25T10:43:00.004-04:00

Nearly 200 days ago (194 to be exact) I sent a a few cards off to former Chicago Bears kicker Bob Thomas to get signed. This has turned out to be my longest wait to date on this project, but I am happy to report a triple success.

Thomas, a former Notre Dame player, went on to become the 388th pick in the 1974 NFL Draft. Though he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, Thomas never played a game for the West Coast team.

He is primarily know for his career with the Bears (1975-84). He also suited up for the Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers and New York Giants.

One of the col things in researching players I used to watch in my youth is finding out what they are up to today. Thomas is a justice for the Supreme Court of Illinois. Pretty cool to establish such a prestigious career after enjoying a lengthy and successful NFL career.

Returning to the autographs, Thomas signed all three cards I send to him, despite me asking him to keep the duplicate. In addition to signing the cards he also added the inscription "Romans 5:8".

Day of the Year: 264
Number of Autographs This Year: 242

Sept. 18 Report: A Surprise From Joe Durant

2010-09-19T19:19:00.003-04:00

Three days ago I posted on this blog about a success from PGA Tour winner Joe Durant. I briefly discussed his career in the game and displayed the two different cards he signed for me.

Well you can imagine my surprise when, on Saturday, I found an envelope in the mailbox where my address was written on in black Sharpie -- just the address mind you, not my name.

Well I could tell it was a fairly thick so when I opened it I found seven different card signed by Joe Durant. My guess is he still had my envelope to him lying around when he came across some extra cards in his house.

So without my name on that envelope (I only had my return address on the outside of the envelope) Joe went ahead and put together another envelope to me where signed all these additional cards!

I must say this is a first for me. What an awesome gesture by a guy who had already made my day by signing the two different cards I needed for completing the 2001 Upper Deck autographed card set.

Day of the Year: 259
Number of Autographs This Year: 241

Sept. 15 Report: PGA Tour Star Joe Durant

2010-09-15T15:43:00.003-04:00

Florida native and long-time PGA Tour player Joe Durant came through for me today by returning two different Upper Deck cards for me which I will add to the signed set I am trying to complete.

Durant played golf collegiately at a small Alabama school called Huntingdon College. He was a three-time NAIA All-American. He won the 1987 NAIA individual golf championship.

Durant would turn pro after that victory and would win on the Nationwide Tour (then known as the Nike Tour) at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic.

Durant would follow that with a successful PGA Tour career where he would win four times: 1988 Motorola Western Open, 2001 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, 2001 Genuity Championship and 2006 Walt Disney World Classic.

Day of the Year: 256
Number of Autographs This Year: 240

Sept. 13 Report: Left-handed PGA Tour winner Steve Flesch

2010-09-13T20:46:00.004-04:00

Yes it has been yonks since I've been able to post anything in this space. A few changes recently have kept me from being able to send out requests like I had earlier in the year. Hopefully everything smooths out in the coming days/weeks and I can return to making regular requests.

So today's report is a success that comes from a mailing I did nearly three months ago. It it is worth the wait as Steve Flesch came through in big way. I had sent the left-hander a golf glove to sign and add to my left-handed PGA Tour winners project.

Not only did he sign and return that glove, but he also included an added bonus. Inside the envelope was a second glove -- this one his own (Srixon) which was obviously used by him. He also signed that one!!

Flesch is one of four Southpaws to ever win multiple times on Tour. He's won the 2003 HP Classic of New Orleans, 2004 Bank of America Colonial, 2007 Reno-Tahoe Open and 2007 Turning Stone Resort Championship.

This is the first time I have received a piece of used equipment for this project, so needless to say I am obviously very happy. Well worth the wait!!!!

Day of the Year: 254
Number of Autographs This Year: 239

August 19 Report: Former MLB Player Darrell Evans

2010-08-19T17:47:00.004-04:00

Darrell Evans played the infield (third base and first base) for two decades. He had spans with the Atlanta Braves (1969-76 and in 1989), the San Francisco Giants (1976–83) and Detroit Tigers (1984–88), with whom he won a World Series.

Evans hit more than 400 HRs in his career and was the first to ever hit 40 HRs in both leagues. When he hit his 400th HR in 1988 he was only the 22nd player to reach that mark.

Evans was twice an All-Star (1973 and 1983).

Day of the Year: 229
Number of Autographs This Year: 238

Former New Orleans Saints Tackle Stan Brock and PGA Tour Star Joe Ogilvie

2010-08-12T16:57:00.005-04:00

Admittedly things have been a bit slow of late on this blog, and that's a direct result of my being sidetracked with other aspects of life. I've been unable to send any requests lately, so everything that's come in over the last month has largely been those that have been out for a while.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to resume with the request writing.

In the meantime I am glad to have two successes to report today. First up is Stan Brock, whom I mailed a pair of cards to 152 days ago. They both came back signed today.

Brock was a tackle for the New Orleans Saints from 1980-1992, and then with the San Diego Chargers 1992-1995.

On the golfing front, I've added the signature of Joe Ogilvie to my collection as well today. I wrote Ogilvie 50 days ago.

The former Duke golfer has won four times on the Nationwide Tour. He picked up his first PGA Tour title at the 2007 U.S. Bank Championship.

Day of the Year: 222
Number of Autographs This Year: 237

August 4 Report: 1963 British Open Winner Bob Charles

2010-08-04T18:01:00.005-04:00

Nothing like a major championship success to bolster your career. Same is true as a terrific way to bolster your autograph collection.

Today I was fortunate enough to get another one of my Claret Jug photos returned as I am slowly building my collection of autographed major championship trophy photos. This autograph fills a real triple need for me, in that not only does it cover a major winner but it also adds a left-hander to that collection and a Hall of Fame member.

Charles was the first left-hander to win on the PGA Tour when he won the 1963 Houston Classic. But the brightest spot on Charles' considerable resume -- it boasts more than 70 worldwide victories and he has been Knighted for his services to golf -- is his win at the 1963 British Open.

Charles continued a trend that most winners of majors have engaged in on my trophy project -- he also inscribed the photo with the year he won the trophy.

Day of the Year: 214
Number of Autographs This Year: 235

Former Houston Oilers Tight End Mike Barber

2010-07-30T20:43:00.004-04:00

Growing up on football in the 1970s and 1980s, it was hard not to be amazed by the talents of Earl Campbell. The Tyler Rose seemed, at times, unstoppable. I remember always looking up the agate in Monday's paper to see how he had done -- wow has the Internet changed that.

Well it was hard not to get wrapped up in the rest of the Houston Oilers, too. So it is today's addition to the collection that is bringing a lot of those memories back.

Mike Barber was a tight end on the Oilers teams from 1976-1981. He also spent several years with the Los Angeles Rams (1981-85) and Denver Broncos (1985), but is it with those Oilers that I will always link him.

He caught 222 passes in his career, good for 2,788 yards and 17 TDs.

Day of the Year: 209
Number of Autographs This Year: 234

July 26 Report: New Orleans Saint and Former USFL Champions Quarterback Bobby Hebert

2010-07-26T19:12:00.005-04:00

Getting the week off to the right start, adding a pair of signed items to the collection from Bobby Hebert.

I first saw Hebert play in the USFL, which is a league I am still quite fond of to this day. Hebert starred for the Michigan Panthers and Oakland Invaders. He passed for the most yards in USFL history (10,039), not bad considering the league also boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.

Hebert led the Panthers to the USFL championship in 1983, and he was named the game's MVP. That year he was also Player of the Year.

Hebert would later go on to play in the NFL, for the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. He was a Pro Bowl QB in 1993.

I'm happy to add items from both of Hebert's leagues today. I simply love the inscription on the 3x5 card, which is a boost to my USFL collection.

Day of the Year: 205
Number of Autographs This Year: 233

July 22 Update: Former Ryder Cup Player and Current Champions Tour Star Gil Morgan

2010-07-22T22:36:00.004-04:00

Gil Morgan, who won seven times during his PGA Tour career, signed a Ryder Cup trophy photo for me. Morgan played on two Ryder Cup teams -- 1979 and 1983

Morgan has had much more success on the Champions Tour since joining it. As of this writing he ranks third all-time in victories on that Tour with 25 wins. Three of those wins were major championships, two Traditions (1997 and 1998) and a Senior Players Championship (1998).

Day of the Year: 201
Number of Autographs This Year: 232

July 21 Report: LPGA Tour and Solheim Cup Star Kelly Robbins

2010-07-21T14:09:00.005-04:00

The successes continue to come in sporadically this time of year, so any day I add a success is a great day!

Today I've added another signature for my Solheim Cup collection, courtesy of Kelly Robbins. Robbins has won nine times on the LPGA Tour, including a major championship at the 1995 LPGA Championship.

She made six consecutive Solheim Cup teams beginning in 1994 up until 2003.

Day of the Year: 200
Number of Autographs This Year: 231

July 16 Report: Golf Hall of Famer and British Open/PGA Championship Winner Nick Price

2010-07-17T18:40:00.004-04:00

A day late getting this up, but a great success to report.

One of golf's all-time great guys -- not to mention great champions -- returned a pair of major championship trophy photographs.

Nick Price, who won the British Open in 1994 and the PGA Championship in 1992 and 1994, personalized and signed photos of the Claret Jug and Wanamaker trophies.

Price was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 2003. His international record is remarkable, winning more than 50 times around the world including 18 times on the PGA Tour. He's also won on the European Tour, South African Tour and Japan Golf Tour. Price has added three wins to date on the Champions Tour, too.

Day of the Year: 196
Number of Autographs This Year: 230

July 15 Report: Golf Hall of Famer Betsy Rawls and Left-Handed Golfer Vic Wilk

2010-07-15T20:19:00.004-04:00

Simply put Betsy Rawls is one of the very best women to ever swing a golf club. The Hall of Famer won 55 times in her career, including eight major championships. The only women to grace the winner's circle on a more regular basis were Kathy Whitworth, Mickey Wright, Petty Berg and Annika Sorenstam.

Rawls may have been at her best in the U.S. Women's Open, claiming four of them between 1951 and 1960. She won the Vare Trophy and was Player of the Year in 1959.

On the men's side I added another autographed golf glove from a left-hander to my collection of signed gloves from Southpaws who have won professionally.

Vic Wilk won the Knoxville Open in 1994, becoming the first lefty to win on the Nike Tour. Today that Tour is known as Nationwide Tour.

Wilk, who will join the Champions Tour next year, was kind enough to inscribe the glove with his famous lefty accomplishment.

Day of the Year: 195
Number of Autographs This Year: 229

July 14 Report: Former Florida Gator and New York Jet Derrick Gaffney and LPGA Tour and Solheim Cup star Michelle McGann

2010-07-14T19:58:00.006-04:00

A pair of successes to report today, which is always a welcome bit of news.

First up is that of Derrick Gaffney. Gaffney was a standout at the University of Florida before being drafted by the New York Jets in the eighth round of the 1978 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact and proved well worth the pick, catching 38 passes in 1978 for 691 yards and 3 TDs.

He was a steady performer for the Jest the rest of that decade and continued to contribute regularly through the 1984 season.

This is a great add to my collection because he went to high school locally where I live and also went to UF, which is a sub-collection I have going.

Secondly today I added a pair of signatures from LPGA Tour winner and U.S. Solheim Cup star Michelle McGann. McGann, who has one of the greatest smiles in all of sports, halved a pair of matches against Annika Sorenstam at the 1996 Solheim Cup and defeated the top player in women's golf, Laura Davies, in singles play.

Unfortunately McGann's signature on my Solheim Cup photo was smeared pretty badly in the mail. The good news is she wrote me a terrific note on her personal notecard talking about her Solheim Cup memories.

Definitely one I will want to show prominently, so I will probably go back and ask her to sign another photo with the hopes it doesn't get ruined in the mail. I'd like to have the photo and the notecard displayed together.

Day of the Year: 194
Number of Autographs This Year: 227

Former New Orleans Saints Running Back Dalton Hilliard

2010-07-12T19:26:00.004-04:00

Well this week is starting off with a success, which is a welcome sign considering the sluggish pace of late.

I'm quite happy to add the signature of Dalton Hilliard to my collection.

I first saw Dalton Hilliard play in the 1980s when he was a star at LSU. It was no surprise to me that Hilliard has a 1,200-plus yard season in 1989. He also made the Pro Bowl.

Sadly injuries cut short the career of a terrific SEC talent. He finished his NFL career with 4,164 yards and 53 TDs.

Day of the Year: 192
Number of Autographs This Year: 225

July 9 Report: Ryder Cup Player Jerry Pate

2010-07-09T21:07:00.003-04:00

Definitely been in the longest autograph drought since this autograph project began. It's been a long eight days waiting for a new success, but it is finally here.

So hopefully this is the start of a new streak!

Today's success is another in my Ryder Cup player collection. This one comes from Jerry Pate, who had a distinguished amateur career before turning pro. He represented the U.S. on Walker Cup teams and won the U.S. Amateur in 1974.

His first professional victory came at another USGA Championship -- the 1976 U.S. Open. He has eight PGA Tour wins in all and has claimed a pair of victories to date on the Champions Tour.

He played on the U.S. team that won the Ryder Cup in 1981.

Day of the Year: 189
Number of Autographs This Year: 224

July 1 Report: Former Chicago Bears Player Revie Sorey

2010-07-01T19:12:00.004-04:00

Apologies for the brevity of the last three posts, but I had a quick out-of-towner thrown on me at short notice I had to tend to.

So I'm back but trying to play catch-up on a lot of things, including this blog. Which is a good thing because it means autographs are still being acquired.

Today's addition comes from another of those NFL payers from the 1970s and 1980s which is so dear to me. Revie Sorey, an All-Pro guard for the Chicago Bears (1975-83), signed a pair of football cards to go into the collection.

Before playing with the Bears Sorey competed at Illinois collegiately.

Day of the Year: 181
Number of Autographs This Year: 223

June 30 Report: PGA Tour Winner Duffy Waldorf

2010-07-01T13:31:00.004-04:00

Two days in a row now that I've added cards to my 2001 Upper Deck Golf card set.

Duffy Waldorf signed two different cards of himself from the set, which is terrific.

Waldorf has won four times to date on the PGA Tour, most recently at the 2000 Disney event. Prior to achieving stardom on the Tour, Waldorf was an accomplished amateur played from UCLA.

Waldorf twice was an NCAA All-American and was selected as the College Player of the Year in 1985. He also represented the U.S. on the Walker Cup Team.

Day of the Year: 180
Number of Autographs This Year: 222

June 29 Report: PGA Tour Player Greg Kraft

2010-07-01T13:26:00.004-04:00

Greg Kraft has been a long-time player on both the PGA Tour and its developmental tour, the Nationwide Tour.

He has won on each circuit, claiming the 2008 Puerto Rico Open on the PGA Tour and the 2005 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in 2005.

Kraft signed this Upper Deck for me in my quest to get as many from the set signed as possible.

Picture to follow later.

Day of the Year: 179
Number of Autographs This Year: 221

June 26 Report: Five-time British Open Winner and Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson

2010-06-26T15:03:00.004-04:00

Well today made up for a slow week of autographs for me. Not necessarily in number as I only added a total of three new signatures over the course of the seven days. So needless to say I lost a little ground to the autograph a day quest.

Suffice it to say that I'm quite OK with that this week after the quality of the success I received today. As those of you who read this blog regularly know, I've been getting photos of the major championship trophies signed by winners. And today was a huge plus in that department as five-time British Open winner Tom Watson signed a photo of the Claret Jug.

Only the legendary Harry Vardon has won more Opens (6) than Watson. And what makes this even cooler is that Watson took the time to inscribe and make some terrific inscriptions on the photo.
As you can see he wrote "Open Champ." and inscribed it with the five years he won golf's oldest championship!

Truly an amazing add to the collection from one of the top three greatest golfers to ever play in the 1970s and 1980s. This has fired me up to load the mailbox with new requests on Monday!

Day of the Year: 176
Number of Autographs This Year: 220

June 25 Report: Former MLB Player Cory Snyder

2010-06-25T19:21:00.003-04:00

This week has definitely been one of the slowest for me this year. Coming into today I had only received a single success, that coming from Herschel Walker on Monday.

The good news is I doubled this week's count today as I received a second autograph today. Cory Snyder returned a signed Donruss card and index card for me.

Snyder played for five different teams between 1986-1994. His best season came in 1987 when he hit 33 HRs.

Snyder was also a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team that won the silver medal.

Day of the Year: 175
Number of Autographs This Year: 219

June 21 Report: Former University of Georgia Bulldogs Star and Dallas Cowboys RB Herschel Walker

2010-06-21T19:43:00.003-04:00

Herschel Walker is one of those rare athletes you see growing up who change your perspective at what a terrific is exactly.

I first saw Walker play in college when he was at the University of Georgia. He was busy running wild over my beloved University of Florida Gators. I hated him then for what he did to UF, but you instantly knew you were watching a tremendous talent. One that changed how the game as played.

Walker, of course, went on to a fine career in the USFL before settling in the NFL after perhaps his best days were behind him.

Still he scored 60-plus TDS, including a number when he played on some very bad Dallas teams.

One thing is for sure I will never forget the first time I saw him play in person at UGa. Those are the memories I will cherish forever.

By the way, Walker has a very nice signature, and the fine-tip blue Sharpie looks great on this card.

Day of the Year: 171
Number of Autographs This Year: 218

June 18 Report: PGA Tour Player Matt Kuchar

2010-06-18T17:47:00.002-04:00

I'm actually a bit curious if this autograph is legit.

The reason I question it is because I sent it to Matt on Tuesday, June 15. He lives in the same county, so it was likely delivered on Wednesday, June 16.

So he signed it and mailed back Thursday, June 17 for return to me on June 18? I guess it is possible, though I'd like to know when he left for Pebble Beach to play in the U.S. Open, which started Thursday.

Typically golfers begin to arrive at the week's course Monday or Tuesday and are definitely playing practice rounds by Wednesday.

Perhaps he just has a stack of signed cards at this house and his spouse mails them out???

I'd be curious on anyone's thoughts.

Day of the Year: 169
Number of Autographs This Year: 217

June 17 Report: LPGA Star Kelli Kuehne

2010-06-17T19:36:00.004-04:00

Kellie Kuehne had a truly terrific amateur career, twice winning the U.S. Women's Amateur (1995, 1996) and also adding a British Ladies Amateur (1996). She was an All-American at the University of Texas and also played on the 1996 Curtis Cup team.

She won the 1999 LPGA Corning Classic and has competed in two Solheim Cup teams for the United States (2002, 2003).

She signed my American Solheim Cup photo for my collection of U.S. players who have competed on the women's version of the Ryder Cup.

Day of the Year: 168
Number of Autographs This Year: 216

June 16 Report: NHL Superstar Rod Brind'Amour

2010-06-16T20:26:00.004-04:00

The reason I started watching hockey back around 1990 was because of the St. Louis Blues -- in particular Brett Hull.

As a young card collector then it was second-nature to begin to collect all their team sets. And as an autograph collector I wanted to get an entire team set signed for my collection. I got many of the Blues' players to sign in the early 1990s, including Hull, Paul Cavallini, Nelson Emerson, Pat Jablonski, Curtis Joseph, Adam Oates and Mike Lalor.

Well for the first time since about 1992 I have added another one of those former Blues players to my collection. None other than Rod Brind-Amour, who still is playing in the NHL with the Hurricanes.

He's amassed well over 1,000 points thus far in his career, and here's to hoping he adds some more.

Day of the Year: 167
Number of Autographs This Year: 215

June 15 Report, Part 2: Football Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli

2010-06-15T21:22:00.008-04:00

So when I updated this blog earlier this afternoon with my tidbit on PGA Tour winner Chris Perry and his baseball lineage, I thought I was done for the day.

Needless to say that was way off base -- primarily because I did not count on the UPS man delivering me a package this evening. Boy was this a huge surprise as I had no idea who sent it or what it was.

I'll try to make the story somewhat short.

Ten days ago I wrote a letter to the great Andy Robustelli, Pro Football Hall of Fame member. My letter essentially included a card I hoped he would sign, but more important to me was I was hoping to get a story from him about an old Chicago Bear he played against named Willie Galimore.

I told Mr. Robustelli I had been reading everything I could on football from that era -- my bookshelf can attest to my words -- and I was wondering if he had any other stories on Galimore.

Well this UPS package came from Robustelli on his own dime. In it was a first edition copy of his book, which was inscribed and signed to me. I was blown away that he would take the time to do this.

But it gets better. Inside the book were a pair of signed football cards and my return envelope, stamped but unused.

And there's more.

He also included a pair of autographed 4x6 Hall of Fame signature cards.

So five different autographs from one of the guys who is responsible for making the game what it is today.

Needless to say I can't wait to read his book and see if he has some Galimore stories in the book.

I'll be sending a note back to Mr. Robustelli telling him how much his efforts mean to me. I also plan on sending him some cash to cover his expense in shipping the package to me.

This guy has more than class than most locker rooms hold today. I'm definitely a fan for life.

Day of the Year: 166
Number of Autographs This Year: 214

June 15 Report: PGA Tour Player Chris Perry

2010-06-15T16:47:00.003-04:00

Chris Perry was a standout golfer at Ohio State, where he was a three-time All American. He won the Bog 10 Championship in 1983 and was the College Player of the Year a year later.

He also turned pro in 1984 and would play on the PGA Tour from 1985-1992. He split time on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour the next two seasons before earning his PGA Tour card back in 1995-2001. He won the 1998 B.C. Open.

While on the Nationwide Tour he also won -- the 1994 Utah Classic -- and was the Player of the Year and leading money winner on that Tour for 1994 as well.

Interesting baseball tie-in here as Perry is the son of 197o AL Cy Young winner Jim Perry and the nephew of Baseball Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry.

Day of the Year: 166
Number of Autographs This Year: 213

June 14 Report: PGA Tour Star K.J. Choi and Former Rams Quarterack Pat Haden

2010-06-14T18:29:00.004-04:00

The addition to the autograph collection today comes from a present-day PGA Tour star and an NFL star from years ago.

First up is the signature of K.J Choi, who was the first Korean player to win on the PGA Tour when he claimed the 2002 Compaq Classic of New Orleans.

He has won seven times to date on the PGA Tour and has played on a pair of Presidents Cup teams.

I'm actually not sure if he signs his full name in Korean here (Kyung-Ju Choi) or if it is just a more difficult read.

Secondly today is the signature of former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Pat Haden. Haden is another one of those guys I grew up watching in the 1970s, so I'm always happy to add another signature from the golden days of my youth to my collection.

Haden passed for nearly 9,300 yards in his career.

One of the interesting, and less well-known, things about Haden is that he was a Rhodes Scholar. When he left USC he played for a year in the World Football League, which allowed him to go to Oxford University.

Day of the Year: 165
Number of Autographs This Year: 212

June 12 Report: Former Major League Baseball Pitcher Rick Reuschel

2010-06-12T21:32:00.003-04:00

The first baseball success I've reported in about three months. No fault of Rick Reuschel's, as he turned it around in about 10 days or so.

Reuschel pitched for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants during his career. He compiled 214 wins, including a 20-win season with the Cubs in 1977.

Reuschel was also a decent-hitting pitcher who batted over .200 in five different seasons -- including four in a row beginning in 1974. He was a three-time All Star (1977, 1987, 1989) and twice a Gold Glove winner (1985, 1987).

Day of the Year: 163
Number of Autographs This Year: 210

Baltimore Orioles Post for Ryan at The Great Orioles Autograph Project

2010-06-12T13:39:00.004-04:00

Earlier today I was reading a blog post I follow called The Great Orioles Autograph Project. As you can tell it's by a gentleman who is a O's fan. Well his post caught my attention and sent me scrambling through old boxes of golf course scorecards where I had collected signatures of baseball players on during the late 1980s and early 1990s in Florida.

Hammock Dunes was a regular stop for some alumni tournaments and I remember it was the first time I got a Pete Rose autograph as well.

Anyway Ryan had a post about Nelson Briles passing away on a golf course, which I had not heard before. I knew I had met Briles at least once at Hammock Dunes and I pulled those scorecards to see if memory served me correctly. My memory remains sharp a few decades later as I had this card signed by Briles.

Interestingly I also had a scorecard signed by another player on Ryan's post, Joe Coleman.

June 11 Report: Actress/Model Cheryl Tiegs and Former New England Patriots CB Raymond Clayborn

2010-06-11T21:04:00.005-04:00

One of today's successes was a long time coming.

In fact the longest wait yet in this project that is nearing its halfway point. One hundred sixty five days ago I sent a request to Cheryl Tiegs' home asking for an autograph, and much to my surprise today she returned it.

I guess that puts me right for assuming that after six months I had lost hope that I would be able to count this one as a success. Now I only wish I had sent her that famous picture in the white swimsuit that has become so iconic nowadays!

Still quite happy to add this to my quite small collection of non-sports autographs.

Today's other success comes from three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Raymond Clayborn. Clayborn had a terrific career as a New England Patriot (1977-89) and later as a Cleveland Brown (1990-91).

He intercepted 36 passes, which at the time of his retirement was a Patriots team record.

Prior to playing in the NFL, Clayborn was a running back with the University of Texas, who switched to the secondary after his sophomore season.

Day of the Year: 162
Number of Autographs This Year: 209

June 10 Report: Football Hall of Famer Charley Trippi; former New York Giants Kicker Joe Danelo and former Seattle Seahawks LB Terry Beeson

2010-06-10T21:02:00.005-04:00

Just over a week ago I took a letter-writing session to address my recent lack of autograph requests outside of golf. I sent about 10 football requests, a couple of baseball ones and even a rare hockey request.

Well that effort began to pay off today in the form of three football successes. I sent three football HOFers among the lot and first up today is one of those.

I first met Charley Trippi 19 years ago and he signed a pair of cards for me. Now, nearly two decades later, I've added another different card to the collection. His resume is impressive as you would expect from any Hall of Famer, so I won't go into it here.

But the thing I'd like to say is that it is amazing that in nearly two decades -- and for a man who is nearing 90 -- his signature does not appear to have changed one bit. Still very readable and elegant and no signs of shakiness.

Man I really wish I could have seen these guys play in their primes. It must have been an entirely different game then.

Next up is Washington State product Joe Danelo. Danelo was drafted by the Dolphins in 1975 but never played with them. He suited up for three different teams, but most notably the New York Giants (1976-82). He kicked a then-team-record 55-yard FG on Sept. 20, 1981 and tied an NFL record for six field goals in a game without a miss. That record has since been broken.

Lastly today is former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Terry Beeson. The second round pick out of Kansas played for Seattle (1977-81) and the San Francisco 49ers (1982). He set a Seattle franchise record for tackles with 153.

Day of the Year: 161
Number of Autographs This Year: 207

June 7 Report: Former Masters Tournament Winner Craig Stadler and LPGA Solheim Cup Player Michele Redman

2010-06-07T20:22:00.004-04:00

Another former Masters Tournament champion came through for me today, signing my now-familiar photograph of the silver Masters clubhouse trophy.

This time it is 1982 champ Craig Stadler. Stadler, known as The Walrus for his similar looks, also inscribed the photo with his wining year, much as many of the other previous major championship winners have done in this project.

Stadler has won all around the world, in the U.S., Europe and Japan. He's currently playing on the Champions Tour, where he has notched five victories.

Stadler has proven to have some longevity, winning the 2003 B.C. Open, becoming the first golfer in 28 years to win a PGA Tour event after age 50.

Today's second success also comes from the world of golf. This time it is from current LPGA player Michele Redman. She has recorded a pair of victories to date on the Tour and has proven a herself to be a consistent performer.

Redman has made four Solheim Cup teams representing America -- 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Day of the Year: 158
Number of Autographs This Year: 204

June 5 Report: PGA Tour Star Rory Sabbatini

2010-06-05T15:56:00.003-04:00

Rory Sabbatini has achieved success at every level in which he has played. Whether it was growing up in South Africa, playing collegiately at the University of Arizona or on the PGA Tour, Sabbatini always has enjoyed hoisting trophies.

He was the PAC-10 Player of the Year in 1998, a year after he won three individual titles for the Wildcats.

He's won five times to date on the PGA Tour, including when he set the tournament scoring record en route to winning the 2009 Byron Nelson Championship.

Sabbatini has also won a World Cup partnering with fellow South African Trevor Immelman.

Day of the Year: 156
Number of Autographs This Year: 202

The Passing of A Legend: John Wooden

2010-06-05T07:09:00.003-04:00

Words are woefully insufficient in trying to accurately sum up what the sporting world just lost in John Wooden, so I won't even try to find the right ones.

Just suffice it to say that any who came in contact with the man were instantly captivated by his presence. He signed this card for me some two decades ago, and I'm still honored he took the time to do so.

RIP Mr. Wooden and best to your family.

June 4 Report: Former New England Patriot Ronnie Lippett and Left-Handed PGA Tour Winner Eric Axley

2010-06-04T20:06:00.006-04:00

Well today marks another milestone. I added a pair of autographs to my ever-growing collection, and that pushed me over the 200-mark for the year. That means just 165 more during the second half of 2010 will allow me to achieve the goal of this blog project!

First up is former New England Patriots CB Ronnie Lippett. Lippett, a native Floridian who played college football at Miami, suited up for the Pats from 1983-88 and 1990-91.

Lippett recorded 24 interceptions in his career. Two of those came against Dan Marino in a 1986 game. That performance resulted in Lippett being named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Today's second success is from my latest subset, where I am trying to get signed golf gloves from every left-handed PGA Tour winner. I've made two requests to date and they've both been met quick success.

This one is from the most recent Southpaw to win on Tour, Eric Axley. Axley won the 2006 Valero Texas Open. Unfortunately he had a rough 2009 season and has lost his playing card. Hopefully he will be able to work himself back into full-time status on the Tour.

Day of the Year: 155
Number of Autographs This Year: 201

June 1 Report: Hall of Fame Golfer Juli Inkster, Solheim Cup Star Meg Mallon and Left-Handed PGA Tour Winner Sam Adams

2010-06-01T22:20:00.005-04:00

Today's postal deliveries included three more golf additions to my collection.

Two of them help round out my U.S. Solheim Cup collection and the third is the first addition to a very new subset for me.

As I like to do, we're starting with the Hall of Famer, Juli Inkster.

Inkster signed my customary Solheim Cup trophy photo. She has won 31 times on the LPGA Tour to date, including seven major championships. She has played on eight Solheinm Cup teams and has won 18 points for the red, White and Blue. No other American has won more points for her team.

Inkster was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.

Meg Mallon is another LPGA star who should one day also find herself in the Hall of Fame. To date she has won 18 LPGA Tour titles including four major championships.

She is an eight-time participant in the Solheim Cup.

On an obscure note, Mallon was also the marker for Annika Sorenstam when she shot an LPGA-record 59 several years back.

Lastly today is the autograph of Sam Adams. This has nothing to do with beer, so don't get too excited. Sam Adams is actually my first success from my quest to get a golf glove (for the right hand) signed by every left-handed player who has won on the PGA Tour.

Adams was the first American to win on Tour when he claimed the 1973 Quad Cities Open. For the record Bob Charles, a New Zealander, was the first lefty to win on Tour.

Adams was kind enough to sign the golf glove and also include a nice note on his personal notecard thanking me for remembering him. A nice touch and a great way to kick off this subset.

Day of the Year: 152
Number of Autographs This Year: 199

May 28 Report: Solheim Cup Player and Former University of Florida Golfer Deb Richard

2010-06-01T17:56:00.003-04:00

Very happy to report the addition of another former University of Florida golfer to my collection.

This time it comes via Deb Richard, the first female UF golfer I have in the collection. Certainly many more to come, but you've got to start somewhere.

And Richard is as good a place to begin as any considering her NCAA pedigree:

*Twice an All-American
*She led UF to its first NCAA women’s golf national championship in 1985
*Won 1985 Honda Broderick Award as the nation’s top female collegiate golfer
*She remains the SEC leader with her three medalist honors
*Richard was the inaugural recipient of the SEC Women’s Golfer of the Year honor in 1985
*Richard won the 1984 U.S. Women’s Amateur
*She was inducted into the Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995

This doesn't even include her LPGA career, where she won five times.

Richard did a great job of signing and personalizing my Solheim Cup photo. And a major bonus is she added a pair of inscriptions: first she wrote "UF '89" which was when she graduated and also added "Solheim '92" which is the year she made the American team.

Day of the Year: 148
Number of Autographs This Year: 196

May 27 Report: Ryder Cup Player Ed Sneed

2010-06-01T17:34:00.002-04:00

Ed Sneed was a fine amateur player in the 1960s before turning pro and winning four times on the PGA Tour. He played golf at Ohio State and win the 1965 Ohio Intercollegiate tournament.

He turned pro in 1967 and won his first event six years later. His third win came at the 1977 Tallahassee Open and it helped vault him onto the Ryder Cup team later that year.

Sneed earned one-and-a-half points for the USA, going undefeated. The US easily won the contest in which they had not lost the biennial competition since 1957. This was the last Ryder Cup before a major change in the rules allowed all of Continental Europe to compete against the U.S.

Up to this point just players from Great Britain and Ireland were eligible.

Sneed is another wonderful add to the Ryder Cup collection as I'm working on getting more of the obscure names rounded out in the collection.

Day of the Year: 147
Number of Autographs This Year: 195

May 26 Report: PGA Championship Winners Steve Elkington and Jeff Sluman

2010-06-01T17:20:00.005-04:00

A pair of great successes this day to add to my major championship collection.

Both Steve Elkington and Jeff Sluman won the PGA Championship and both signed a photo of the Wanamaker Trophy accordingly.

Elkington, who is one of the nicest, funniest and sincere guys on Tour, inscribed his photo with this year's date. This was a first as winners of the majors have typically either inscribed no date or inscribed it with their winning year. Perhaps Elkington will win the PGA Championship this year and I'll have a photo already inscribed with that date??? Then I'll have to go back and ask him to sign one and inscribe it with 1995 -- the year he won his first major championship. Still very happy to have this added to my collection.

Sluman made an awesome inscription on his Wanamaker Trophy photo. In addition to signing it he also wrote 1988 PGA Champ. Really enjoy when winners add the year they won to the photo.

Sluman has won six times on the PGA Tour including the aforementioned PGA. He is now playing on the Champions Tour (over 50) and i've no doubt we'll see him in the winner's circle on that Tour a few more times.

Day of the Year: 146
Number of Autographs This Year: 194

May 25 Report: Masters Tournament and PGA Championship Winner Ray Floyd

2010-06-01T17:13:00.002-04:00

As promised I've begun the process of updating this blog from the last week when I was out of town. Each day's mail was put aside in its own pile so I'd know which returns came when.

The first day I was gone I had a grand champions delivered. Golf Hall of Famer Ray Floyd was gracious enough to sign two 5x7 photos, one of the Masters Tournament trophy and another of the PGA Championship trophy.

Floyd, who became a Hall of Famer in 1989, won the 1976 Masters and added a pair of PGA Championship to his resume in 1969 and 1982. One day I'll have to add a signed photo of the U.S. Open as he also won that event, only lacking the British Open to claim the career grand slam.

Day of the Year: 145
Number of Autographs This Year: 192

Big Update Soon

2010-05-31T16:53:00.000-04:00

Thanks in advance to any who regularly read this space. I've take some vacation the last week and have not been able to receive the mail to update my year-long project. Don't worry as I've had the mail collected and put aside every day so I know what came when.

I'll update the last week's happenings sometime Tuesday.

May 24 Report: 1971 Masters Winner Charles Coody, 1958 PGA Championship Winner Dow Finsterwald and Solheim Cup Player Becky Iverson

2010-05-24T17:42:00.003-04:00

Three subset collections I began this year are slowly rounding into form.

Certainly those who regularly read this blog know I have been focusing a lot on golf lately. And amongst the thousands of individuals who have ever teed it up professionally, only a small percentage ever win a major championship or play for their country in either the Ryder Cup (men) or Solheim Cup (women).

The reason I chose to start a collection of American women who have competed in the Solheim Cup was twofold. First it is a heck of an accomplishment, and secondly it is the only subset among golf's 'major' accomplishments in which every player is still alive.

I've added Becky Iverson (2000) to the Solheim Cup collection today. I'll wait until the halfway point of the year to provide tallies on my subset quests, but suffice it to say I'm had pretty good success with the Solheim Cuppers.

The other subsets I received additions to today are from major championship winners.

First is 1971 Masters Tournament winner Charles Coody. Coody is among the 30 living Masters Tournament champions I'm hoping to collect on 5x7 photos of the Masters trophy. I know it's a longshot of ever getting Tiger Woods to sign, but if I can get all others I'll be incredibly pleased.

The other major championship winner I received today was Dow Finsterwald. Finsterwald won the first-ever PGA Championship in the stroke-play era.

You may recall Finsterwald signed for me earlier this year but the autographed photos were smeared so badly one could barely make out that they were signed. I explained this to Finsterwald and he kindly signed for me a second time.

Day of the Year: 144
Number of Autographs This Year: 191

Jose Lima Has Died of a Heart Attack

2010-05-23T16:12:00.001-04:00

Sad news today to hear of another young athlete passing away far too soon.

May 22 Report: 2007 Masters Tournament Winner Zach Johnson

2010-05-22T17:54:00.004-04:00

The week started pretty slowly for me, but man did it turn into a strong week the last two days.

Not only did I end up with six different autographs this week -- which of course helps the case of making an average of one autograph a day for the entire year -- but I winded down the week Saturday with another major championship winner.

A super-quick turnaround from 2007 Masters Tournament winner Zach Johnson. Johnson, a standout on the Nationwide Tour before joining the PGA Tour in 2004. Johnson was gracious enough to sign a pin flag I picked up at the 2007 event as well as an original photo I took of the Masters Tournament trophy! These will definitely find a prominent display spot in my golf room!

To date he has won six times on the PGA Tour, none bigger than the '07 Masters. Augusta National was playing quite tough that year, with Johnson's 1-over 289 score tying Hall of Famers Sam Snead (1954) and Jack Burke, Jr. (1956) for the highest winning score in tournament history.

If you've followed golf for any time, you'll also know that in addition to being a great champion, Johnson is one of the brightest and most fan-friendly players on Tour.

Without a doubt living proof that good guys don't always finish last.

Day of the Year: 142
Number of Autographs This Year: 188

May 21 Report: Former British Open Winner Mark Calcavecchia

2010-05-21T20:22:00.003-04:00

This week has been a fairly slow one, so it's great to report on a Friday a double success.

Not that I have two successes to report, but the one success I had today fills two big categories for me. Mark Calcavecchia returned a pair of of items to me signed today. Why is this a double for me? Well first off it's an autograph from a major championship winner, and secondly it's from a former University of Florida player.

Calc won the British Open in a playoff over Greg Norman and Wayne Grady. When Calcavecchia took possession of the Claret Jug (photo seen here) he humorously asked How his name was going to fit on it?

Calc is one of three former UF players to win a major, joining Tommy Aaron (Masters) and Andy North (U.S. Opens).

To date Calc has 13 wins on the PGA Tour. He has competed on four Ryder Cup teams for the United States.

Day of the Year: 141
Number of Autographs This Year: 187

May 18 Report: Former Atlanta Falcons QB Steve Bartkowski

2010-05-18T17:29:00.003-04:00

Steve Bartkowski was the first overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft, taken by the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta's pick performed quite well from the start earning Rookie of the Year honors.

He went on to pass for more than 24,000 yards and he remains one of only eight NFL QBs who have achieved consecutive 30-touchdown passing seasons (1980 & 1981).

Bartkowski was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls during his career and he led the league in passing in 1983 with a rating of 97.6

Day of the Year: 138
Number of Autographs This Year: 186

May 17 Report: Golf Hall of Famer Betsy King, Solheim Cup star Danielle Ammaccapane and PGA Tour star Dudley Hart

2010-05-17T20:27:00.005-04:00

Always great to add a Hall of Famer to the collection, and today is that of golfer Betsy King.

King was an elite player on the LPGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s and continued to win into the 2000s.

Her rise to Hall of Famer was a long one, going seven seasons before her first Tour win. But once that first one came, it was impossible to hold back the rush. She won 30 times in 11 years and became the first LPGA player to cross $5 million in career earnings.

In all she won 34 times on the LPGA, including six major championships.

King, who today is actively involved in mission work and charitable efforts, signed a Solheim Cup photo for the collection of every American Solheim Cup player I am putting together.

My Solheim Cup project actually gets two additions today, as Danielle Ammaccapane also returned a 5x7, custom-made Solheim Cup photo.

Ammaccapane, who has won seven times to date on the LPGA, was a member of the 1992 U.S. team.

And to round out the hat trick of golf successes today is Dudley Hart. Hart, who has twice won on the PGA Tour, added a great inscription, too. Hart was a four-time All-American at the University of Florida and was gracious enough to add "Go Gators" to the card.

Day of the Year: 137
Number of Autographs This Year: 185

May 14 Report: LPGA Superstar Paula Creamer

2010-05-14T18:09:00.002-04:00

Major milestone accomplished today.

Not only did I add the signature of one of the top players on the LPGA to my Solheim Cup collection, it also put me at the halfway point in this project.

Paula Creamer, who has won eight times on the LPGA to date, has also competed on three Solheim Cup teams in her young career. The Pink Panther's signature is the 182nd different one of the year for me, and it puts me squarely at the midway point of my quest to add 365 autographs to my collection this year.

Thank you Paula and here's to hoping the second half of 2010 is as productive as the first half.

Day of the Year: 134
Number of Autographs This Year: 182

May 13 Report: Former Denver Broncos QB Craig Morton and Former 49ers LB Keena Turner

2010-05-13T20:53:00.003-04:00

Two more great successes today from football, so it seems some of those requests that have been out there for a while are starting to find their ways back to me.

Short on time tonight, but here are the images of the signed cards from Craig Morton and Keena Turner, a pair of former NFL stars.

Day of the Year: 133
Number of Autographs This Year: 181

May 11 Report: Former New York Jets Kicker Pat Leahy

2010-05-11T20:22:00.004-04:00

Hard to believe more than a month and a half has passed since I reported my last football success here on this blog.

Shouldn't be that much of a surprise since I've been focusing on golf so much lately. Guess like many aspects of this hobby, trends come and go. I never would have thought when I started this project I would have ever sent out more golf requests than I have football.

Well today I get back to my first love -- football autographs.

Pat Leahy kicked for the New York Jets for entire NFL career (1974-1991). Amazingly in his 18-year career he never had a kick blocked. He scored 1,470 points.

Day of the Year: 131
Number of Autographs This Year: 179

May 10 Report: British Open Winner and PGA Championship Winner John Daly

2010-05-10T19:35:00.002-04:00

Few people have made the splash John Daly has on the PGA Tour.

Daly joined the Tour in 1991 and won a major -- the PGA Championship -- in his rookie season. Daly's victory was so stunning because he was the ninth and final alternate for the competition held at Pete Dye's Crroked Stick Golf Club.

Daly's unrefined style won him legions of fans as golf's "everyday man". His ability to simply "Grip It And Rip It" while tossing back a few beers was an endearing trait.

His detractors point to his lack of fitness and dedication to the game as a waste of tremendous talent.

Seen above is Daly's autograph on a photo of the Wanamaker Trophy, given for winning the PGA Championship.
Daly again won a major championship in 1995 when he won the British Open at St. Andrews. His playoff victory over Costantina Rocca remains one of the dramatic wins in golf's oldest tournament.

Amazingly Daly has won only five PGA Tour events, but two of them have been majors. He's the only eligible player to win two majors but never get selected for a Ryder Cup.

The photo seen here is of the Claret Jug -- the prize for winning the British Open -- and Daly has signed it.

On both photos Daly has inscribed his catch phrase "Rip It" before signing his name.

Day of the Year: 130
Number of Autographs This Year: 178

May 8 Report: Two-Time Masters Winner and Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer; Solheim Cup Player Brittany Lincicome

2010-05-08T19:12:00.003-04:00

As I typically like to do, I'll begin with the Hall of Famer.

Bernhard Langer is definitely that. Not only is he in the golf hall, he'd also be in the great guy HOF if there were such a thing.

I've had the opportunity to be around and meet Langer on several occasions and he's never disappointed his fans. Definitely a role model for today's young people.

On the golf course Langer accomplished 80 worldwide wins and was the first-ever player to be ranked No. 1 in the world when the rankings debuted in 1986. Among his most notable wins are his two Masters Tournament titles.

It is those two titles I was seeking autographs to represent, and Langer accommodated both. I'm just picturing one here, but he signed two prints of the Masters trophy and inscribed each one with the year he won.

I also received another signature for my Solheim Cup collection today. This is the first one from a current player, that of Brittany Lincicome.

Lincicome has won three LPGA events in her short career to date, including a major championship in 2009 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

She has competed for the U.S on the 2007 and 2009 Solheim Cup squads. The U.S. won both competitions.

Day of the Year: 128
Number of Autographs This Year: 177

May 7 Report: Hall of Famer, U.S Open and British Open Winner Johnny Miller

2010-05-07T15:24:00.003-04:00

Sometimes during the course of your day a huge surprise lands in your lap. Today was one of those days.

While touring the World Golf Hall of Fame today, an unexpected guest showed up inside the museum, which drew quite a crowd. The man who shot the lowest final round in U.S. Open history (63) at the 1973 event at Oakmont walked into the Hall of Fame.

Miller took the time to shake hands, take pictures and interact with the guests in the museum. He signed a few autographs and looked like he was thoroughly enjoying his visit to the museum where he is honored for his achievements on the golf course.

Definitely a day everyone who was in the Hall of Fame will remember for as long as they have a sound mind.

Day of the Year: 127
Number of Autographs This Year: 175

May 6 Report: LPGA Major Champion and Solheim Cup Star Pat Hurst

2010-05-06T21:56:00.003-04:00

Incredibly busy week this week with my "day job", but wanted to make a quick post on today's success.

Pat Hurst is the latest to sign and return one of my custom Solheim Cup prints to me for the collection I am working on of all the U.S. players who have competed on at least one team.

Hurst, who won the 1998 Kraft Nabisco Championship, played on five different teams between 1998-2007.

Day of the Year: 126
Number of Autographs This Year: 174

May 4 Report: Toronto Blue Jays Catcher Ernie Whitt

2010-05-04T15:57:00.002-04:00

Another baseball success to report, which puts me above the 50 percent return mark for baseball autograph requests this year. It's taken a while, but now every sport is above 50 percent. Most other sports, however, are around the 80 percent or higher success rate.

Perhaps it just takes former baseball players longer to sign as maybe they get more requests.

Regardless, today I received a pair of signed cards back from Ernie Whitt.

Day of the Year: 124
Number of Autographs This Year: 173

May 3 Report: Former Masters Tournament Winner Jack Burke

2010-05-03T18:03:00.004-04:00

A number of days have passed since I added a signed golf ball to my collection. So take that joy and add to it the fact that a Hall of Famer was the one signing it!

Needless to say I'm pretty pumped about my ability to add Jack Burke Jr.'s autograph to my collections of Masters champs. Burke, at 87, is the oldest living Masters Tournament winner, claiming his Green Jacket in 1956. He signed a Masters Tournament logo golf ball.

Burke, a former Marine, won 16 PGA events and played on six Ryder Cup teams. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Day of the Year: 123
Number of Autographs This Year: 172

April 30 Report: Former Miami Dolphins QB and Football Hall of Famer Bob Griese and Ryder Cup Player Ken Still

2010-04-30T20:23:00.003-04:00

Always happy to report a success from a Hall of Famer, and today is one of those days.

Pro Football Hall of Fame member Bob Griese checked in today by signing a 1970s Topps card.

Growing up in Florida I can tell you Griese was a household name every Sunday. Despite the fact that I was the only Dallas Cowboy fan in the house in the 1970s, I still had great respect for what Griese accomplished.

Griese was the fourth pick in the 1967 NFL draft out of Purdue. In his 14 seasons with the Dolphins Griese passed for more than 25,000 yards 192 TDs. He helped the Dolphins in two Super Bowls, was named to six Pro Bowls and won a trophy case full of other awards.

Today's second success comes from the golf course. Ken Still was a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, including two events in 1969.

Still made the Ryder Cup that year and was in the middle of some nasty events that turned into one of the most celebrated moments of sportsmanship the game has ever seen.

"Britain's non-playing captain Eric Brown set the tone by instructing his players not to look for the opposition ball if it ended up in the rough. According to the British press, Ken Still, in the first-day foursomes, had been guilty of childish gamesmanship at the expense of Briton Maurice Bembridge when he regularly stood too close as his opponent was putting. Later, Still responded to what he felt was recurring gamesmanship by Bernard Gallacher by knocking aside his ball marker and shouting, "You can have the hole – and the goddamn Cup!" This nearly led to a fistfight between the two men. Still's playing partner, Dave Hill, also had harsh words for Gallacher, and threatened to wrap a 1-iron around his head. Ultimately all of this led to one of the most famous gestures of sportmanship in the history of sport: in the final singles encounter Jack Nicklaus had Tony Jacklin pick-up a missable putt so the match would end in a 16-16 tie."

Day of the Year: 120
Number of Autographs This Year: 171

April 29 Report: Former Boston Celtic Dee Brown and Former Toronto Blue Jay Kelly Gruber

2010-04-29T19:30:00.004-04:00

A rare baseball success today -- just my seventh in this project to date -- but a pretty cool one I must say.

About six weeks ago I wrote to Kelly Gruber asking him to sign a 1989 Donruss card. In that letter of request I also discussed some memorable moments of his career, including when he became the first Toronto Blue Jay to hit for the cycle in April 1989.

Much to my pleasant surprise, Kelly not only signed the card I sent but he also returned the 3x5 blank index card signed -- with his uniform number -- and inscribed with "The Cycle" and dated April 16, 1989. That is the date Gruber hit for the first Blue Jay cycle in team history.

Gruber MLB career saw him play for the Blue Jays from 1984-92 and he batted .259 with 117 home runs and 443 RBI. He was a two-time All-Star (1989 and 1990) and he won both the Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award in 1990.

Gruber's game-tying HR in the third game of the 1992 World Series was key in helping the team win the championship.

The second success today came from Dee Brown. Brown played college basketball near my hometown at Jacksonville University, the city in which he was born.

The Dolphins' guard was drafted with the 19th pick in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.

Brown played for Boston from 1990-98, then spent 1998-2000 with the Toronto Raptors before winding up his NBA career with the Orlando Magic 2000-2002.

He scored 6,758 points in his NBA career, and added 2,277 assists and 1,569 rebounds.

In addition to signing the 1990 Fleer update card I sent, Brown was also gracious enough to sign a 3x5 index card and inscribe it with JU and his college number, 4.

A great feeling to know both of these athletes actually read the letter I wrote and then signed specific things that were discussed in the letter.

Awesome autograph experiences today!

Day of the Year: 119
Number of Autographs This Year: 169

April 26 Report: Solheim Cup Player Cathy Gerring, Minnesota Vikings Receiver Sammie White and Heisman Trophy Winner Charlie Ward

2010-04-26T20:27:00.005-04:00

Cathy Gerring was an All-American at Ohio State before turning pro and joining the LPGA Tour.

She won three times on Tour before her career was tragically cut short by a freak accident at at the 1992 Sara Lee Classic.

Gerring was severely burned in a hospitality tent fire. While her career essentially ended then she was not robbed of the opportunity to play for her country in the inaugural Solheim Cup in 1990.

Mrs. Gerring was kind enough to not only sign the photo but also inscribe it with the year in which she played.

The other two successes today come from the football. It is not often I ask for autographs of Florida State players, but it is hard not to appreciate someone of Charlie Ward's character.

Ward won the Heisman Trophy while at Florida State and he went on to a successful basketball career with the New York Knicks. Today he is making a difference int he lives of young people at a high school in Texas.

Ward was among the very first requests I sent out in late 2009 for this project. To date he is the longest wait for a return at 121 days.

Lastly is former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sammie White. He is from the era of my childhood -- the 1970s -- that was so impressioned by football.

White had a fine career in Minnesota, catching 393 passes for 6,400 yards. He accounted for 50 touchdowns as well.

White not only signed the football card, but he also added the designation I discussed in my letter to him. He inscribed ROY 1976 to commemorate his being selected the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1976.

Nice touch too in that he signs with purple pen. Perfect for a Viking!!

Day of the Year: 116
Number of Autographs This Year: 167

April 24 Report: Masters Tournament winners Trevor Immelman and Bob Goalby, Texas Ranger Pete Incaviglia & Players Championship winner Davis Love III

2010-04-24T20:46:00.005-04:00

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis may recall a short time ago I mentioned I had also had the opportunity to photograph the Masters Tournament trophy.

I had a number of prints made of that trophy and began sending them out with autograph requests a short time later.

Extremely thrilled today to report that some of those have already been returned. I received my first two back today from 1968 Masters Tournament winner Bob Goalby and 2008 Masters Tournament winner Trevor Immelman.

The photo shown here is the one Goalby signed. Goalby won 11 times on the PGA Tour, but none more notable -- or memorable -- than the Masters.

Roberto De Vicenzo actually shot the best tournament score, but Tommy Aaron incorrectly marked Goalby's scorecard and De Vicenzo signed an incorrect scorecard, essentially causing him to forfeit the Masters title to Goalby. An absolute horrid turn events for all three, as Aaron's error caused De Vicenzo the title and Goalby was unjustly criticized for many years.

The Immelman depiction here is even a bit cooler than the signed Masters Trophy.

While Immelman also signed one of those photos I have chosen to show the pin flag he signed as well. I picked this pin flag up from Augusta National at the 2008 Masters Tournament, which was won by Immelman.

This is my first signed pin flag from the Masters Tournament, though I hope to add several more in the remaining months of this year's project. Trevor is not only a great champion, but he is also a wonderful family man and role model for so many young people.

This flag will find its way into a frame and then will be prominently displayed in my game room.

The third golf success of the day comes from Davis Love III.

I had the opportunity to witness the 2003 Players Championship in person seven years ago, and it provided one of the most memorable rounds I've ever seen.

Love III fired a ridiculous 64 on one of the toughest tracks on Tour in windy, rainy and unseasonably cold conditions.

The round so impressed Fred Couples that he called it "the best round of golf I've ever seen played."

Indeed a brilliant round, a great tournament and a most gracious champion.

Last up today is one of my rare successes from the world of baseball. Pete Incaviglia, the great Oklahoma State player who still own the NCAA recod for HRs in a season (48) and a career (100), signed a 1990 Donruss card for me.

Inky played in the majors for 12 season with six different teams, beginning with the Texas Rangers. His career numbers show him with a batting average of .246 and a career HR total of 206.

Day of the Year: 114
Number of Autographs This Year: 164

April 22 Report: Olympian Bruce Jenner and LPGA Solheim Cup Player Tammie Green

2010-04-22T20:27:00.003-04:00

First up today is a repeat of sorts as I've previously been fortunate enough to have Bruce Jenner sign for me.

Not long after he did that I learned that he was a golf nut and even played in the Pebble Beach event on the PGA Tour earlier this year.

All that added up to a perfect match to ask him if he would sign a Pebble Beach Golf Links logo ball I had gotten from the course years ago. He was gracious enough to sign again so I'm thrilled to add this to my "celebrity" golf ball collection.

My second success today is another add to my American Solheim Cup collection. Tammie Green was a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, including a major championship in the 1989 du Maurier.

Green -- who autographed the photo in green Sharpie -- played on two Solheim Cup teams, in 1994 and 1998.

Day of the Year: 112
Number of Autographs This Year: 160

April 21 Report: Former Houston Oilers RB Allen Pinkett

2010-04-21T20:38:00.002-04:00

Breaking up the golf successes lately with a football one today.

Allen Pinkett was an exceptional player at Notre Dame, where he became the first player in school history to ever rush for 1,000-plus yards in three consecutive seasons (1983-85).

He was a third-round selection in the 1986 NFL Draft, and played for six seasons with the Houston Oilers. He rushed for 2,324 yards and 21 touchdowns.

As of this writing Pinkett works as the color commentator for Notre Dame games on ISP Sports.

Day of the Year: 111
Number of Autographs This Year: 158

April 19 Report: British Open Winner Lee Trevino and PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel

2010-04-19T18:56:00.003-04:00

Another pair of major championship winners to add to the trophy collection today. One commemorates World Golf Hall of Fame member Lee Trevino's wins at the British Open and the other PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel.

Hall of Famers first, so here's the skinny on Trevino.

Trevino was a two-time winner of golf's oldest major, The Open as it is simply known. Trevino won in back-to-back years in 1971-72 and he inscribed it as such in addition to adding his autograph to the photo.

A very nice success from a Hall of Famer.

Next up is a photo of the Wanamaker Trophy, given for winning the PGA Championship. One of the finest shots hit in major championship history -- under pressure and by a player in search of his first major victory -- came from Shaun Micheel.

Micheel's 7-iron approach stopped 2 inches from the hole on the 72nd hole to give him victory. Simply a brilliant shot, which I told Shaun was one of the finest I've ever witnessed.

He responded by signing the photo, writing the year he won the PGA on it and -- GET THIS -- also inscribed it with this: "7-iron -- 2 inches".

An awesome inscription and one that will be the centerpiece in my next major championship frame collage.

Day of the Year: 109
Number of Autographs This Year: 157

April 17, 2010 Report: Olympic Gold Medalist and NBA Player Jon Koncak

2010-04-17T23:47:00.003-04:00

Jon Koncak was the fifth overall choice out of SMU in the 1985 NBA Draft.

Prior to being selected by the Atlanta Hawks, Koncak played on the United States Basketball team that won the golf medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Koncak signed a 3x5 index card for me and inscribed it with all of the pertinent details of that gold medal-winning team.

Koncak went on to play with the Hawks from 1985-1995, and he wound down his career with the Orlando Magic in 1995-1996.

Koncak, whose NBA career was largely that of a reserve player, did total 3,520 points and 3,856 rebounds.

The Fleer card here is from the Fleer Update series.

Day of the Year: 107
Number of Autographs This Year: 155

April 16 Report: British Open Champ Stewart Cink, Hall of Famer Beth Daniel and Solheim Cup Player Brandie Burton

2010-04-16T20:32:00.003-04:00

Three more golf 5x7s to report today.

First up is 2009 British Open winner Stewart Cink, who outlasted the ageless Tom Watson to capture his first major championship at Turnberry.

Cink is the first success on a Claret Jug to inscribe his year if victory, which can be seen here.

Cink has won six times on the PGA Tour.

World Golf Hall of Fame member and Solheim Cup champ Beth Daniel signed one of my custom Solheim Cup photos.

Daniel won 33 times on the LPGA Tour, including a major championship. Daniel has played on a record eight Solheim Cup teams (tied with Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster).

Lastly is Brandie Burton, who also was an American Solheim Cupper.

I've got enough horizontal photos signed now to fill out my first trophy collage. I'll try to post that this weekend so everyone can see how it has turned out.

I think it's going to be a neat way to fill a wall in my gameroom with signed trophy photos!

Day of the Year: 106
Number of Autographs This Year: 154

April 15 Report: PGA Championship winner John Mahaffey and Frank Dully

2010-04-15T20:37:00.003-04:00

Happy to report the continuing success of the signed major championship trophy project. To date winners of the PGA Championship have been quickest to respond, easily outpacing winners of the British Open.

Today's signed Wanamaker Trophy photo comes from John Mahaffey. Mahaffey set a record for best comeback in a PGA by making up a seven-shot deficit over the last 14 holes to tie Hall of Famer Tom Watson and Jerry Pate.

Mahaffey won the playoff with a birdie on the second extra hole.

He also continued the trend of inscribing the trophy with his victory year.

Not sure exactly what to say about this next success. It comes from Frank Dully, an accomplished club pro who has played on the South African Tour. He's never won a tournament on a significant world tour, but for some reason Upper Deck included him in its card set.

I needed Dully's signature as I'm trying to compile as complete a set of this series of UD cards as possible. I am grateful Dully agreed to sign two of these cards for my set.

Day of the Year: 105
Number of Autographs This Year: 151

April 14 Report: British Open Winner Sandy Lyle and PGA Championship Winner Bobby Nichols

2010-04-14T17:27:00.004-04:00

Thrilled to report two more successes today from major championship winners.

This little project of getting winners to sign photos of the major championship trophies they won seems to get better and better for each time I get one of the photos back signed.

This is the first time I've gotten a photo of a Wanamaker Trophy (PGA Championship) and a Claret Jug (British Open) back autographed in the same day!

First up is the Wanamaker photo, which was signed by Bobby Nichols and inscribed with "1964 P.G.A Champ". As I've said before I am loving the inscriptions that are coming back on these trophy photos. Nichols' victory in 1964 was most impressive because it came over two legends of the game -- Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

Nichols' score of 271 was the low score for the event for 30 years until Hall of Famer Nick Price broke it in 1994.

The Claret Jug photo was signed by Sandy Lyle. The Scotsman has won 18 times on the European Tour and eight times on the PGA Tour. His most notable victories came at the 1985 British Open and 1988 Masters Tournament.

Here he has signed the Claret Jug and I hope once I get the Masters trophy pictures later this week to also add that signed photo to the majors collection.

Day of the Year: 104
Number of Autographs This Year: 149

April 13 Report: British Open Champ Bill Rogers

2010-04-13T17:00:00.005-04:00

Bill Rogers played the PGA Tour from 1975-1988, winning six times. His most significant victory came at the 1981 British Open championship.

I remember speaking with Rogers circa 2000 and chatting with him about his career. One of the lessons learned back then was that player agents wanted to immediately capitalize on success from a major championship win, so Rogers recalled being booked for countless appearances around the world.

The stress, travel and constant obligations took away from his ability to play regular tournament golf, much to the detriment of his game. By 1988 Rogers had essentially walked away from the competitive circuit.

As a result, Rogers is often overlooked today for his talent and Open win.

The signed photo seen here is the first success on a Claret Jug photo, the trophy for winning The Open. Hopefully there will be many more to come in the near future.

For the record, I have recently photographed the Masters Tournament trophy. Those images are being printed now and I'll soon be able to mail those out with autograph requests. The only major championship trophy left to photograph is the U.S. Open. I'm loving this idea for golf autographs -- signatures on the most significant trophies from the sport!!

Day of the Year: 103
Number of Autographs This Year: 147

April 12 Report: Don January

2010-04-12T17:31:00.004-04:00

Some of the work I put in two weeks ago where I sent out about two dozen requests to major championship winners seems to be paying off.

Not only am I getting some quick turnarounds on my major championship trophy collection, I am also getting great inscriptions to go with the autographs.

This time it's courtesy of Don January, a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour. January signed this photo of the Wanamaker Trophy and added the inscription "1967 PGA Champ".

All three PGA winners who have signed for me in the last week have added their winning year(s) to the photo as well. That's so awesome they recognize the importance to their fans to go beyond just signing their name.

More and more today I see autograph shows that require additional fees to add an inscription.

Thanks Mr. January. Hopefully I'll see you playing next week in Savannah.

Day of the Year: 102
Number of Autographs This Year: 146

April 10 Report: Heather Bowie

2010-04-10T14:18:00.003-04:00

Today is the 100th day of this project where I am attempting to collect 365 different autographs throughout the course of the year.

Thankfully the 100th day has a success to report, too!

Amongst the different golf subset autographs I am collecting is every American player to have competed on at least one Solheim Cup team. The competition began in 1990, so I actually have a chance ot get everyone who ever played as they are all living (as opposed to the majors which are much older and have many deceased champions).

Heather Bowie signed this Solheim Cup trophy card and even added the inscription for the year in which she played. What a great bonus!

Day of the Year: 100
Number of Autographs This Year: 145

April 9 Report: Dave Stockton and David Graham

2010-04-09T20:01:00.002-04:00

As I've mentioned previously I've undertaken a project to get as many major championship winners as I can to autograph photos I've taken of each trophy.

While I realize it is going to be impossible to get every major winner on a photo of that respective trophy (majors were first played in 1860 so many are deceased) I'm still going after all the living ones I can. I think it will make for a really neat framed photo collage.

Both successes I received today were former winners of the season's final major championship -- the PGA Championship.

Dave Stockton was a two-time winner of the event, and in an awesome move he signed the photo and inscribed it with "1970-76 PGA Champion". I'm really loving this new project!

In addition to the two majors Stockton won, he also claimed eight other PGA Tour events and plated on a pair of Ryder Cup teams. Stockton also signed a Ryder Cup trophy for me as well.

The other winner of the Wanamaker Trophy who autographed a picture of the spoils was David Graham. (Just noticed both of today's successes are named David and won the same event!).

Graham, an Australian, won nearly 40 times around the world including the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. Unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to photograph the U.S. Open trophy so I wasn't able to send that to him to sign as well.

Something else to look forward to doing one day I suppose. That's one of the many great parts about autograph collecting.

Day of the Year: 99
Number of Autographs This Year: 144

April 8 Report: Pat Bradley, J.C. Snead, Craig Perks, Scott Studwell and Sammy Winder

2010-04-08T19:47:00.006-04:00

A fruitful day to write about this evening on the blog. Five successes in all, three from golf and a pair from football.

Gotta start with the Hall of Famer in the bunch, one Pat Bradley. One of the subsets in my autograph collection is going to be to try to get every American player who has competed in a Solheim Cup competition.

That subset's first member is Bradley, who played in three Solheim Cups -- the first in 1990, then again in 1992 and 1996.

Long before she was a Solheim Cup player in the 1990s, Bradley was one of the LPGA's top stars in the 1980s. Eighteen of her 31 LPGA Tour victories came during that decade, including all six of her major championship titles.

Bradley, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1991, was the third woman player in LPGA history to win the Career Grand Slam (Mickey Wright and Lousie Suggs preceded her).

Staying not only with the golf theme, but also with the United States team competition, is an autograph from J.C. Snead.

Snead joined the PGA Tour in 1968 and won eight times in the 1970s and 1980s. His senior career also saw him win four times on the Champions Tour, including a senior major at the 1995 Ford Senior Players Championship.

Snead, the nephew of legendary Sam Snead, also played on three Ryder Cup teams for the United States. I made a custom 4x6 print of a photo I took of the Ryder Cup.

The last golf success for today comes from Craig Perks. Perks, a New Zealander, won his lone PGA Tour title at the 2002 Players Championship. His game went into a steep decline following that landmark victory and he retired in 2007.

What Perks' golf career lacked in quantity, he certainly made up for in drama. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the 2002 Players Championship when Perks won over the Stadium Course at the TPC sawgrass.

Arguably the 16th, 17th and 18th holes over that Pete Dye layout are the toughest closing holes in golf. All Perks did to win was chip in for eagle in 16, drain a 28-foot birdie on 17 and then chip-in for a par save at 18. Incredible drama!!!

Perks signed my patron badge from the event he won.

Today's first football succes comes from former NFL running back Sammy Winder. Winder played each of his nine years (1982-90) for the Denver Broncos.

Winder was named to two Pro Bowls in his career (1984 and 1986). His career numbers are 5,427 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns. He also had 197 receptions for 1,302 yards and nine touchdowns.

Winder, who was born in Madison, Mississippi, had a trademark touchdown celebration called the 'Mississippi Mud Walk'.

Lastly today I received a pair of signed cards from Scott Studwell.

Studwell, a University of Illinois alum, was drafted in the ninth round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He had a 14-year career over which he was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls.

Another testament to his longevity is that he is the only Viking to have played with both Jim Marshall (1961-1979) & John Randle (1990-2000).

Studwell had nine sacks and 11 interceptions in his career.

Day of the Year: 98
Number of Autographs This Year: 142

April 7 Report: Andy North and Dow Finsterwald

2010-04-07T19:16:00.004-04:00

A pair of golfing successes to report today -- though one was quickly tempered.

First up if former University of Florida golfer and two-time U.S. Open winner Andy North. I attended the 2001 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in 2001, which North won. I saved my patron badge from the event for all these years and now it is signed.

The cool thing about it was that the envelope was postmarked in Augusta, Georgia. Obviously North brought my letter with him to The Masters, where he is commentating this week for ESPN.

This is one of three different patron badges I've sent out in recent weeks, so we'll see if they all get returned.

The second success today is from Dow Finsterwald. Finsterwald won 11 events on the PGA Tour, most notably the 1958 PGA Championship. He was also a four-time Ryder Cup player.

In the last two years I've been fortunate enough to do photoshoots with many of the most significant trophies in golf. I've decided to begin collecting the signatures of major champions on photos of that particular trophy.

So when I saw this 5x7 envelope today I knew the forst of those had been returned. Sadly I think Finsterwald signed it and slid it right in the envelope while it was still quite wet.

The result being that the signature is so badly smeared it is unusable.

I guess I will be sending another request explaining that it was ruined when it arrived and hopefully he will sign another one for me.

Day of the Year: 97
Number of Autographs This Year: 137

April 5 Report: Joe Lavender and Rives McBee

2010-04-05T19:16:00.005-04:00

Over the last week or so I've made a concerted effort to contact golfers, both past and present, to bolster the golf portion of the autograph collection.

I had saved a number of old Pro Set cards from the early 1990s, so I started there. Not necessarily the biggest stars, but it allowed me to get going while I figured out what to do for the bigger names (that story is for a later post once the successes start arriving).

The second of those Pro Set successes arrived today, courtesy of Rives McBee. McBee won three times on the Champions Tour in 1989-90.

The second success is yet another football autograph from my formative years growing up in the 1970s. Joe Lavender was a 12th-round draft pick back in 1973. He was selected 288th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Obviously the Eagles scouted Lavender well out of San Diego State. Lavender played 10 years in the NFL (1973-75 for the Eagles and 1976-82 for the Washington Redskins).

I asked Mr. Lavender to sign the card and inscribe with his career interception total. He was kind enough to oblige, though it looks like he wrote 33 ENTs instead of 33 INTs.

Day of the Year: 95
Number of Autographs This Year: 135

RIP Mike Cuellar

2010-04-03T16:08:00.002-04:00

Cancer sucks. Period.

I was saddened to hear of the passing of the great Baltimore Orioles left-hander Mike Cuellar today. What a great era he was part of in Orioles history.

I had the good fortune of meeting Cuellar back in what I think was 1991 at an autograph show where a few dozen "old-timers" were signing for free. That era also seems long ago.

RIP Mike. All the best to your family.

April 3 Report: Jack Fleck, Tim Herron, Karen Allen and Jeff Reardon

2010-04-03T15:27:00.008-04:00

Today was a busy day preparing and mailing out requests. The last five days really have been geared toward adding the signatures of prominent golfers over the years to my collection.

Essentially the focus has been sending out prints of photographs I've taken over the years of significant trophies in golf. The four I've been sending out lately are to LPGA players who have played on Solheim Cup teams, plus PGA Tour players who have either played on the Ryder Cup or have won The Open or PGA Championship.

Hopefully in a week or so I'll have some of those successes to post here. I did officially send my 200th request of the year today. For the record that was a a 5x7 print of the Claret Jug to Stewart Cink.

Now on to the successes from today, while still keeping with the theme of major championship golf.

Fifty-five years ago this year, one of the greatest upsets in golf history occured. Playing the role of upsetter was unheralded Iowan Jack Fleck, who battled the legendary Ben Hogan to a tie in the 1955 U.S. Open.

Fleck, who had served in the U.S. Navy and was a part of the Invasion of Normandy, would outduel Hogan, his childhood hero, to earn his first professional victory.

Fleck, who was 88 years old when he signed this ball, would win three times on the PGA during his career. He later won a senior major at the 1979 Senior PGA Championship.

Today's other golf success comes from a modern-day star, Tim Herron. Herron had a respectable amateur career at the University of New Mexico, where he played on the 1993 U.S. Walker Cup team.

Herron played for a spell on the Nationwide Tour before joining the PGA Tour in 1996, when he won his first Tour title at the Honda Classic.

To date Herron has four Tour titles, the most recent coming at the 2006 Bank of America Colonial.

Herron also has a unique claim to fame as he defeated a 15-year-old Tiger Woods in second round of 1992 U.S. Amateur. The loss was one of only two defeats Woods suffered in 23 U.S. Amateur matches.

Today's last success comes from the acting world.

One of my favorite movies growing up was the Raiders of the Lost Ark series. One of the main characters was Marion Ravenswood (Indiana Jones' love interest), who was played by Karen Allen.

Allen has appeared in a number of other movies, though she has often taken long breaks away from the bigscreen to apply her considerable talents to broadway and stage acting.

Lastly I report my second failure of the year. Bernie Kosar was the first as he was asking for $$$ to sign a card. This time it's Jeff Reardon. Although Reardon did not ask for money, he simply sent the card back unsigned -- no note, no message, just the unsigned card.

Day of the Year: 93
Number of Autographs This Year: 133

April 2 Report: Retief Goosen and Tony Franklin

2010-04-02T17:51:00.005-04:00

I've slowly been adding autographs to the tournament logo balls I've collected over the years at tournaments around the country -- and a few overseas.

Today's signed golf ball comes courtesy of two-time U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen.

Goosen, a South African, is among the most successful players competing in the game today.

At the time of this writing Goosen is the 15-ranked player in the world. He presently counts 30 different official worldwide victories on his resume. Most notable among those are his two U.S. Open wins -- in 2001 at Southern Hills and in 2004 at Shinnecock Hills.

Goosen is likely on a path to be elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in the next few years, so I'm thrilled to add this autograph to my golf collection.

The second autograph today comes from former Philadelphia Eagles kicker Tony Franklin. Franklin was a standout at Texas A&M, where he once owned the NCAA record for longest field goal made (65 yards). Franklin also kicked a 64-yard field goal in the same game and remains the only college player to kick two 60-plus yarders in one game.

Franklin's college career ended with him holding 18 records, including most career field goals (56) and most field goals of 50 yards or longer.

Franklin, a barefoot kicker, was drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft and played for them from 1979-83. He also played for the Patriots (1984-87) and the Miami Dolphins (1988). He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1985.

Day of the Year: 92
Number of Autographs This Year: 130

April 1 Report: Virgil Livers, Herman Weaver and Roger Carr

2010-04-01T18:18:00.009-04:00

Thankfully the mailman wasn't in an April Fool's mood today and he delivered me some nice 1970s NFL successes.

First up is former Chicago Bears cornerback Virgil Livers. Livers played college football at small Western Kentucky, yet he impressed enough scouts to be drafted in the fourth round of the 1975 NFL Draft.

Livers had 12 interceptions in his five-year career with the Bears, returning a pair of them for touchdowns.

Herman Weaver earned his nickname "Thunderfoot" from Howard Cosell during a Monday Night game when the Lions were playing.

This is the second time I have gotten Weaver to sign cards for me, the first being about 15 years ago. Back then he signed and also added his nickname to the card.

Today's version comes with a Bible verse in place, which I completely respect too.

In all Weaver punted for 11 years in the NFL -- 1970-76 with Detroit and 1977-80 with Seattle. The Sporting News, in 1988, named him one of the top 20 punters of all-time.

Today's third and final success comes from Roger Carr.

Carr played most notably for the Baltimore Colts (1974-1981), though he also spent time with Seattle Seahawks (1982) and San Diego Chargers (1983). He was drafted in the first round after his college career at Louisiana Tech.

His career numbers are 271 receptions, 5,071 yards and 31 touchdowns.

His best year was in 1976, whe he caught 43 passes for 1,112 yards -- almost 26 yards per catch.

He made his lone Pro Bowl that season as well.

Day of the Year: 91
Number of Autographs This Year: 128

March 31 Report: Anthony Carter

2010-03-31T20:12:00.004-04:00

Anthony Carter enjoyed a brilliant college career at Michigan (1979-1982) under Bo Schembechler despite his offense being so run-oriented. Carter was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Carter started his professional career in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers and later the Oakland Invaders.

Following that Carter played 11 seasons in the NFL, where he would catch 486 passes for 7,733 yards and 55 TDs.

While he played second fiddle to Cris Carter in Minnesota, he was a very effective offensive complement at the receiver position.

Day of the Year: 90
Number of Autographs This Year: 125

March 29 Report: Gary McCord and Joey Sindelar

2010-03-29T17:47:00.004-04:00

I attended my very first Senior Tour (now called Champions Tour) event back in 1999 at The Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach, Calif. for the Ingersoll-Rand Senior Tour Championship.

I started collecting logo golf balls at tournaments I attended beginning here. Now I've begun to try to get them signed by the winner of the event.

And today I added Gary McCord, who won two events to date on the Tour. He's also pretty well known for his books Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists and Golf for Dummies. He also made a cameo in the golf movie Tin Cup. His witty sense of humor is also put to use alongside David Feherty in the video games for Tiger Woods PGA Tour golf.

Today's other success is also from the golf arena. Joey Sindelar has won seven times on the PGA Tour and is now seeing action on the Champions Tour. Prior to becoming a professional Sindelar was an accomplished amateur at Ohio State.

Day of the Year: 88
Number of Autographs This Year: 124

March 26 Report: Mick Tinglehoff, Tyrone Braxton and Duane Bickett

2010-03-26T19:55:00.005-04:00

Another trio of successes today, helping me gain back some of the buffer I've lost over the last two weeks.

Each of today's signers are from football, so let's get right to them.

Mick Tinglehoff was a co-captain of the 1961 University of Nebraska football team, but went undrafted in the 1962 NFL Draft. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent in 1962 and instantly became their starting center in his rookie year. He held that spot until he retired in 1978.

Tinglehoff was a First-Team All Pro in 1964, 65, 66, 68 and 69 and was on six consecutive Pro Bowl teams beginning in 1964. At his retirement he trailed only Jim Marshall (270) in consecutive games played (240) in NFL history.

Next up is Tyrone Braxton, who played for the Denver Broncos from 1987 to 1999, except for the 1994 season when he was with the Miami Dolphins.

Braxton was a Pro Bowler in 1994 when he led the NFL in interceptions with nine picks. He played in three Super Bowls, winning twice at SB XXXII and XXXIII.

Braxton finished his 13 NFL seasons with 36 interceptions, which he returned for 617 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also recorded 3 sacks and 10 fumble recoveries, which he returned for 106 yards.

Last up today is former linebacker Duane Bickett. Bickett played for the Indianapolis Colts (1985-1993), Seattle Seahawks (1994-1995) and the Carolina Panthers (1996).

Bickett was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1985 and he played in the Pro Bowl in 1987. He had 53 career sacks and nine interceptions.

Day of the Year: 85
Number of Autographs This Year: 122

March 25 Report: Billy Casper, A.J. Duhe and Marion Butts

2010-03-25T17:32:00.005-04:00

A trio of successes today, which may officially mark the return of some regular success stories in this quest for 365 different autographs this year.

First up is another Masters logo golf ball signed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Billy Casper. Casper is right up there with Jack, Arnie and Gary in terms of his success in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Had he had Mark McCormack as an agent too, Casper would have been on Wheaties boxes!!

With the Masters right around the corner this ball only adds to my excitement for the year's first major championship. Maybe I'll even get Jack Burke Jr. to return the Masters ball I sent him before tournament week.

Next up today is AJ Duhe. Duhe was the 13th overall pick out of Louisiana State Universoty in the 1977 NFL Draft. He was the defensive Rookie of the Year in 1977 for the Miami Dolphins and played eight years for the 'Fish'. His most memorable game was the 1982 AFC Championship Game when he picked off the Jets' Richard Todd three times, including one for a TD, which helped Miami to the Super Bowl.

Last up today is two-time Pro-Bowl running back Marion Butts. Butts played seven seasons in the NFL for the Chargers, Patriots and Oilers, and his best one was in 1990 when he carried for 1,225 yards.

Butts' career NFL numbers are 5,184 rushing yards and 43 career TDs. His average yards per carry is just shy of 4.0.

Day of the Year: 84
Number of Autographs This Year: 119

March 24 Report: Archie Manning, Murray Armstrong and Olaf Kolzig

2010-03-24T20:19:00.005-04:00

My love for golf is well documented on this blog, so it should come as no surprise that I've added a few more golf balls signed by athletes from other sports who have become smitten with the game.

First up is Archie Manning, who, among other things, has run a golf tournament to benefit cystic fibrosis for several years.

Manning, of course, is most well know as the former University of Mississippi QB who went on to star in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. In the first national prime time college football broadcast (1969) Manning threw for 436 yards and three TDs, while adding 104 rushing yards in a 33-32 loss to Alabama. That 540-yard performance is still tied for the Southeastern Conference record for most total yards in a game. Manning was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Manning was drafted second overall by the Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft. He played on some pretty poor teams but still managed to complete 2,011 of 3,642 attempts and rack rack up 23,911 yards.

Today's second autographed golf ball comes from 94-year-old hockey legend and avid golfer Murray Armstrong. Armstrong's playing career spanned much of the 1930s and 1940s, and he later coached the University of Denver hockey team, leading them to five NCAA Championships. His career summary can be found here on the Legends of Hockey web site.

Today's final autograph is a bit more traditional -- a hockey player signing a hockey card. Olaf Kolzig played most of his career with the Washington Capitals, where he basically owns the team's record book for goalies. His career NHL save percentage is above 90 percent and he has a 2.71 GAA.

Day of the Year: 83
Number of Autographs This Year: 116

March 23 Report: Dale Douglass

2010-03-23T19:03:00.003-04:00

Dale Douglass is a former PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfer whom I first saw play in person in 1999 when he was the defending champion of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

Douglass' career capsule includes three wins on the PGA Tour -- twice in 1969 and once in 1970. He had a nice Champions Tour career from 1986-1996 where he won 11 official tournaments -- plus the three LMLOG events with Charles Coody.

Day of the Year: 82
Number of Autographs This Year: 113

March 22 Report: Mervyn Fernandez

2010-03-22T17:15:00.004-04:00

"Swervyn" Mervyn Fernandez was a star in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions before he joined the Raiders for his entire NFL career (1987-1992)

Fernandez played in 86 games and caught 209 passes for 3,764 yards and 19 TDs.

Fernandez's best year was in 1989 when he had 57 receptions for 1,069 yards and 9 TDs. He became the sixth Raider to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

Day of the Year: 81
Number of Autographs This Year: 112

March 20 Report: Pete Metzelaars

2010-03-20T20:24:00.003-04:00

Pete Metzelaars was one of the finer tight ends -- not to mention reliable -- during the 1980s and 1990s. His career spanned 16 seasons and he played for four teams, the Seattle Seahawks (1982-1984), Buffalo Bills (1985-1994), Carolina Panthers (1995) and Detroit Lions (1996-1997).

Metzelaars finished his career with 383 catches, good for 3,686 yards and 29 TDs. At the time of his retirement, his 235 games were the most ever played by a tight end in NFL history.

At the time of this writing, Metzelaars is an offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

Day of the Year: 79
Number of Autographs This Year: 111

March 17 Report: Errie Ball

2010-03-17T20:15:00.004-04:00

Today's success is one of those where you know 99.9 percent of sports fans -- and probably 99 percent of golf fans -- won't have any idea who you are talking about, but I'm thrilled to bits anyway.

I sent my last two Masters Tournament logo golf balls out about a week ago (hopefully I can get some more when the tournament is held in a few weeks) with the hopes of having them signed by Jackie Burke Jr (the earliest living Masters Tournament winner) and Errie Ball, the only living person who played in the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934.

Well today one of those golf balls was returned and it was signed in black Sharpie by Ball. Ball, who will turn 100 this year, has seen more things in golf than any of us could imagine. He was a personal friend of Bobby Jones and has witnessed everything the year's first major championship has to offer over the last 76 years.

In 1926 Ball became the youngest player to ever compete in the British Open at age 15.

I'd give a significant sum to just sit around and listen to him tell stories for an hour.

To make this autograph even cooler, Ball inscribed it with "1934".

These are the feelings that make this hobby so rewarding!

Day of the Year: 76
Number of Autographs This Year: 110

March 12 Report: Bert Jones and Jaime Faith Edmondson

2010-03-12T15:31:00.004-05:00

Finished the week on an upswing, so I've got a pair of things to report today.

First up is Bert Jones, who had a short starting career career at LSU but made the most of it to become the second overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. Jones had only a pair of starts prior to the end of his junior season at LSU, but he emerged as big man on campus his senior season.

Jones, who was nicknamed the Ruston Rifle, went 9-2-1 as a senior, leading the Tigers to several crucial top-1o wins, including a 27-7 upset over seventh-ranked Notre Dame. He finished his college career as the school's leader in TDs (28) and passing yards (3,225). Both marks have since been broken.

In the NFL Jones played for the Colts from 1973-1981. His best year was easily 1976 when he led the Colts to their second of three consecutive AFC East titles. He passed for 3,104 yards and 24 TDs that season for a 102.5 QB rating. There were only three QBs to have a rating over 100 during the 1970s -- Jones, Roger Staubach and Ken Stabler. Jones was NFL MVP in '76 as well.

Today's other success comes from model Jaime Faith Edmondson. This one dates back to the very first requests I sent out in late 2009. I don't have much more to say about her other than, well, she's pretty hot. Can't post the photo here so enjoy the signed index card.

Day of the Year: 71
Number of Autographs This Year: 109

March 11 Report: Dick Ambrose

2010-03-11T20:20:00.003-05:00

In a bit of a drought lately, but as I mentioned that was expected as I've been unable to send out many requests lately due to "day job" obligations.

So I'm extra happy to report any success right now. Today's addition comes courtesy of Dick Ambrose. Ambrose, a middle linebacker for the Cardiac Kids (Cleveland Browns), led the team for a decade beginning in 1975.

His hard-hitting style got him the Bam-Bam -- which unfortunately he did not sign with here. I asked but it wasn't to be. Today Ambrose is a judge in Ohio.

Day of the Year: 70
Number of Autographs This Year: 107