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

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.

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

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

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

Feb. 26 Report: Brandi Chastain and Bruce Jenner

Today was one of those days where opening the mailbox was a real treat. First of all I received two autographs today, which put me at the 100 mark just two months into the year-long project.

But as exhilarating as that was, I'm always a bit more excited when I see there is one of my golf ball packages awaiting. And inside today's package was a signed Nike golf ball from America's most famous soccer player -- Brandi Chastain.

Not only did she take the time to sign the golf ball, but she sent a letter back talking all about how she has fallen in love with the sport and how she has been working to improve at golf.

She also discusses her favorite courses and where she likes to play. A great golf content letter to go along with the signed golf ball and 3x5 inscribed cards she has sent me previously. What an awesome person she is.

Today must have been a big Olympics day, because in addition to Chastain's signatures I also received a few from Bruce Jenner. Jenner was the gold medalist in the 1976 Olympics in the decathlon, earning him an appearance on a Wheaties box.

Day of the Year: 57
Number of Autographs This Year: 100

Feb. 4 Report: Misty May and D.D. Lewis

Well as a new blog friend, Autographed Cards, noted yesterday there have been no baseball additions to my collection thus far this year. Unfortunately I'm still batting .000 in this category, but one of today's successes gives me hope that there will soon be a baseball success to report.

I say that because one of the first autograph requests I sent out late last year -- -and my first attempts included at least one from most every major sport including baseball -- came back today.

Two-time Olympics beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May returned my photo today, personalized, signed and inscribed! Certainly makes it worth the wait -- plus it gives me renewed hope on the baseball front.

I also received another addition to my 1980s Dallas Cowboys collection today in the form of D.D. Lewis. Lewis is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and is one of just a few players who have competed in five different Super Bowls. Certainly a very steady performer in his decade-plus career with "America's Team".

Day of the Year: 35
Number of Autographs This Year: 63

January 13 Report: Anna Tunnicliffe

Received a beautifully signed and inscribed photograph today from Olympian Anna Tunnicliffe. She won the gold medal in the 2008 Games in Beijing for the Laser Radial (sailing). Very nice success from my second Olympian this year.




Day of the Year: 13
Number of Autographs This Year: 14

January 8 Report: Bobby Humphrey, Paul Tagliabue and Brandi Chastain

Added a field goal to my autograph a day quest today. For the second day in a row I received three successes, one from a former football player, another from an administrator and the third from an Olympian.

The first was Bobby Humphrey, the brilliant running back from the University of Alabama who was a two-time All-American.

As an NFL rookie he rushed for more than 1,100 yards in 1989 and played in Super Bowl XXIV for the Denver Broncos. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1990 when he rushed for more than 1,200 yards.

Paul Tagliabue, the former NFL Commissioner who presided over the league from 1989-2005, also responded to my request. Football fans will remember Tagliabue for a number of reasons -- the expansion of the league, revenue sharing and no lockouts or strikes during his tenure and a strict substance abuse policy are all parts of his legacy. He made an indelible impact on the game so many Americans enjoy today.

Time will tell how Roger Goodell will be viewed as Tagliabue's successor.

The third autograph obtained today is from Brandi Chastain. She probably has the most memorable Sports Illustrated cover (not to mention Time and Newsweek) of the last few decades, appearing sans shirt and in her sports bra after shedding the shirt in the 1999 Women's World Cup following her winning goal.

Chastain has also won two Olympic Gold medals to date for her soccer play, first at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and then at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. In addition to signing her name, she also added several inscriptions, which can be seen here.

Great successes today!

Day of the Year: 8
Number of Autographs This Year: 7