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

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

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.

Dec. 20 Report: Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Bubby Brister

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

Nov. 6 Report: 2003 Masters Tournament Winner Mike Weir

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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