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

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

Feb. 16 Report: Mike Hartenstine, Benny Barnes, Sean Landeta and Teemu Selanne

With no U.S. mail service on Monday due to the Presidents' Day holiday, I guess Tuesday was ripe for a few successes.

Though I also officially have my first failure. Bernie Kosar kept the two cards I sent him to sign and in their place sent a letter back saying he wants $20 to sign one autograph. No thanks Bernie. Call me old school, but I just have a hard time swallowing an athlete -- in particular a modern day star who made millions -- asking his fans for money to sign his name.

So I'm done with him and onto people who don't have a hard time giving a few seconds, literally, to their fans to write their name.

Mike Hartenstine, a former All-American at Penn State who was a second-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft, spent most of his career with the Chicago Bears (1975-1986) and was a member of the Super Bowl XX winning team.

Not that Bernie is counting or anything, but Mr. Hartenstine actually took the time to sign three cards for me. That's probably 30 seconds of his time. If you're Bernie that adds up to about $20,000 for an 8-hour workday.

Bennie Barnes helped Stanford win two Rose Bowls in 1970 and 1971 before being signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 1972.

Barnes played cornerback for the Cowboys from 1972-1982 and helped them win Super Bowl XII. He had 11 interceptions in his career.

Mr. Barnes signed (gasp Bernie) two items for me to help me fill in two of my Cowboys 1980s team sets. And he didn't even charge 20 cents!

Sean Landeta played most of his career with the New York Giants, where he helped the team to Super Bowl XXI and XXV wins. Landeta led the NFL with a 37.8 net average in 1989, and led the league with 24 punts inside the 20 in 1990.

By the end of the 2005 season, Landeta had amassed 1,401 punts for 60,707 yards (43.3 yards per punt average), with 381 punts in the 20 and 166 touchbacks and a 35.3 net yard average. His punts, punting yards, and punts landing inside the 20 are all among the NFL's top five leaders in each category.

Landeta was the last active NFL player who played in the USFL for the Philadelphia Stars. On March 6, 2008, the 25th anniversary of the first USFL game, Landeta officially announced his retirement from football. He became the last USFL player to retire from professional football.

Don't tell Bernie, but Mr. Landeta signed two cards me too. And he even included his own card as the second autograph. And he didn't charge me for the card, either.

And this one ought to really get Bernie's attention. A possible future Hall of Famer (definitely not talking about Bernie) in Teemu Selanne returned a pair of cards to me today as well. And he, too, sent a second card of his own to me signed. And you guessed it, he didn't charge me for the autograph or the extra card.

Now we're talking about a guy who as I write this ranks 18th all-time in regular-season goals and in the top 15 or so in just about every category that has to do with goals. Good to know some people still appreciate their fans -- even if they do make millions of dollars today.

Day of the Year: 47
Number of Autographs This Year: 83

Feb. 13 Report: Brian Baschnagel and John Dutton

Today marked the 100th request of the year I have sent out in my 2010 autograph campaign. Just for the record that request was to Ivan Lendl, the tennis Hall of Famer turned golf nut. Hopefully in this space in a few weeks I will be able to report that success as I add another signed golf ball to my collection.

I all I sent six different requests today since there will be no mail tomorrow or Monday for the Presidents' Day holiday.

In exchange for those six, the post office returned two of my previous requests today, both from former NFL players I watched growing up. First up is former Chicago Bears wide receiver Brian Baschnagel.

Baschnagel played for the Bears from 1976-1984, where he caught 134 passes for 2,024 yards -- an average of more than 15 per reception.

Prior to being the Bears' third-round pick in 1976, Baschnagel was a two-time Academic All-American at Ohio State.

Today's other success was from former Dallas Cowboys defensive end John Dutton. Slowly I seem to be filling in my Cowboys team set from 1980.

Dutton was the fifth overall pick out of Nebraska in 1974. He spent five years with the Baltimore Colts before joining the Cowboys (1979-1987). He made three consecutive Pro Bowls beginning in 1975, when he had 17 sacks for the Colts.

In 1980 Dutton was a part of one of the most formidable defenses in NFL history, playing alongside Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Randy White and Harvey Martin.



Day of the Year: 44
Number of Autographs This Year: 79

Feb. 6 Report: Rich Camarillo and Tom Rafferty

Well the football successes continue to roll in and I'm again happy to add to my 1980s Dallas Cowboys team set project.

The latest comes courtesy of guard Tom Rafferty (he didn't switch to the center position until 1981) who played with the Cowboys from 1976-1989. That span allows him to say he is the only offensive lineman to block for both Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman!

Prior to coming to Dallas, Rafferty was an All-American for Joe Paterno's Penn State team.

My second addition today is that of five-time Pro Bowl punter Rich Camarillo. Only Ray Guy has appeared in more Pro Bowls as a punter than Camarillo.

Camarillo played for 16 season in the NFL and led the league in punting in both 1985 and 1994. He owns NFL records for highest net average in a season (39.6 yards) and for yards per punt (44.5) in postseason play.

Day of the Year: 37
Number of Autographs This Year: 67

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