March 31 Report: Anthony Carter

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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