National Sports Collectors Convention

Free Autographs at 28th National

A long standing tradition of the National Sports Collectors Convention will continue this year at the 28th National at the I-X Center in Cleveland, August 1-5, 2007. At Wednesday Night, August 1st, Sneak Peek, attendees will have the opportunity to get free autographs from several local fan favorites. Autographs will be first come first served while time permits.

Making a rare appearance is former Indian player and Manager Mike Hargrove will sign beginning at 6PM. Hargrove is well appreciated in Cleveland for leading the Indians to two World Series appearances during his nine year run as manager. The 1974 AL Rookie of the Year, Hargrove earned the nickname of "The Human Rain Delay" for his elaborate ritual between pitches. A solid career .290 hitter, Mike recently resigned as manager of the Seattle Mariners. We're glad to have Mike on board at the National.

Appearing at 5:15 is former Cleveland Brown great, Greg Pruitt. Pruitt played with the Browns from 1973-1981 after an All America career for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Greg electrified fans with his amazing kick returns ranking first in kickoff return average (26.3), first in punt return average (11.8). A solid runner, Pruitt had 3 consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons for the Browns and ranks 4th All Time in Rushing for Cleveland. A Pro Bowl performer in 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1978, Greg Pruitt is a fan favorite in Cleveland. He is the Brown's all time leader in kickoff return average (26.3), first in punt return average (11.8). A solid runner, Pruitt had 3 consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons for the Browns and ranks 4 All Time in Rushing for Cleveland. A Pro Bowl performer in 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1978, Greg Pruitt is a fan favorite in Cleveland.

Jim Mudcat Grant will be signing beginning at 5PM. In addition to sporting one of the more colorful nicknames, Mudcat pitched for the Indians from 1958-64. A two-time All Star, Grant won 21 games in 1965 and that same year became only the 2nd American League pitcher to hit a World Series Homer. A former Indians Broadcaster, Mudcat is one of only 13 African-American pitchers to win 20 or more games in a season. His book entitled The Black Aces details these pitchers.

Former Indian pitcher Sonny Siebert will sign beginning at 5:30PM. Siebert who tossed a no-hitter for the Indians on June 10, 1966 against the Senators was also a great hitter. He once hit two homers in a single game. An AL All Star for the Tribe, Siebert was also drafted by the NBA's Hawks but chose basball over basketball. We welcome Sonny back to Cleveland.

Also slated to appear is John Hicks, outstanding All American tackle for Ohio State from 1970-1973. Hicks' play during his college years won him the Vince Lombardi and Outland Trophies, emblematic of the nation's best lineman. Hicks finished second in the Heisman balloting in his Senior Year, an unbelievable feat for an offensive lineman. During Hicks' three years, Ohio State posted an incredible 28-3-1 record, and each year, Ohio State won the Big Ten Championship and went to the Rose Bowl, making Hicks the first person from OSU to play in three Rose Bowls.

These free autograph guests will appear in the Tristar Autograph Pavilion and will sign free autographs, one per person, while time permits. Pruitt and Grant will also sign at the 28th Annual VIP Party, prior to the Sneak Peek, which begins at 3:30PM on Wednesday. VIPs will be admitted to the Sneak Peek at 4:30 PM while General Admission Attendees will enter at 5PM. Attendance at the Sneak Peek is free with the VIP Admission Package. Single Day General Admission Tickets may be used for the Sneak Peek.

Additional Autograph Guests Announced!!

Tristar Productions has pulled out all the stops. The group of celebrity signers recently announced is a veritable Who's Who of sports royalty.
From the Pro Football World will be Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson, Dan Fouts, Gino Marchetti, Yale Lary, Raymond Berry, Fred Biletnikoff, Lem Barney, Jan Stenerud, Paul Krause, Lenny Moore along with former Ohio State QB Art Schlichter.
From Baseball, Hall of Famers Tom Seaver, Bob Feller and Gaylord Perry join the other Cooperstown residents previously announced. Legends and favorites like Graig Nettles, Perfect Game Pitcher Don Larsen, Baseball's last 30 Game Winner Denny McLain and Met star Jon Matlack round out this group.

Hockey is well represented with a rare appearance by "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe. Howe, a six time winner of the Hart Trophy, given to the NHL's Most Valuable Player is a hockey legend revered by fans everywhere. Joining Mr Hockey is another award winner. 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year, Chris Paul will be on hand to sign.

Additional VIP signers include OSU great Randy Gradishar, Browns 4-time Pro-Bowler Jim Houston, NFL Hall of Famer and Browns and OSU great Dante Lavelli plus former Cubs/Mets/Pirates star Frank Thomas and will be on hand exclusively for attendees who purchase the VIP Admission Package currently on sale.

National Sports Collectors Convention
National Sports Collectors Convention

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A Typical Day at Ravens Camp

Think you know the type of day that unfolds at Ravens training camp this summer? Think again.

6:30 A.M.
The players are roused from their sleep courtesy of a wake-up call. Where's the snooze button?

6:30 TO 8 A.M.
All players must report to the hotel dining hall for breakfast. Eating is optional, and coffee is the most popular item of the morning.

7:45 A.M.
Fans begin arriving at McDaniel College. Hardier folks will have been there 30 minutes earlier to grab prime seating along the fence for autographs.

8:15 A.M.
Practice begins. Perspiration is not far behind.

10:25 A.M.
Practice ends. The tango between players and fans begins.

11 A.M.
Half of the team will lift weights for no more than an hour. The rest have the option of going to lunch.

1 P.M.
The dining hall closes. The slackers will have to go off campus for food.

2:15 P.M.
Special teams units meet. Eighty percent of the team will be involved.

2:45 P.M.
Offensive and defensive units meet.

4 P.M.
Practice begins.

5:30 P.M.
Practice ends. For many players, a third shower beckons.

6 P.M.
Dinner is served buffet style with a variety of themes.

7 P.M.
Special teams units meet. No rest for the weary.

7:45 P.M.
Offensive and defensive units meet.

8:15 P.M.
Positional meetings begin. The end of a long day is tantalizingly near.

9:30 TO 11 P.M.
A late-night snack is available.

10 P.M.
Meetings end. Hilarity ensues.

11 P.M.
A lockdown ... uh ... I mean, a curfew is in effect.

BTW...the Ravens players are very good at signing autographs between and after practices. Location: McDaniel College, Westminster Maryland.

Baltimore Ravens Autographs
Baltimore Ravens Autographs

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Autograph Hunting is a Sign of the Times

From pop stars and politicians to space walkers and sportsmen, there is an enormous and growing demand for autographs which can be greatly enhanced by the occasion or material on which the signature is made.

Some collectors have a narrow remit of one individual or team whilst others enjoy looking for good examples from an entire sport or historic period.

For genuine examples in good condition, prices are rising rapidly. The secret is to research the subject and acquire examples:

• Where the number of signatures is limited;

• Condition is mint;

• The material enhances the value;

• Dated or where it can be linked to a specific event.

Clearly, the signature needs to be genuine. Sadly, there are many copies, often traded on Internet sites. Until really familiar with your subject, it is advisable to buy at auction or through dealers who have specialist expertise in the area.

Such specialists have even been known to consult the person concerned if they are alive or their personal assistant.

Sometimes fans believe for decades that they hold a genuine signature. Perhaps their autograph book was handed in to the stage door at a concert. The sheer volume of requests made it impossible for the pop stars to sign in person and they asked their road staff to impersonate for them.

On timing, look ahead for book and film launches as suddenly an author or actor can become fashionable. Ahead of the next Olympics, there will be autograph hunters already seeking examples from potential medal winners.

Music subjects are some of the most sought after. They are not necessarily modern.

A signed head and shoulders sepia portrait of the Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt is offered at £1,200 by Fraser’s Autographs, a specialist dealer who also holds auctions. They are part of Stanley Gibbons.



Bartok music is internationally known and considered one of the last great composers of the 20th century. An autographed musical quotation in very fine condition is £3,550 with the same dealer.

Signed photographs are often the medium used. One from Puccini at the time he had to leave his home at Torre del Lago and move to Viareggio commands £1,200 whilst a black and white of Frank Sinatra costs £1,300-£1,500.

Fashion dictates prices in many sectors. Few would have heard and certainly not collected the signature of F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, 12 months ago.

In modern music, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Sir Elton John (signed photographs, each £175) and Madonna and U2/Bono (each £195) are the five most in demand, according to Hamilton Bland, a leading autograph dealer who trades as Autographs of the World.

The launch last week of the latest Harry Potter film puts collectors onto such stars as Daniel Radcliffe. Even a promotional colour postcard for an earlier film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, signed by Radcliffe, can cost £325-£370.

To gain a signature and impressively a dedication from JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is serious money. A first edition of the initial book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, dedicated to "David", realised £27,370 at Bloomsbury Auctions in May.

The golden age of Hollywood has a distinct following. A magazine photograph of Katharine Hepburn with her autograph in black felt pen ink is offered at £975 (Fraser) whilst a 1970 dating by Mae West across a photograph costs £425. Some folding and crease lines as well as faint ink smudging on the latter have reduced the price.

Often film stars would personalise their autographs. A photograph of Gene Kelly inscribed "To Telly, Good Luck" is £495 whilst a sepia toned black and white from Clark Gable to Eleanor, mounted and framed, is £1,250.

In the world of sport, Bland says his top sellers are Cristiano Ronaldo, Steve Gerrard (both £150), Lewis Hamilton and Martin Johnson (£175) and Muhammad Ali (£450).

If your taste is more towards materials associated with the individual, Graham Budd holds frequent auctions, notably concentrating on music and sport, such as footballer’s boots or sweat shirts.

David Beckham and Wayne Rooney continue to be a popular autograph (£150) but are not yet in the price league of Pele (£475) or on his shirt (£950).

Statesmen have global appeal. Signed photographs by Churchill (£2,500) and President John F Kennedy (£1,750) have probably doubled in price in six years.

Whilst Margaret Thatcher’s autograph on a photograph commands at least £195, American leaders appear to be even more sought after.

A typed and signed letter from Richard Nixon (£1,500) and a signed magazine cover from Ronald Reagan (£1,250) show the strength of the collecting market in the United States.

A typed letter signed by Kennedy when he was a US senator, referring to his wedding and honeymoon, typically costs £3,000 as the subject is rare.

Even dictators have followers for their autographs. Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s signed document in Spanish, recognising the country’s fencing coach in 2002, is offered at £2,350 (Fraser).

Royal material is relatively scarce. Diana, Princess of Wales, is probably the most sought after. A signed photograph can be £4,000, which has doubled in eight years. A hand-written letter dated 1990 concerning a property is offered at £3,500.

Examples of Queen Victoria’s hand appear at regional and national auctions. The subject matter is important. A letter addressed to her brother, informing him about the birth of a fourth daughter, Princess Louise, accompanied by the original envelope, is offered by £1,500.

Some of the responses from noted individuals clearly add to the value. Einstein’s 1946 typed and signed response to the Chicago Daily News is a classic: "Unfortunately, I am not able to spare the time to write the desired contribution for your paper."

Little may he have realised that such a letter would today command £4,000.

Even dictators have followers for their autographs. Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s signed document in Spanish, recognising the country’s fencing coach in 2002, is offered at £2,350

Autograph Demand Higher
Autograph Demand Higher

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Gene Simmons And Son Schedule COMICON Signing Session

On July 28, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and his son Nick will be at this year's San Diego Comicon to debut the Simmons Comics Group, featuring four new titles: "Gene Simmons House of Horrors", "Dominatrix", "Zipper" and "Indy - Race of the Galaxies". Nick will debut his self-written/-drawn "Skullduggery". Both will be signing at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 28.

KISS will play only three shows this year. Dates are as follows:

July 20 - Sault St. Marie, MI - Kewadin
July 21 - Cadott, WI - Rock Fest 2007
July 27 - San Jacinto, CA - Soboba Casino Arena

Gene and Nick Simmons Signing at COMICON

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Japanese Reporter Punished for Autograph

No autographs allowed in any language. When a Japanese reporter recently asked Roger Clemens for an autograph, he got a signed photo and a swift penalty: His membership in the Baseball Writers' Association of America was revoked.

Hiroki Homma of the Fuji Evening News said he didn't realize he was breaking the rules, though he took full responsibility and apologized to the New York Yankees.

"I didn't know," Homma said. "It was my fault."

Ballplayers coming from Japan to the majors need to make adjustments. So, too, do the many international journalists covering the big leagues clubhouse etiquette is just one example of the many cultural changes they face.

When is the most appropriate time to approach players? How much of an obstacle is the language barrier? Why so many cross-country flights?

In Japan, reporters aren't allowed inside baseball locker rooms. They request postgame interviews through public relations officials, and players emerge from the clubhouse to answer questions while dressed in civilian clothes. In the offseason, players are occassionally paid for a special chat.

But sports writers and players often have a much friendlier relationship than in the United States.

Hiroshi Kanda of Kyodo News has covered the Yankees since Hideki Matsui arrived in 2003 and said players and writers occasionally go out for dinner together in Japan. They also hang out with each other on road trips conjuring images of a long-ago era in the majors when cigar-smoking scribes rode the trains alongside the blue-collar ballplayers they chronicled, dealing cards and chatting away through the night.

That sort of relationship, much different than the strictly professional ones now customary in America, sometimes leads to Japanese reporters requesting autographs from players back home.

"It happens," Kanda said.

Signs posted in big league dugouts and clubhouses remind reporters they're not allowed to ask for autographs, and Major League Baseball's policy regarding media access includes an explicit explanation.

"There shall be no seeking of autographs, no touching or removing of equipment or personal items from lockers, and no sampling of players food spreads," the policy says. "Any member of the media who violates these regulations will lose his or her accreditation."

Kanda said some ballparks even have those rules posted in Japanese and Spanish, though not Yankee Stadium.

"It's been a long time since (Hideo) Nomo came here. Hundreds of Japanese reporters work in the States," Kanda said. "I think it's clear. I don't think it's a matter of the rule. It's a written rule. Sometimes the unwritten rule is hard to understand. But this is a written rule.

"I know the language barrier sometimes causes problems, but you can't make an excuse, because we are in the States," he added.

Homma, in his first season covering the Yankees, said he approached Clemens on July 5 with a stack of pictures of the pitcher taken by the newspaper's photographer. Homma said he presented the pictures to Clemens, figuring the seven-time Cy Young Award winner would enjoy having them to commemorate his 350th win.

Then, Homma asked the Rocket to sign one of the photos for him, which Clemens did.

A member of the Yankees' security staff noticed and mentioned it to Isao Hirooka, the club's Pacific Rim Media Advisor.

"It's really a shame that the reporter involved didn't know the rule," said Ikuro Beppu, editor of the Fuji Evening News, a tabloid newspaper based in Tokyo. "His act was purely resulting from his ignorance of the rules, and we accept his punishment."

Beppu said the newspaper sent letters of apology to the Yankees and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

The BBWAA, the organization that votes for the Hall of Fame and postseason awards, confiscated Homma's card. Homma can apply for membership again next year.

According to team policy, the Yankees revoked Homma's season credential, but will replace it with a pass on a game-by-game basis.

"In speaking to both Hiroki and representatives of the Fuji Evening News, I feel it was an innocent mistake," Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said. "We've had an extremely positive relationship with the Japanese media throughout the years, and we continue to enjoy working with them."

"At this time I consider this issue resolved," he said.

Japanese Reporter Punished For Clemens Autograph

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DiMaggio's Diaries and Notes For Sale

Whitey Ford looked at the stack of 29 binders in amazement, hardly believing Joe DiMaggio ever would have produced the 2,400 pages of diary entries that filled them.

"I'm shocked," the New York Yankees pitching legend and longtime friend of DiMaggio said Monday at a news conference announcing Steiner Sports' acquisition of DiMaggio's diaries, which are to be sold at auction. "I couldn't get an autograph off him."

Many people were in the same boat as Ford between 1982 and 1993, when DiMaggio compiled the daily notes on anything from airplane receipts to hotel letterhead. DiMaggio started the diaries as a way of tracking his expenses, right down to tips. But observations of various meetings, events, and opinions eventually worked their way into the writings to provide a snapshot of the Yankees great as an intensely private person growing ever more bitter and stingy under the weight of fame.

But, as Steiner Sports President Jared Weiss warned, "This is not a tell-all. It's not groundbreaking in a tell-all (sense). But it's groundbreaking in that one of the most intensely private American icons of all time gives you his thoughts. This was what was on his mind. The pressures of being Joe DiMaggio wore him down."

One thing that does come out in his writings is his care with the dollar.

Witness this entry from Dec. 12, 1983, when the famed Mr. Coffee pitchman, who made more money from hawking coffee machines than he ever did from baseball, met with financial adviser Bert Padell.

"Saw Bert at 12 and had a bite to eat with him. Spent an hour and a half discussing my contract (with Mr. Coffee and Pfizer)," DiMaggio wrote. "Mr. Coffee made me an offer, and we discussed at length what my counter offer should be."

Said Weiss, who read a good part of the diaries before acquiring them from DiMaggio's Florida-based lawyer, Morris Engelberg, "He was a very proud man.

"As you know, he was a little bit cheap," Weiss added. "But he grew up in the Depression era, and that's all he knew. He was very protective of that, and was always careful (with money)."

Another entry on hotel letterhead ends with the total bill, $758, circled boldly in ink.

The diaries contain more than just financial statements. They recount DiMaggio's visit to the Reagan White House for dinner with Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife. He talks about his disappointment in missing Game 7 of the 1986 World Series to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and of his love for the Yankees.

And he recounts with disgust how former Florida Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga casually thrust the team's inaugural ball, thrown out and autographed by DiMaggio himself, into his pocket.

"Joe couldn't believe how he disrespected the ball," Weiss said. "And then he wrote about sitting in Huizenga's box and signing autographs for six or seven innings. (It was) not how he preferred to watch a game."

DiMaggio makes only a fleeting reference to his famed ex-wife, Marilyn Monroe.

"Joe has been one of the most misunderstood great Yankees of all time," Steiner CEO Brandon Steiner said. "When you get through these diaries, you see definitely another side to this man."

DiMaggio Auction

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Newly Added - Strickler's Celebrity Autographs

Smallville Cast Autograph
Rascal Flatts Autograph
Nicole Kidman Autograph
Good Charlotte Autograph
Blink 182 Autograph

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Recent Autograph Appraisals

A Guide To The Study of Fishes, Volume I; by David Starr Jordan, signed by artist Frederic Remington (w/ small sketch), Sports Afield Duck Club Founder Jimmy Robinson, and Theodore Roosevelt - $1200-$1800

New Epiphone EJ-200 Acoustic Guitar signed by 10 country artists at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles on February 11, 2007: • Reba McEntire • Carrie Underwood • Ray Benson • Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts) • Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) • Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) • LeAnn Rimes • Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks) • Emily Robison (Dixie Chicks) • Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks) - $1200-$1800

President Abraham Lincoln signed appointment document - 1964 - $8000-$12,000

Autograph Appraisals

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Seasoned Dealers Clarifying “No Refund Policy!”

Reprinted from Autograph Alert:

It is well known by collectors that over 187 professional autograph dealers do not have to offer a refund for an autograph being returned because of an opinion rendered by the third party authenticating company PSA/DNA.

At a recent Florida show, one major dealer in sports autographs was purchasing a signed photograph of Mickey Mantle. He said to the seller: “...what if I send this to PSA/SDNA and it is returned as not genuine?” The seller clearly said “No refunds based on a PSA/DNA opinion.” After a quick thought, the purchaser bought the photograph anyway.

Many genuine items, some obtained “in person” have been dubbed as “Not Genuine” or “Likely Not Genuine” by PSA/DNA. Making matters even more embarrassing are items that have been tagged as “Not Genuine” by PSA/DNA or JSA (James Spence Authentication) and they were purchased from one of the PSA/DNA authentication team or from James Spence.

Autograph dealers are handling this dilemma in different ways. One dealer had a rubber stamp made which reads: “Guaranteed Genuine! Opinions from PSA/DNA or JSA Not Accepted For Refund.” This is stamped on every one of their invoices.

Some very concerned dealers have asked www.autographalert.com what is the best way to handle this situation.

We refer them to the website of the prestigious seller of autographs The History Buff. We think their “Terms of Sale” are thus far the best and clearest that have ever been written. The company guarantees in writing all items sold are authentic.

“Terms of Sale”
All sales are final unless it can be shown that the item was not as represented. We do not accept PSA/DNA authentication or authentication by anyone with a commercial relationship with PSA/DNA as a basis for a refund (see why-read our article on authentication.) However, we are willing to have any item, the authenticity of which is questioned, be adjudicated by another ‘expert’ who is mutually acceptable to the client and The History Buff, Inc. Once again, clients are referred to our thoughts regarding authentication that are posted on this website.

The website for The History Buff can be found by logging onto
The History Buff.

Autograph Refund Policy

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PSA $2.35 Million Screwup!

Historic Honus Wagner Baseball Card
Trimmed & Encapsulated, Hid Imperfections

The vintage card world is buzzing again with talk about the "Holy Grail of Baseball Cards".

A photo of the world's most expensive baseball card, said to have been taken before it was encapsulated, shows the card was later trimmed, according to the New York Daily News.

Reporter Michael O'Keeffe, author of a new book about the high grade T206 Honus Wagner, obtained a copy of the photo after the book made references to its existence. The newspaper carried the story in its Sunday edition on June 25, 2007.

Alan Ray, who sold the Wagner card not long after its discovery at a Florida flea market in 1985, claimed in the book to have a copy of the photo which he says proves the card was trimmed to create a card with straight, even borders and sharp corners. The card was graded NM/MT 8 as PSA launched its authentication and grading service in 1991. It was sold earlier this year to a private and yet unnamed collector for $2.35 million.

PSA Screwup

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