Nolan Ryan Foundation/Johnny Bench Enterprises Experiences
 

Anybody have any good/bad/ugly experiences with getting autographs from the Nolan Ryan Foundation or Johnny Bench Enterprises? Are they both legit? Thinking about getting a couple cards signed through each… Thanks!!

Nolan Ryan Foundation has always been top notch with my stuff. My understanding though is that well is about to dry up and if you don't have item to them by late September that you will not get them done. Just call and ask to be sure. If you are an impatient person, they won't be your favorite to deal with. However, if you are cool with just shipping your item off, are not impatient, and will be happy when it just magically shows up one day with a beautiful sig, then they are good for you.

Mike

I sent a card to the Nolan Ryan Foundation. It took about 6 months to get it back, but they were responsive to any inquiries along the way and Nolan Ryan provided a perfect signature in the absolute right spot on the item. I'll second what Mike says about patience, but it was well worth the wait to have one of my idols sign my dream cards.

Ryan is a pro when it comes to signing.
The Nolan Ryan Foundation is excellent to work with.
I know them very well and can absolutely recommend them.

I love the Ryan Foundation, but Mike is correct. Nolan is not signing anything postmarked after September 30th!!

I called last week and confirmed this...so if you want something unique signed, now is the time to do it.

Actually, I'll share an update:
I spoke with my friends at The Nolan Ryan Foundation yesterday and I heard something different. The two gals that manage all of the signings for the Foundation are retiring and they are moving the operation from Alvin down to Round Rock, TX where Nolan and his family live.

FYI, Nolan and his wife Ruth moved to Round Rock a number of years ago to be closer to their grandchildren.

There will be a transition period, but Nolan is still committed to continuing to sign items which supports Alvin Community College.

I plan on sending two items in to be signed before September 30th. These will all be signed and returned before Christmas...

Sweet, thanks everybody for the solid info!! Andrew, I actually saw you post that he wasn't go sign through the foundation anymore in another thread, which made me hurry up and get it done, so thanks for that! 👍🏼👍🏼

Oh interesting Scott... That's some good news as that turnaround time beats the heck out of the 16-20 week quote on the website!

Good experience with the Ryan Foundation.


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Scott,
Is Judy Blunk still there? I used to talk to her all the time in the late 90's.

Hi Andrew,
Yes, Judy Blunk is indeed still there and is one of the two gals that I mentioned is retiring.

Roger that. Thanks!

I have dealt with both & they are both great to deal with. As stated with Nolan Ryan it can be up to 4-6 months before you get your items returned.
Bench is also good to work with. His son Bobby runs the website & will quickly return any e-mail questions that you send to him. Bench can also take a couple months to get your items back, it all depends on his travel / show appearances schedule.

Wait... So it is confirmed Ryan's paid signings will continue after next month, there will just be a transition period? I was just about to post a fairly large stack (sets I've been working, sets I just started, sets I think I might start, etc.) If this is true I'll scale it back drastically.

Steven,
This is what I was told, and I know these folks well.
My personal approach is that I plan to send in my last two items that I want to get signed now, not wait.
As mentioned, there will be a transition period before the new operation starts up. Mr. Ryan is 69 years old...

But the big question is will the prices remain the same or will we see an increase once they start back up?

Absolutely! That is an excellent question and there is no way to know...
At 69, Mr. Ryan's health and his unknown ability to sign/prioritize signing may be a consideration in the future. I hate to think that way, but it's a reality.

Mr. Ryan has always allowed his fans a way to get their items signed through the foundation at what IMHO is a genuine bargain. He's a pro, always laying down a quality, legible signature. The money benefits Alvin Community College. Compared to the current athletes, whose signatures are illegible at prices hovering around $100, it's a no-brainer.

awesome i have 2 rookie cards to send Ryans way!!!

Hey guys, for months I've been intending to send a card out to the Nolan Ryan Foundation for his sig but have kept putting it off. Thanks to this thread I will be getting one in the mail on Tuesday!

One question I have pertains to shipping: Do I really need to tack on $7 to the $35 autograph fee for return shipping??? Or can I just include an SASE? What has been your experience if you've sent items off to him?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

They have been great to honor SASEs in the past.

I sent a HOF postcard to the Ryan Foundation a few years back and got my item signed. So it worked for me.

Great to hear. Thank you! :cool:

Nolan Ryan
 

Same as the consensus here with Ryan Foundation. Took about four months to get my check cashed, then another two-plus to get my items but they came and they were signed perfectly--with obvious care. So...a winner to me!

Well, my check cleared on November 15th! I mailed it out with a '91 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes card (I think...) back on September 6th. Hope to get the card back soon! All in all, I don't think that would be a bad turnaround at all!

It appears he has a new site up and it looks like the prices have stayed the same. (At least for a card it is still $35.)

Mine cleared on the 14th! So it seems we're on the final lap! Hoping to get it back before Christmas...

Fingers crossed! It didn't show today. :(

Nolan Ryan Foundation..
 

I just sent them two cards (and a check) on 9/3 and got them back on 11/14. Nice signatures and they put small holograms on the back of the cards. Very pleased with the service.

Wow, that's a heck of a turnaround! Just curious, when did they cash your check?

Sorry, but I used an account that i don't have electronic access to and I don't have the paper statement. Can't give you a date. I'll check the next monthly statement and see if it is on there.

No worries, I was just wondering to get a time frame of when I might get my card back but it ended up coming a few days later so all is good! 👍🏼

Just back from the Nolan Ryan Foundation
 

I sent in these two items for Nolan's signature and one with inscription in September and just received them back yesterday:

- Game used dugout lineup card to Nolan's 324th and final career win
- City of Alvin, TX (hometown of Alvin's favorite son Nolan Ryan) Mayoral Proclamation celebrating Nolan Ryan Hall of Fame Day in Alvin on July, 25th, 1999. This coincided with Nolan's actual HOF induction into Cooperstown.

I think they turned out great!

Just to give everybody an update regarding the Nolan Ryan foundation. I have a few collector friends on another board that recently received damaged items back from the foundation. These items were high dollar items. In the past, the ladies at the foundation office in Alvin were accommodating when mistakes were made or items damaged. Unfortunately, the foundation has officially moved to Round Rock and the person in charge has changed. From what I have been told, they are now unresponsive to emails or phone calls and do not take responsibility for sending back damaged items. When I mean damaged items, it was not damaged by the post office, but was clearly damaged by somebody in their office. Please keep this in mind before you send anything of high dollar value to the foundation. Just FYI.

Now this is depressing to hear. Judy always did a great job, I never received anything back damaged.

That's interesting to hear... I sent his RC that was an SGC EX back in September, and I can't remember exactly how bad it was right now, but I knew it wasn't in as good of condition as when I sent it!

I had a ticket stub returned with a bent corner. Somebody on another board had a large print returned with a tear in the back and they tried to put tape over it.

The foundation just added this to their website. I guess they are receiving lots of complaints.

"DISCLAIMER FOR SENDING PERSONAL ITEMS
THE RISK OF ANY AND ALL LOSS, DAMAGE, OR UNSATISFACTORY RETURNED ITEMS RESTS WITH YOU AS THE SENDER.
The Nolan Ryan Foundation will do its best to honor requests but ultimately the decision for size, color and location of signature, stats and hologram rests with Nolan Ryan Foundation. The Foundation will take all actions necessary to ensure personal items are kept safe and returned in the same condition in which they were received but all risk is assumed by the sender of personal items."

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0e4c143d3c.jpg I'm glad I got this done a few years ago...



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I believe the Nolan Ryan Foundation just increased their prices as well. It is now $60 for a trading card. Glad I got in when I did.

Andy