Vincent, it's funny I was just thinking about Walter Woods' signature as well. It is tough to beat, although Gene Lillard's post career sigs are equally as nice...
http://www.starsofthediamond.com/e254woods.JPG

Woods' signature was attractive, but I've always found it too labored, too forced.

After baseball, Woods became a letter carrier for the USPS in Portsmouth.

Oddly enough, I own the 3X5 that accompanied the letter featured in the earlier scan. Here it is:

My favorite autograph is Mike Schmidt's because unlike other autographs where the first and last name are next to each other, his first name is on top of his last name.

I love the autographs where you can actually READ the letters in the names like Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax and Mickey Mantle.

One of the worst today is Frank Robinson. I just got another IP graph from him last year on a ROMLB and it is BAD, and he is no where in as bad physical condition as Willie McCovey or Sparky Anderson.

Most childist, IMHO, is Eddie Murray.

Johnny Evers.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5...20100/fdc2.jpg

Great point Jodi!
 

I don't think anyone has really taken into consideration the sheer volume of autograph requests the Bambino was flooded with. I'm not talking about several dozen daily for a few years. More like hundreds a day for THRITY YEARS. Signing any object a fan could get their hands on upon a chance meeting with the Babe.

We're talking every single place he went, every single day of his life, for 30 years, fans were shoving something in the Babe's mug to sign.

And as much as I have read about Babe Ruth over the last forty years, which is substantial I assure you, I don't recall any times where fans would complain that Ruth would not sign for them!

Now, that said, how many others could keep up the amazing consistency that the Bambino was able to maintain until the very end. Just remarkable IMO.

A lot of the lesser know players had the luxury of taking their time in order to sign a fancy signature for a small amount of requests. Not that they aren't nice, just under completely different circumstances then Babe was under. Which was the story of Babe Ruth's life come to think about it!

Sincerely, Jimmy

Oh, Babe's autograph is as much a classic as a John Hancock, as is Cobb's. They're tried and true, but a little too common for my taste. After seeing thousands of authentic examples, it takes something truly special signed by these players to really keep me from yawning. Actually, an incredible Ruth forgery is of much more interest to me!