Very nice. I take it these were purchased?

Thanks. Some were purchased...Joe Carter, Ted Turner, Dan Jansen and Bonnie Blair were all TTM returns.

I just got back from the Chicago Sports Spectacular. I haven't been to a show out here in four years. I was able to get this done, and I'll be back tomorrow. I'll share what I get then, too.

Having A SI signed was a huge experience for myself, I've got a couple HOF'ers Rod Carew & Nolan Ryan.....got them at the Grand Hotel in Anaheim, mid 70's

This was signed by Tony Gwynn at Spring Training 1998, Peoria, AZ.

Attachment 477322

Great Post Everyone

Love seeing and remember all those covers and looking up the stories behind all of them

What a day. I went back to the Chicago Sports Spectacular today and nailed some of the $10 guests they were having today.

First, I got Denny McLain on two of his four covers. I'll need the other SI from 1968 with Al Kaline, and the special 1993 edition with Bob Gibson. I saw some others in line with SIs for him. Ironically, one person had the 1993 cover and another with the other 1968 cover.

Even at a sports convention, people seem drawn to Sports Illustrateds. I was holding them out after I got them signed and walking away and people wanted to take a look. One person is another SI collector and has the 1968 cover I got signed, but not the 1970 one.

His logic was he didn't want to remind McLain of that, but I know athletes can and do reserve their right to reject items to sign at shows. If McLain doesn't object to signing it, I don't object to getting it signed. It wasn't anything personal or more than I simply want to get as many SIs signed as possible.

McLain took a while and had built a crowd.

Leon Durham was originally supposed to appear at 2:30, but then the show announced when I was waiting for McLain he'd been moved ahead to 12:30. I got my hand stamped and went out for a bit. I came back at noon, and he was at his table because he'd been moved ahead to 11:30. There was only one or two people ahead of me in line, and I was able to add his cover.

Having archived all of my SIs in chronological order, I now have 83 covers signed between 1955 and 2020.

Denny McLain
 

Apparently, Denny McLain loves to add inscriptions. He had his own table set up at a card show I attended a couple years ago where he was selling signed items. I think it was 15 bucks if you wanted something of your own signed. I paid and asked him to please sign my SI. He said, "Sure...you want an inscription?" I replied, "That would be great, whatever you want to put will be fine." About 5 minutes later he handed me back this:
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/482368.jpg

Both McLain and Leon Durham were $10 guests yesterday with $5 per inscription. I didn’t pay for inscriptions, didn’t even ask for inscriptions. He just added them on his own accord.

I don't have any new additions, but I thought I'd sure with all of you some of my earlier signed SIs in my collection. These were all obtained in person, and some of the ones I had through the years before I decided I was going to go all-in with collecting these in July 2019.

The first two I got signed at a show in November 2012. The third one I got at the 2016 Cubs Convention and the fourth I got through various shows and signings through the years. Most signatures on the fourth I obtained in 2010, though I got Steve Owens, Jason White and Billy Sims at a place in Norman, Oklahoma in September 2019.

I've got some more I got TTM before I really got into this that I can share in another post.

Some statistics on my SI collection.

1. I have 83 signed total in my collection, 84 if you count an Ivan Lendl TTM that came completely destroyed in the mail.

2. Out of the ones I have signed, 19 were obtained in person. The rest were TTM returns or what I submitted as a show/private signing order.

3. I have at least one SI signed from every year of the 1970s.

4. I have at least one SI signed from every year of the 1980s except 1981, though I do own some unsigned issues I haven't gotten signed yet.

5. The first chronological signed cover in my collection is a personalized one by the late Tony Trabert, who just passed away this year. Tony was on the August 29, 1955 cover.

6. The last chronological signed cover I currently have is by DeJon Young, a high school football player in Georgia who appeared with a couple of his teammates on a late 2020 cover. I'd love to get some newer covers signed, but the stars of today aren't as accessible to me or I don't have nearly enough money for the show prices.

7. States I've gotten an SI signed in are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and Oklahoma. I took a road trip to Iowa in July and stayed the night in a motel for the sole purpose of meeting Bill Rodgers at a free signing out there and him signing my covers.

I will never be Scott Smith, the SI King. I don't have the money, time, resources or connections. Besides, I wouldn't want 20,000 covers signed, just one each of cover, or as many covers as I can get. I have autographs on other items by cover subjects, some of whom have since passed on. I'll turn 30 next month, and wish I had started this project sooner, but I'm loving this now.

I need some opinions. Is this stamped? It looks like it. This was a TTM return. I got this back and also a personalized one from Gerry Faust.

I got this as a present today for my 30th birthday, happy to add this one to the collection. This was purchased from Mill Creek Sports.

Clearly, not signed but I was struggling to figure out how to display the Mantle signed Induction Day card. Thankfully, I was talked out of making it a cut, by members of this board. I had two autograph tickets for Mantle that day and for some reason opted for the card. I collect signed covers (200+ baseball only) so this ties in well. I like the way the piece turned out.

The Mantle display is outstanding. Great use of the Autograph and multiple covers.

Thank you. I was quite happy with the result. For me, getting items back from the framer is always a special surprise.

Here are some recent additions. My mom was kind enough to go to the Chicago Sports Spectacular for me this past weekend (I'm out of state) and get Dave Casper to add to this SI for me. I just need Jack Lambert now to complete.

I also got this back by David Graham, which was a TTM. I now have at least Sports Illustrated signed for every year of the 1970s, and every year of the 1980s.

Great Rivalry cover

As a Dodger fan, that Duke is my all-time favorite SI and I also got one signed. It was probably the first one I ever got, because I am not really fond of full magazines being signed, but just the cover isn't ideal either. I do have all the Garvey issues signed and a few others, like the Labine you have too.

There have been some great covers with HOFers would love to have signed, but will never pony up the $. Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, etc. They are all early 70s or before versions. That was the best time for cover images in my opinion.

Arnold Palmer
 

Here are some signed Arnold Palmer SIs from my collection:

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806236.jpg
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806235.jpg
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https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806232.jpg
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806230.jpg
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806228.jpg
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/595909.jpg

And a couple of SI Magazine inside article pages signed by Arnie:

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806227.jpg
https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/806226.jpg

Damon Bailey owns a warehouse about an hour away from me. I've been wanting to do this for more than a year, but due to distance and being busy with my job, I wasn't sure when to do it. He's not always there, anyway.

So, I called Thursday, stating I had a non-business inquiry, and wanted to ask to visit sometime he was there for him to sign it. They said they could get it signed for me, but because he's always in and out, they couldn't guarantee. They said if I dropped off the SI, that they could get it signed for me, and then call me to pick it up after it's signed.

They called yesterday, and here's what it looks like.

Thank you to Damon Bailey and his business for making this possible.

I went to a show in St. Louis today and went all out for Bob Lilly today. Posed photographs were not allowed, but I snapped some photos of him signing for me. He signed the September 9, 1963 cover for me - which I actually bought for $10 at the show and did not previously have, so I bought another ticket on a whim, and then he also appeared on the cover on January 9, 1967, and I believe this is the first time I've gotten an SI cover signed on the anniversary of a specific edition.

Bob really liked my covers, as he wanted to look at and check out the 1963 one, then pointed out the other men about the 1967 cover - noting Willie Townes was gone, George Andrie was gone, Bart Starr was gone, then pointed to himself on the cover and jokingly said, "Gone."

Also, for a non-SI success, I thought I'd also throw in that he signed my 8x10 I previously got signed by Jim Brown. I paid an inscription ticket for this photo, while I didn't for the SIs. I asked Bob if he tackled Brown in the photo, he said Jim is a good friend of his, and Jim told him that if he ever touched him, then he brought him down. I got Jim on this at a show in 2010 during my Pre-SI days.

Bob was a nice man.

The SI collector who runs one of the most informative SI sites on the web is liquidating!

http://sicollection.com/

Some of the collection is on Ebay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/27512074775...UAAOSwvOdh5gGC

I got several issues signed for him on the east coast some years ago. He is a stickler for photographic proof of the signing. You can have confidence in his offerings, though I'm curious why he is getting out.

That Evel Knievel signed issue he has is fire.

Yes, he (Dan) is a stickler for photographic proof which is why I would have no doubt the item is legit. The Evel Knievel issue is cool. I inquired about a half dozen issues. Previously, Dan mentioned getting into restoring a certain vehicle or perhaps vehicles. For at least a couple of years he has been looking to move the entire collection. On Sunday night, while surfing the web, I decided to pop over to his site to see what was up. I was surprised to see that he decided to piece out the collection.

I'd think it would be tough to move that entire collection at once, unless it was to an auction house.

Agreed. I think he was hoping that someone would purchase the collection and maintain the site. The site is quite informative and a labor of love. It is only a matter of time before SI is a relic of the past.

Just acquired this piece. Fits well with the SI collection and advertising. I loathe using the word rare, but I have never seen another one.

Very cool piece! What are the size dimensions?

I do love a nice sports illustrated!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b143df44dd.jpg

I thought this guy had the biggest, best collection:

http://sikingcollection.com/

Thank you. I think the baseball players are too cool. From the first time I visited his site, I wanted the poster. The dimensions are 44" by 28". The paper is pretty fragile so the plan is to get the item framed.

Yes, Scott the SI King has a monster collection of signed material as well. The King's site was always a retail operation. I have have used Scott's services to obtain half a dozen signatures. Until now, Dan's site was always a way to display the collection. The site contains a ton of information, size changes, regional covers etc.. Both sites are good.

Just got this back from a Cardboard Promotions signing.

Darryl Evans
 

Recent mail order with JP's Sports. Now to get Greg Gagne.....

Not signed, but
 

Two of my favorite covers of all-time. Rode my bike to Morton News and purchased these with my own money.

I was able to get this from the Chicago Sports Spectacular. I thank my mom for getting for this me, since I'm out of state.

Super Memories here .....thank you everyone !

Can you imagine what an autograph from a guy named "Schoendienst" would look like among current players?

Doug

Doug, I would imagine a scribble at most. And just an S at worst. It's unfortunate most of the ones you see today.

Novice question - Is there any value of 1960's & 1970's unsigned SI's with mailing labels in average (vg-ex) condition ? Thanks very much.

Most of them are $5 -$10 with mailing labels, but some are higher - Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Ali, etc. Also the Steve Prefontaine (June 15, 1970) and Evel Knievel (Sep 2, 1974) are +covers. Best bet is to check eBay sold listings.

Wanted to share this awesome 1961 Reds multi-signed SI...it's signed by Ed Bailey, Leo Cardenas, Gordy Coleman, Gene Freese, Jay Hook, Sherman Jones, Jerry Lynch, Jim Maloney, Jim O'Toole, Claude Osteen, Vada Pinson, Bob Purkey, and Frank Robinson.

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/809937.jpg

Looking for help with signed Sports Illustrated Magazines and Others
 

I have these and several more, including five or six Magic Johnson covers from various magazines. Only one of the Magic covers is certed. They will all be for sale once I determine if they're all legitimate. These were all from the collection of a friend who recently passed away. There are also signed 8x10 photos of Butkus, Willie Mays, Jim Brown and others. I would gladly send photos to anybody who collects basketball, especially Magic Johnson, who could help determine authenticity before I waste money sending items off to a TPA.

Bump
 

bump

By chance, does anybody on here own a non-signed edition of Rick Mount’s cover? February 14, 1966.

Thank you.

I went to Jim Hart's Celebrity Golf Classic today in Missouri, added a couple more to the collection.

I went to the Chicago Sports Spectacular Friday, got Greg Luzinski to sign both of his covers for me.

I also purchased Maury Wills' signed cover from 1967. I know he's still with us, just not sure if or when I'll get the opportunity for an in person signing of SIs. It's definitely my favorite among the Wills covers.

Not SI-related: I was very big on the Pacific Legends sets from 1988 and 1989, started collecting signed cards from this set in 2006 and probably have more than 100 signed between the two years. I never had a Spahn autograph, and it was probably $20 due to it being smudged, but I'll take it.

I'll be going back today, will post again later.

I went back today. All three were very nice, especially Cooney, whose moniker, "Gentleman" was very fitting. I asked him if he could believe it's been 40 years since his fight with Larry Holmes, he said he couldn't. I also asked him how his tour in the UK with Larry went to commemorate the 40th anniversary, and he had fun, it went well for him.

^^^ Great additions...congrats!

Thank you.

+1.......great great memories

Been a while since I've posted some additions, so I'll keep this thread train rolling!

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https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/841413.jpg

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/841398.jpg

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/834889.jpg

https://www.sportscollectors.net/photos/841223.jpg

Awesome stuff. How many are purchases? By mail/in person?

Thanks!

The Ted Williams was in a lot I won from an auction house.

1970 World Series multi-signed was a purchase.

Larry Bird, Magic, Bobby Knight, Hunter Greene, and Dent/Torrez were from either Private Signings or Show Signings.

Sosa, Judge, and Mia Hamm were in person.

I went to the show in St. Louis yesterday and got Mike LaValliere (available in the 1987 Topps thread) and also Gregg Jefferies, who signed his cover for me.

Jefferies told me how the SI cover has a story to it, that the bat was in from his professional/big league at-bat, and his dad had it. His dad told him, "Whatever you do, don't break the bat." This picture was from a game in San Francisco and he was up to bat against Scott Garrelts. Not only did he shatter his bat, but the incident wound up on the cover of SI.

I'm around 100 signed covers now. I think the next time I get one signed will definitely put me at or over.

Gregg Jefferies also signed the Mets page of my 1988 World Series program, which featured all four postseason teams from that year inside. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have bought it and I would have the likes of Darryl, Doc and Keith on SIs, but since I've been working on that thing since November 2008 and something I've owned since 2007, I might as well add to it since Jefferies was $19 for each of those two signatures and not a bad price at all.

Hey all, I'm a huge fan of collecting Sports Illustrated (newsstand issues) and just stumbled upon this thread. You guys have some amazing autographed copies posted here. I've got 10 or so that are signed and here's one of my favorites.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L~8AA...O33/s-l500.jpg

Thought the posters here may also be interested in my YouTube channel, Sports Magazine Collector. I've been doing some countdowns of the top Sports Illustrated covers from each decade, as well as other various videos about collecting Sports Illustrated - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxf...ubqKXmiMZX9i2w

This is really awesome. Thanks for sharing and introducing yourself, like the Bolt piece.

I’ll definitely check your channel out.

I personally would love newsstand SIs, I think I have one or two signed, but they’re not as cheap, either.

We've got the Aaron SI "715" cover autographed in our current auction.

I went to the Music City Collectibles, should be at more than 100 signed SIs now, I believe.

Canseco was on a few covers, but I got this one signed as this is the one of his I like best. He didn't say anything to me, but, wearing a mask, he obliged on my request for an elbow bump.

Then there was Horace Grant. I wanted to get his other cover, the one with MJ on it, too, but when I bought off eBay, there was a ton of fingerprints on MJ and not in good condition. So, I just got this one done. I asked him about the cover if he thinks Orlando could've beat Phoenix in 1995. He told me he wished they did play Phoenix that year, and I asked him if he thought they could've beaten David Robinson, to which he affirmed. He noted how good Shaq was back then, just about how good Hakeem was, also touting Clyde and Kenny Smith.

I was able to add a couple to the Sports Illustrated collection yesterday at the Moeller Show in Cincinnati. Denny McLain has been on the cover four times, always nice to see him, and added my third cover of his yesterday. He had his own table.

I also added Dave Parker, who's been on the cover twice. This is his lone solo SI cover. He also appeared on it with Jim Rice in 1979 after they both won MVP the year before. The poor man was sitting on a walker and didn't look to be doing as well. I hope he's okay.

Working on a side project.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was at the Moeller show as well. I agree with you, Dave Parker is looking really frail these days. Wish I'd known you were there...it would have been nice to meet a fellow Net54 member and signed SI fan! Congrats on the new additions!

Thanks. That would’ve been an honor.

Poor Dave Parker has Parkinson’s. My heart broke seeing him like that.

I added another cover today, getting Jim Sundberg at a show in St. Louis.

I managed to add a couple more to begin the year yesterday at the Night of Memories in Evansville.

I never posted these until now, but a loved one got me these at the Chicago show in March.

I hope to get something signed again later this year, haven’t really done shows too much lately, not have I really found anything worth my while.

The four McLain covers sent me to the database. I had forgotten about the 1993 cover with Gibson. Interesting tidbit. In 2006, I was at a show getting Freehan on his cover. In my opinion one of the cooler looking covers. Freehan takes the magazine and opens up the cover and looks at the first two pages. Puzzled, I asked why he looked inside the cover. "I was not supposed to be on the cover that week. Denny McLain was supposed to be on the cover but due to his troubles he was removed. Some magazines exist with my cover over the McLain cover."

I have never seen the Freehan / McLain variation. Has anyone seen the variation?

Never saw one. But betting there are "many" that will now be on the hunt.

That would drive me me nuts. I’ve seen no such photos or never have been known for such a cover version to exist. I just Googled the Freehan cover and didn’t see it. It must be worth something. I wonder what McLain would think if someone got him to sign.

The Gibson cover is the only McLain cover I’m missing from my signed collection.

I doubt McClain would even care. McClain was at a show and I was getting all four of his covers signed. Given that the player has to the right to reject any item, I questioned whether he would sign one of the covers. I placed the covers with Kaline and Gibson on top with "Baseball's Big Scandal" on the bottom. When he got to the scandal magazine, I said "Sorry, I collect SI Covers", without missing a beat McClain said "No problem, they will write anything to sell magazines." No lie. I went home and read up on McClain's woes. Interesting story. I think McClain would sign his mugshot without blinking an eye.

If the variation is out there, (I hate to use the word) but it would be a rare one.

Here's my copy of the Gibson/McLain signed SI. I got Gibby at the Tuff Stuff show in 1999 and Denny in 2007 at a store in Chesapeake, VA. I had not asked Denny to add his record to his signature, but he did anyway with a line under it, as if to say "Gibson wasn't the only one to have a great year in 1968."

I'll try to get some more uploaded as I've got about 250 signed SIs, including some tough Steeler covers.

I am sure that as long as he was getting paid for it, he wouldn't care.

Obviously, I can’t get Gibson now because he’s passed on, but can still get McLain on the 1993 cover. He signed his other three covers at shows without problem for me. The scandal cover from 1970 is one of my favorites in my entire collection.

250 signed SIs? Man, I’ve gotten more of 100 of them, most coming since 2019 and I’d have love to get every one I possibly can.

As a rule, I don't get covers signed that I can't complete. It would just bother me. I have the 7/5/2010 cover signed by Johnson and Jiminez. Should have could have, wish I would have taken the mail order option at one of Halladay's last shows, but I figure he would be around again and again. Nope. Now, I have a magazine that is 2/3 signed forever. I am at 233** signed covers (baseball only) and it is getting harder to add covers to the collection. If I can manage to get there, I might stop at 250. In years past SI would have 10-12 baseball covers a year, thus far in 2023, just two covers. Plus the players on the covers now usually cost well over $100 a signature. No way, I add Big Papi to the cover collection at $200+ a throw. The days of seeing players like a Andy Etchebarren, Frank Lary or Johnny Callison grace the cover of SI are long gone.

** not completely true, of the 233, one cover is signed by Brandi Chastain and another by Jennie Finch. Hey, I am human. Both are cool covers and Jennie is holding a bat.

You get a pass for those two.

Something a little different is this SI advertising poster based off their April '88 cover with Bill Ripken....I had Bill sign/date it many years ago & it now hangs in my office:

https://i.imgur.com/fnF2eAY.jpg

The cool thing is that I had got two of these posters from SI's ad agency & I gave the other one to a friend who is a pastor, who got his framed as well and hangs in his office to this day.

Nice poster! I have the magazine signed. Billy has always been a good guest. He signs the magazine and the handler asks "if I want the item authenticated." "I respond, "no thank you" and Billy replies "He knows how much my signature is worth." lol

I have never seen the poster. Was the poster only available through SI?

Yes, I got mine from someone who worked for their ad agency

I feel like I look at it differently. Sure, I would like to complete a cover, but any cover with a signature counts for me as being signed.

I really want that Billy Ripken cover. Where did you get yours?

I do have a rule, however, if a player is on a solo cover or is on a cover with others, I’ll get the solo cover first, that takes top priority. This goes for all sports, such as me getting McLain’s solo covers first, getting Dave Parker’s, Graig Nettles’ and George Foster’s solo covers first, too.

So, when I graphed a signing in Evansville in January, I passed on McLain for his fourth cover, Darrell Evans for his shared cover with Greg Gagne, Foster’s shared cover with Rod Carew and also Nettles’ shared cover with Goose Gossage in favor of Nettles’ solo cover, his 1987 Topps and Foster’s solo cover.

I got Ron Blomberg on his cover from 1973. I can’t complete it because Bobby Murcer is deceased, but I count it.

I like the Murcer and Bloomberg cover. Murcer died before I would have attempted completing that cover. I would have wanted to get Murcer first. I will try to complete multiple-player covers if I can get the harder players first (ex. 1968 - Bench the rookies cover). Did TTM on three of the five signatures. Tracked down Cisco Carlos (owns tile/furniture place out west). Don Pepper is a regional manager for Bob Evans restaurants. Tracked him from NC/SC to some place up north. Alan Foster just sent to his home address. A collecting friend got Torrez for me and I got Bench. Tough cover to get all 5, but it can be done! Nettles solo cover is okay, but the cover with Goose is pretty slick (have both).

I would have to check my database on the exact date but MAB Celebrity out of NJ used to promote a ton of shows. MAB used to do theme shows which were great. If memory serves, Billy was a guest at one of the MAB shows in Maryland. If Billy appears in the area and I attend the show, I would be happy to get the cover signed for you.

March 8, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland at the MAB - Ironclad Authentics Signature Showcase show. I got signatures from Billy Ripken, Tony Perez, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson and Ernie Banks at the show. Billy the only signature on a cover, the rest of the signatures were on Perez-Steele postcards.