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Originally Posted by Klrdds
Congratulations . This is one of the most unique ideas to collect that I have ever seen . Keep us posted when you get Tino !
Just curious which players have signed the bats ? Also has anyone refused to sign a bat or given you a hard time about doing it ?
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Hi Kevin,
My Ryan milestone bat rack currently has:
Sal Bando- Ryan's 1,000th K
Rich Reese- Ryan's 383rd K in 1973- MLB single season K record
Ron LeFlore- Ryan's 2,000th K
Cesar Geronimo- Ryan's 3,000th K
Tim Blackwell- Ryan's 3508th K (Ties WaJo for all-time lead)
Brad Mills- Ryan's 3509th K (Sets new MLB standard for career K's)
Danny Heep- Ryan's 4,000th K
Mike Aldrete- Ryan's 4,500th K
Rickey Henderson- Ryan's 5,000th K (I chose not to have an inscription added to this one- HOF Henderson with a terrific vintage signature)
Greg Myers- Nolan Ryan's 5,714th K - last career strikeout
Believe it or not, I have not had a player refuse to sign and inscribe their bat yet.
Some of these autographs I received by simply chasing guys down during their active careers (or post-career in baseball) and simply ask by asking via a phone call or letter.
One was a arranged meeting at their hotel in DET. Another was an arranged meeting outside of Comerica Park in DET.
The best story that I have to share involved a former player that I sent a letter to. We actually exchanged two fairly long letters that included an invitation to play golf, but a recently replaced knee by the former player eliminated that as a possibility. Instead he agreed to meet me in a Walgreens parking lot near their home in AZ and signed about 11 items for me including his game used bat on the hood of his Corvette while yacking about sports and his career post-baseball. Absolutely one of my favorite stories...
I also have an extensive collection of Nolan Ryan's milestone catchers game used bats, all of which are now signed and inscribed.
