My Longest Hobby Project - 62 years and counting

[frankbmd]

My Longest Hobby Project has taken 62 years and I am still not finished. Don Larsen's 1956 World Series Perfect Game 5 occurred in October of 1956. As a single digit kid (9 y/o), I began to collect autographs in March of 1957.



The Philadelphia Phillies spring training games were played in Jack Russell Stadium about half a mile from my elementary school. With bike, book and ballpoint pen I would go to the stadium after school. That spring I accumulated roughly 120 autographs of major league players and prospects. Both the Dodgers and the Yankees played a game in Clearwater that spring. Some of the autographs are a little shaky and they are not well spaced, but they are authentic.



Gil McDougald is clearly not a ten, but it is better than Ralph Terry below it, and



Sal Maglie's work encountered a near fatal foreign substance.

Over 30 years later in California I was in a card shop when a fellow walked in with a ticket stub that he sold to the owner for $30. Always up for a quick flip the owner sold it to me for $50 before the door to the shop was closed from the previous owner leaving.



The ticket was not signed when I bought it, but finding Larsen at the National in Anaheim was not too difficult and later Berra was obtained through the mail.

Over 40 years later I visited my parents at their condo in Pinellas County. My mother clearly remembered tossing my card collection during a move, but the condo had a storage locker and they weren't getting younger. I got the key and went down to explore the locker. The contents smelled a bit and consisted largely of uninteresting items, hardly worthy of being saved. My 56 Topps cards were gone along with the others from the late 50s, but just before quitting the search in the last box, lo and behold, my Autograph Book appeared. It was worth the effort.

Particularly when I started to flip through the pages



The Dodgers were not the friendliest team after the spring training game (they must have lost to the Phillies), but my autograph book ended up on their team bus for so long I thought the bus would leave with it, when they left for Vero Beach. The book was returned though just before they pulled out. This was in the spring of 57, less than 12 months before the tragic accident involving Campanella.

Mickey Mantle didn't make the trip to Clearwater with the Yankees, who often played two games in a day with an A team and a B team, but I did recognize this fellow when he left the clubhouse.



Only recently did I spring for a Mantle autographed book.



It occurred to me then that combining the ticket, the boxscore & the autographs would make an interesting project, The Perfect Game Ticket and Autograph Collection, but how many did I need.

Nine Yankees and Casey made 10 in the perfect game and I now have 9, lacking only Billy Martin.

I'm not as close on the Dodger side, having only Furillo & Snider in addition to Sal, Roy and Walt.





Gilliam is on the way to make 6. The dodgers 27th out was a pinch hitter, so 11 Dodgers would be needed.

To complete the project I would still need Amoros, Reese, Hodges, Robinson & Dale Mitchell the PH, in addition to Martin.

I haven't shown all that i have, but as I acquire the last 6, I will utimately post the rest. I don't have 62 more years to finish, so I better pick up the pace.

[JollyElm]

Great stuff!!!!

[h2oya311]

Great write-up, Frank! The biggest take-away...you aren’t as old as we all thought.

[Throttlesteer]

Love it! Very inspiring for collectors. Keep at it!

[Leon]

Nicely done!! Good luck with the rest of them.

[LuckyLarry]

Just great Frank!

[Bigdaddy]

Great story Frank, thanks for sharing.

Don't know if you saw this or not, but there is a member on the autograph thread that is selling a large collection on ebay and it has a ton of Billy Martin stuff, signed and unsigned.

Thread is here

[71buc]

Fun read thanks for sharing!

[mrvster]

that really fun read

[KingFisk]

Thank you for sharing. Just wonderful.

[sreader3]

Simply awesome, Dr. Frank.

Thanks for sharing this great story from your youth.

Mr. Larsen is still going strong!

[mantlefan]

Terrific Doc! Go get them!

Don Larsen is still alive. I spoke to him last week.

Actually, he is the only man still alive who played in that magnificent game 10/8/56! (Whitey Ford is alive but he did not enter the game).

That's kind of odd, but Don always says he was very, very lucky that day....and his luck continues

[egri]

That was a great read Frank; thanks for sharing! Good luck with the others.

[HercDriver]

Great stuff, Frank!! I used to have tons of autographs that I sent away for, or picked up in Wrigley Field as a kid. But they went with my vinyl collection, somewhere, long ago. I wish I could find that magical box like you did!

Take Care,
Geno

[clydepepper]

Amazing 'stick-to-it-tive-ness' Frank!

I think you'll get it done!

[AGuinness]

Great read, what a fun project. Glad the autograph book survived and best of luck wrapping things up. Looking forward to reading and seeing the finale!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WillowGrove]

Dr. Frank that is just great! I'm really happy for you that this survived and you can relive all the memories with your new project.

[vthobby]

Frank,

Incredible story crossing generations. Love it. I knew I had one of your needs but it just took me 2 hours of sifting through thousands of index cards and VOILA!!!!

My LAST Pee Wee in my 3x5 collection and it is a stunner! I met Pee Wee twice in my short lifetime both times in Cooperstown on the golf course (in the days when you could still do that). He was so gracious when I met him both times. This one was not in person (on those 2 occasions that I met him) but came from a large collection of 100% authentic autos that I bought in the late 1980s.

Frank, I had a wonderful experience on here this week with Johnny (MrVster) and have always had solid dealings with everyone including yourself. I'm honored to call you my friend and always look forward to your posts and your advice. On that note, a $20 bill is not what I am looking for here......please PM me your address (I had it but lost it....oops), and I will send you my last Pee Wee for the low low price of.......FREE my friend. I'm a big believer in karma and would like this beauty to reside in your collection so you will now be down to 5!!! Thanks Frank for always treating me fairly and its payback time buddy!

Peace, Mike

PS Quite frankly, I've always viewed this incredible forum as a place to trade info and knowledge and to help others. Leon has certainly set this site up as a wonderful place to do all of that! Glad to help you Frank if you will accept my gift.

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[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

Frank,

Incredible story crossing generations. Love it. I knew I had one of your needs but it just took me 2 hours of sifting through thousands of index cards and VOILA!!!!

My LAST Pee Wee in my 3x5 collection and it is a stunner! I met Pee Wee twice in my short lifetime both times in Cooperstown on the golf course (in the days when you could still do that). He was so gracious when I met him both times. This one was not in person (on those 2 occasions that I met him) but came from a large collection of 100% authentic autos that I bought in the late 1980s.

Frank, I had a wonderful experience on here this week with Johnny (MrVster) and have always had solid dealings with everyone including yourself. I'm honored to call you my friend and always look forward to your posts and your advice. On that note, a $20 bill is not what I am looking for here......please PM me your address (I had it but lost it....oops), and I will send you my last Pee Wee for the low low price of.......FREE my friend. I'm a big believer in karma and would like this beauty to reside in your collection so you will now be down to 5!!! Thanks Frank for always treating me fairly and its payback time buddy!

Peace, Mike

PS Quite frankly, I've always viewed this incredible forum as a place to trade info and knowledge and to help others. Leon has certainly set this site up as a wonderful place to do all of that! Glad to help you Frank if you will accept my gift.

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My sincere response has been sent via PM, Mike, but I am Frank so

I'm waiting for my Jackie Robinson friend to step forward.

Seriously I do appreciate all the responses so far more than ya'll (as Leon would

say) can imagine. And I write this as I'm listening to a song that is 95 years old,

"It Had To Be You". Appropriate, eh?

[tedzan]

Hey Frank

That is one really great story. Good luck on getting those remaining autographs.


If you do not mind, I'd like to share with you my "Perfect Day" story. I recall it as if it were just yesterday, October 8th 1956, I played "hooky" from school.

At noon, I turned on our Motorola TV and watched that fabulous game. In the top of the 9th inning when Furillo, Campanella, and Dale Mitchell came to bat,
I prayed for Don complete the Perfect game.

55 years later, I met Don Larsen up in Cooperstown. I told him that I played hooky in order to watch him pitch that day. A day which I'll never, ever forget.
We talked about Baseball in the 1950's for about 45 minutes. He was really a fun guy to be with. Actually I mostly listened as he did the most of the talking.











TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Stampsfan]

What a wonderful story, Frank. Your informative and witty posts are enjoyable for all here. Thank you for sharing.

And Mike, what a wonderful gesture. Thank you, and so nice to hear.

[Leon]

A superb gesture from an outstanding member. Kudos!!

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

Frank,

Incredible story crossing generations. Love it. I knew I had one of your needs but it just took me 2 hours of sifting through thousands of index cards and VOILA!!!!

My LAST Pee Wee in my 3x5 collection and it is a stunner! I met Pee Wee twice in my short lifetime both times in Cooperstown on the golf course (in the days when you could still do that). He was so gracious when I met him both times. This one was not in person (on those 2 occasions that I met him) but came from a large collection of 100% authentic autos that I bought in the late 1980s.

Frank, I had a wonderful experience on here this week with Johnny (MrVster) and have always had solid dealings with everyone including yourself. I'm honored to call you my friend and always look forward to your posts and your advice. On that note, a $20 bill is not what I am looking for here......please PM me your address (I had it but lost it....oops), and I will send you my last Pee Wee for the low low price of.......FREE my friend. I'm a big believer in karma and would like this beauty to reside in your collection so you will now be down to 5!!! Thanks Frank for always treating me fairly and its payback time buddy!

Peace, Mike

PS Quite frankly, I've always viewed this incredible forum as a place to trade info and knowledge and to help others. Leon has certainly set this site up as a wonderful place to do all of that! Glad to help you Frank if you will accept my gift.

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[dougscats]

Frank,

You always make me smile.

Thanks.

[rjackson44]

Love frank

[frankbmd]

After posting this thread initially, I was contacted by a forum member who knew and presumably was a friend of Pee Wee Reese. He is older (aren't we all?) and generously offered to send me a Pee Wee Reese autograph without compensation. Almost before I could thank him, he had mailed the card below.



The next morning my friend Mike posted his nearly identical offer in the thread that was well received by me and the forum. Mike said that the 3x5 card he posted was his last Reese auto and he wanted me to have it.

That's the dilemma. I contacted Mike privately and explained the situation. I suggested that he keep his autograph at least until I saw the one coming in the mail. This was in no way a reflection on Mike, his offer or his autograph.

Both parties were very generous and acted independently. I also contacted the first donor and explained the situation to him. Since he corresponded privately, I asked his permission to "out" him and he granted me that privilege. He is not a frequent poster, but obviously a genuine collector willing to help an unknown collector (that's me) and I appreciate both his offer and Mike's equally.

His name is Larry Moe and his screen name is qed2190

I am more than pleased with the autographed card that Larry sent. As a friend of Pee Wee and having passed my own rigid authentication process, I am keeping this card. In my little green book I also have autographs of Erskine and Branca by the way. Mike understands. Larry understands. All is good. (At least until one of the autograph guys says it isn't good.)

I have picked up a few more of the missing autographs since my original post.
The three I lack at this point are Gil Hodges, Billy Martin & Jackie Robinson.

When I finish or die trying, I will post the entire collection either by position in pairs or with a pair of team collages. At this point I do not want to cut up the autograph book so a display place is not in my plans, but it would be nice.

We talk about the bad actors in the hobby a lot. The good guys deserve more recognition and this is my way of offering it.

[vthobby]

Thanks for the update Frank and the kind words from members and Leon. Kudos to you Larry Moe as well! Glad to see the collection down to 3!

Love this forum!

Peace, Mike

[frankbmd]

I know you are holding your breath waiting for an update, so here it is.

I now have 19 of the 21 autos in hand.

#20 Mr. Martin is on the way.

#21 Mr. Robinson may cost three times what I already have in this project, so I may have to settle for 20.

[KCRfan1]

What a great story Doc! I certainly, and perhaps speaking for all, enjoy your insights and posts!