Cool Inscriptions

[egri]

Originally Posted by almostdone

Back when. Sent requests TTM I always sent a letter and asked a few questions. Some answered but some didn't. I would send the card without a protector but would include an index card to help keep the envelope from bending too much. Some players would sign the card, answer the questions and sign the index card.
One player (can't recall at the moment) sign the card, answered me questions, and filled out the index card with every team he played and coached for in his career then added across the bottom "You want my DNA too?" Mind you I didn't ask for this. He did it on his own account.
Another one was I had sent a ball to Whitey Ford to sign along with a donation. A kid that worked for me wanted his autograph as well on an index card but wanted it inscribed to him. He included a donation as well and I sent them both together requesting the two autographs.
I got the ball back signed as requested but the index card was sent back blank. I felt awful for the kid but told him it was the rusk of doing this. I decided to step in and help. I sent another request to Ford with the index card explaining the situation hoping he would he me out. I said if he could just sign the card and address is it "To Eli". I stuck in all the cash I had on me at the time to see if it would help. It didn't. I got back the index card and it reads "To Drew. Whitey Ford. PS Next time send more than 5 bucks"
I cut the signature and gave it to the kid. I still have the rest.
Drew

A few weeks ago, I sent off my 1953 Topps to Ford for my project. He returned my card, signed, with a note wrapped around it. I figured it was from him, so I looked at the signature at the bottom. It turned out it wasn't from Ford; it was a note a fan had written to him that had gotten mixed in with my request. I started reading it, and the first or second line was "I am a 61 year old baseball fan currently in prison for my past behavior", and went on at some length about how as a "positive hobby" the guy was collecting autographs. There's a part of me that would like to know what Ford's response was, and an even larger part that is glad I don't put my address or anything personal besides my name in my letters, in case this guy wound up with my letter.