Why Autographs?

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . but a way to connect with history.


I use to collect coins, and loved both the artistic value of the items, and especially the thrill of the hunt/elation from the success. But owning a rare Lincoln cent didn't bring me any closer to having personal contact with the man.

And when I switched to collecting vintage baseball cards, the same rang true.

But collecting autographs added another dimension; a sense of personal contact. The acceptance that an autograph and the medium it was signed on were handled by that particular individual. And as remote as that contact is, I do feel some sense of a personal contact with that individual. And with that contact, a better appreciation for the history of the gam. Maybe that is why some folks are drawn head-over-heel to the manufactured modern cards that contain a sliver of bat or uniform. To them, it's more than just a sportscard portraying Cobb or Ruth; it's actually a piece of something the man personally held or wore. And by holding that card, you were touching greatness. You were indirectly touching something that few people today enjoy; baseball greatness from decades past. Or in the case of the obscure ballplayer; that his name and the game he played lives on, even if only through my collection. For me, it was hearing about the death of Detroit Tigers pitcher Johnny Gorsica. For whatever reason, I was struck with the realization that everyday we were losing the ballplayers from the era of vintage baseball I love and cherish. And that some day, they would all be gone. And that sparked an interest in me to collect not only the living examples, but those who had played the game, and gone on to greener fields.


My apologies for rambling on. As I typed, I was grasping for the right words, to explain accurately how I feel. Not sure if I did that above, but the attempt was honest.