Post pictures of the most illegible baseball autographs from 1990 and earlier

MooseDog · #1 09-14-2012, 06:47 AM

I wish I still had it, but I got Sandberg on a 3x5 in spring training in 1982 and you could read every letter.

Ejm1 · #2 09-14-2012, 09:05 AM

I paid at a tri-star show about 8 years ago to meet him and get his auto. It looks just like the ball in post #1, I like him but maybe since your being paid give a little more effort.

isaac2004 · #3 09-14-2012, 09:51 AM

Some people might hate me for saying this, but Willie Mays autograph always bothered me. If you didn't know what it looked like, you would have no idea who it was. Just my 2 cents

benderbroeth · #4 09-14-2012, 02:08 PM

yeah willie mays needs help lol

packs · #5 09-14-2012, 02:38 PM

Here are some beauties.

First we have good old Joel Zumaya. Remember him?

Next is the illustrious JD Drew. A real artiste.

Last, my personal favorite. Here is Manny Ramirez.

Bonus Greg Maddux. For all the grace he showed on the mound none of it translated to his handwriting. Looks like Terry Terry to me.

isaac2004 · #6 09-14-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

Here are some beauties.

First we have good old Joel Zumaya. Remember him?

Next is the illustrious JD Drew. A real artiste.

Last, my personal favorite. Here is Manny Ramirez.

Bonus Greg Maddux. For all the grace he showed on the mound none of it translated to his handwriting. Looks like Terry Terry to me.

After 1990 fail.. read the rules

packs · #7 09-14-2012, 02:42 PM

Ah! Well Greg still counts.

whitehse · #8 09-14-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseDog

I wish I still had it, but I got Sandberg on a 3x5 in spring training in 1982 and you could read every letter.

The early Sandberg autos differ so much from what he is signing now it is almost hard to tell it is the same guy signing. Even his "relaxed" signature looks like a rushed version. As you said, his early sig you could read every letter.

As a side note, if you see an early Sandberg you might want to be wary as a few of the marketing guys for the Cubs at that time (1982 to 88 or so) were very adept at signing Sandberg's name. I saw them with my own eyes signing 8 X 10's and baseballs to give to clients and others. Their versions of a Sandberg sig were dead on to my untrained eye at that time.

frankbmd · #9 09-14-2012, 05:29 PM

Hint.......born in Cuba

TyrusRCobb · #10 09-14-2012, 07:16 PM

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

Scott Garner · #11 09-14-2012, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyrusRCobb

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

If it's a no-hit pitcher, I still collect it even though the modern guys ain't pretty...

chaddurbin · #12 09-14-2012, 08:13 PM

i like sandberg's modern sig because he's able to replicate it every time, so it's not chicken scratch. the worst gotta be ichiro, it's different every time and it looks like crap.

MooseDog · #13 09-14-2012, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyrusRCobb

Have any of you stayed away from certain players because their autographs were so illegible? Or is it the case that the legibility isn't an issue as a player's auto is a player's auto?

Personally I all but stopped picking up new autographs after about 1995 as the scribbles are a joke. If the A's end up moving I'll probably do my long put off "A's in Oakland" autograph project and have to bite the bullet, I guess.

Jay Wolt · #14 09-14-2012, 10:33 PM

I know this is modern, but I saw this the other day, and if it wasn't on the player's card.
You would have no idea who the signature is of.

mcgwirecom · #15 09-15-2012, 08:10 PM

I knew Manny's signature had gotten pretty bad, but early on it was decent. So I try to grab the early ones.

mschwade · #16 09-18-2012, 07:16 AM

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

TyrusRCobb · #17 09-18-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

I haven't a clue but I like the looks of it.

Scott Garner · #18 09-18-2012, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

Wow! This is another "unusual" one. Is it written in Swahili?

GasHouseGang · #19 09-18-2012, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

I like this one... any guesses first as to who it is (IF YOU KNOW WHO IT IS, PLEASE DON'T ANSWER)

Looks like it has some Picasso in there at the end.

mschwade · #20 09-18-2012, 12:09 PM

That is an in-person autograph from over the weekend that my buddy got at Yankee Stadium from Tampa Bay Rays 1B/DH Carlos Pena.

scmavl · #21 09-18-2012, 02:06 PM

Since this has kind of gotten off topic, here is a modern Torii Hunter card. He's one of the few that actually signs his name nowadays.

HOF Auto Rookies · #22 09-18-2012, 02:52 PM

Cuddy (Michael Cuddyer) has a great one too. Killebrew yelled at him early, along with Hunter, to sign your name so people can read it, now they have gorgeous signatures.

Scott Garner · #23 09-18-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

That is an in-person autograph from over the weekend that my buddy got at Yankee Stadium from Tampa Bay Rays 1B/DH Carlos Pena.

I never would have guessed....

Mr. Zipper · #24 09-18-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

That is an in-person autograph from over the weekend that my buddy got at Yankee Stadium from Tampa Bay Rays 1B/DH Carlos Pena.

Not legible as a name, but this could be the most artistic autograph I have ever seen. Really cool. I want one now!

It must take him 30 seconds to draw that.

HRBAKER · #25 09-19-2012, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschwade

That is an in-person autograph from over the weekend that my buddy got at Yankee Stadium from Tampa Bay Rays 1B/DH Carlos Pena.

He can't hit or write.

Some of the newer players take their time but their "work" bears little resemblance to their name. Another example.

william_9 · #26 09-21-2012, 04:13 PM

I was just browsing through a thread about a Manny Ramirez item and I felt this was a better place to post a minor observation.

While I agree that there are definitely examples of pre-1990 scribbles, mostly executed by guys who I'm sure had rough handwriting to begin with, the vast majority seem legible. On the flip side, I'm constantly amazed at how much worse it continues to get year after year. Especially over the last 10-15 years. One thing that always makes me laugh is that although Joe Jackson was illiterate, when necessary, he would still sign his name with a dignified effort. Granted it probably took some time to execute, but he managed to actually write his name. Manny Ramirez may be illiterate, he may be a genius, who the hell knows, but he's never signed his name the same way twice. With his carefree style, he doesn't even draw the same letters or shapes each time.

Beyond the scribbles, my favorite part of modern autographs are the inscriptions. There, you get a perfectly clear view of the disproportionate amount of time spent "perfecting" one's mark, versus actually learning to write with their hands. Scribble loop for a signature followed by grade school level, block printed d'nealian inscription. It's beyond embarrassing.

That's all. Moving on.