Do players still do TTM's anymore?

[Blackie]

I used to have quite a bit of fun writing to my favorite players from different sports and some would sign and write back and a few would even write a personal note or letter. I want to get back to those days and was wondering if there is a site or forum that has Through the mail etc. Thank you all in advance.

Gunny

[theshleps]

sportscollectors.net tells peoples responses to writing folks. Fee to join

[Blackie]

Ok thank you so much.

[mr2686]

As said, Sportscollectors.net is a great site where you can get info, addresses, etc. Also, once a member, you have access to private signing info. Just used that to send in a football card for Earl Campbell.

[egri]

I've noticed players seem to become better signers once they retire. Not everybody, and a lot go from being 'not at all' to 'hit or miss', but it happens. Sportscardforum.com is another source for addresses I've used in the past.

[Blackie]

Thank you Scott and Mike. I am going to begin my journey again with this. I did really enjoy it a lot. Would love to reach out to a few players. I especially love talking with Players that also served in the military.

[scmavl]

About 6-7 years ago, I started sending cards at the beginning of Spring Training to a handful of players. Most years I'd get a couple of returns. But the last two years ('18-19) I got nothing back. I haven't sent any since then.

[Case12]

Earlier this year, using sportscard.forum I sent ball to Ryne Sandberg. Got it back in 1 week with HOF inscription. Also sent a ball and got same timing for Andre Dawson. I suspect many were bored during COVID?

[canjond]

Somewhat related to the above, I am a huge professional cycling fan. I have a set of cards from 1996 that featured 235 of the greatest cyclists of that time in it. Today, about 227 of the 235 cyclists are still living (the vast majority are in Europe of course). As a COVID project, I embarked on trying to track down as many of them as possible to ask them to sign their cards. I m 18 months in, and I've found and received back about 145 of the cyclist. It's been a ton of work (especially because I'm trying to research addresses in foreign countries and then using google translate to translate correspondence), but a ton of fun.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by canjond

Somewhat related to the above, I am a huge professional cycling fan. I have a set of cards from 1996 that featured 235 of the greatest cyclists of that time in it. Today, about 227 of the 235 cyclists are still living (the vast majority are in Europe of course). As a COVID project, I embarked on trying to track down as many of them as possible to ask them to sign their cards. I m 18 months in, and I've found and received back about 145 of the cyclist. It's been a ton of work (especially because I'm trying to research addresses in foreign countries and then using google translate to translate correspondence), but a ton of fun.

You could try contacting Brett Horton. He has a huge collection, and knows many of the old riders. I'm not sure if he'd help as he has a business selling cycling memorabilia, but when i saw him speak at an event he seemed pretty cool.

https://www.hortoncollection.com/

Another angle might be joining the classicrendezvous google group. It's more focused on the bikes, but there are lots of members worldwide.

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/

A couple facebook groups I'm on also have some of the 80's-90's riders as members.
Yesterdays Velodromes
The UCIs Bandit Bikes.

[canjond]

Thanks Steve. I'm lucky enough to be friends with a few current and former pros who have helped immensely in tracking down the others so far.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

It seems more and more are charging TTM because of people selling signed items on Ebay. You can get Jim Palmer and Brooks Robinson cards signed at $10 at their home address. Fingers-$15. Marichal was $10 but I think he wants $20 now.

[Blackie]

Thanks guys. I am writing to a few players I enjoyed watching play. Going to give this a try.

[David W]

There are websites that track responses TTM. A friend of mine pays five dollars a month for an autograph website that has sports, entertainment and many others.
I just got 3 cards back in less than a week signed by Richard Petty

He sends 2-3 requests out per day and has thousands of auto cards

[Topps206]

I'm proud to say I'll be sending out seven requests to former players real soon. I'll be sending out cards from the 1980s and early 1990s. I used to get hundreds each year. I'm probably at around 50 or so this year, and probably exceeded 100 last year.

[sreader3]

sportscardforum.com has a nice TTM forum including posts about recent successes.

I have received TTMs from over 600 former and current players over the last four years—about 1800 cards in all. I paid signing fees to a few players but my main cost was stamps.

TTMs really reignited my collecting spark—nothing more fun for me than opening the mailbox and finding an SASE that I know has signed cards from some pro who I had written to weeks or months or years prior.