not exactly pre-war, but can someone explain why Mike Witt auto's are so expensive?

[mcgwirecom]

Mike Witt is one of the Prefect Game Pitchers Club. Sometimes players will increase their prices knowing that everyone needs them for their Perfect Game ball or ticket or collection. I have done two different Perfect Game balls. I think both times I was able to get Mike several years back. I don't think I paid too much for him. But I remember trying to get Kenny Rogers. The first time was tough. He didn't do signings and when he did I think he charged over $100. On the second ball I was able to send it to a YMCA signing in Georgia and the guy running it promised to get it signed for me for $25. I was pretty happy. But when I got it back Kenny had signed upside down compared to others on the panel he signed. I feel he did it on purpouse. I have noticed that once a guy throws a Perfect Game his price immediately goes up. At least for that first signing after the event.

[Vintagedegu]

-

[Exhibitman]

I think we will see more and more difficult guys in the future.

1. The money from a career is so good that many of them have no need to pimp themselves out to make a living. A lot of the old time players made only a decent wage and had to generate income, a void that card shows filled nicely.

2. The degree of insulation that a ballplayer has from every day life as a result of the money and the way they travel and train means that the younger ones never develop a taste or respect for fan interactions. Players increasingly live and operate completely removed from fans. If they don't find fan interaction--ballpark encounters, spring training meetings, public relations appearances, fan mail responses--to be part of their job good luck convincing them to do something for fans after they retire.

3. The fact that we care indirectly creates its own disincentive to signing. I can appreciate that some people find the whole money-autograph-marketing thing to be distasteful and don't want to participate in it (at least until the money is too good to pass up or the cause is so good that they feel bad saying no).

[whitey19thcentury]

Originally Posted by Vintagedegu

John Denny is somewhat Vukovichish, been doing the occasional signing lately however.

Sammy Stewart and the Reds' Frank Williams fell into that 'vanished into nothingness' category. I think Williams is dead now. Believe Cameron or one of those guys hunted Sammy down.

Didn't realize Witt was so tough anymore. Got a Gateway cover of him a few years back as an afterthought.

Denny has become a better signer over the past several years. I remember when I really narrowed down my interest to autographs in between my freshman and soph. years of college. I purchased a huge in-person 3x5, card, photo, etc. collection from an area man who got sigs at ballparks and spring training games. It was 1998, so eBay was in its infancy. I sold off all of the "name" players/HOFers, then I figured "what the heck!" and started listing "common" 3x5s. I think I got like 60 bucks for a Denny 3x5. That really started me in researching obscure guys, and now, 13 years later, I specialize in obscure deceased, Latin, and living players.

On a side note, the guy whose collection I purchased had a 3x5 signed by Alberto Lois, arguably the toughest sig among the 1979 Pirates team. I sold his 3x5 for $55 or so on eBay in '98. Fast forward half a decade later, and I was fortunate enough to buy quite a few lots from the MacAllister collection. Among one of the 3x5 lots I bought was no less than 30 Lois 3x5s! The last one I sold on eBay went for $5. So, yes, I saturated the market on those!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by whitey19thcentury

On a side note, the guy whose collection I purchased had a 3x5 signed by Alberto Lois, arguably the toughest sig among the 1979 Pirates team. I sold his 3x5 for $55 or so on eBay in '98. Fast forward half a decade later, and I was fortunate enough to buy quite a few lots from the MacAllister collection. Among one of the 3x5 lots I bought was no less than 30 Lois 3x5s! The last one I sold on eBay went for $5. So, yes, I saturated the market on those!

I didn't realize there were so many Lois 3X5s in that lot, but that's McAllister for you! Actually, a collector/dealer we know did two signings with Lois in the early 2000's. 3X5s (as well as Topps cards and a ball or two) were signed.

Lois' story is an interesting one. In 1980, Lois' car was hit by a train while he was under the influence. He ended up losing both an eye and his career as a result. He now lives in a two-room, dirt-floored shack with his wife and a multitude of offspring.

[whitey19thcentury]

Jodi, I am being conservative on the amount of Lois 3x5s that were in that lot. I sold many, kept one for my collection, and traded a few.

I did hear about the signing, and I assume most of the Lois sigs that pop up are from that signing or 3x5 from MacAllister.

I heard his story, and it is an intriguing one as he was a highly-regarded prospect, but that wreck cost him his career, obviously. Doesn't he have like 17 kids?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

...and eight and a half bunk beds, I'm told.

[the-illini]

I am working on a signed 1984 Topps set, and there is one card from that set that makes Mike Witt seem like a piece of cake: Byron Mclaughlin.

Mclaughlin pitched from 1977-83 and was included in the 84 Topps set. Turns out he was something of a shady fellow and he disappeared from the country after serving time for a felony counterfeiting charge, not too long after the 1984 Topps set was issued. I have seen one 84 Topps card signed by him sell for over $500 bucks - truly the T206 Wagner of the signed 1984 Topps set (if not as popular!)

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by JBirkholm

He now lives in a two-room, dirt-floored shack with his wife and a multitude of offspring.

AKA children.

[Orioles1954]

A little off th beaten path, but does anyone know of any signed 1954 Topps Howie Fox cards?

[Topps206]

Vuckovich is doing a show in April starting at $45.00.