Let's see things that you have received from former and current major leaguers!

[Scott Garner]

I've wanted to suggest this thread for a while now.
I have been an advanced Nolan Ryan collector for over 40 years. In 1997 I was contacted by the curator of The Nolan Ryan Center (Ryan museum) that was to open up in 1998 (it actually ended up opening in 1999).

I was asked to loan my Nolan Ryan milestone ticket collection to the museum for a display that they had planned. I actually was able to collaborate and help design the display. All in all I donated/ loaned 87 different items to The Ryan Center. Items that I loaned included the Ryan milestone tickets, early Angels Ryan audio recordings that were incorporated into their main theater presentation, game used dugout lineup cards to key Ryan games in Anaheim, etc.

Many of the tickets I was able to eventually find duplicates to, so many of the loans ended up becoming donations over the 3-4 years that they were on display. When I eventually asked for the return of some of my collection, I received an unbelieveable surprise when I opened up the Fedex box.

Nolan had personally inscribed a replica Rangers jersey to me thanking me for loaning my collection to The Ryan Center.

Additionally, I was sent an extremely limited 16" bronze casted Nolan Ryan statue that was created by artist Toby Mendez in 1997. It's a miniature of the one the he created and is on display at the Texas Rangers stadium, The Ballpark at Arlington. The statue depicts Nolan tipping his hat after striking out HOF Rickey Henderson for his career 5,000th strikeout on 8/22/89. BTW, Antonio Tobias Mendez has recently created several statues of HOF Orioles Cal Ripken, Jr., Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer and Earl Weaver RIP that passed away yesterday. Mendez is one terrific artist!

Needless to say, I was OVERWHELMED!
Nolan Ryan is one classy guy!!