Nolan Ryan Authentic Success!!!

[milbfan]

It appears that you are rather experienced at purchasing autographs from e-bay etc. You may have also seem to have built a relationship with those that you purchase from on a regular basis. I am also going to assume that you have a good idea what a fake autograph looks like.

What I am implying is that it is all about trust and knowing who to trust.

You are correct about doubting that any autographs ttm are real, but for less than $3 in postage and cards for most of the free autographs I don't think about the autograph being real. I can't spend the time doing this in person any more, so I take what I can get. I also have sold my stuff to get more product to get signed.

I also can care less personally what is done with the money, I just know how much time I have spent at minor league ballparks, all-star games, spring training and baking in the sun on the 12th tee at the golf course in Cooperstown . There is also the time spent traveling to minor league baseball games, sorting cards, keeping track of the rosters for the International league, the Eastern league and the NY Penn league . Autograph collecting in person was a great hobby when gas was cheap and I was single. So I agree, stop whining about what a person is charging.

[Eddie08]

i mean, the old man was great, lets face it. we'll see up and coming stars bypass what hes accomplished, but for his time he was the man.

Just a note about that statement, Nolan had 5714 strikeouts. With pitchers now, it is an accomplishment to get 200 k's/year. At the average of 200 per year, a pitcher would have to pitch into his 29th season to tie him. And that's if a pitcher can actually average 200 per year...not likely at all. Plus the 7 no hitters and 12 one hitters. It's a shame the teams he played on weren't so great. He would have been pushing 400 wins with the stuff he threw. I feel Nolan is the last great pitcher from an era when pitchers were pitchers and well worth the $90 I sent to him to get a photo and hall of fame postcard signed. But, to each their own I guess.

[mgiese84]

Thanks for all the comments! My opinion is I didn't feel $55 was too bad for one of the best pitchers, and one of my all-time favorite's, autograph. I know I could have gone to eBay but for me half the fun in collecting is the thrill of getting back the item you sent and it actually be autographed.