General Forum

Wondering how many of our members out there do TTM autographs on a regular basis? Or how many might be interested in trying? I'm not an expert but I've been doing it for over 10 years now, and have over 300 TTM successes to my name. I don't want to clutter up a forum, but I've been thinking about doing some sort of email chain where we can post successes, addresses and more to each other at some point. If there's any interest (or you want to learn more about TTM autographs), shoot me a DM and we can hash this out!

Guess it's just late Friday night thoughts speaking 

Sorry, I prefer mine to be obtained in person. I've read way too many stories about TTM autos and who's auto it might actually be.

Besides, I have great stories behind most of my autographed cards. :)

I've sent two in my life, one was returned, Stanton Barrett, and one was not, Rik Smits.

I have been thinking about maybe trying just one more, so it isn't tied at 1-1, but I have not. if I do ever send another, it would be to somebody who does not have any pack-issued autograph cards. It would probably be in the world of NASCAR, because I have a few (tenuous) connections. Or maybe I should try a hockey one to cover all three of my main sports...or maybe a comic writer...

I like in person when I can get them. One of my favorites was at a South Bend SilverHawks (Midwest League - A Ball; now the South Bend Cubs) game as a kid - the only player to stop and sign for us was this new draft pick, a guy named Justin Upton.

However, I do most of mine through the mail - usually focusing on the semi-stars and commons, as well as retired legends. It's fun and not too expensive. I have a handful of fun TTM stories too that eventually I'd like to get into on my blog or another platform.

Billy - I remember reading your blog posts detailing your TTMs. I wish you had more success. I had some luck with NASCAR drivers Bobby Labonte, Casey Mears, and Brian Vickers, and a handful of basketball and hockey guys. I've found that many hockey players are willing and great signers. The key for me is finding US addresses; I haven't yet mastered postage for Canadian or European requests!

I can't say as I am a regularly attempt TTM autographs, but I have done some over the past 9-10 months.  In that time, I sent out 17 mailings and have got 15 back.  2 have yet to be returned. 1 of the 15 cameback with no autograph.  So, I guess to date 14 out of 17 successes.  I will also admit I cherry picked the Brewers I sent them to in that I looked at their rate of likely return from other folks who send out TTM and chose players with higher rates of success.  

300 returns is pretty impressive - nice work!  Just getting these returned from players which had a higher success rate was fun and enjoyable but certainly took some time and some expense involved as well.  

Not to promote other websites here, but I have been using www.sportscollectors.net for TTM information and trading with folks, logging success, and buying a few TTM autos here and there along with private signings for baseball cards.

Some of my Brewers returns can be seen here:

http://www.sportscollectors.net/PhotoGallery.aspx?un=ntlwhlr

What process have you been using for your TTM's?  I have been putting together a short handwritten paragraph with a kind request for an autograph or two and a couple extra cards I have for that player in a mailing.  Of course, I put a SASE in there as well along with a few index cards for support of the cards in the envelope.  Some players have also signed the index cards as an additional bonus.

I'd be in on joining something such as that here as well.

Most of my work comes from players who have a good success rate - I use current addresses whenever I can find them, based off of other successes. Most of my information comes from sportscardforum.com. Their TTM manger is what I've been using for a few years.

Your process sounds much like mine. I ask politely for a signature on a card for myself, one for my dad (he gets a kick out of it too) and I include at least one other card for the athlete to keep for themselves. My note includes a few details about me, a note about their career (I try and pick players that I remember watching play or who have a moment significant to the sports world), and a request for signature. 

Sports Collectors is a new site to me; I'm not familiar with it and will have to check it out!

I daily send out request to the players that I collect. I keep track of who I send to and the successes on my website at http://boninsbriefs.com/category/bb-blog/autograph-request-received-through-mail/. I have a gallery of what I have received at http://boninsbriefs.com/autographs-received-through-mail-2015/

Pat Neshek of the Phillies just tweeted a few days ago that he would do it for his new Living Set card.  I'm gonna give it a try.

Neshek is a well-known autograph and card collector himself. He always signs for his fans; I got him last year when I finally picked up one of his 2017 Topps singles. Good luck; I would expect that one back!