2024 National Free Signer - Joe Charboneau

Joe Charboneau was a free signer at the National back in 2018, so when I saw that he was signing again this year, I had to scramble to find some cards.  I found the above 1981 Topps at one dealer's table.  It turned out great.

I ended up with an extra Charboneau voucher, so I needed to get another card.  I didn't want to pay the one guy I got most of my other free signers cards from another 5 bucks.  So, I struck up a conversation with the Signatures for Soldiers guys and they gave me this 1982 Fleer after I helped them get a couple cards signed during another session with one of the other guys.

Charboneau was really nice, again, and I added two new cards to the autograph album. 

TTM Success - Pete Falcone

Here is a nice TTM success that I got back from Pete Falcone via PastPros.  I had the above 1982 Fleer in my box that seemed like a nice addition to the autograph album.  The card turned out really nicely.

I also got the above 1980 Topps signed.  It also turned out great.

Falcone (b. 1953) played in the majors from 1975 to 1984 for the Giants, Cardinals, Mets and Braves.  He had a record of 70-90 with 865 strike outs and a 4.07 ERA.

I mailed to Falcone on January 4 and got the cards back on January 26, for a 22-day TAT. 

2022 National Signer - Don Money

Yes another signer that I had previously gotten TTM, but was at the National, was Don Money.  I really thought I wouldn't have any of Money's cards left, but I ended up having a lot.  Starting off with this 1982 Fleer that turned out pretty nicely.  Not the best card design in the work, and some pretty bad photography, even for the time, this set still has some charm.  I was glad to get this card signed.

I had several of Money's Topps issues, and these from 1972, 1978, 1979 and 1980 turned out great.  I already had his 1980 in my album, but I am adding this one since the other is signed in ballpoint pen.

Finally, this awesomely airbrushed 1973 Topps turned out pretty great.  His hat is clearly airbrushed, but that adds to the card, in my opinion.

Money was nice, and I was able to get all of my cards signed, even with the 4-card limit.  A guy in front of me in line was nice enough to take two from me to get done and all was well.

TTM Success - Dave Ford

I added another card from my 1991 Orioles Crown set when I got this TTM success back from Dave Ford.  I feel like I have already gotten my $5.00 worth out of the set, so that is always good.  I don't think I will pursue getting the whole thing done, but it is nice when I see someone who signs, and I can add an extra card to the envelope.

I also sent off a 1982 Fleer and a 1981 Topps.  Both look nice, now that they are signed.

Ford (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1978 to 1981 for the Orioles.  He had a career record of 5-6 with a 4.02 ERA and 46 strike outs.

I mailed to Ford on June 18 and got the cards back on June 24, for a 6-day TAT.

TTM Success - Dan Graham

Here is another player who lingered in my TTM box for a while, before I finally got around to mailing to him.  I raided my Orioles box for guys who signed a while back, and kept these Dan Graham cards around.  I honestly got tired of seeing them in the box, so I finally mailed them out, and I was glad that I did.  I didn't have too many of the 1982 Fleer cards in my autograph album, so this was a nice one to get back signed.  The photos on the early Fleer cards are usually out of focus and/or blurry, but this one was ok.  I know the Cal Ripken rc from this set isn't the best, because of the blurry shot from a distance, but for what it is, it isn't too bad of a set.

I got a couple nice Topps cards signed, as well.  Can't go wrong with the backward cap photo on the 1981 Topps.  The action shot on 1982 is pretty nice as well.

Graham (b. 1954) played in the majors from 1979 to 1981 for the Twins and Orioles.  He had 99 hits, 17 home runs and a .240 batting average.

I mailed to Graham on November 16 and got the cards back on April 20, for a 155-day TAT.

TTM Success - Floyd Bannister

I added some 1980s cards to the album with this success from former pitcher, Floyd Bannister.  The above #1 Draft Picks card from 1985 Topps is pretty cool, with the old Astros jersey.  I had set this card aside a while back for TTM and slowly built up a batch of cards to mail.  This card was definitely the highlight of the return, and one I looked forward to seeing again.

I also picked up his 1981, 85, 87 and 88 Topps to send out.  They were all in my Topps boxes, which I need to thin out at some point.  I have so many boxes of cards now.  I probably ought to offload one or two sometime.

Finally, here is a nice 1982 Fleer that got sent out with the rest of the cards.  I liked the old Mariners hat and jersey, which is what put this card in the envelope ahead of some other Bannister cards that didn't make the cut.

Bannister (b. 1955) played in the majors from 1977 to 1989, 1991 and 1992 for the Astros, Mariners, White Sox, Royals, Angels and Rangers.  He had a career record of 134-143 with 1,723 strike outs and a 4.06 ERA.  He was an All Star in 1982 while with the Mariners.

I mailed to Bannister on February 6 and got the cards back on February 16, for a 10-day TAT.

TTM Success - Ken Singleton

I was able to add another Oriole to my TTM success list recently when I got these signed cards back from Ken Singleton.  Along with the signed cards, I received a note from Singleton asking that in exchange for him signing my cards, would I make a contribution to the Cool Kids Campaign.  I sent them a check last week, since he was nice enough to sign my cards.

The above 1982 Fleer isn't the greatest of cards, but it will still be a nice fit in my album.  I have a couple of cards signed from that set, and they turn out as nice as can be expected.

These two were the ones I was really looking forward to getting back from Singleton.  They are Drake's cards from 1981 and 1983 (left to right, respectively).  Seemingly made by Topps, since the backs of the cards are virtually the same as a 1981 and 1983 Topps.  They're pretty cool cards and I have no clue where I got them from.  I just know they have been in my Orioles box for a long time.

Finally, I had to include a couple Topps cards.  They are 1976 and 1980.  They are a few of the under-represented sets in my binder (80 especially, since I haven't really picked up much bulk of that set, yet).

Singleton (b. 1947) played in the majors from 1970 to 1984 for the Mets, Expos and Orioles.  He had 2,029 hits, 246 home runs and a .282 batting average.  He was an All Star three times and finished as high as 2nd in the AL MVP voting (1979).  He would receive MVP votes in 7 of his 15 seasons.  Singleton won the World Series with the Orioles in 1983.

I mailed to Singleton on January 11 and got the cards back on January 29, for an 18-day TAT.

From Blaine's Collection - Ripken Rookies

Here are some more cards that I got from my friend, Blaine, when I bought his Orioles collection.  There were the three base card rookies of Cal included, and I was glad to get them even though I already had them all.  Above is the 1982 Fleer Cal rookie, which is probably the worst of the four rookie cards that he has.  Fleer was doing their best when they got into the card industry, but those first two years (1981 and 1982) were really low-budget, and you can tell with the photography.  I'm sure Cal looks back on this card and thinks "Wow, look at all of that hair!"

Regardless, it is still a cool card.  I don't remember if this or the Donruss was the first Cal rookie that I ever got.  I know the Topps was a tough "get" back then, and the Topps Traded is still tough to find.

Yeah, this used to be a really tough card to get.  I remember finally getting one when I traded a bunch of wheat pennies to my brother.  Then I found one cheap at a card shop for my 1982 Topps set.  Then I got another when my mom gave me her Cal collection.  Then I got one in a $5 mystery pack at this past year's National and now I got this one out of Blaine's deal.  So, if my potato math is correct, I have five of these.  Awesome!

Finally, here is the Donruss version that I got from Blaine.  Now that I look it over, I believe the Donruss is the first Cal rookie that I was able to get when I was around 11 or 12 years old.  Now, I have two.  I don't usually care for graded cards, but this is pretty cool.  Also, being graded at an "8" is kind of fitting, seeing as it is Cal and all.  You know, 8 is his uniform number.  Yeah, you knew that.

So, yeah, Blaine really hooked me up on this deal.  I still have a good bit of stuff to show from the cards he sent.