Welcome to the Collectors Cage. My name is Gran Roberts and I own this piece of the web, and I want to share with you the love of collecting autographed sports cards from the athletes I admire. If you have any questions or want to propose a trade, please e-mail me at gran@cybermillpro.com
In Today's Mail...
9/7/02 - Bob Boone - Signed 3/3 from CINCINNATI REDS CLUBHOUSE. Bob was a former catcher that i grew up watching as a kid with the Angels and later the Royals. I am glad to see him doing great as the Reds skipper, and I am also glad to see his boys in the game as well! Success in just 21 days!
9/5/02 - Clem Labine - Signed 1/1 from HOME. I sent a card with both Clem and Ed Roebuck listed on the front. It listed them both on the front and their stats on the back as well. The odd thing is though...Ed Roebuck is not the other guy in the picture! I was not aware of this until I got this success back. Clem sent back a note saying that the other man on the card is not Ed Roebuck, But Don Bessent. Unfortunatley Don died 12 years ago and I am not going to be able to obtain the auto on this card. That was really cool of Clem...I am thinking of sending the card to Ed just because it has all his stats and name on the card...it would be a cool double sig. card!
8/31/02 - Jerry Koosman - Signed 2/3 (kept the 3rd card) from HOME. Jerry has one of the coolest signatures that I have ever seen. Do yourself a favor and send to this guy. His handwriting alone is worth the stamp. I sent him 3 cards and he kept my '69 Mets tribute card I had of him. Well worth the time and a great pitcher with an arm that really lasted for decades!
8/30/02 - John Smiley - Signed 3/3 from HOME. John always seemed kinda brash and cockey in his look, but truth is that he is just a regular guy doing something very unregular to mainstream life. John likes to hunt, fish, surf, and everything else in between. Never a huge standout, John always got the job done his way. Success in just 13 days!
- Atlee Hammacker - Signed 3/3 from HOME. I was very happy to open this success up and see the inscription inside. Not the autograph, but the inscription underit... John 3:3. I was happy to see that Atlee is a Christian as I am too. The scripture he wrote of talks about how nobody will enter the kingdom of God unless they are born again...I dig it and I am happy to see Christian athletes taking that stand in their requests!
8/29/02 - Billy Ripken - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Billy is the "Iron Brother" of baseball. Sure, he wasn't as blessed as Cal physically with talents, but he was still a great ball player. Billy is far more accessible to fans and is a fast and gracious signer in just 12 days!
- Preacher Roe - Signed 1/1 from HOME. Preacher was one of the top left-handers to play the game. He was brought into the bigs in 1938 with the Cards, but lasted only a year. He was aquired by the Pirates and the rest is history. Preacher dominated the game with is pitching like nobody had at that point and has left a lasting memory since. He signed in just 12 days!
8/26/02 - Vance Law - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Vance was always one of the nicest guys in baseball and seemed to be a friendly family man even at the plate. I sent him 3 cards and he signed them all...plus a bonus. Read below for all of the details regarding his dad!
- Vern Law - Signed 1/0 from VANCE LAW's HOME. OK, here was the deal. I sent 3 cards to Vern's son Vance Law to sign for me. In my letter to Vance I asked him if it was possible to get his dad's signature on something. I didn't send anything, but thought Vern might have small cards of his own made up or just an index card. Instead, Vance sends me back all of my cards of him signed...PLUS an '85 Topps cards of him AND his dad signed by both! I looked in my addy book and realized that they live just down the orad from one another...man, how great is that!
8/24/02 - #### Schofield - Signed 3/3 from SOUTH BEND SILVER HAWKS CLUBHOUSE. #### is now the skipper for the single A Diamondback affiliate in South Bend. He is doing a great job and I look forward to seeing him in the big leagues as a skipper soon!
8/23/02 - Bob Friend - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Bob was a great ace in the Pirates bullpen in the 50's. As a matter of fact, Bob was the only pitcher in major league history to lead the league in ERA on a last place team! in 1960 he finished with a record of 22-14...what a pitcher. Too bad he couldn't have been placed on a winning team...who knows what his record could have been then.
8/19/02 - Frank Viola - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Frank was one of THE best pitchers in baseball history in my book. He took the Twins to the Series and always had some class about him that most pitchers, even today, don't have. I am VERY excited and happy about this success in just 16 days!
- Gary Varsho - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Mostly remembered as a Cub or Pirate, Gary was always a pretty modest player. He wasn't a power hitter, but was a great outfielder. I grew up watching Cub basball and became really familiar with Varsho and a ton of other no-name cubs like Paul Noce as well. Oh well, I still remember these guys...hahaha. Success in just 30 days.
- Randy Ready - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Randy saw considerable action with the Brewers, Padres, and Phillies. He was alaways thrown between Third Base and the Outfield, but that proved just how much of an all around player he really was. I got a success from Randy in just 30 days.
8/17/02 - Ron Kittle - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Ron was a great hitter with the White Sox, Yankees and Indians. He wasn't memorable like Mantle, Musial and such, but was a good hitter in the clutch situations when needed. He lives just an hour and a half from me. Not a bad success in just 14 days!
8/16/02 - Len Dykstra - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Lenny was one of the reasons that the Phillies resurged in popularity & power in the early 90's! Morandini, Kruk, Daulton & Dykstra were houshold names by '92 and they had fun with the game. I am happy about this success in just 13 days!
8/15/02 - Jay Bell - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Jay was most memorable from his days at Shortstop as both an Indian and Pirate. Quality fielder and praised by Pirate Legend #### Groat for his work. A great siner in just 12 days!
8/14/02 - Scott Sanderson - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Scott was one of the nicest guys in baseball. Many, many former players will agree to that statement and i wish that there would be more players like Scott in the game...more Scott and less Rocker. Enough said. Signed in just 11 days!
- Dave Bergman - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Dave was a former Yankee, Astro, Giant & Tiger First Baseman. His request was sitting on my stack of envelopes for weeks and i just sent him out in the mail thinking it would take a while (due to others experience I have talked with) ... To my suprise he responded in just 7 days!
8/9/02 - Charlie Hough - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Charlie was one of the last true and greatest knuckleballers in baseball. This guy was a horse on the mound for over 20+ seasons...i never thought this guy was gonna call it quits. I miss his pitching, but still get to see him on the screen from time to time coaching in the majors. Brings a tear to my eye thinking about him and Nolan Ryan in the same bullpen with Texas in the early '90s...those were the days. Signed all 3 in 82 days.
- Matt Young - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Matt was a former Mariner, Dodger, Red Sox, among others, who pitched. He was a great journeyman who got the job done when needed. He has a great sig to boot and fast response in just 6 days!
8/7/02 - Bob Tewksbury - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Bob was a great pitcher in the minors and also showed hints of greatness in the beginning and end of his career. One thing I don't get is why did the Yankees send him back down to Triple-A Columbus at the end of his rookie season when he had a 9-5 record with the Yanks? His career was downhill with the Yanks from then on. Bob signed in just 20 days.
7/30/02 - Von Hayes - Signed 2/3 from SOUTH BEND SILVER HAWKS. Von was a great hitter with the Phillies through the 80's and early 90's before getting traded to the Angels. He is now the hitting coach in South Bend. Took just 18 days and signed 2/3 cards.
7/29/02 - Rick Cerone - Signed 1/3 from HOME. Rick was a catcher who never seemed to find a permanent home...stops as an Indian, Blue Jay, Brave, Brewer, Red Sox, Met & 3 stops as a Yankee. his best season came in '80 when he hit 14 round trippers with 85 RBI's. I was suprised that he only signed 1 of the cards...He even signed it upside down. Frustrating to say the least, but is still a success in just 10 days.
7/25/02 - Ted Power - Signed 3/3 from DAYTON DRAGONS CLUBHOUSE. Ted was a great pitcher for the Reds in the 8-'s who was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 1976. He had an above average win loss record, but he could be switched around in rotation to either open or close a game. Fast signer in 6 days!
- Todd Hundley - Signed 0/3 from CHICAGO CUBS CLUBHOUSE. Todd sent my cards back in my SASE unsigned. I guess I should try his home address and just feel fortunate I got my cards back, huh? Hate it when this happens, but oh, well.
7/22/02 - Bryn Smith - Signed 3/3 from CAROLINA MUD CATS CLUBHOUSE. Bryn was a fixture on the Expos roster for about a decade before he was traded to the Cards. He is now the pitching coach for the Carolina Mud Cats and he returned my cards signed in just 8 days! Great pitcher and a fast signer.
7/19/02 - Ron Robinson - Signed 2/3 (kept the 3rd card) from HOME. Ron was an above average pitcher who is a great signer to date. He had a great season in '90 split between the Reds and Brewers with a 14-7 record. He kept one of my cards, but still a heck of a guy.
7/16/02 - Tracy Woodson - Signed 4/4 from FT. WAYNE WIZARDS CLUBHOUSE. This former Dodger and ex-Card is now the skipper for The Padres Single A farm team, the Ft. Wayne Wizards. I live about an housr from the stadium and got the success back in just under 4 days! Man, that was a quick one!
7/12/02 - Jim Gott - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Jim was a mediocre pitcher in his day, but the cool thing to me was the fact that A) He was a Dodger in the early 90's, and B) He was the guy that Disney hired to prepare Dennis Quaid and show him how to pitch so that they could begin filming "The Rookie." That is pretty cool to me...and to think he signed all of my cards...and he has a cool looking sig. to boot!
7/11/02 - Phil Plantier - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Phil was a solid hitting Rookie sensation for the BoSox in his first full season with the team in '91. Oddly enough, I received this success a week exactly after BoSox legend Ted Williams died. Phil went on to play strong in the outfield for the Sox for many seasons after. A great sig!
7/8/02 - Tim Hudson - Signed 1/1 Post Card from OAKLAND A's CLUBHOUSE. Tim signed a post card that I had earlier obtained from the A's via e-mail. I sent it to him and he signed it and sent it back...in 112 days! He must have been a busy guy and caught up on his mail over the 4th of July weekend, but either way it is still a good sig. on the post card!
6/28/02 - Carl Erskine - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Carl was one of the bullpen aces of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 50's...Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese are just a few names of whom Carl shared the field with. Lives here in Indiana as I do, which helps i believe, but got a success in 28 days!
- Bob Welch - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Bob was one of the great pitchers that rostered the '88 Los Angeles Dogers World Series Championship team. Bob later went on to do great things with Oakland as well. Great signer in less than 28 days!
6/24/02 - Danny Ainge - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Most of you remember Danny as the all-star NBA guard for the Celtics/Kings, or possibly the coach of the Suns, but Danny was also a former Major League Baseball star with the Blue Jays in the late 70's and early 80's. Success in 92 days, but well worth it.
6/19/02 - Sid Bream - Signed 4/4 from HOME. Sid was a great First Baseman for the Dodgers, Pirates & Braves in the mid-80's thru the mid-90's. He signed all 4 cards and sent a flyer as well...great signer!
6/8/02 - Jeff Ballard - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Ballard was a great starter for the Orioles back in the early 90's. He won 18 games in '89 which placed him 5th in the AL.
5/28/02 - Mike Boddicker - Signed 2/2 from HOME. Boddicker was one of the 80's greatest righthanded pitchers. He was the only pitcher in '84 to win 20 games! signed both cards I sent to him.
5/24/02 - Cory Snyder - Signed 3/3 from HOME. This former '84 Olympian & Cleveland Indian/Chicago White Sox signed all three of my cards I sent. He is a great guy on the field and off.
5/20/02 - Bruce Ruffin - Signed 2/3 (kept the 3rd card) from HOME. Former Phillies pitching standout of the late 80's and early 90's signed 2 of my cards and kept a minor league card I sent of him. I have not had many successes as of late. Things are getting slow, but I got 40 more requests going out soon. Wish me luck!
5/6/02 - Glenn Hoffman - Signed 3/3 from HOME. This Former Angel, Red Sox & Dodgers utility man was a great sign from his home in a month to the day after the request was sent out!
- Bill Swift - Signed 3/3 from HOME. The former Mariner & Giants hurler was known for listening to a Frank Sinatra CD before every outting. Had to have this pre-game ritual as he sat in the clubhouse. He signed all of my cards in a month!
4/29/02 - MULTI-CARD TRADE w/ Scott Cawson. Completed a 12 Card trade with Scott from Devilbats Sports Autographs. Here is what I got:
-'01 Topps/Andy Benes
-'93 UD/Kevin Maas
-'92 Fleer/Joe Carter
-'89 Topps/Tony LaRussa
-'01 UD Heroes /Jeremy Roenick
-'90 Pro Set/Bobby Clarke, HOF'er
<4/27/02 - Kirk Gibson - REFUSED from HOME.
Address: Kirk Gibson - 15135 Charlerois Street - Grosse Pointe, MI 48230...REFUSED for future STT Mail requests.
4/26/02 - Lloyd McClendon - Signed 3/3 from PIRATES CLUBHOUSE. This former Cub and Current Pirates skipper is a good signer from the ballpark and has been in years past. This request took only 19 days!
4/22/02 - Orel Hershiser - Signed 0/3 from HOME. Orel didn't sign any of my cards, but I can totally understand why. He sent a photocopied note that said he got too much mail to give everyone an autograph. He promised his family that when he retired that he'd spend more time with them. Awesome words from one of the best pitchers in the game. Dissapointed, but totally understandable
4/20/02 - Jay Howell - Signed 3/3 from HOME. Jay was a unique pitcher in his hey day and one of my favorite athletes from the '88 Dodgers Championship Team. He also pitched for the A's in his earlier career.
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Site News & Updates
I am going to be posting any non-baseball sig's and baseball team/player related items i receive in this area other than signed sports cards.
4/29/02 - Added a Complete Sucesses List for this year. This List includes auctions I have won, TTM successes, Pack Pulls and more. If you have any questions about how I obtained them please e-mail me and I will help you out with sending information if I can.
4/26/02 - Kansas City Royals- (3) Royals Trading Cards. I e-mailed the team and told them what I thought about the team and how much joy they have brought me through the many years of my involvement in baseball, and they sent me (3) baseball cards I can send back and get signed. #37-Jeff Suppan, #3-Carlos Febles, & #6-Dave McCarty. Free cards are great anytime.
Visit The Collectors Cage Forums for your Questions, Comments, Trade Lists & More!
You got a Trade List you wanna post or just gott a sports realted or auto graph related question? Visit The Collectors Cage Forums!
Why do I do this?
I do this for the love and respect of the people and the game...not to be an "Autograph Hound," but instead, I only send or trade for autographs of athletes I admire and have enjoyed growing up watching play their game of choice. I love all sports, but I am a Baseball Nut. I love the game and its many athletes, and my collection shows it. I'd say that 75% of what I have in my autographed collection is Baseball related, and here I'd like to focus on the collecting of autographed sports cards and how you can obtain your favorite players signature on a card, and you can keep track of my successes as well...If I can help you out, then just ask. I love Baseball, and would love to help a fellow fan as well.
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