Well another year is fast approaching its end so I thought when better to write an article discussing some of the most popular sport card related products then now.  Before I go any further with my article, I wish to preface it by stating that this is an opinion piece. I have not taken any formal polls, or based it on any officially recorded stats. This article is solely based on what, I as a collector of sports cards have observed as being popular amongst the general collecting community.

     There are as many varied sport card products out there as is there are collectors who enjoy them.  The thrill for any sport card hobbyist is the “high” one gets when you bust open that pack, box, or case and find the “hit.” If a product is extremely high end and on the pricey side, many collectors turn to secondary markets such as auctions, personal trades, or splitting the cost of a high end boxes to get what they are searching for.

What Do Collectors Want?

Collectors want bang for their hard earned buck. That is the long and short of it. So card companies have to be innovative in delivering a product the will give the collector what they want, while pricing it so that it is affordable and profitable at the same time. Now that is a tall order!  Most collectors no longer go out to complete a standard set. The trend these days is collecting a team or a particular player.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are still some people out there that enjoy putting a set together, but the definition of what a set is has some what evolved over time in the hobby. A set could be of anything really. For example I know of people that are putting together the “UD Sweet Spot Classic” the various autograph memorabilia cards. I believe the at the head of class when it comes to what people want, is anything game used, or autographed and numbered cards are definitely high ranking with collectors of today.

     After thinking and pondering, and searching through tons of YouTube videos, speaking with card shop owners, and of course speaking my fellow collectors out there I have come up with a list that runs down the most popular hobby boxes for 2009 as I see it.  Once again let me stress that this is simply my opinion based on the research I have done and what I have personally found.

1. Topps Triple Threads- especially for Baseball, Football, and Basketball
2. UD Exquisite- Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey
3. UD Black- Baseball, Football, Basket ball, Hockey
4. UD Sweet Spot Classic-Baseball, Football,
5. UD Premier-Baseball, Football, Basketball
6. Topps Bowman Chrome-Baseball, Football, Basketball
7. Playoff Absolute- Football
8. Panini Prestige-Basketball
9. Donruss Gridiron Gear-Football
10. The Cup- Hockey

Now I realize quite a few of you will have a differing opinion in terms of what the best products were for 2009, and you know what, its okay. In terms of what to be thankful for in regards to cards for the ’09 I am just happy to say there is a variety and that’s what makes this hobby so much fun and interesting. There is room in this hobby for collecting pretty much anything and everything. The only difficulty in card collecting for me personally is defining what you want to focus on and spend your time and money on to invest in.

I feel that as each year passes the card companies are trying their level best to put out fabulous products that make us collectors swoon with glee.  The price range available for the various products is also fair for the most part, in terms of the type of calibre of card you are receiving.  The reason that I placed the Triple Threads product at the number one spot for me is because, I find it is the product that most of the people in my card community enjoy busting. And it also it gives great autograph and relic cards of numerous players.  The last reason it is my number one choice for 2009, has got to be the price point. This is a truly mid level product which gives you some higher end cards but at an affordable price.

     As a collector I am certainly looking forward to the unveiling of the new products that will become available to us in 2010.  My hands are already itching to “bust” some boxes, and my fingers are ready to rip some packs, so here’s hoping brings me some 2010 super mojo!

Cami Berardi- HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

     If you are a die hard fan of the game of baseball then you will want to keep reading. Baseball is not all about the salaries, the championships, the endorsements, and the fan fare. It is also a sport that is deeply rooted in a substantial amount of world history. Yes, I said world history. Many historical events transpired many decades ago within the game of baseball, which helped to shape the civil rights landscape of the United States of America.

     In 1901 women in the United States were still on the long and hard road to achieving their civil rights under the law. In 1903 the Women’s National Trade Union League was created in order to advocate for better wages and working conditions for women.  In the midst of all this struggle and progress there laid a secret story that was taking place in the game of baseball that no one was aware of, a secret so soundly kept that it actually lay dormant for 100 years until the silence was finally broken by a lady named Winifred Gear Swanson. You may be wondering who Winifred Gear Swanson is and that would be a good question to ask. So here is the good answer, she’s the 96 year old great grand-daughter of Dale Gear; the only woman to have ever played major league professional baseball!  Your eyes are not deceiving you at this moment; I did write that she was the first and only female have ever play major league baseball.

     Dale Dudley Gear played for the Washington Senators in 1901 as an outfielder and pitcher in their very first year of the American League and it was also the very first and only season for Dale Gear. The manager of the team at that time was Mr. Jimmy Manning; he had convinced Dale Gear to promise that she would not disclose her true identity to anyone, so this remained an open family secret in the Gear household for decades. Imagine the implications that could have arisen from the news that a woman was playing along side men of that day.  As I had mentioned previously, women had just begun to achieve very minimal levels of equality within society, a women playing baseball of all things would have been completely unheard of, and as it stands in today’s society it still is.

     The Baseball Encyclopaedia does in fact list a Dale Gear as having been an active player for the Washington Senators in 1901 as an outfielder and pitcher who batted .232 as an outfielder and had a 4-11 record and a 4.03 era as a pitcher. Although the Encyclopaedia lists Gear, there is no mention of her gender, only of a middle name which alludes to her being a man. Winifred Gear Swanson states that it is true that Dudley was her middle name, but it was the “family” name so it was not at all uncommon for females in their family to carry it.

     Mrs. Swanson has much proof to Coho borate her claim that indeed her Great Grandmother was Dale Gear the baseball player. She was able to produce a birth certificate which states her name and under the section marked gender, girl is indicated. Also she possesses some very important and valuable memorabilia. A team signed photo of the Senators which bares the inscription “Our Dale, the finest girl ball player in the land,” And if that isn’t enough Mrs. Swanson also produced an autographed baseball with Dale Gear’s signature on it. This ball and other memorabilia was to be put up for auction in order to raise money to build a Women’s Baseball Museum in Lone Elm, the town in which Dale lived, and we all can guess who he first inductee will be. Mrs. Swanson felt it time to share this tremendous story with the rest of the world, and I thank her for it. It is an important piece of history, and an inspirational one to boot. There is so much that can be achieved by women in today’s society whether it be in sports, or any other endeavour, and we are lucky to have these treasured stories and pieces of history to remind us that the impossible is more possible then we can imagine with perseverance and passion.

     Barry Halper a well known sports memorabilia collector managed to get a used uniform from Dale Gear, which had a giant W on the front of it and no number really. When he was asked why he purchased this one as opposed to the HOF uniforms he is known for collecting, his reason was simple, it belonged to a woman. How did he know?  He found a game used bra inside the uniform, the only bra to have even been worn in a professional Major League game, that’s one bra I wouldn’t burn in the name of progress. In looking back at pictures of Dale Gear, I have to honestly say she was the prettiest Picher/outfielder I’ve even seen.  As a female fan of sports and a collector of memorabilia and sports card myself, I can appreciate this story on many levels. As a woman this story has an even bigger picture, one that should stand to inspire and ignite all females to set their goals and no that there are no boundaries anything can be attainable if you try, even if you only just a girl.

Cami Berardi

You can check out more of my article on Ezine Article.com

Check These Bad Boys Out, Betcha Wish You Owed Em’

 I hope you enjoyed watching this video, I know I sure did. Please feel free to leave your comments they are always welcome.

Cami Berardi

If you would like to check out any of my other articles on sports collecting please visit Ezine Articles.com

Babe Ruth is one of Baseball’s greatest players to ever swing a bat, and his name is one that is recognized world over within the hallowed halls of sports history.  He was not only a master of the game but was also a much beloved charismatic celebrity during the roaring twenties amongst the fans of that decade. It was not unusual for Babe Ruth to be found surrounded by young and old a like, clamouring for one of his prized autographs. And The Bambino was not shy about handing them out or enjoying the attention that came with it.

      Babe Ruth has been touted as the panicle individual to usher in the “live ball” era, able to dazzle the crowds with his big hits and racked up home runs that were unheard of previous to Ruth’s time.  Not only did the “Babe” have a tremendous on field presence but his personal life was just as rich and interesting. The Babe was known for his game, his reckless lifestyle, and his emeses charitable nature.  In 1927 Babe Ruth was the first player ever to hit 60 home runs in that season, which was an incredible feet for the game, and one that changed the face of baseball forever. Prior to this most baseball games were usually very low scoring speed driven games. Babe managed to push the boundaries and took the game to another level adding power hitting, and high scoring to the game all without sacrificing the speed or the athleticism that was already synonymous with baseball.

      So then it is no great wonder why even in 2009 we sports fans, especially baseball fans still can’t get enough of the “Babe.” Whether it is autographed memorabilia or cards, Babe Ruth still ranks number one amongst most collectors. One of the most valuable Babe Ruth cards out there today has got to be his Rookie card. Rookie cards no matter if it was from years gone by or from present day players have a massive appeal to hobbyist. But a vintage rookie card like Babe Ruth’s seems to have been able to retain a certain appeal. The cost associated with most rookies cards can vary according to the player, his popularity, the rarity or the card, and of course the condition the card is in a the time of purchase. But you would be hard pressed to find a Babe Ruth card in today’s competitive sports collectibles market that wouldn’t run you straight into the poor house.

      The very first baseball card to ever be produced of Babe Ruth at the age of 19 was first published in the Baltimore Sun Newspaper in 1914.  This card was taken along side many of Babe’s other team mates from the Baltimore Orioles. The cards featured a picture of a player on the front of the card and a team schedule on the back of the card. The cards were printed with both a blue ink boarder and a red ink boarder. The Orioles were part of the National League, and another team called the Terrapins were also photographed for cards, and they belonged to the Federal League. The scarcity of this card has driven the price of it sky high. I believe there may only be ten left in existence and if you are lucky enough to find one, the card can command as much as $200.000.00 easily, and that’s on the low end. The only other baseball card out there in today’s market that ranks higher than the Babe Ruth rookie card is the T206 Honus Wagner.

      Due to the scarcity of “Babe’s” card they do not come up for sale too often. There have been some found listed in auctions over the last few years, and this is a general break down of what they went for and who sold them.

 May 2009- $150,800.00 sold in poor condition, sold via Robert Edwards Auctions.

 May 2008- $517,000.00 sold in very good condition, again by Robert Edwards Auctions.

 April 2007- $200,000.00 sold through Robert Edwards Auctions, and it was previously  owned by a  casual        collector who put it up for sale.

      Babe Ruth will always be remembered as one of the greats, his accomplishments in baseball, and the effect his presence had on the game have managed to make baseball what it is today. I am a HUGE New York Yankees fan, and a memorabilia and card collector. It always gets me excited to think about the prospects of owning anything signed or game used by the “Babe. “ Babe Ruth was able to excite fans many years ago, and he still has that ability today, that is a testament too the type of player he was. Hopefully through collecting his memorabilia and baseball cards his legend will live on for generations to come, and enjoy.

 Cami Berardi

If you would like to see more of my sports related free lance articles you can check them out at Ezine Articles.Com

Cami Berardi

In the world of sports memorabilia and collectibles there is nothing quite like possessing an autograph from one of your favourite players, current or past. For years collecting autographs form sports super stars has been a main stay of not only the hobby of collecting sports memorabilia, but also of the sports industry itself. There is certainly no doubt that one would feel a tremendous amount of pleasure when able to obtain an autograph in person, via the mail, or buy simply purchasing it third party from someone else. The question to be answered is, what items should be signed?

      Let’s begin with what should not be signed; I think that’s a lot easier. Sometimes you may be out in public, and just happen to notice a celebrity on the street, or in a restaurant, or shop and you feel compelled to approached them and ask for there autograph. But wait a minute, what do you have on hand for them to sign?  Maybe you have a match book, a cocktail napkin, a piece of miscellaneous paper? All of these things seem like a good idea at the time, but really it isn’t. Whatever you decide to get signed should really have a distinct connection with that individual. This is especially true when is comes to resale of the autograph. Not to mention, a match book, or a napkin can get easily damaged or lost. If the match book had the image of the celebrity on it, that would be a much better idea because we have established a personal connection from the celebrity to the object. If however you are just out and about on the streets and are interested in grabbing that spontaneous signature, then you would be well advised to carry some 3×5 inch index cards with you, so you can get a nice clean autograph with maybe an inscription added to it. The same goes for sports autographs. When you can get an autograph on an item that connects the player to the item presented for signing you have a valuable combination.  

      I am going to outline for you various items that are hobby/industry accepted for signing purposes.

 BASEBALL:  Official League ball if possible,, Bats, hats, gloves, jerseys, cleats, bases, line up cards, batting gloves, photos, and any catcher’s equipment.

 HOCKEY:  Pucks, jerseys, helmets or masks, mini replica helmets, sticks, pucks, photos, or any goalie equipment.

 FOOTBALL:  Official League ball if possible, jerseys, proline helmets, mini replica helmet, cleats, and photos.

 UFC/BOXING: gloves, photos, and the uniform/gui

 BASKETBALL: Official League ball, Jerseys, shoes, backboards, and photos

 SOCCER: Official League ball, jerseys, photos, cleats, goalie gloves

           Another group of sports autographs that you could acquire are autographed magazines, and newspapers which feature the player or team, especially if it is a big event in the player or team’s career. Another highly collectible type of autograph is a personal cheque or personally signed letter or contract by the player. These are hard to come by, because you would have to know the player on a more intimate level, or know someone who can gain access to such items. The only luck you would have obtaining collectibles such as these would be at auction usually.

 Should You Get Your Sports Trading Cards Signed?

      The short answer to that question is no. The reason for this is fairly straight forward; you would be devaluing the card itself if you added a so called “hand signed” autograph to it with a sharpie or pen. Now this issue could be up for debate by some collectors, because it is an occurrence that does take place within the hobby. However, one should consider the fact that once you have placed a unauthorized signature on the card, even if you obtained it yourself and can vouch for the authenticity of it, you have in essence changed it the card from being deemed a proper  “sports trading card” to a smaller scale photo, you have in fact “defaced’ the card. Sports cards collectors normally frown upon this, as they like to collect the card as it was produced and marketed. Once you sign a sports card the value of the card is diminished as well, and you can no longer use any industry guide to set the monetary worth of the card, which in the end means it will have no value to anyone else but you. Another important thing to consider prior to getting a sports card signed is whether or not it’s part of a set or just a valuable card for another reason. At any rate, in my opinion you could get a base card signed if you wish, but do it for your own personal pleasure, and not because you believe that it will increase the value of the card in any way. The choice is yours in regards to what you wish to get signed, but just decide prior to receiving the signature whether you are doing it for resale purposes or for your own enjoyment.

Cami Berardi

If you would like to check out more of my articles on sports memorabilia and collecting, please check out Ezine Article.com

     The hobby of sports memorabilia collecting is certainly vast, and the sure fire way to build any top-notch personal sports collection is to keep it wide. When I say wide I am referring to trying to implement as many different items as you can into your collection. For example, I happen to be a collector of both New England Patriot and New York Yankee memorabilia and collectibles. As a collector I am always interested in ways I can better my collection. To do this I’ve had to do a lot of research on the historical aspects of the various sports and players, as well as educate myself about the current hobby and the market place.

      I took some inventory of what I have in my collection at present, and what I could add to make it more interesting, and after some thought came up with this answer, game used bats. Okay, so there was the good idea, but where did I need to begin, I was not familiar with how to go about buying a game used bat. Once again I fell back on my handy dandy research abilities.  I went out to my local library and did some reading, I surfed the net, and I even spoke with a couple of memorabilia dealers that I trusted. And now I would like to share with you just some of the tips I compiled when considering the purchase of a “game used” bat.

      The name of the game in any type of sports collecting is authenticity, why? Because we want to make sure that what we are purchasing has an actual connection with the player or the team. This is true with any piece of memorabilia, but especially true if you are ever considering selling the collection at some point.

 What You Want

      The two main things you want to take into major consideration is firstly, as mentioned previously authentication, and second to that would be making sure the bat is in an unaltered state, and lastly assessing what condition the bat is in at the time of purchase.  When looking at a “game used” bat, you need to keep an eye out for certain points of interest, such as its rarity,  the natural appeal or appearance of the bat, and of course the ever important provenance. When I use the word provenance, I am referring to specific player characteristics, or attributes of a bat, which can be linked back to a player, which then results in a piece being deemed to be “game used” memorabilia. The reason the player characteristics are so important is because it acts as a personal imprint that the player left on the equipment.

 Distinctive Markings

      For example there are several different ways in which you can use the visual clues left on the bat to make the connection to the player.  The use of pine tar, how a bat handle was taped, the addition of grooves to the handle, and the inscription of a players initials or jersey number on the knob of the bat. In order to be able to decipher these clues though, one must do THE RESEACH on a player’s history.  Another valuable resource is photographs, especially the action shots where you are able to get a clear view of the bat a player is using.  In some pictures you are even able to see the bat knobs and read what is on them. Do not rely on pictures of players posing with a bat is not good enough, because it could be any bat, not necessarily the one they use in a game situation.  In more recent years players have tended to stick with a particular brand of bat, and that may be a useful clue to linking it to a player.

 Making Sure It Is Real

      So, even going in with all your nifty research in hand, you, and I are still not experts in the field of authentication, so what do we do if we want to buy a bat?  We do not rely on the good word of a dealer or their version of a COA.  These pieces of paper, no matter how pretty they are and what they say, does NOT mean what you are buying is the real deal. If you do not feel comfortable with making the decision of “real” or not yourself, then turn to a trusted third party authenticator such as PSA/DNA or a reputable auction house such as Steiner. These are names that are trusted and recognized within the sports memorabilia community/industry. It is the business of these companies, and the people they employ, to make sure something is what is presented to be. Always remember, you get what you pay for, and nothing rings more true in the advice department then when it comes to memorabilia. If it sounds to good to be true it most likely is my friends.  When you wish to add to your collection, you want to invest the best way you can.  You want to give your collection that “WOW” factor.  So be a smart collector, spend your money wisely, and expand on your passion for the game by gaining some knowledge about your chosen sport or player. But always remember to have fun, which at the end of the day is the name of the game.

Cami Berardi

You can check out more of my articles at Ezine Articles.com, thank you for stopping by.

YouTube & Sports Cards Is It A  Happy Marriage?

Many things have changed in the face of sports card and memorabilia collecting.  There has been a definite evolution of the hobby since the mid 80s well into the early 90s.  Long gone are the days of going to your local sports card shop and purchasing a hobby box of Upper Deck, or Topps, and then coming home to bust some wax in your bedroom with a couple of friends; putting aside all your goodies in a shoe box to store conveniently under your bed until the next box you break.  No one can really see your nasty hits, or see the personal collection you may have amassed over the weeks, months, and years passed.

      The world of Sports card and memorabilia collecting, just like everything else in today’s cyber society has grown exponentially due in large part to the internet.  Passionate fans and collectors now have a global forum in which they can utilize various social media networking sites to connect with other hobbyists as well as to promote their own collections, trade and sell cards, perform group breaks, personal breaks, and so on. With this new introduction of technology, the average card collector can share their personal highs and lows with who ever is willing to watch, and in some cases participate. Ebay and other online auctions have also made it easier for collectors to get what they desire. One does not necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars on hobby boxes to obtain the cards or memorabilia they are chasing. It is as easy as click-it-ti-clic with the touch of the mouse and you are one step closer to owning what ever you would like, for a price that is.

      The online auctions did not come as any great surprise to me, but what did was the use of YouTube and Blogtv amongst collectors. I would venture to say that there are hundreds of video posting on YouTube everyday, filled with people showing off their personal collections, doing personal breaks, selling mystery packs, holding raffles, trading cards, and hosting events called group breaks. Group breaks are quite interesting. One or more people decide to host a group break by purchasing a couple of hobby boxes, and then they sell spots off to other collectors for a set price to help off set the purchase price of the boxes bought initially. The spot sold to the collector also comes with a random drawing of teams. Once the collector has been assigned his/her team you break the box and what ever cards from the assigned team, which are pulled go to the owner of that spot. Everyone is hoping for a tremendous hit, it is like entering into a mini lottery. This is appealing to collectors for two reasons. The first being that it makes normally high end boxes accessible to those out there who do not have the money to go out and buy a box of say Exquisite Basketball, which can run you as much as $500.00 a box.  The second reason this phenomenon is so enticing is that it is just a great way to socialize and hangout with people who share the same common interest as you.

        Not everything is sugar and gum drops in the land of YouTube sports card community though. As I have become more familiar with the community as a whole, I have noticed that it can be a competitive place. There are people vying for the most subscribers to their channel, which really is simply boiled down to bragging rights over the airwaves.  Just like on Ebay, you can also find your “unscrupulous” sharks that will set up false trades and sales, which is tantamount to robbery if you ask me.  And last but not least the infamous rant video.  This in my opinion is the ugliest side of YouTube by far. YouTube is a free forum no doubt, and I agree that people have the liberty and freedom to respectfully disagree with the content in a particular posting that is made and be able to respond to it. What people do not have the right to do, is slander people online, use racial slurs when making comments or video responses. But unfortunately this goes on quite a bit in the card collecting community, as I suspect it does in other hobby based forums. The purpose behind making YouTube postings and going on blogtv, at least to my humble understanding, was to share your thoughts on the hobby, see what other people are doing within the hobby, and finally network and make some friends out of it; the bottom line is to have fun.  These are all the positive aspects to taking sports collecting online and advancing it into the new millennium. Unfortunately, progression can not come without its negatives, and the trash talking that takes place on these social networking outlets is beyond ridiculous. It is not doing anything for the hobby in terms of promoting it; in fact it is rather intimidating to watch. Especially for a person who is just getting back into the hobby, or who is getting into it for the first time. This hobby originally began as a way children could enjoy their favourite sport, player, and team beyond the field. It has now been taken over by a majority of adults who choose to bicker over minor differences in opinion, and this taints the hobby and turns the adults into kids. Many times the “rant” or “response” video or comment is unfortunately made to entice viewers to check out a members channel and then subscribe to it.  Which then leads me to ask the question; is the response video legitimate or is it just a marketing ploy used by the savvy YouTuber for personal gain?  I suppose you would have to judge that for yourself. All in all I think that YouTube and sports collecting of any type is a compatible match, it may need a little counselling from time to time in order to get over the rough patches, but in the end I believe they can live together, happily ever after.

Cami Berardi

If you would like to read more of my articles you can check out Ezine Articles.com

How to Get  Sports Autographs Via The Mail

From the mid 80’s well into the 1990’s a sports fan would have been able to put together a fairly decent autograph collection via the mail. It was a very common practice for most sports stars to oblige their fans by signing autographs through the mail.  But as many other aspects of the sports memorabilia hobby have changed and evolved into a huge booming business over the last few years, so has this practice. Now that is not to say that players don’t sign through the mail anymore, but the stark reality is that a lot of players just can’t keep up with the volumes of requests they receive. Greedy fans and memorabilia dealers are to blame for this because many of them have taken advantage of the player accommodating the request for an autograph by sending in multiple items etc to be signed, which takes up time, which then translates into many other fans not being able to get even one autograph signed. It became very obvious to the players that dealers were sending in multiple items to be signed for the sole purpose of resale in the collectibles market.

     Don’t be disheartened by this rather dodgy play by the unscrupulous dealers out there. You can still obtain autographs from current players via the mail, but you must adhere to some guidelines, etiquette, and it may require a little homework on your part first.

How To Make A Request 

Short and sweet is the jest of the how to.  Always try to include a short handwritten request that does not go on for more than one page. A hand written letter has a more personal touch. Often times when players receive a typed pre-printed letter simply asking for a single autograph they can be hesitant to sign because the letter may just be a form letter and the player may think that once again the autograph is for resale purposes only, and not because the individual seeking the autograph as a true fan. Try to give your letter a personal touch, make a reference to something significant the player did in a game, or reference any other known achievement they have reached in their professional and or public life.  You never know if the player has developed and interest in what you have written it may spur him/her on to giving you the autograph with a little inscription as well.

If you are intending on sending items to be signed then keep it to no more than two. Preferably a photo, some people like to send sports cards, but I don’t think that’s a good idea as it detracts the appearance and value of the card in my opinion.

In the past it was not unheard of to have players use rubber stamps, autopens, ghost signers, and even locker room attendants sign fan mail for them. A general rule to keep in mind is the bigger the star the bigger the chance that you may receive an autograph such as this. If you choose to write to a more middle of the road player, the odds are you will receive your authentic autograph, and it will also be returned to you more quickly. When sending your photos etc, don’t send anything that is too valuable in case you don’t get a reply back or it gets lost in the mail some how.

Sugar And Spice And Everything Nice

Another key thing to remember is to be courteous and polite. Treat the player with the same respect you would expect if someone was asking you for a favour. “Please” and “thank you” go an awful long way. Also if the player enjoys your letter and gives you a great response take the time to write a thank you card and send it off.  Some players may even request that you make a donation to their foundation or another charitable organization for obtaining the autograph, I think that is great. In a scenario like this everyone wins. Don’t be shy to ask them to personalize the autograph. Player like to do this because then they are sure it is for you and not simply for resale.

What You Will Need

The tools for this job are fairly simple, all you need is some lined paper; two envelopes one to send the request off in and the other is a SASE for the player to send back your autograph. This is important, don’t forget the SASE because no player has time to go to the post office and purchase postage in order to send you an autograph. You will also need what ever item you are sending to be signed. Prior to even beginning to write your letter you should go online and do some research on the addresses to which you can send your request. There also is a book by Jack Smalling which has been published that is called The Baseball Address List, now this book is a little dated so try to find the most current edition if you can. Don’t be surprised if you don’t hear back from your favourite player in a week or two. Sending autograph requests through the mail is a long labour of love on your part and you require a lot of patience. It could take several months, sometimes longer to receive a reply, but just keep the faith.

In Closing

It can be a lot of fun and extremely exciting to be able to get a personal autograph from your favourite player.  Sports figures are like everyone else, they enjoy hearing nice things said about them by their fans, and are  uausally quite happy to fill an autograph request, all that’s left to do is wait by your mail box with your fingers crossed.

Cami Berardi

You can check out other articles written my me at Ezine Article.Com

Collecting Game Used Tickets & Stubs

     Have you ever come home after attending a sporting event and emptied your pockets, tossing the program and ticket stub out into the garbage bin along with the other junk you may have carried home from the game? Wait, stop, and don’t be so hasty in getting rid of that seemingly useless little piece of paper.  Tickets, and ticket stubs are more valuable than you may have thought. Remember like the old adage says’ “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

     A slightly lesser known area of sports collectibles is the full ticket or ticket stub which was used or purchased for a particular game or event. The vast majority of sports collectors seem to be interested in chasing the more main stream items, such as cards, game used clothing, equipment and autographs. But there are many ways in which you can build your personal sports memorabilia collection, and purchasing or saving ticket stubs is one way in which to do so.

     The great thing about collecting tickets or stubs is that there is such a variety of tickets to collect. Whether it is Football, baseball, hockey, basketball, Soccer, or major events like the All-Star game, World Series, World Cup, Super Bowl, or the Olympics there is something for every collector.  Another appealing aspect to collecting tickets or stubs is that these little pieces of paper mark a specific piece of time in sporting history.  Because the tickets are connected to the games, it is a tangible piece of memorabilia which is attributed to that particular game, match, event, or race.  If say for example you are a New England Patriots fan you may want to collect all the tickets or stubs related to their games. Or perhaps you are a Roger Clemens fan, and you may want to add the ticket from his record breaking twenty strikeouts game to your existing collection, by doing that you are broadening your personal collection, and at the same time it gives you a piece for your collection that brings back a special memory of an achievement accomplished by your favourite team or player.

     One of the main reasons tickets or stubs can not only hold an emotional value to them, but also a monetary value is due in large part to the scarcity of the tickets themselves. Remember there are only so many tickets sold for any given event, and when you think about how many of them are actually still in relatively good shape and available for sale or trade, but usually for sale, it’s really a fairly small amount that one is left with.

     If you are interested in picking up tickets or stubs just be aware that some of them depending on what event it was for and how old it is, can get a little pricey. One other factor to take into consideration is that there is no official price guide as of yet that denotes the monetary value of any particular ticket or stub. A rule of thumb you as a collector can use is that usually the ticket will increase by $25 every ten years or more, so be prepared. For example a World Series ticket from 1960 could fetch approximately, $125.00, say, and so a World Series ticket from the 1950’s could average around $150.00.  It is also more common now to find that seller’s will have their tickets authenticated by a reliable industry third party such as PSA/DNA.  This is very helpful for the buyer because you are assured that the money you are spending is guaranteeing you the product that you want. Please remember since there is no set pricing guide ticket prices may vary, use your own discretion prior to buying.  The method that has been used to come up with the pricing scale has largely been determined by tracking previous records from auctions, ad’s, and online purchases, which have occurred with in the hobby community.

     Some places that you can go to seek out tickets or stubs are, online auctions such as eBay, or ioffer, you could post an ad on Craigslist stating what you are looking for. Sometime you may even be able to come across them in estate sales if they are part of a person’s private collection already. If you are bold enough you may even want to try and wait out front of a stadium after a game is over, and just ask random people if they are willing to part with their stubs, you may be surprised at the answer.

     In closing, I would like to say that it is important to give scope to your personal collection. Collecting tickets and stubs is a great way to enhance the collection you have already amassed thus far. Keep your eyes open for interesting pieces, and always remember, collecting is not about the money one may or may not achieve from it. It is really about the passion and love of the game or the item.

Cami Berardi

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