The Stack of Mail That Greeted Me Home - Part 1

Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words after the passing of my mother.  Although it was difficult to leave my siblings in California and return to my home in Texas, it was kinda nice to find a stack of good mail to go through.  I love getting mail.

The through-the-mail autograph returns.

Former Angel Morris Nettles (1974-1975) signed this 1975 and beat up 1976 Topps card in 22 days sent to his home in Venice, California.

Steve Lubratich (1981, 1983) was nice enough to sign 3 cards for me: 1984 Donruss and Fleer, and a 1991 Line Drive AA.  I dig that 84 Donruss swoopy thing going on.  Steve lives in New Hampshire and signed these in 15 days.

I originally sent Ron Swoboda a 1966 Topps card and $5 back in June 2011.  I was tracking it on sportscollectors.net for months seeing everyone around me getting returns in roughly 10 days.  Months went by so finally last month I wrote him a nice note asking if he could please take a brief look, that the PO probably lost it, and if he could kindly let me know so that I could send him another one and another $5.  I enclosed a SASE for his response.

Well, he sent me this signed 1966 Topps.  I dont know if this is the original one I sent or a replacement, but I'm thankful that he took the time to sign and send me one.   I'll send him another and tell him to keep it for someone else that has the same issue I did.

If I count from the time I originally sent the card, this return would be 202 days.

Bobby Wine played for the Phillies and Expos from 1960 - 1972, then coached for many years thereafter, and signed this sweet 1965 Topps card as well as the 1973 Topps and an index card in 29 days from Pennsylvania.  Wine won a Gold Glove in 1963.
Next up on the 73 Topps is Ray Rippelmeyer.

Fifteen days after dropping in the mail John Boccabella (1963-1974 Cubs, Expos, Giants) signed and returned this 1970 Topps and a 1964 Topps already signed by former Angels Billy Cowan.  John was selected for the National League expansion team Montreal Expos. In 1973 he was only the second catcher ever to homer twice in the same inning.

One of Chris Bermans best nicknamed ballplayers, Oddibe "Young Again" McDowell, my Brother, personalized and signed this odd little 1988 Starting Lineup Talking Baseball card and a 1989 Upper Deck card in 37 days from Hollywood, Florida.

In 1985 he became the first Texas Rangers player to hit for cycle.  And this I did not know: McDowell actually played in the Angels system briefly.  The Angels signed him in Spring of 1992 but after six games with the AAA Edmonton Trappers he was released on May 14.

This is not the first time Bob Gladieux signed this 1972 Topps card.  The first time he signed it and returned the card with this thoughtful questionnaire:

However, when I got the card, half of the autograph had rubbed off because he had used a dry-erase marker.  I knew Bob was a good sport and a gracious signer so I wrote him a nice note explaining the situation, and included the card and a fine point blue sharpie for him to keep. After rubbing off the remainder of the first autograph and then resigning the result was the above card (much better than the first) and another nice note shown below.

Bob Gladieux rocks!