IP Autograph Seekers - Hints to doing it right

[DSman]

I am interested in going to some minor league games this summer and am thinking about collecting in-person autographs. What hints do people have about doing this successfully?

I know the first rule is being polite and treat the player as you would like to be treated. Politely asking for their auto, addressing them with respect, ask at a good time, etc. I don't think I will have any problem with that - trying to teach my daughters politeness right now .

But, what about materials to have them autograph? I have seen people with notebooks with cards on the pages for autographs - up to 9 of the same on a page. How are they attached in the book and are they designed to come out? I am not interested in selling the autos (just collecting), but don't know that I will get enough autos to have a whole notebook and not sure that is what I want to keep them in. But if that is the best way...

I few years ago, I brought 3X5s to collect autographs and one player told me he doesn't sign 3X5s. Are those more typically sold then kept? He had just signed 9 of the same card in another collector's notebook.

Any other hints? A good sharpie, of course...

Thanks for your help.

 

[FortyFour]

Always wipe down glossy cards with baby powder.

 

[ru4scuba]

I am interested in going to some minor league games this summer and am thinking about collecting in-person autographs. What hints do people have about doing this successfully?


Minor league graphing is like shooting fish in a barrel. Just know the player's names. It will go a long way.

But, what about materials to have them autograph? I have seen people with notebooks with cards on the pages for autographs - up to 9 of the same on a page. How are they attached in the book and are they designed to come out? I am not interested in selling the autos (just collecting), but don't know that I will get enough autos to have a whole notebook and not sure that is what I want to keep them in. But if that is the best way...

Most people use a sketch book and use photo corners to hold the cards in.

I few years ago, I brought 3X5s to collect autographs and one player told me he doesn't sign 3X5s. Are those more typically sold then kept? He had just signed 9 of the same card in another collector's notebook.

The rumor is that the players are told not to sign index cards for identity theft reasons.

Any other hints? A good sharpie, of course...

A good lumocolor fine point for the glossy cards.

Thanks for your help.

 

[200lbhockeyplayer]

My biggest "tip" to those trying to get a ton of a "hot prospect"...cash.

Once you are up front about possibly reselling the autographs and offer cash, the player accepts that. What players don't like is the old, "Yeah, these are for my personal collection," when they remember you week after week asking for multiples.

If it's a business to you, treat it as such...same with a hobby.

Tip #2.

If you are having them sign a custom photo or custom designed card...give them one.

 

[FortyFour]

I am interested in going to some minor league games this summer and am thinking about collecting in-person autographs. What hints do people have about doing this successfully?


Minor league graphing is like shooting fish in a barrel. Just know the player's names. It will go a long way.

But, what about materials to have them autograph? I have seen people with notebooks with cards on the pages for autographs - up to 9 of the same on a page. How are they attached in the book and are they designed to come out? I am not interested in selling the autos (just collecting), but don't know that I will get enough autos to have a whole notebook and not sure that is what I want to keep them in. But if that is the best way...

Most people use a sketch book and use photo corners to hold the cards in.

I few years ago, I brought 3X5s to collect autographs and one player told me he doesn't sign 3X5s. Are those more typically sold then kept? He had just signed 9 of the same card in another collector's notebook.

The rumor is that the players are told not to sign index cards for identity theft reasons.

Any other hints? A good sharpie, of course...

A good lumocolor fine point for the glossy cards.

Thanks for your help.

Very good tip.

I cant stand it when people just start screaming out numbers.

 

[19braves77]

Once you start autographing at minor league games you will be addicted.

Tha cards are in a sketch book with photo corners that you can get from Wal Mart or Micheals. When you find some, be sure to buy about 4 boxes. Get the black ones because they last longer and can hold cards that are thicker like the 08 Donruss Elite cards. Make sure you get a thick cardstock sketch pad that can support the weight of the cards when flipping pages. The amount of cards you put on each page depends on what your goal is... I have two books that have 6 cards per page and 1 with 4 per page. You can prep your cards either with baby powder or a eraser.

Here are some pics on how my books are setup:

One of the keys to doing the minor leagues is that rosters are always changing with players be promoted and demoted. Educated yourself with both your home and the visiting teams organization depth. Minor league coaches usually have 1 or two main stream cards even if they never panned out. Find out with your teams organization rovers are because 80% of them are X-MLBers.

Far has what to get signed, the sky is the limit. Collect what interests you whether its cards or 4X6 that you took of the player to sign for you.

For a 7 PM game, you need to be in the stadium by 6. Most minor league stadiums do not allow you watch batting pratice and they usually only warmup before the game for 20 minutes.

One thing to remember about your 1st graphing trip if it is in April is that the players have been signing for about 40 days in their minor league camp and maybe burnt out on it that opening series. Don't let that discourage you and remember if they say no there are 3 more players that will say yes. The ones that say no may sign the next day. I had to wait Russell Martin out in AA for 4 games before he told me the night before the last game of the series that he wasn't playing the final game in to bring all my stuff the next night.

Also, alot of times it doesn't hurt to give the players some kind of perk. They live a hectic lifestyle and if they were not a bonus baby they are on a strict budget. With I was a DJ, I use to make mix cds for the players for their road games and if I ever had a voucher for a round of golf I would give it to players.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions post them.

 

[jondawg04]

My biggest "tip" to those trying to get a ton of a "hot prospect"...cash.

Once you are up front about possibly reselling the autographs and offer cash, the player accepts that. What players don't like is the old, "Yeah, these are for my personal collection," when they remember you week after week asking for multiples.

If it's a business to you, treat it as such...same with a hobby.

Tip #2.

If you are having them sign a custom photo or custom designed card...give them one.

Thank you. So many "collectors" expect players to sign stacks of cards with absolutely no incentive, then when the player declines they get the nerve to talk about how rude that player is etc etc. If you are planning on getting multiples, offer the player something. 9 times out of 10 they will decline anything, but they will appreciate that you offered and perhaps sign a few items for you.

 

[tramers]

several sharpies - lend player one if someone doesn't have one. get a roster of minor league team match numbers with players you want place those in easy to get place . stand behind the kids - letting them get first- this will help you get some . AVOID the "pro collectors" . lots of players will not sign for that group.
my best night at low "A" game 53 autos . only told no once from a former mlb player coaching A league . non USA players are a little harder watch for translator .
others that replied are very correct.

 

[ru4scuba]

A couple more tips. Don't drop 20+ cards on a player and don't be that ****** bag that rips the ball out of a player's hand because he is about to personalize it.

 

[FortyFour]

several sharpies - lend player one if someone doesn't have one. get a roster of minor league team match numbers with players you want place those in easy to get place . stand behind the kids - letting them get first- this will help you get some . AVOID the "pro collectors" . lots of players will not sign for that group.
my best night at low "A" game 53 autos . only told no once from a former mlb player coaching A league . non USA players are a little harder watch for translator .
others that replied are very correct.

When I was trying to get Carlos Truinfel to autograph a picture I took I was bassicly doing sign language :lol:.

 

[19braves77]

Put 6 cards on the page and if he signs 6 great. If he signs 3 awesome. If he signs 1 come back tommorow....

I have players all the time ask me why I have so many cards and here is what I tell them:

The 2 07 Donruss Elite are for a set, the 2 cards in the 06 Tristar are for a set, and the 2 Team cards are for a set. Sign what you have time for....

Most cards I have ever had signed by one player at one time was:

Josh Hamilton in High A after he was reinstated: 55 cards

It was 4th of July week and the players all came out to watch the fireworks in the stands after the game. He still is a machine with cards in the offseason even with his handler being present.

Ben Grieve: 40 cards

1st time thru Birmingham with Huntsville in 1996. Thet eam bus broke down and all the players were sitting outside the bus waiting for transportation to the team hotel. I remember discussing his dads plans to be a GM.

Mark Reynolds: 32 cards

Last day in AA in Mobile, D-Backs had already told him that he was promoted to the majors in the 7th inning. They pulled him and he was told to pack up his locker. He was waiting outside of the stadium for a ride to the airport and told me to go get everything because he was promoted. I sat there in watched him go thru his cell phone with the news.

Clay Hensely: 70 cards

A friend of mine bartended in Mobile and Clay was a regular. My friend went to the game with me that night and Clay was charting. We sat with Clay and he said he didn't mind what I had.... I remember him telling when each picture was taken ...

Great times.

 

[Card Magnet]

I don't know if all Sharpies are now like this, but I bought a pack recently and they dried instantly. I noticed that they did say fast drying on them. I haven't been back to the stationary isle lately to see if they're all like that now or if I picked up a different type without realizing.

I tried it out on a glossy card just to see, and instant drying, and didn't even smear after I ran my finger across it - amazing (tried it on a 04-05 Ultra Bobby Jackson base basketball card, so don't be upset that I wrote on and then threw out a card, lol).

 

[nyc3]

Put 6 cards on the page and if he signs 6 great. If he signs 3 awesome. If he signs 1 come back tommorow....

I have players all the time ask me why I have so many cards and here is what I tell them:

The 2 07 Donruss Elite are for a set, the 2 cards in the 06 Tristar are for a set, and the 2 Team cards are for a set. Sign what you have time for....

Most cards I have ever had signed by one player at one time was:

Josh Hamilton in High A after he was reinstated: 55 cards

It was 4th of July week and the players all came out to watch the fireworks in the stands after the game. He still is a machine with cards in the offseason even with his handler being present.

Ben Grieve: 40 cards

1st time thru Birmingham with Huntsville in 1996. Thet eam bus broke down and all the players were sitting outside the bus waiting for transportation to the team hotel. I remember discussing his dads plans to be a GM.

Mark Reynolds: 32 cards

Last day in AA in Mobile, D-Backs had already told him that he was promoted to the majors in the 7th inning. They pulled him and he was told to pack up his locker. He was waiting outside of the stadium for a ride to the airport and told me to go get everything because he was promoted. I sat there in watched him go thru his cell phone with the news.

Clay Hensely: 70 cards

A friend of mine bartended in Mobile and Clay was a regular. My friend went to the game with me that night and Clay was charting. We sat with Clay and he said he didn't mind what I had.... I remember him telling when each picture was taken ...

Great times.

You dont need that many and are ruining it for people who just collect. Good job.

 

[tramers]

my 53 night most i got was two of a player . they signed mini helmets [2] one for me one for another person . i sent several of my dups to servicemen over seas. also i get teams to sign a baseball and ticket stubs .
remember the coachs most love to sign .
best signer last year ; madison bumgarner - local boy - signed till lights turned off and when in stands after game . please don't bother those keeping stats till they finish or take a break.

 

[GiantsSuperCollector]

Put 6 cards on the page and if he signs 6 great. If he signs 3 awesome. If he signs 1 come back tommorow....

I have players all the time ask me why I have so many cards and here is what I tell them:

The 2 07 Donruss Elite are for a set, the 2 cards in the 06 Tristar are for a set, and the 2 Team cards are for a set. Sign what you have time for....

Most cards I have ever had signed by one player at one time was:

Josh Hamilton in High A after he was reinstated: 55 cards

It was 4th of July week and the players all came out to watch the fireworks in the stands after the game. He still is a machine with cards in the offseason even with his handler being present.

Ben Grieve: 40 cards

1st time thru Birmingham with Huntsville in 1996. Thet eam bus broke down and all the players were sitting outside the bus waiting for transportation to the team hotel. I remember discussing his dads plans to be a GM.

Mark Reynolds: 32 cards

Last day in AA in Mobile, D-Backs had already told him that he was promoted to the majors in the 7th inning. They pulled him and he was told to pack up his locker. He was waiting outside of the stadium for a ride to the airport and told me to go get everything because he was promoted. I sat there in watched him go thru his cell phone with the news.

Clay Hensely: 70 cards

A friend of mine bartended in Mobile and Clay was a regular. My friend went to the game with me that night and Clay was charting. We sat with Clay and he said he didn't mind what I had.... I remember him telling when each picture was taken ...

Great times.

You dont need that many and are ruining it for people who just collect. Good job.

Nyc, a lot of graphers that go out for MiLB games get around 100+ autographs a night because they want to hit the up guy while he will still sign and if they don't get that many autographs it is wasted with the money to travel there and the memories.

 

[ru4scuba]

Nyc, a lot of graphers that go out for MiLB games get around 100+ autographs a night because they want to hit the up guy while he will still sign and if they don't get that many autographs it is wasted with the money to travel there and the memories.

Give me a freakin' break......

 

[jondawg04]

Nyc, a lot of graphers that go out for MiLB games get around 100+ autographs a night because they want to hit the up guy while he will still sign and if they don't get that many autographs it is wasted with the money to travel there and the memories.

Give me a freakin' break......

Aw come on Scuba, you know the cherished memories of IP autograph collecting! Shoving binders full of cards in players faces, complaining when they sign one in the wrong spot (or god forbid, personalize it), whining why they only signed 10 for one person when they signed 30 for somebody else the night before. Ah, the memories the IP graphers must have...

 

[spahnandsain]

several sharpies - lend player one if someone doesn't have one. get a roster of minor league team match numbers with players you want place those in easy to get place . stand behind the kids - letting them get first- this will help you get some . AVOID the "pro collectors" . lots of players will not sign for that group.
my best night at low "A" game 53 autos . only told no once from a former mlb player coaching A league . non USA players are a little harder watch for translator .
others that replied are very correct.

Let me guess, Gary Greene?

 

[nyc3]

Nyc, a lot of graphers that go out for MiLB games get around 100+ autographs a night because they want to hit the up guy while he will still sign and if they don't get that many autographs it is wasted with the money to travel there and the memories.

I understand that and now you know why they wont sign when in mlb. Hence why these people ruin the hobby. Collecting autographs is one thing but when your sole intention is making money off of this it dont make sense. Call me old school, but when I go to a game its not to collect 100 autos to sell on ebay its to watch a game and possible get AN autograph. If you cant afford to go to a game the solution isnt hounding its getting a better job.

 

[tramers]

no not green . hint former red and brave- didn't sign for anyone