Sometimes I just torture myself with google images! - Special Event items

[mrmopar]

Every so often, I search images online. I have been saving images of collectibles and players for a while now. Not sure what I will do with them in the end, but it is nice to have them for online discussions, blogs, etc.

Sometimes I learn about new things and sometimes I see things that I have never seen in person. That is my case today, when I learned of two public signing events that Steve Garvey attended, where I see photo evidence that participants received photos that were specific to the event! I have not seen 1 of these ever surface for sale anywhere…ever!

One was Sports Authority and the other was Dick's Sporting Goods. I'll mention one other that I spoke about in a blog entry before, but given the volume of cards at the event, it is amazing that I have only seen ONE of these surface, and that is Natural Balance. It can be hard to tell in the photos, but each event had a special card/photo made for it that was given out, with the sponsor name.

If anyone happened to go to one of these events or can obtain one of these photos, signed or not, I would be interested in any of them! if there are future events that have something similar like that, I would be interested in any site/event specific item from a signing, signed or unsigned (prefer one of each even).

 

[George_Calfas]

Happy Hunting. I recently saw a new Musial photo card which I had never seen.

 

[predatorkj]

Those happen all the time and as a player collector, it can be frustrating! They do it at Best Buy, sports authority, even academy does it sometimes. For the most part, for baseball at least, they Astros bring their own little player cards which are checklisted in Beckett and are used throughout the whole year for that player(image and card design stay the same). But every year they make a new one and if it's for player alumni that are retired, chances are they do less signings and there are less floating around. Combine that with the fact you see mostly true collectors getting these and they don't seem to carry much value and they can be really tough to find signed or not...

 

[predatorkj]

Just wanted to add, for academy they mostly use the team issued cards. For other places, they'll sometimes make their own. Hell, at the last Marwin Gonzalez signing, they were giving away free 8x10 photo file pics and even had a dude from MLB there to authenticate them. Never seen that before(it was at an HEB). They do weird stuff sometimes...

 

[mrmopar]

I guess most people who attend these are only casual collectors who are not looking for the quick cash out or true fans that hold on to the photos. Some are probably right place/right time people who may even give away or trash them at some point because they really don't care all that much. You'd think that a few of these would trickle out and end up on ebay though, but zippo so far! They are probably not worth it to list on ebay for most people, as Garvey signs a fair amount and a signed photo is maybe a $10 item at best.

 

[BBCgalaxee]

Kind of weird that the Dodgers logo had to be airbrushed off the helmet and uniform but it's ok to show the team's logo printed on the photo.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[Mark70Z]

I understand... I've seen a number of pictures over the years where Brooks did a signing and they had specific photo's for the event. I have picked up a couple, but they are few and far between. There was one in particular event where he signed, relatively recently, for one of the minor league teams he played for and they had a picture of him in that uniform from back in the day that I had never seen before. I "need" to find one, like you, signed or unsigned (or both).

I try to save the pictures as well, but I'm not too organized with it, but if you collect one player you pretty much know if you have it or not when an item comes up for sale. At least I have that memory thing going for me...

 

[RStadlerASU22]

There are a few Clark items like this where he did a signing at a Hunting Event. Saw evidence once and never again. Like you mentioned a lot of those who got things signed aren't that same selling on eBay.

Ryan

 

[mrwhitesox30]

Have you tried contacting the sponsor or the specific sporting good store location where the signing was held? Maybe they have a stack of them that were never used just collecting dust.

 

[Therion]

Just wanted to add, for academy they mostly use the team issued cards. For other places, they'll sometimes make their own. Hell, at the last Marwin Gonzalez signing, they were giving away free 8x10 photo file pics and even had a dude from MLB there to authenticate them. Never seen that before(it was at an HEB). They do weird stuff sometimes...

One of the few I couldn't make this year and they gave away free 8X10s?!?!

 

[Yanks2151]

I wonder where that Sports Authority sign ended up.

 

[mrmopar]

Funny, I write this yesterday and then tonight, someone lists a photo from an automotive dealer signing. I saw it in my google search yesterday, but it didn't look like the photos were special from the images I could see. I was wrong. It's personalized, but I am not complaining.

http://www.am570lasports.com/photos/dodgers/steve-garvey-at-hamer-toyota-385619/#/2/22368410

I did try reaching out to each one, but they are corporate giants. I would probably have to contact the specific store and that is an even longer shot. I just tried the dealership, as that would be more likely that they's set aside extras.

 

[predatorkj]

One of the few I couldn't make this year and they gave away free 8X10s?!?!

Totally unusual to say the least. I was really kind of scratching my head. Happily of course. But it was really a WTH moment. Every other signing has been the team give away cards.

 

[Zymco]

I may have the dog one.... I was there, but don't know what I did with it

 

[Therion]

Totally unusual to say the least. I was really kind of scratching my head. Happily of course. But it was really a WTH moment. Every other signing has been the team give away cards.

The Preston Tucker signing didn't even have those. Equally weird.

 

[predatorkj]

The Preston Tucker signing didn't even have those. Equally weird.

Were you at Tucker? I went and got him. I was ticked because Rasmus didn't show. And the Tucker signing(at Academy in Missouri City) at least had the generic cards with astros logo. And yes, they suck. I'd much prefer the player card. But with the way free signings are so scarce now, I'm just happy they do them at all...

 

[Therion]

Were you at Tucker? I went and got him. I was ticked because Rasmus didn't show. And the Tucker signing(at Academy in Missouri City) at least had the generic cards with astros logo. And yes, they suck. I'd much prefer the player card. But with the way free signings are so scarce now, I'm just happy they do them at all...

I was there. I was also annoyed Rasmus bailed. I need him for Sawyer's book and he never signs at the stadium. Hopefully he is at the Winter FanFest.