SoCal Autograph Odysses

 My most recent card sent out to a signing came back last week, and it turned out great. I sent a 1987 Topps to Mark McGwire, and the card came back with a huge blue signature that looks great. 

 Despite living in Southern California (as the blog name implies) and being just a six hour trek away from Phoenix and the Cactus League, I had never in my life been to Spring Training. This year that changed, and it was an absolute blast of a trip that I believe will become an annual tradition.  I should preemptively state that I did bring cards with me to potentially get signed, but my intent was not  to try to too hard in obtaining them and instead enjoy the atmosphere. I was successful on both fronts. I went with my uncle and my brother, and on Thursday night we attended the first of five games, the Dodgers hosting the Rangers at Camelback Ranch. There were some guys signing (the main ones being Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, but I did not get anyone.  On Friday we intended to hit two games, so went to the Angels game against the Royals at Tempe Diablo Stadium and then the Mariners at Padres game at Peoria Sports Complex. The Angels did start some of their main starters but the on

 I had successive private signing send ins that did not go according to plan. The first was the Jack Morris signed card that I already posted about, and the second was a Joe Mauer rookie card I sent in to a signing that did not come back at all. Apparently it got lost somewhere along the line by USPS which is a bummer because I thought that card would look good. I contacted the promoter and he was kind enough to send me one of his extras. It's an Upper Deck team USA game used jersey patch that the promoter himself had signed. It's not exactly the type of card I would have sent to get signed myself but it's still pretty cool. It was also very kind of the promoter to send me a replacement because technically he isn't required to do so.  This is the card I sent in for the signing that did not come back.   

 I recently got a return from another private signing going on SportsCollectors.net and I sent yet another 1987 Topps to this one as well. Unfortunately, this is the first time in the 30 or signings I've done through this site that the card that came back to me was a bit messed up. The card in question here is Jack Morris, baseball Hall of Famer.  You can slightly see it on this photo. Up near his right elbow you can barely make out to crease lines, which run about two thirds of the way down the card and then meet up to form one line down by where he signed the "J". It's not something I can display but thankfully this signing was cheap and I'll probably have to send another card. I don't recall seeing a crease on the card I sent but the promoter thinks it arrived that way before being signed. Either way, it was damaged at some point in transit. It's definitely a bummer but it's a risk taken when I'm not present at the signing itself.