View Full Version : Richie Zisk
Be advised that former Pirate/ChiSox/Ranger/Mariner slugger Richie Zisk, now the Daytona Beach Cubs batting coach, WILL NOT SIGN ANYTHING. He was telling people today that he doesn't sign ANYTHING because he's been a victim of identity theft.
Some kids had balls they wanted him to sign and I could tell they were disappointed. I had three 8 x 10 blowups of his 74 Topps, '81 Fleer and '84 Topps that I wanted him to sign. Luckily his back was to me. He probably would have had a fit if he saw my blowups.
Wonder if he blames Topps...some of their cards, notably the '75, '77 and '82 have facsimile signatures on them...
SoxFan345818
08-12-2007, 03:36 PM
Be advised that former Pirate/ChiSox/Ranger/Mariner slugger Richie Zisk, now the Daytona Beach Cubs batting coach, WILL NOT SIGN ANYTHING. He was telling people today that he doesn't sign ANYTHING because he's been a victim of identity theft.
Some kids had balls they wanted him to sign and I could tell they were disappointed. I had three 8 x 10 blowups of his 74 Topps, '81 Fleer and '84 Topps that I wanted to sign. Luckily his back was to me. He probably would have had a fit if he saw my blowups.
Wonder if he blames Topps...some of their cards, notably the '75, '77 and '82 have facsimile signatures on them...
How can be a victim of identity theft from signing autographs?
Cowtipper
08-12-2007, 04:53 PM
Yeah, people sometimes lift their signitures off items that got signed and put them on bogus contracts et cetera. They also copy the signitures and do unsavory things under the victim's name. That's why so many players don't sign blank index cards...
vtred
08-12-2007, 05:47 PM
Something scary about a grown man walking around with 3 8x10's of another man....
AutographCollector
08-12-2007, 09:16 PM
Something scary about a grown man walking around with 3 8x10's of another man....
What's so scary about that? I buy unsigned 8x10's on ebay all the time and send them to players to sign. Nothing wrong with that at all.
By the way: Zisk went to high school and played on the same baseball team as my uncle. I mentioned that to my letter to him, and he not only signed my two cards, but wrote on my letter that he remembered my uncle and was pretty good friends with him growing up. *Brownie points*
Dan G
08-13-2007, 11:05 AM
I got Richie to sign a 1984 Topps card in person about 10 years ago. He was the hitting coach for the Daytona Cubs.
I remember in 1973 after Roberto Clemente passed away, RF (RH) Richie Zisk, C-RF (RH) Manny Sanguillen, and C (LH) Milt May formed a RF-C platoon to replace Clemente.
I got Richie to sign a 1984 Topps card in person about 10 years ago. He was the hitting coach for the Daytona Cubs.
www.dango727.com/richie_zisk.html
Evidently, he was the victim of ID theft since then and he has this new policy now. I can see why he'd take that position, but it doesn't mean that everybody who wants an autograph is going to do that.
Dan G
08-13-2007, 01:57 PM
Evidently, he was the victim of ID theft since then and he has this new policy now. I can see why he'd take that position, but it doesn't mean that everybody who wants an autograph is going to do that.
I understand that. My brother, who also collects autographs, was asked by a player, to not post the image of his autograph online, for fear of having his signature forged for unlawful things.
My entire collection can be viewed online (see link below) and I have had many baseball players e-mail me after seeing their autograph on my site. So far I have not been asked to take down any, but if that day comes, I will gladly do so, or even just blur the signature out with Photoshop.
MadHatter
08-13-2007, 02:23 PM
My entire collection can be viewed online (see link below) and I have had many baseball players e-mail me after seeing their autograph on my site. So far I have not been asked to take down any, but if that day comes, I will gladly do so, or even just blur the signature out with Photoshop.
That seems extreme - people looking to forge autographs will most likely go to a site like eBay where they can see hundreds of examples of it. I highly doubt they'll concern themselves with sites like ours.
ironman
08-14-2007, 09:09 AM
Many players use different signatures for official documents than they use for signing cards or balls. I think its stupid for Topps and Bowman to print the signature the player signed their contract with, because thats just asking for identity theft.
Many players use different signatures for official documents than they use for signing cards or balls. I think its stupid for Topps and Bowman to print the signature the player signed their contract with, because thats just asking for identity theft.
Good point, although I've seen cards that have both the printed and actual sig on them. Both look the same or pretty close to it
I wonder if any players who have had what Zisk said happened to him have actually sued Topps, Bowman et al over this.
MadHatter
08-14-2007, 01:07 PM
Isn't this all pretty blown up? It takes more than just a signature to steal someone's identity. There all sorts of other information that is needed (SS#, Acct. #'s, etc.)
icee82
08-14-2007, 06:27 PM
I work in the financial services industry and this is the least of his worries. Identity thefts seldom involved forged signatures because if someone opens an account there is no signature on file anywhere to compare it with. I think that he is just using that as an excuse to not sign.
Captain Cold Nose
08-15-2007, 05:34 AM
I work in the financial services industry and this is the least of his worries. Identity thefts seldom involved forged signatures because if someone opens an account there is no signature on file anywhere to compare it with. I think that he is just using that as an excuse to not sign.
I remember hearing about what happened to Zisk, and it's unfortunate. You're very right, though. I work for a subscription internet research database, and identity theft is very much a concern well beyond simple forged signatures. I'm not sure how Zisk's identity was "stolen" but it does seem like a convenient excuse. A signature is only just that, and only those familiar with it would be able know it's not correct. You need more than a signature to get something.