Do you ask questions in your letter (ttm)?

[AutographCollector]

After the main topic of your letter is written do you end the letter by asking a question or two about their career? If so what kind of questions do you ask?
I ask "What their most memorable moment was", if it's a pitcher I ask:" what hitters were the toughest/easiest for you?" and for hitters: "Which pitchers gave you the hardest/ easiest time at the plate?"
Some of the answers are pretty neat, but their are some that are plain awesome. Former Cardinal Joe Grzenda told me that his greatest thrill was "to get a MLB pension after his career was over of $500 a month,".

[bailiff]

With every request that I send to retired guys, college players or minor league guys, I also include a few questions. I don't bother on asking questions to guys that are established big leaguers.

[AutographCollector]

I don't bother on asking questions to guys that are established big leaguers.
Minor Leaguers will write a book! I love writing to them!

I was surprised to get a response to my letter from Indians starter Jake Westbrook last yr. His most memorable moment was his rookie yr and striking out his first batter.

[ipitch]

Former Cardinal Joe Grzenda told me that his greatest thrill was "to get a MLB pension after his career was over of $500 a month,".

Was that before or after he told you that the player in the photo you included wasn't him? :D

[AutographCollector]

Was that before or after he told you that the player in the photo you included wasn't him? :D

Before. Lol... I wrote to Mr Grzenda last year, and he signed a card for me. He lives 15 minutes from my dad's house. That and, my brother swears up and down that he was at my mom's second wedding, as a friend of the groom. I was 13 when that occurred, so I need to call my mom and ask.

[icee82]

If I am writing to someone that played in the 40's, 50's or 60's, I always ask questions. It is amazing what you will get back at times. I wrote a letter to Herbert Hash, who pitched for the Red Sox in 1940 and 1941. He wrote me a four page letter which was great.

[dmbfan]

I always send questions to former players and have gotten back quite a number of responses. The questions will vary depending on what I am interested in knowing about the player's career. I always ask how many requests they receive in the mail for autographs per month. There are some players that get 5-10 and some that get several hundred. It's an added bonus for the collection and something else to look forward to in the mail.

[nyyfan]

I used to but no one answers. I did however send a questinarre to a retired player but still haven't got it yet.

[bryanspellman]

We usually ask the inactive players but not normally the active unless we are big fans...I think it is enough to get a return from the players during the season.....

[dabigyankeeman]

I have only tried TTM once in my life, but that was because i got hold of Hector Lopez's address. He was an outfielder for the Yankees in the early 1960's and i had met him at a golf course at that time and we played together that week and the next week. It was so neat, I was a young teen playing golf with a Yankee! Anyway, I sent him a 1963 card of himself and remimded him who I was and asked him if he remembered and how he was doing, etc. He didnt respond to any of my questions, but did a real nice signing on the card "To Arnie, Best Wishes, Hector Lopez".

[Custom Made]

As someone else said, I usually enclose questions to the "ole' timers". Current players/superstars generally don't answer.

The best was from George Kell. Answered my questions, and at the end he put, "P.S. I better not see this on ebay like I did with another questionnaire I answered". I actually took the time to write him back and reassure him that it was in my personal collection. :happy:

[AutographCollector]

The best was from George Kell. Answered my questions, and at the end he put, "P.S. I better not see this on ebay like I did with another questionnaire I answered". I actually took the time to write him back and reassure him that it was in my personal collection. :happy:
Sad when a retired player has to search on eBay to make sure that his autos aren't being sold.

[dmbfan]

Here's my list of who I've gotten responses back from:

Bill Almon
Don August
Gary Bell
Ray Burris
Brett Butler
Don Carmen
Ed Charles
Jim Davenport
Brian Dayett
Ernie Harwell
Tom Hausman
Ron Hodges
Frank Lucchesi
Claude Osteen
Andy Pafko
Broderick Perkins
Jon Perlman
Johnny Pesky
Gary Peters
Darrell Rasner
Doug Rau
Merv Rettenmund
Allen Ripley
Craig Skok
Zane Smith
Herman Starrette
Mike Vail
Robbie Wine, Jr.
Gerald Young
Pete Young
Ben Zobrist
Eddie Zosky

Truly some great responses from these guys. Some write more than others.

[TigersFanB406]

I only asked Greg Zaun questions and he didn't reply but he did sign the card so I'm cool with it. I think I asked him who the toughest pitcher he's faced was.

From the looks of it, most current players won't take the time to answer.

[SDL]

Here's my list of who I've gotten responses back from:

Bill Almon
Don August
Gary Bell
Ray Burris
Brett Butler
Don Carmen
Ed Charles
Jim Davenport
Brian Dayett
Ernie Harwell
Tom Hausman
Ron Hodges
Frank Lucchesi
Claude Osteen
Andy Pafko
Broderick Perkins
Jon Perlman
Johnny Pesky
Gary Peters
Darrell Rasner
Doug Rau
Merv Rettenmund
Allen Ripley
Craig Skok
Zane Smith
Herman Starrette
Mike Vail
Robbie Wine, Jr.
Gerald Young
Pete Young
Ben Zobrist
Eddie Zosky

Truly some great responses from these guys. Some write more than others.

When i wrote Peters, I didn't ask a question but told him that if he'd been with the Red Sox in '67, we'd have won it all. He didn't respond but he did sign my pics.

So far, Eddie Bressoud, Trent D'Antonio and Ty Cline have answered questions. I had askd Bressoud what he felt when he played against his former teammates in the '67 Series, D'Antonio if he was going to play for Australia in the then-upcoming World Cup (turns out he wasn't selected) and Cline about his playing in the '59 Pan Am games (he and Lou Brock only members of the team to play in majors)