Red Sox from the 40's, 50's, and 60's TTM

[Mike D.]

One of my winter projects is going to be to collect autographs of former Red Sox from the 40's, 50's, and 60's TTM.

Can anyone share guys they've either had or seen recent successes with? I'll be buying cards on sportlots and sending TTM requests, so any help you guys can give me will save me money on cards and stamps!

I've gotten Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, and Johnny Pesky. Does frank Malzone sign TTM?

[AutographCollector]

Does frank Malzone sign TTM?

He did for me.

[MadHatter]

I've had success with Dave Sisler.

[Mike D.]

Thanks guys...throw any more names out there if you think of 'em!

[icee82]

Projects such as this are a lot of fun. However it is difficult sometimes to find pics of some of the obscure players. For instance I have been doing the same thing on the Cincinnati Reds. However some of the utility players that may have just come up for a cup of coffee are tough. There were several pitchers during those years that pitched in one or two games before going back down or leaving baseball completely. Some of the players that I have been working on did not have a card made. A project like this is a lot of fun though and you get some interesting responses and letters.

My favorite response from a player was a former Red Sox pitcher Herb Hash who is now dead. He was born in my hometown of Woolwine, VA. I actually went to elementary school there. The town is very small and might have a population of probably 1000 people. Everyone knows everyone there. I wrote him a letter and he wrote a four page letter back to me with a lot of his information about his childhood and subsequent career. A very nice surprise indeed.

[Mike D.]

Yeah, these projects can be fun, for sure...especially during the off-season when current player requests aren't happening.

For this project, I'll probably focus on guys I can get cards of, but I had to make a few cards for my project of natives of Rhode Island. I usually made up something simple with team logos and the players name, since as you said, finding pictures of many of them is tough.

[Rockhound]

If you don't have the player's card or photo, or can't make your own card, don't forget about the Autograph Card. www.theautographcard.com They're great for ANY autograph any time.

[flem77]

I've got graphs from Bobby Doerr and Jim Lonborg

[metrotheme]

I'm working on a book about the American Association from the late 40's and early 50's post integration and the Red Sox had a strong entry. I've interviewed and received autographs from many Red Sox players from that era. Here are some off of the top:

Len Okrie
Harley Hisner
Jimmy Piersall
Russ Kemmerer
Gene Stephens
Ted Lepcio
Dick Brodowski
Boo Ferriss
Windy McCall
Al Richter
Pete Daley
Johnny Pesky
Sam Mele
Tom Wright
Babe Martin
Mel Parnell
Matt Batts
Charlie Maxwell
James Atkins
Les Moss
Karl Olson
Bennett Flowers
Dick Gernert
George Kell
Don Lendhardt
Milt Bolling
Neill Sheridan
Ike Delock
Randy Gumpert (he's not well, I'd try to get him ASAP)
Tom Umphlett
Hal Brown
Bill Werle
Grady Hatton
Ellis "Cot" Deal

Most of them played between 1947-53

[icee82]

In the letter that I received from Herb Hash, he indicated that he played in the American Association and the Red Sox actually purchased his contract from the Minneapolis Millers. I think that he may have won 22 games in the AA.

[kearns643]

What I have done, and still do, is go to Retrosheet.org

http://www.retrosheet.org/

from there:

Games
Regular season
Year
Team
Roster

and look at the whole team...

you then can reference my collection here:

http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=48833

go thru the process to see who is alive and send...

[icee82]

That is how I began my Reds' project. I went through each year and checked to see which players were living. I made a spreadsheet by year and filled in the name. Immediately I started writing to the very oldest players, i.e. Billy Werber and Lonny Frey and I am up in the 1960's right now. This has been one of the most time consuming projects that I have begun but it has been truly rewarding. I have received some very nice letters back from some of the old time Reds that many people have never heard about. In fact most Reds' fans had no clue as to who they were.

[MadHatter]

Mel Parnell, Ike Delock & Bil Monboquette

[shoreyart]

Bill Werle is not able to sign any more due to Alzheimer's--- I've gotten Frank Malzone, Ted Lepcio, Boo Ferriss, Chuck Schilling, Bobby Thomson (ended his career in Bos in 1960), Bill Monbouquette (also a possible no due to his battle with cancer), Dick Gernert, Milt Bolling, Jimmy Piersall, Dick Brodowski, Mel Parnell, Walt Dropo, Hal Brown, Carroll Hardy, Dave Morehead, Jim Lonborg, and the oldest living Sox at 100- Bill Werber (only signs a flat item---cant sign baseballs anymore)

[Mike D.]

Thanks guys...I do have a few of the players you mentioned already, but I don't have a TON of them.

I'm already starting to search Sportlots for cards of these guys. Some I won't be able to find or they'll be cost-prohibitive, but I can make custom cards for those guys. It's going to be a busy winter!!

[Mike D.]

Some of these guys seem to have cards in the 1991 Topps 1953 Archives and 1994 Topps 1954 Archives sets. How are these cards for getting signed? Are they glossy? How about the 2001 Fleer Red Sox 100th anniversary set?

[icee82]

I actually have Boo Ferriss, Bobby Thomson, Dick Gernert (played with the Reds), Jimmy Piersall, and Billy Werber (played on the 1940 World Champion Reds). I read somewhere and it may have been on here that Walt Dropo charges. He played with the Reds as well but I have saved him in case he begins to sign for free again.

[AutographCollector]

Some of these guys seem to have cards in the 1991 Topps 1953 Archives and 1994 Topps 1954 Archives sets. How are these cards for getting signed? Are they glossy?

The 53' and 54' Topps Archive cards are GREAT for autographs Mike. If you already haven't. But both sets. A LOT of them sign in general.

[Mike D.]

The 53' and 54' Topps Archive cards are GREAT for autographs Mike. If you already haven't. But both sets. A LOT of them sign in general.

Cool...thanks for the info AC. I just ordered a bunch of singles from the 2001 Fleer Red Sox set from Sportlots.

I'll probably go through the 1953 and 1954 Archives sets and do something similar at some point soon. I'd love to pick up the entire sets, but a quick sweep of eBay shows they're not cheap at all!

[metrotheme]

I'd say just buy the singles of the living red sox players from the 53/54 archives set via sportlots. If you know how to use the system, try to get as many as possible from one seller to cut down on s/h.

[Mike D.]

I'd say just buy the singles of the living red sox players from the 53/54 archives set via sportlots. If you know how to use the system, try to get as many as possible from one seller to cut down on s/h.

Yeah, I just did that with the 2001 Fleer Red Sox 100th set...I'm an avid Sportlots buyer, and sell on there too, so I've gotten their system down pretty well!