A TTM Success That Proves Once and For All That I’m an Idiot
February 4th, 2011 by slangon
Back in May of last year, when Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts unfortunately passed away, I wrote a short little post lamenting his passing. In it, I showed a custom card I had made of him and related a story about how I had sent him a copy to be signed, which he sent back unadorned. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to a few nights ago when I was sifting through the clutter that always seems to build up on my desk. I came across the same Robin Roberts custom card, along with a few other customs that were laying around for one reason or another.
As I was sifting through these cards, I was placing them face down in a pile, sorting them and trying to figure out where to store them. When I got to the Roberts card, I happened to glance down and saw this.
Turns out that old Robin had signed the card after all. When I realized this, I had a mixed reaction of being really happy that I had Robin Roberts autograph, and guilty that this entire time I was bummed out because I thought he turned me down. Then I ended up just feeling stupid. In my defense, though, who signs the back of a card?
A footnote to this story is that when I originally sent him the autograph request, I actually sent 2 copies of the card. He did send both copies back, and when I thought that he didn’t sign them, I just put them in a pile on my desk. This all happened in February of last year. Turns out, at some point when I was putting together a trade package between then and now, I put the other custom Robin Roberts card in as a throw in for whoever it was that I was trading with. Now, I have no idea if Mr. Roberts actually signed both copies of the card or not. Nor do I have any idea at this point who exactly it was that ended up with that second copy. Whoever it is, though, might have themselves a Robin Roberts autograph without even knowing it. If whoever it was is reading this, leave a comment or shoot me an email. I’m just curious if that second one was indeed signed.
And remember kids, always check the back of cards when you send them out to get signed. You never know.
Hate to laugh, but this is kinda funny. At least you ended up with his autograph.
There are still people out there who think signing the front of the card would be defacing the card. It’s kind of an old-fashioned view, but I understand it. Perhaps that’s what Robin was thinking.
But cool discovery. I do stuff like that all the time.
I sent a pocket schedule to Drew Stubbs, because I didn’t have any of his cards. I got it back a few weeks later. Both the front and back covers were blank. Just as you, I was pretty bummed that he didn’t sign it. On a whim, I opened the schedule, and he had not only signed it there, he had personalized it and added “Best Wishes!”
Even odder than what Night Owl said is that I had a friend that always had his autos put on the penny sleeve cause he didn’t want the cards to not be mint anymore.
Knocking over my chair, nearly breaking the sliding glass door, I lept from my computer. I pulled a muscle in muscle in my calf sprinting up the stairs…
It was to me you sent the other Roberts! (Along with Kaline and Zernial.)
How could I have missed it! I opened the box marked “Dope-ass Art”, and pulled out my copy…
Well… You kept the right one.
No auto.
I still love the card.
I have a SlangKo post in the works.
Man, that would’ve been pretty sweet if that one was autographed too. Although, no offense, I would’ve been pretty P-O-ed if he only signed one and I ended up sending you the signed copy.
I would have sent it back… eventually.
And I would’ve sent it right back to you. I would’ve been mad, but that’ll teach me to not look closely at cards I sent out to sign. Of course I say that knowing that I have the signed card.