John Danks

Who: Pitcher John Danks

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2009 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Coming...

Greg Walker

Who: First Baseman Greg Walker

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Greg Walker is currently the batting coach for the Chicago White Sox. I got lucky with this autograph. My buddy spotted Greg walking through one of the hallways outside the ballroom at Soxfest. He stopped and signed a few autographs, and I managed to snag one.

How about that late-80s White Sox uniform. Those jerseys are now becoming classics - so many folks at Soxfest were rockin' that style.

Ozzie Guillen

Who: Shortstop Ozzie Guillen

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Going into Soxfest, Ozzie's autograph was the one I was most excited to get. Not only is he the charismatic manager of the White Sox, but I remember him playing when I was a kid, and even saw him play once at Comiskey park during the last season it was standing. Plus, tack on the fact that he has an '87 Topps, and we're cookin'!

Gary Peters

Who: Pitcher Gary Peters

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1969 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Yep, still rollin' on the Soxfest autographs. Still have a few more to post. Hang tight.

Gary Peters was a pretty darn good pitcher for the White Sox, winning the 1963 AL Rookie of the Year award. During that season, he had a string of 11 straight wins - impressive. Equally as impressive, during the 1967 All-Star game, retired 9 consecutive batters over three innings, including striking out three future Hall of Famers - Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, and Ferguson Jenkins. Wow.

Pretty nicely signed card, eh? Gary laid down a nice signature on this '69 Topps - the second from that set that I had signed at Soxfest. The other was from Joe Horlen.

Ron Kittle

Who: Designated Hitter Ron Kittle

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1990 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Coming...

Ed Farmer

Who: Pitcher Ed Farmer

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1981 Donruss

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: This post goes out to Zach over at Autographed Cards - he loves these dang '81 Donruss cards. I gotta say, I like this one too. The card comes with a decent story too.

At Soxfest, one of the last autograph sessions I got to was for Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson. I was set with cards for Darrin, but didn't have anything for Ed to sign. Even after seeing the one card dealer at the Soxfest dealer area, I still had nothing. I figured I would get in line and ask around to see if someone would be willing to trade. Luckily, there were three guys in front of me who had tons of cards and one offered a few up to me. Of the three he had, I choose this the '81 D-Russ and the rest is history. Just goes to show there are plenty of nice folks out there.

Check out the uni Ed's sportin' on this card. Those collars were insane. Too bad he's not rockin' the shorts.

Bill Melton

Who: Third Baseman Bill Melton

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1972 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Coming...

Freddy Garcia

Who: Pitcher Freddy Garcia

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2006 Fleer

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: I can't say that I was too familar with Freddy Garcia's body of work before Soxfest. My boys were excited to get his autograph the first night, so I figured I might as well be excited too. Freddy was nice and corgial and the whole thing was good. I really didn't think that Freddy would have all all that big of an impact on my memory of that weekend, then we witnessed this in the hotel lobby on that Saturday night. HAHAHAAHAHA. We even got our picture with Freddy about 5 minutes before all this happened. It was the only photo I got with a Sox player that weekend... and you know exactly why. LOL

Bill Melton

Who: Third Baseman Bill Melton

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1972 Topps In Action

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Beltin' Bill Melton signed this and his other '72 Topps card for me at the bar of the Palmer House Hilton during Soxfest. Since I don't have the ability to recognize most retired White Sox players, my buddy pointed him out for me when we were walking through the bar. Being prepared with your cards in tow is always a good idea.

Between a sweet horizontal In Action card and Melton's smooth sig, this card came out pretty well.

Minnie Miñoso

Who: Outfielder Minnie Miñoso

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1957 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Ah, this was one card I was really looking forward to getting signed. White Sox great Minnie Minoso, the first black player to where their uniform, has made a habit out of getting into uniform well past his prime in the 1950s. He is the only baseball player to play professionally in seven different decades. More about he professional appearances here.

Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta, aka, Minnie Minoso has been a part of baseball history for quite a long time.

When I met Mr. Minoso, he autographed my card in a very interesting way. He took a piece of paper or note card and lined it up diagonally across my card and used it as a guide as he put his signature on it. That's how he was able to get the extremely straight autograph you see above. I've never seen that before! He did it for everyone too. I'm sure if you've gotten his autograph you have a similar story.

A.J. Pierzynski

Who: Catcher A.J. Pierzynski

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2008 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Not sure what my problem is, but I always have the worst cards for A.J. to sign. This one that he signed for me TTM last year was not the greatest to get signed either. No matter though, it was cool to say hi to A.J. and add another card of his to the collection.

After reading the last A.J. autograph post, it's cool that the friend that I talked about visiting to watch the Reds and White Sox play is the same friend I hit Soxfest with. Good times, all of them.

Floyd Bannister

Who: Pitcher Floyd Bannister

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: I'm tellin' you, I put a nice little dent in the '87 Topps autograph search at Soxfest. I think I was able to to get six in all? Very nice. More to come.

Floyd pitched for the Sox from 1983-'87. Though he had his lone all-star appearance in 1982 with the Mariners, overall he pitched better with with Sox right after that.

Bobby Jenks

Who: Pitcher Bobby Jenks

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2008 Allen & Ginter

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Bobby did not sign this card, his goat-tee did. It was amazing.

This Allen & Ginter card of Sox closer extraordinaire is pretty boss. Love the horizontal layout with that photo illustration. Great for a signature.

Joe Horlen

Who: Pitcher Joe Horlen

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1969 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: Joe pitched a no hitter for the White Sox back in 1967. He also help beat my Cincinnati Reds in the '72 World Series when he played with the Oakland Athletics. Drat!

How about that powerder blue Chi Sox uni? On wool, that color looks fantastic. I'm sure those uniforms will still hot as hell in the summer.

Steve Stone

Who: Pitcher Steve Stone

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1974 Topps

Acquired: In Person, Soxfest 2010

Comments: I've got a ton of stuff coming up for the blog over the next few weeks, including a load of autographs from my trip to Soxfest. Had a great time and got a lot of cards signed.

So let's kick off my string of Soxfest autographs with the one I'm disappointed in the most - this 1974 Topps Steve Stone. This is the only card I've ever had signed at a fanfest in ballpoint pen. Seriously, what the heck? When I went though Steve's line at Soxfest, I noticed that he was signing things with ballpoint pen. My buddy in front of me handed him a Sharpie to sign his card, and Steve did. But, when I asked if he wouldn't mind signing my card with my Sharpie, Steve took my card and absolutely obliterated it with his pen. He mentioned something about him knowing that I "Won't sell this on eBay" and that "It's perfectly fine." All with a smile, of course. Really, the pen was literally scraaaaaaaped across the card. The ink is flaking up and you can feel the pen indentation on the back of the card.

Ugh.

You go to these things and there is an understanding on both sides (player and fan) that guys sign baseball cards with a marker and baseballs with a pen. I've received dozens of autographs from many players - stars, hall of famers, journeymen, etc. at fanfests. They all used a Sharpie on my baseball card.

You know, it's really not that big of a deal. I'm actually not too upset about it. I guess if it were a Reds player that I had really admired as a kid I would probably be a little crushed. But, this good ol' Steve Stone autoscrape will live happily in my binder as a funny reminder to what was a really fun weekend.

I've got some nice looking autographs coming up soon. Stay tuned.

Jim Fregosi

Who: Manager Jim Fregosi

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: TTM 1/1 1/11/2010 (7 Days)

Comments: The funny thing about this post is the fact that I was just at the White Sox's SoxFest. While I got a ton of autographs from current and former Sox players, Jim Fergosi was not one of them I got this one through the mail - in just 7 days too. Another '87 Topps in the books thanks to Mr. Fergosi. More '87 Topps - and White Sox - are coming soon.

Tony LaRussa

Who: Manager Tony LaRussa

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1985 Topps

Acquired: TTM 1/1 11/24/2008 (12 days)

Comments: This card was signed last year, but somehow I let it slip through the cracks and I never posted it. Well, here ya go... and '85 Topps Tony LaRussa. As always, Tony is looking pretty tough on his cards. The 1985 White Sox posted a 85-77 good for 3rd in AL West.

Bobby Thigpen

Who: Pitcher Bobby Thigpen

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1990 White Sox SGA

Acquired: TTM 3/3 8/27/2009 (40 days)

Comments: Bobby Thigpen signed this 1990 White Sox team set card for me, along with two other cards, including this '87 Topps rookie card. It's the second '90 White Sox SGA card in my autograph collection, the other bring from Ron Kittle. I've got one more Bobby Thigpen card coming down the pipe, and it's an oddball. Stay tuned.

Bobby Thigpen

Who: Pitcher Bobby Thigpen

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: TTM 3/3 8/27/2009 (40 days)

Comments: Bobby is currently the pitching coach for the Winston-Salem Dash, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They seem to be having a pretty decent season, winning the first half of the season in the Carolina League's Southern Division, and again leading the division in the second-half as of this post. In his second season as manager, Bobby seems to be doing a great job.

Of course, we all remember Bobby setting the MLB single-season saves record in 1990 with 57. Though he had a couple of solid season before, with 34 saves each, that '90 season ended up being somewhat of a one-hit-wonder. He just couldn't regain that magic in the following seasons for the Sox. That record has since been broken by Francisco Rodríguez with 62 saves in 2008.

Bobby kindly signed three cards for me. This '87 Topps happens to be his rookie card - sweet! The other two are somewhat odd-balls... Can't wait to post those. Stick around...

A.J. Pierzynski

Who: Catcher A.J. Pierzynski

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2008 Topps Heritage

Acquired: TTM 1/1 6/15/2009 (10 days)

Comments: What better time now to post this autograph? The White Sox are in town, playing the Reds tonight. Good friends, who happen to be Sox fans, are coming down to go to the game with us. Should be a great night - especially after the Reds beat up on the Sox. So, here's A.J. and his super-scribble autograph. I wish I had a better card to send, but in all my searching of cards on hand, I could come up with nothing better. No matter, an auto is an auto.

Ron Kittle

Who: Ron Kittle

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 1990 White Sox SGA

Acquired: TTM 2/2 4/13/2009 (14 days)

Comments: When I was a little guy, we took a little family vacation to Chicago one weekend in the summer. While we were there, I badgered my parents to take us to a White Sox game, since it was the last season they would be playing in Old Comiskey Park. My badgering worked, and we headed to the south side to sit behind a pole in the upper deck along the first base line. The Sox played the Brewers that day and it also happened to be baseball card give-a-way day at the ballpark. I didn't know about that before we went, but needless to say I was pretty stoked when I got a pack of White Sox cards. Obviously, that's where this card came from. I've always been pretty protective of this set - I suppose it's kinda special to me because of the trip, and getting to see some history that day by watching a game in Old Comiskey.

I took home a lot of loot that day. Along with the cards, I picked up a pennant, a program and a score card. I actually "kept score" that day and still have the program and card. I looked over the lineups a while back and noticed there were a ton of great players on the field that day - and a couple Hall of Famers - Carlton Fisk, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Pretty sweet, huh?

The one thing I wish I still had from that day where the photos I took. I had a little 110 camera that I was using that weekend in Chicago. I don't know if any of those photos were even developed. I would love to see them now.

So, it's pretty sweet that I got one of the cards from the set signed. It was a little hard to send out, since you never know if it will come back from sure. But, since Kittle seems to be a great TTM signer, I felt comfortable enough. Plus, my brother got a set of cards the day we went to Comiskey, and he could care less about them. So, I have a duplicate set. Ha.

One last note about the card. In the nearly 19 years I've had these cards, I never noticed they are just SLIGHTLY larger than a standard baseball card. It was not until I put this card in with another to send to Ron that I noticed it. They are just a smidge wider than a regular card, and that extra width actually makes it nearly impossible to put this card in a plastic sleeve or 9-pocket page. Funny.

Bobby Knoop

Who: Second Baseman Bobby Knoop

Team: California Angels

Card: 1971 Topps

Acquired: TTM 2/2 3/10/2009 (116 days)

Comments: Coming Soon...

Mark Buehrle

Who: Pitcher Mark Buehrle

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter

Acquired: TTM 1/1 3/13/2009 (13 days)

Comments: Apparently, Mark owns a "Big Ass Truck."

Dan Pasqua

Who: Outfielder Dan Pasqua

Team: New York Yankees

Card: 1987 Topps

Acquired: TTM 2/2 2/7/2009 (8 days)

Comments: Coming soon...

Brian Anderson

Who: Outfielder Brian Anderson

Team: Chicago White Sox

Card: 2006 Bowman

Acquired: Via friend at 2009 Soxfest

Comments: This is the other autograph that my homie from Chicago hooked me up with at the 2009 Soxfest. The other card was a 1987 Buddy Bell. I don't know much about Brian, but I'll be keeping an eye on him now. Thanks again, Rob!