Bobby Reed

In February of 2021, I decided to seek out an address for Bobby Reed. I discovered that he owned a home building company in Tennessee, so I sent him my card and the following letter.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at things, Mr. Reed was no longer at that address. 68 days later I received my card back with a note explaining that my letter could not be forwarded to his new address. Also included with that letter were two Yogi Berra baseball cards, one of which was signed and had a certificate of authenticity.

I found another address to try for Mr. Reed, so I wrote him a new letter and mailed it off the very next day.

Eighteen days later my card came back signed.

Bobby signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #232.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=reed--002rob

Matt Anderson

In April of 2021, I decided to seek out an address for Matt Anderson. I sent him my card and the following letter.

Fourteen days later my card came back signed.

Matt signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #89.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=anders001mat

Mike Neill

In January of 2021, I decided to seek out an address for Mike Neill. I sent him my card and the following letter.

60 days later my card came back signed.

Mike signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #273.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/neillmi01.shtml

Troy O'Leary

I met him at the Boston Red Sox fantasy camp at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida in 2017.

Troy signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #268.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/o'leatr01.shtml

Turk Wendell

I met him at the New York Mets fantasy camp at the Mets Minor League Complex & Rehabilitation Center in Port Saint Lucie, Florida in 2016.

Turk signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #85.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wendetu01.shtml

Butch Huskey

I met him at the New York Mets fantasy camp at the Mets Minor League Complex & Rehabilitation Center in Port Saint Lucie, Florida in 2016.

Butch signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #269.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/huskebu01.shtml

Paul Byrd

I met him at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2001.

Paul signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #242.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/byrdpa01.shtml

Mark Hutton

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Englebert Complex in Dunedin, Florida in 1999, when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays came to play the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mark signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #147.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/huttoma01.shtml

Michael Carter

I met him at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 1999.

Michael signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #270.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=carter002mic

Chris Martin

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1997, when the St. Petersburg Devil Rays came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Chris signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #235.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=martin003chr

Greg Blosser

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1997, when the St. Petersburg Devil Rays came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Greg signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #260.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blossgr01.shtml

Bo Dodson

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1997, when the Boston Red Sox came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Bo signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #311.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=dodson001bry

Ricky Otero

I met him at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 1996.

Ricky signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #236.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oterori01.shtml

Marc Pisciotta

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1996, when the Pittsburgh Pirates came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

I met his brother, Scott, the previous year.

Marc signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #149.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/piscima01.shtml

Jason Kendall

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1996, when the Pittsburgh Pirates came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.
I was standing outside the visitor's side clubhouse entrance. A ten foot high fence separated me from the door, which was about 5 feet away. Jason opened the door from the inside with barely enough room for his head to peek out. He was obviously looking for someone or something. I recognized him immediately and called out his name. He looked at me surprised and asked, "how'd you know it was me?" as he walked on over. I told him that I study these cards so that I can recognize players without having to see their jersey numbers or names on the back.

Jason signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #14.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendaja01.shtml

David Bell

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1996, when the St. Louis Cardinals came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

I met his brother, Mike, the previous year.

David signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #80.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellda01.shtml

Rafael Quirico

I met him at Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin, Florida in 1996, when the New York Yankees came to play the Toronto Blue Jays in a spring training game.

Rafael signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #229.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/q/quirira01.shtml

Glenn Murray

I met him at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 1996.

Glenn signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #302.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murragl01.shtml

Luis Ortiz

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1996, when the Texas Rangers came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Luis signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #114.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ortizlu01.shtml

Mark Mimbs

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1996, when the Texas Rangers came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.
This was a special day for Mark as he was opposing his brother, Mike, on the mound. Mark was cool enough to do me a huge favor, which I'll mention in an upcoming post.

Mark signed a 1992 Upper Deck Minor League card #77.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mimbs-001mar