Karl Allaire

In March of 2021, I decided to seek out an address for Karl Allaire. I sent him my card and the following letter.

Eight days later my card came back signed.

Karl signed a 1990 ProCards card #97.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=allair001kar

Orv Franchuk

I met him at the Pro Ball Baseball Clinic at Pirate City in Bradenton, Florida in 2020.

Orv signed a 1991 ProCards card #3901.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=franch001orv

Steve Liddle

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the Detroit Tigers, whom he was the bench coach for, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Steve signed a 1989 ProCards card #1084.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=liddle001ste

Dave Jauss

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the Pittsburgh Pirates, whom he was a coach for, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Dave signed a 1991 ProCards card #1245.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=jauss-001dav

Heberto Andrade

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the Pittsburgh Pirates, whom he was a bullpen catcher for, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Heberto signed a 1989 ProCards card #1759.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=andrad001jos

Nick Belmonte

I met him at the Florida Minor League Camp at Baseball City in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2019.
Nick, who runs this camp, was standing in the dugout underneath the shade so that he could check his phone. When he was done, he started to go back onto the field to join the rest of his coaches. I called for him to ask for an autograph. He comes over and is surprised that I had a card of his. He then says, "wait, you have to ask me in front of the coaches," then he hands me my unsigned card back and walks back onto the field. I yell to him as he's around his staff and he motions for me to walk onto the field. So, here I am, walking past players warming up for the game, approaching the coaching staff with card and Sharpie in hand. I felt awkward but it seemed to make Mr. Belmonte's day as he was proudly showing the card to his staff.

Nick signed a 1991 ProCards card #3227.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=belmon001nic

Marc Bombard

I met him at a Florida Instructional League game at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2018, when the New York Yankees, whom he was coaching, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Marc signed a 1987 ProCards card #1326.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bombar001mar

Dewey Robinson

I met him at a Tampa Bay Rays game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2018.

On the final Friday of the regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays invite their instructional league squad, minor league award winners, and minor league coaches/staff to take in a Major League game. I knew that Dewey had been a pitching coordinator for them, so I had been carrying his card with me for several years. Finally, on this night, I recognized him in attendance.

Dewey signed a 1987 ProCards card #1878.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/robinde01.shtml

Gary Cathcart

I met him at an extended spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2018, when the Detroit Tigers, whom he was a manager for, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Gary signed a 1986 ProCards Fort Lauderdale Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cathca001gar

Ron Gardenhire

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2018, when the Detroit Tigers, whom he was managing, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Ron signed a 1986 ProCards Tidewater Tides Team Set card.

This is an error card that was later corrected. Instead of showing the Tidewater Tides logo, it has the NY Mets logo.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gardero01.shtml

Jim Hickey

I met him at the Pro Ball Baseball Clinic at Pirate City in Bradenton, Florida in 2017.

Jim signed a 1991 ProCards card #2818.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hickey003jam

Jimmie Gardner

I met him at the 2017 Tampa Bay Legends & Celebrity All-Star Softball Classic on July 8, 2017, at the University of South Florida Baseball Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

When I handed Jimmie my card, he laughed and said, "I haven't seen this card in over 25 years." I thought he was joking and making light of how old the card was. It wasn't until I got home and started working on this page that you're reading now that I realized that he was dead serious.
In 1987, while playing for the Charleston Wheelers, a Cubs A-ball affiliate, two women were sexually assaulted in the city of Charleston, West Virginia. The attacker was described as a black male. Over 100 black men in the city were questioned, including Jimmie and his black teammates. Some were even fingerprinted.
Two years later, Jimmie was arrested for that crime along with a charge of burglary. In 1990 he was sentenced to 110 years in prison.
In 2016, after serving 27 years behind bars, DNA evidence, as well as proof of a corrupt forensic serologist, proved that Jimmie was innocent of all charges.
I thought I was just getting a minor leaguer's autograph that never reached the big leagues. Turns out, it became one of my favorite autographs in my collection. I just wish I had known his story before meeting him.

Jimmie signed a 1986 ProCards Geneva Cubs Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gardne001jim

Luis Natera

I met him at a Minor League game at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, Florida in 2017, when the St. Lucie Mets, whom he was the hitting coach for, came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Luis signed a 1987 ProCards card #1636.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=natera001lui

Marty Reed

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2017, when the Atlanta Braves, whom he was the bullpen coach for, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Marty signed a 1988 ProCards card #562.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=reed--006mar

Sal Rende

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2017.

Sal signed a 1989 ProCards card #1740.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rende-001sal

Ed Hearn

I met him at the New York Mets fantasy camp at Tradition Field in Port Saint Lucie, Florida in 2017.

Ed signed a 1986 ProCards Tidewater Tides Team Set card.
This is an error card that was later corrected. Instead of showing the Tidewater Tides logo, it has the NY Mets logo.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hearned02.shtml

Johnny Almaraz

I met him at a Philadelphia Phillies Florida Instructional League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016.

He was the Philadelphia Phillies amateur scouting director and just happened to be in attendance that day.

Johnny signed a 1989 ProCards card #431.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=almara001joh

Doug Mansolino

I met him at a Minor League GCL Phillies game, whom he was the Phillies Minor League field instructor for, at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2016.

Doug signed a 1989 ProCards card #575.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=mansol001dou

Sam Perlozzo

I met him at a Minor League game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida in 2015, when the Fort Myers Miracle, whom he was there as the Minnesota Twins Minor League Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator, came to play the Tampa Yankees.

Sam signed a 1986 ProCards Tidewater Tides Team Set card.
This is an error card that was later corrected. Instead of showing the Tidewater Tides logo, it has the NY Mets logo.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perlosa01.shtml

Bobby Meacham

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2015, when the Toronto Blue Jays, whom he was managing, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Bobby signed a 1990 ProCards card #607.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/meachbo01.shtml