James Cooper

On April 30, 2024, I went to see the Tampa Tarpons play the Dunedin Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida. I had a few cards of the Tarpons players that I was hoping to get signed, including their manager, James Cooper. When I saw Mr. Cooper approaching, I held out my card and asked for an autograph. He stopped, looked at the card in my hand, shook his head, and said, "That's not me." 

Now, when I ordered this card, I knew that there were two James Cooper's who were roughly the same age and played around the same time frame. There was a James Cooper who came up in the Yankees organization and spent time playing at their Tampa affiliate, and the other James Cooper came up with the Astros. Not knowing a single thing about James Cooper, I felt the odds were in my favor to get a card of the guy who came up with the Yankees. 

Even Google's A.I. search engine, Gemini, mistakes the two James Cooper's.

When Mr. Cooper told me that it wasn't him, I jokingly replied, "Doesn't it make sense that a guy who once played for Tampa would come back to manage them?" He said, "I came from the Astros but I do know the guy." I held out the card again and said, "Want to send it to him?" He laughed and said, "I don't know him like that."

The next day I ordered a card of the James Cooper that I had spoken to.

Having this Yankees card of James Cooper, I decided to see if I could find an address for him to request his autograph. With such a common name, it was challenging but I felt confident with one particular address I found so I sent him my card and the following letter.

19 days later my card came back signed and he included a nice note.

James signed a 2007 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cooper007jam

Greg Weissert

I met him at a Minor League game at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Greg signed a 2017 Staten Island Yankees Team Set card #31.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weissgr01.shtml

Welfrin Mateo

I met him at a Minor League game at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Welfrin signed a 2016 Pulaski Yankees Team Set card #24.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mateo-000wel

Mike Ford

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2019, when the New York Yankees came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Mike signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fordmi01.shtml

Ali Castillo

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2019.

Ali signed a 2013 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=castil001ali

Shane Spencer

I met him at the New York Yankees fantasy camp at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida in 2018.

Shane signed a 1996 Fleer Excel card #93.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/spencsh01.shtml

David Adams

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.

David signed a 2010 Topps Pro Debut card #34.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/adamsda02.shtml

Kyle Higashioka

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2018, when the New York Yankees came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Kyle signed a 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League card #133.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/higasky01.shtml

Vicente Conde

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2018, when the New York Yankees came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Vicente signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=conde-000vin

Taylor Widener

I met him at a Minor League game at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, Florida in 2017, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Taylor signed a 2017 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/widenta01.shtml

Raul Dominguez

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

Raul signed a 2017 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=doming001rau

Trey Amburgey

I met him at a Minor League Tampa Yankees game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida in 2017.

Trey signed a 2017 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/amburtr01.shtml

Erik Swanson

I met him at a Minor League Tampa Yankees game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida in 2017.

Erik signed a 2017 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/swanser01.shtml

Austin Aune

I met him at a Minor League spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2017, when the New York Yankees came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Austin signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=aune--000aus

Chance Adams

I met him at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2017, when the New York Yankees came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Chance signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/adamsch01.shtml

Tom Slater

I met him at a Minor League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016, when the Tampa Yankees, whom he was the hitting coach for, came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Tom signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=slater001tom

Dillon McNamara

I met him at a Minor League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Dillon signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=mcnama000dil

Matt Marsh

I met him at a Minor League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Matt signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=marsh-000mat

Caleb Frare

I met him at a Minor League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Caleb signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/frareca01.shtml

Tim Norton

I met him at a Minor League game at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida in 2016, when the Tampa Yankees, whom he was the pitching coach for, came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Tim signed a 2016 Tampa Yankees Team Set card.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=norton001tim