Clyde Best

I met him at an autograph signing at a Tampa Bay Rowdies game at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2024.

Clyde signed a Tampa Bay Rowdies team photo card.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Best

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

Yerlin Confidan

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Yerlin signed a 2022 Bowman Draft card #BD-199.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=confid000yer

Malvin Valdez

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Malvin signed a 2021 Bowman Heritage Chrome Prospects card #146.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=valdez000mal

Andruw Salcedo

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Andruw signed a 2023 Daytona Tortugas Team Set card #02.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=salced000and

Jack Moss

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Jack signed a 2019 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase card #147.

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

Dominic Pitelli

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Dominic signed a 2019 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase card #202.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pitell000dom

Alfredo Duno

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Daytona Tortugas came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Alfredo signed a 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospects card #BCP-238.

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

Thomas White

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Jupiter Hammerheads came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Thomas signed a 2023 Panini Elite Extra Edition First Round Materials card #FR-THW.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=white-013tho

Brock Vradenburg

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Jupiter Hammerheads came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Brock signed a 2023 Bowman Draft card #BD-44.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vraden000bro

Colby Shade

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Jupiter Hammerheads came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Colby signed a 2019 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase card #76.

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

Dillon Head

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Jupiter Hammerheads came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Dillon signed a 2024 Bowman Chrome Prospects card #BCP-109.

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

Kolby Allard

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Kolby signed a 2023 Topps Update card #US209.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/allarko01.shtml

Christian Scott

I met him at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2024, when the New York Mets came to play the Tampa Bay Rays.

He made his MLB debut that day. 

Christian signed a 2021 Panini Prizm Draft Picks card #PDP142.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scottch01.shtml

Carlos Mendoza

I met him at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2024, when the New York Mets, whom he was managing, came to play the Tampa Bay Rays.

Carlos signed an 8x10 photo.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mendoz001car

Preston Claiborne

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons, whom he was the pitching coach for, came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Preston signed a 2013 Topps Update card #US252.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/claibpr01.shtml

Tomas Frick

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Tomas signed a 2019 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase card #2.

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

Osiel Rodriguez

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Osiel signed a 2018 Panini Elite Extra Edition card #162 (999/999).

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rodrig000osi

George Lombard, Jr.

I met him at a Minor League game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida in 2024, when the Tampa Tarpons came to play the Dunedin Blue Jays.

George signed a 2023 Tampa Tarpons Team Set card #21.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lombar002geo

Dylan Covey

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Dylan signed a 2017 Topps Update card #US46.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coveydy01.shtml

Blake Dickerson

I met him at an extended spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Detroit Tigers came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

Blake signed a 2023 Panini USA Stars & Stripes card #46.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dicker000bla

Paul Wilson

I met him at an extended spring training game at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Detroit Tigers came to play the Philadelphia Phillies.

I met his father, Trevor, 2 years earlier.

Paul signed a 2023 Bowman Draft card #BD-186.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wilson008pau

Erubiel Armenta

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Erubiel signed a 2022 Jersey Shore Blueclaws Team Set card #04.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=arment000eru

Benony Robles

I met him at Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida in 2024.

Benony signed a 2023 Great Lakes Loons Team Set card #21.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=robles001ben

Scott Seabol

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders, whom he was the hitting coach for, came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Scott signed a 2001 Bowman Heritage card #288.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/seabosc01.shtml

Hunter Furtado

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Hunter signed a 2023 Panini Elite Extra Edition card #50.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=furtad000dav

Yoldin De La Paz

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Yoldin signed a 2023 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=delapa000yol

Juan Jerez

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Juan signed a 2017 Panini Elite Extra Edition card #162 (980/999).

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

Carlos Jimenez

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Carlos signed a 2022 Bradenton Marauders Team Set card #19.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=jimene006car

Javier Rivas

I met him at a Minor League game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida in 2024, when the Bradenton Marauders came to play the Clearwater Threshers.

Javier signed a 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospects card #BCP-159.

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