1987 Topps Tim Raines

Who is this? Newark Bears manager Tim Raines
What is this? An autographed 1987 Topps card
Where'd I get it? Raines signed it before a Bears game last week
How much did it cost? 1987 Topps cards seem to spontaneously appear, and the autograph itself was free


Why is this so special? Tim Raines is a seven-time All-Star, and was the MVP of the 1987 game. He has three World Series rings (two with the Yankees and one with the White Sox) and had his number retired by the Montreal Expos. Raines has 808 career stolen bases, fifth all-time in major league history.

I don't think that Raines really enjoys signing autographs, but he does it for the handful of fans that come to Newark Bears games. His signature is impressively legible.

1996 Topps Bill Swift

Who is this? former major league pitcher Bill Swift
What is this? An autographed card from the 1996 Topps set
Where'd I get it? I wrote to Swift and asked him to sign it; I got it back a couple of weeks later.
How much did it cost? Postage, basically

Why is this so special? Bill Swift was never an All-Star, but he did have a good major league career. In 13 seasons from 1985 through 1998, he won 94 games while losing only 74 and his career ERA was 3.95. He pitched for the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies.

In his best season, Swift won 21 games while losing 8 for the 1993 San Francisco Giants. The year before, he led the National League with a 2.08 ERA.

Swift's autograph is quick, but hie initials are easy to decipher. Here is a 1987 Topps card:

1987 Pawtucket Ed Nottle

Who is this? Brockton Rox pitching coach Ed Nottle
 
What is this? An autographed card from the 1987 Pawtucket Red Sox team set
 
Where'd I get it? It was a gift from Jeff before Sunday's Trenton Thunder game.
 
Why is this so special? Ed Nottle was a minor league pitcher in the 1960s. In 1972, he entered coaching and eventually became a minor league manager. He was named the International League Manager of the Year in 1987 and the first manager of the Sioux City Explorers in the Northern League in 1993.

Nottle's claim to fame is music. "Singing Ed" recorded an album, "To Baseball with Love" back in the 1980s. (If I had a working turntable, I would definitely be ordering this for the novelty value.)

My memory is playing tricks on me, because I clearly remember Nottle having a 1986 Topps card - and he doesn't. I must be thinking of one of the Red Sox minor leagues sets from the late 80s -- I did collect minor league cards even back then, but none of them really have a similar design.

I don't know what my fourth grade teacher would have said about Nottle's penmanship, but compared to the rest of the autographs I got on Sunday it's a thing of beauty. Unlike most of the minor league players, Nottle's signature is easy to read.

Thanks again, Jeff!

1987 Fleer Tom Herr

Who is this? Former St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Tom Herr
 
What is this? An autographed card from the 1987 Fleer set

Where'd I get it? Herr signed it for me before a doubleheader between the Lancaster Barnstormers and Newark Bears last month.
 
How much did it cost? Not much.  

Why is this so special? I wrote a little bit about Tom Herr when I posted the first card he signed for me this year.

I remember collecting the 1987 Fleer set quite heavily when I was younger. The funny thing is, I was doing it in 1988. I had put together a few Topps sticker albums in the early 1980s, but I just remember them as "stickers." I didn't start collecting baseball cards seriously until 1988.

The local comic shop had a ton of 1987 Topps cello packs and 1987 Fleer rack packs in 1988 - I guess baseball cards were not a big seller for them. So after I got tired of the current year sets, I started picking these up for the novelty. I think I had about 3/4 of the Fleer set by the time the shop sold the last of their cards, including all of the "big" rookies of the day.

Because of those memories, I like to get 1987 Fleer cards signed when I can. It's not the most exciting design of the 1980s, but I think it holds up better than any of the 1988 cards. They do look great signed in blue Sharpie -- especially when the player has a readable signature like Tom Herr.

1987 Fleer Pete Incaviglia

Who is this? Former Texas Rangers slugger Pete Incaviglia
 
What is this? An autographed card from the 1987 Fleer set
 
Where'd I get it? I wrote to Incaviglia in late March and asked him to sign it. I got it back last month.
 
How much did it cost? The card came out of one of the many 1987 Fleer rack packs I bought trying to get "hot" rookie cards, like Barry Bonds & Kevin Seitzer, back in 1988. I think they cost around $1.50 or $2 apiece back then. Now, you can buy unopened rack pack boxes on eBay for around $40.

Why is this so special? Pete Incaviglia was a fun player to watch, because he swung for the fences every time he came up to bat. He usually struck out - he led the American League with 185 in his rookie season. But he did finish his career with over 200 home runs.

Incaviglia was the 15th player to make his professional debut in the major leagues since the amateur draft was implemented. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1985, but Incaviglia forced them to trade him by demanding to go directly to the majors. Following this incident, Major League Baseball implemented a rule requiring drafted players to be under contract for a full year before they can be traded.

After his retirement from baseball, Incaviglia served as the hitting coach for the AA Erie Seawolves and managed the Grand Prairie AirHogs in the American Association.

Incaviglia's autograph is completely illegible.

1987 Fleer Steve Lyons

Who is this? Steve Lyons, a 1980s utility player who spent most of his career with the Chicago White Sox

What is this? An autographed card from the 1987 Fleer set

Where'd I get it? I wrote to Lyons and asked him to sign it last month; I got it back last week

How much did it cost? About a dollar for the card and postage

Why is this so special? Lyons spent nine years in the major leagues, but he's best remembered for one play -- when he unbuckled his pants to get the dirt out while standing on first base.




I also remember a This Week in Baseball feature that highlighted his versatility -- he once played every position in an exhibition game. After Lyons ended his playing career, he became a broadcaster.

I think it's neat that Lyons included his nickname "Psycho" when he signed the card. I don't know how he came by that nickname, and I'm not quite sure that I want to. :)

1987 Donruss John Mizerock

Who is this? John Mizerock, a former catcher for the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, and a former coach for the Kansas City Royals

What is this? An autograph card from the 1987 Donruss set

Where'd I get it? Zach of Autographed Cards sent it to me

How much did it cost? You'd have to ask him

Why is this so special? The Houston Astros made John Mizerock the eighth overall pick in the 1979 amateur draft. He was chosen ahead of Tim Wallach, Steve Buechele, Scott Garrelts and Atlee Hammaker -- all of whom had nice Major League careers.

Mizerock played in 103 games over four seasons, finished with a .186 career average, two home runs and 24 RBI.

After his playing career, Mizerock became a minor league coach and manager. He has also been a member of the Kansas City Royals coaching staff and briefly managed the team in 2002.

Mizerock may have the most legible signature of the ones I've posted this week.