The 15th edition of one of the autograph collector's most popular resources is about to hit the mailbox.


Collecting "TTM"...through the mail..autographs has been a popular pasttime for a few decades now, but it's been almost a science for one long-time collector.

Jack Smalling, an insurance man in Ames, Iowa has been producing his Baseball Autograph Collector's handbook on a regular basis since the 1980s. Collectors and fans use it to send autograph requests to players past and present. A card or photo, a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a prayer are the only requirements.

Some players and coaches respond quickly. Others take weeks, months or even years. Some don't respond at all. It's part of the chase. Some whose names and addresses are in the book buy it to keep up with former teammates who may have moved.

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Sports Collectors Daily
August 11, 2009