Mark Martin

Congratulations to 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, Mark Martin!  One of the greatest drivers of all-time, Mark was also enough to sign through the mail within a week.  Thanks, Mark!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 3-31-17
Turnaround Time: 7 Days

March 2016 Failure List

This was the best picture I could find to represent failure at this particular point in history.  In any case, here's the list of athletes I wrote to last March that I never heard back from:
Aroldis Chapman
Billy Hamilton
Ichiro Suzuki
Joe Girardi
Joey Votto
Kendrys Morales
Starlin Castro
Deion Sanders
Addison Russell
Alex Reyes
Carlos Correa
Greg Bird
Julio Urias
Kris Bryant
Kyle Schwarber
Luis Severino
Orlando Arcia
Steven Matz
Corey Seager
Wayne Gretzky

Vlade Divac

I told him the name of an intramural basketball team I was on during college: Vlad Squad.  This dude is legendary.  Thank you, Vlade!
Mailed: 3-1-17
Received Back: 3-27-17
Turnaround Time: 26 Days

Kara Wolters

From some of the great UConn teams of the 90s, Team USA, and the WNBA, Kara Wolters!  She has a nice signature too.  Thanks, Kara!
Mailed: 3-1-17
Received Back: 3-25-17
Turnaround Time: 24 Days

Mark Spitz

So many gold medals.  A legendary Hall-of-Famer, Spitz was arguably the best swimmer ever until Michael Phelps came along and broke his records.  Thanks, Mark!
Mailed: 2-13-17
Received Back: 3-20-17
Turnaround Time: 35 Days

Dirk Joins 30,000-Point Club, Signs

From the living, still playing legend!  Earlier this month, Dirk Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to join the elite 30,000-point club.  Thanks again, Dirk, and good luck in the final stretch of the season!
Mailed: 2-8-17
Received Back: 3-20-17
Turnaround Time: 40 Days

Two More Hall of Fame Failures

A quiet week, but no luck with Luis Aparicio, and "Mean" Joe Greene wants $50.

Two Hall of Fame Failures

No luck with Sandy Koufax or Orlando Cepeda, but go big or go home, right?

Eli Manning

This is a pretty cool and unexpected one.  Star QB, two-time Super Bowl Champ, and probable future Hall-of-Famer, Eli Manning!  Thanks, Eli!
Mailed: 2-4-17
Received Back: 3-9-17
Turnaround Time: 33 Days

Robert Parish

The Chief!  One of the greatest basketball players of all-time.  My Dad remembered him playing for the Celtics, and I remember watching him a lot during his 21st NBA Season, when he won a Championship with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the rest of the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls.  Thanks, Chief!
Mailed: 3-1-17
Received Back: 3-9-17
Turnaround Time: 8 Days

Eugene Lockhart

Former star LB for the Cowboys, Patriots, and the 1991 Nintendo Classic, Tecmo Super Bowl.  Thanks, Eugene!
Mailed: 2-8-17
Received Back: 3-6-17
Turnaround Time: 26 Days

Tim Tebow

This is one of my favorites!  I love Tim.  Every story I hear about him off the field is about something he's doing to love and help other people, whether he's praying with the family of a sickened loved one on a plane, taking special needs kids to prom, telling people about Jesus Christ, or showing people Christ through his actions.  In addition to all of that, but certainly below it, he's a great competitor on the field, and he recently switched from football to baseball, arriving at Spring Training for the Mets just days ago.  I guess it sometimes pays off to try an autograph request a second time, notably when an athlete has switched sports.  Presumably, when I wrote Tebow last year, he was too busy living out James 1:27 in one way or another to respond to all of his autograph requests (I mean that genuinely), but he signed this card for me, personalized even, this time around.  I only wish I had found a slightly less glossy card to send him, but the autograph is mostly intact.  Thanks so much, brother, and I'm looking forward to seeing your journey as a New York Met, on and off the field!
Mailed: 2-8-17
Received Back: 3-6-17
Turnaround Time: 26 Days

James Lofton

As you've probably noticed, my favorite autographs to collect are those of Hall-of-Famers (and future Hall-of-Famers--baseball, basketball, and football), followed closely by Yankees.  So I was thrilled to receive this today!  A crisp, readable autograph with a HOF inscription!  He also sent along a piece of paper saying that he'll sign mini helmets for $15 each and helmets, footballs, and jerseys for $20 each.  Those are very fair prices, and I may have to take him up on that at some point.  Thanks, James!  You are one of the all-time great Wide Receivers!
Mailed: 2-22-17
Received Back: 3-4-17
Turnaround Time: 10 Days

Hal Steinbrenner

Well, it's a little smudged, and this was really the best card I could find to ask him to sign, but that right there is a signature from one Hal Steinbrenner.  Thank you, Mr. Steinbrenner, for the autograph and for the winning culture your family has brought to the Yankees!
Mailed: 2-6-17
Received Back: 3-3-17
Turnaround Time: 25 Days

Two More Failures

It's been a good run lately, but you can't win them all.  My two most recent failures: MLB HOFer Frank Robinson and NFL HOFer John Riggins.  Also, U.S. postage stamps are back up to 49 cents each.