The first time I met Mickey Mantle I was standing on the dais at the first-ever, Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA) kickoff press conference luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The date was Tuesday, Sept. 22,…
Autographs
Want a breakdown of the various signature styles of Mickey Mantle throughout his career, or a profile on some of the scarcest autographs in the hobby? Here’s where you would start.
Best of the Best: All-Time NBA Autographs
With the NBA postseason heading toward the NBA Finals with (who else?) the Golden State Warriors representing the Western Conference and awaiting the winner of the Toronto Raptors/Milwaukee Bucks Eastern Final, now is the perfect time to look back…
The Evolution of Tiger Woods’ Autograph
Having clinched his 15th major last month, Tiger Woods is once again topical and relevant. Despite personal troubles, four back surgeries and just as many knee surgeries over the past decade, Tiger’s march back to prominence culminated with his…
The Evolution of Derek Jeter’s Autograph
Retired New York Yankees Captain and current Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter was a creature of habit on the baseball field. During every at-bat, he looked pitches all the way into the catcher’s mitt. He leaned in or away…
Saluting a Celtics Legend: John ‘Hondo’ Havlicek
On April 15, 1965, in just his third NBA season, Boston Celtics great John Havlicek defined his basketball legacy. With five seconds left in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers – and the Celtics…
Wilt’s Signed Scoresheet from 100-Point Game Sells for $214,579
NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, a.k.a. “The Big Dipper” and “Wilt the Stilt,” did everything big. Standing 7′ 1″ tall, the late center was an unstoppable force on the basketball court and his crowning individual achievement occurred early in his…
A Look at the Signature Stylings of Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was born on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. An Aquarius – if you believe in astrology – he was certainly “original,” “friendly” and “charitable,” but could also be “disobedient” and “rebellious” which made him unique in…
Black History Month: Recognizing Sports Pioneers
With apologies to the late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., perhaps no other African American in U.S. history made a bigger impact on the country’s social fabric than the late Jackie Robinson. And with February hailed as “Black History…
Tips for Building a Heisman Trophy Autograph Collection
“About four years ago, I started my quest to assemble every Heisman winner’s autograph in index card form and to have them authenticated by PSA/DNA.” – Jeff Taladay One of the greatest truths in our hobby is that collections can…
Autographed Cards and the PSA Set Registry
Autographed cards have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years. Once just a child’s novelty, signed trading cards, particularly vintage and key examples, have become a legitimate hobby category that is enjoyed by many high-end collectors. For more than…