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How to Get a Player’s Autograph

autograph

It’s not as easy to get an autograph in person as it was when your dad was your age.

Professional athletes today tend to keep their distance, and some will sign autographs only for money. Still, there is a way to get autographs both from current players and from players who have been retired for years: the U.S. mail.

Think you know the rules of baseball? Make the call in our quiz.

Here’s How:

• Go through your sports trading cards and identify a player you would like to ask for an autograph. It’s probably best to start with less well-known players, because they’re less likely to receive as many requests.

• Write a polite, friendly letter asking the player to autograph your card. Remember that athletes, like all celebrities, receive many requests from fans. Writing a thoughtful letter is key.

• If the player is still active, simply mail him your request in care of his team. Addresses for all Major League teams can be found at mlb.com. For retired players, most libraries will have a book or two containing player addresses. Try Jack Smalling’s “The Baseball Autograph Collector’s Handbook,” available in some libraries or at baseballaddresses.com. This book, updated periodically, contains more than 11,000 addresses of players, coaches and umpires.

• Once you have a player’s address, mail the letter and the card with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and be patient. It can sometimes take months to receive a reply. Good idea: Send only cards of which you have duplicates. Some players won’t respond, and you’ll never see the card again.

• When you do get a signed card back, be sure to send a thank you note.

Laugh your way to the ballpark with these baseball jokes

What Autographs Do You Have?

Tell us which autographs you’ve collected and how you got them in the comments field below.

65 Comments on How to Get a Player’s Autograph

  1. BAMA/SAINTS // March 2, 2015 at 2:44 pm // Reply

    I just want to get drew brees’s card

  2. BAMA/SAINTS // March 1, 2015 at 1:50 pm // Reply

    About how long does it take to get it back?

  3. First Class Scout, Appalachian Mountains' Vampire Bat Patrol, Troop 700 // October 31, 2014 at 10:36 am // Reply

    Hurray! The San Francisco Giants won the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals in seven (7) games. The 2012 World Series Champions are also the 2014 World Series Champions in all of Major League Baseball. Hurray! I have a baseball that is autographed by all of the members of the 2012 San Francisco Giants and I have ticket stubs to Games #1,3,4,5,and 7 of the 2014 World Series. Go San Francisco Giants!!!! What a really great baseball team in Major League Baseball. I can’t wait for Spring Training to begin for the 2015 Major League Baseball Season.

  4. I have a real Babe Ruth rookie card!!! I found it in a old book at Goodwill

  5. i got a tim harris (former packer and 49er) autograph for free

  6. blackwolf // June 7, 2014 at 7:55 am // Reply

    I have 6 2006 rookie cards that are autographed, including Chris Roberson, Tom Gorzelanny, and Renyel Pinto.

  7. Larry bird, Hideki Okejima, Brad Marchand, cam neely and a basketball signed by the worst celtics team

  8. frontiersmen // October 27, 2013 at 8:59 pm // Reply

    I have Larry Birds autograph

  9. i got an autograph fom Mike d’antoni(old coach of the Knicks and current coach of the lakers) my sister was his son’s girlfriend.

  10. I went to a padres game and got Chase Headley to sign my ball, but the mailing thing is a really good idea.

  11. how do you find the address?

  12. I am going to get mine signed by the whole Chicago bulls team!!

  13. datautoguy // April 3, 2013 at 12:16 pm // Reply

    Wow, that worked. I got an entire Columbus Crew signed jersey and a Kyrie Irving. Thanks!

  14. I got a Derek Jeter signed baseball,Yogi Berra,Don Larson,Rudy Guiliani,and other stuff.

  15. I have two cards signed by Clide Drexler he played for the blazers and went to the olympics!

  16. I sent Padres pitcher Brad Brach a letter, and he sent me back a signed baseball card. I was so excited! Good luck to all of you guys 😀

  17. First Class Scout, American Bison Patrol, Troop 550 // October 29, 2012 at 1:21 pm // Reply

    I have ticket stubs from both Game #2 and Game #3 of the 2012 World Series. It was really great to be able to watch both the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants play baseball. I have a baseball that is autographed by the San Francisco Giants. I have a baseball glove that is signed by all of the players of the 2012 Detroit Tigers. Hopefully, I will be able to attend future baseball games in the future World Series baseball games.

  18. Hurricane Sandy (Category 1 Hurricane) (October, 2012) // October 29, 2012 at 1:12 pm // Reply

    I have a baseball bat that is autographed by all of the players of the 2012 Detroit Tigers. They are an awesome baseball team. Too bad that they lost to the San Francisco Giants during the 2012 World Series during October of 2012.

  19. i have yogi berra, dan merino,andre reed,pete rose, steve novack, tyson chandler,rickey fowler, andre reed,jim bowhein alfreado acevas, jim kaat and many more

  20. Hurricane Sandy (Category 1 Hurricane) (October, 2012) // October 26, 2012 at 6:18 pm // Reply

    I have a baseball bat that is autographed by all of the members of the San Francisco Giants. I have a basketball that is autographed by all of the members of the Miami Heat Basketball Team.

  21. I have over 650 signed cards

  22. I have a Tony Dorsett’s autograph

  23. Trade Movie Released in 2007 (October of 2012) // October 1, 2012 at 6:23 pm // Reply

    I have a baseball that is autographed by all of the baseball players of the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Team. I also have a baseball bat that is signed by all of the players of the Atlanta Braves Baseball Team.

  24. Broncoboy#2 // August 20, 2012 at 8:25 pm // Reply

    I have the whole Utah Jazz team autograph and john elway FAMOS football player

  25. Hesher, July, 2012 // July 27, 2012 at 6:19 pm // Reply

    I have an Olympic Program event program pamphlet that is autographed by all of the members of the United States Olympic Team. They are really great athletes and really great goodwill ambassadors of the United States of America when they represent the United States of America at the Olympics.

  26. I am sendig mine to David Ortiz. aka ”Big Papa”

  27. amazing

  28. I have over 20 Signed basebal cards.
    I just go to a lot of the games and wait for the players to come and sign autos.

  29. bobby da man // January 16, 2012 at 6:59 pm // Reply

    how do you find the football player’s address?

  30. That sounds impeccable to do with retired players who could simply be forgotten

  31. Hoping to get Calvin Johnson, Matt Stafford, Nate Burleson and Ndamukong Suh when they come to play the Raiders

  32. I was stuck in the hospital for a while and my dad’s boss sent me a cardinals cardinal care package with an authentic ALBERT PUJOLS AUTOGRAPH he got for me himself.

  33. I am going to mail a letter to daniel radcliffe who plays harry potter

  34. I got a Vernon wells card

    • i have cal ripken JR.(25)Reggie Jackson(32)Barry larken(49)(all hall of famers)and many others (16,238)

  35. i got babe ruth signed baseball i got it from my dad he was a big fan
    :>)

  36. I got a signature from kenny loften!

  37. cool person // April 26, 2011 at 7:42 pm // Reply

    You can also send letters to people in the music industry

  38. try majorleage baseball(: ):

  39. I’ve goten a autograph from a monsterjam person

  40. i think it would be really cool to do this. I bet that baseball and foot ball players don’t get alot of mail during the off season so i will try for david ortiz, and a willie mays even if he doesnt play anymore

  41. MOONMAN200 // March 8, 2011 at 10:21 am // Reply

    I’m so gonna get an autograph from a CELEBRATY!!!!!!!!(i just don’t know who….)(:

  42. my little brother caught a home run baseball and had the player who hit it sign it, but I forget the player and it was a minor league player

  43. That is so cool

  44. sidney crosby rookie cark with game worn jersy signed in person

  45. i sent a drew brees card in 2010 and it still hasn’t come back yet

    • I sent in a Aaron rodgers card to green bay in 2010 and haven’t got it back. I guess that you have to see them at a game

  46. i got a nolan ryan auto

  47. try with rookies

  48. i have 1 of carlos gomezes batting gloves and a baseball signed by miachel cuddyer and punto

  49. I entered a contest in some random magazine and got a BABE RUTH SIGNATURE, A LOU GEHRIC SIGNATURE, MICKEY MANTLE SIGNATURE, AND A REGGIE JACKSON SIGNATURE!!!!!!! THANK YOU MAGAZINE!!!!!!!!!!! (whichever one it was….)

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