Remembering My First IP Auto Experiences

A post on Blowout Cards about a week ago inspired me to do this post. A member asked about remembering the first autograph you got a card show. It kind of morphed into a "first IP autograph" thread as many people recalled getting their first autos outside of the Card Show Format (typically in store signing). For me, living in a middle sized city in South Texas, there weren't a ton of opportunities to get autographs, in fact for the most part as a kid, it would have to be via a card show, which at the time we would have honest to god real card shows with autograph guests and everything. It was always Texas based signers, but Emmitt Smith came a couple of times (along with others like Daryl Johnston, J.R. Richard of the Astros, Sam Cassell and Robert Horry of the Rockets). Emmitt's auto was always way out of my price range as a kid. I really never went to games as a kid, in fact the only games I went to as a kid were Baseball Games, most in Atlanta ironically because we had family there and each time we'd visit, we'd go to a Braves game. Always Upper Deck seats and never a chance to get autos. Despite that, I do vividly remember my first two opportunities to meet athletes and get their autos..one through the Card Show way, the other, a Mall signing. They both happened around the same time and since I don't remember which came first, I thought I'd share them both. So here's my first two IP Experiences.

Brooks Kieschnick 

 

Corpus Christi, Texas isn't exactly a hotbed for star athletes. But as a kid I was super excited to learn that one of the hottest prospects in the baseball in 1994 was local kid from Corpus who was drafted by the Cubs 10th overall in 1993. I couldn't believe there was a chance that someone from Corpus could actually MAKE IT BIG. The card above, I pulled out of a Score Jumbo Pack from  Wal Mart at the time. Brooks ended up signing for free at one of the local Card Shows at the time. I had him sign this card. Brooks had a decent MLB career but never lived up to his full potential. Still, it was one of my first autograph moments I'll never forget.

Tony Dorsett, Tony Hill & Brian Williams

 

 

Now obviously when you look at the trio listed, one of these doesn't go with the others. Two Cowboys and a Houston Astro, but I got all 3 at the same time and not at a Card Show. This time, one of our malls (we used to have 2 down here) the Sunrise Mall had Tony Hill, Tony Dorsett, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, and Brian Williams signing there. For one whole dollar you could autos of the Cowboys legends, while Brian Williams was signing for free. Even as a young kid, I was very familiar with the Cowboys trio and as I grew up a die hard Cowboys fans as did my dad. Brian Williams? No idea who he was but he was free so why not. For some reason that I don't remember, I didn't get Too Tall Jones' auto, but I did get Dorsett and Tony Hill. As kid, the thing that I loved about the Williams' autograph was his personalized it. An actually big leaguer, signing directly for me! Williams ended up being just a journeyman pitcher, but he'll live in infamy as one of the earliest autos I ever got. I, of course, still have all these autos in my collection.