Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

[godwulf]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

I guess my thinking is similar to Roady's...if that's how a particular player signs, that's fine - it's his business, especially if I'm getting the signature for free. If a guy wants the fans to think he's illiterate and can't even spell his own name, well...

Matt Williams has signed for me many, many times, in all kinds of situations, and his signature never varies by so much as a line - "Matt Williams", in a neat, cursive hand, and you can read every letter. He obviously takes great pride in his name and shows respect for the fans he gives it to.

Last summer, after an Arizona League game, I was getting one of the young DBacks prospects, Jacob Cordero, to sign a foul ball that he'd hit earlier. He was putting a very nice, elaborate autograph on it, and he stopped, looked embarassed, and began apologizing because he'd let his signature stray up too close to, and gotten ink on, one of the stitches. He wanted to get me a new ball, and it took a minute to convince him that it really WAS okay, that it was fine, that I wanted him to sign THAT ball, and he hadn't "ruined" anything.

You have to love the rookies. Occasionally I have to explain to one of them what the "sweet spot" is.

[jmeekins33]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

I do not buy or collect autographs from players with ugly or incomplete signatures. I hate seeing a guy's "signature" that is just his initials and if you are lucky, their jersey number. What is the point?

I know it's a pain in the arse to sign your name a thousand times in a row but if you don't like doing it then don't take the money from Upper Deck or whomever. Also, if there really are young players that don't even know how to sign their own names, I don't want anything to do with them.

This is just my opinion and I have no problem with those that disagree. To each their own.

[frikativ54]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

The posts from Frik and others regarding young people being borderline allergic to good cursive writing today all are sensible and accurate. Of course, there are a few old people that have crappy signatures, as well, as anyone who's seen mine on a LOA can attest.

LMAO, Dave! Back when I was growing up, we actually practiced our signatures - or at least, my brother and I did. We needed to have them look good, in case we made something of ourselves or had to sign legal documents. Gosh, I feel old.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

The posts from Frik and others regarding young people being borderline allergic to good cursive writing today all are sensible and accurate. Of course, there are a few old people that have crappy signatures, as well, as anyone who's seen mine on a LOA can attest.

Dave Miedema

[jojac]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

Part of the problem is younger people don't learn to write or sign their name anymore because there isn't a need for it as there once was. We currently have things like automatic deposit and debit cards so why would a kid care about what his signature looks like when they rarely need to use it. Everything is typed on a computer and nothing is ever hand written. Younger people just don't have writing skills anymore.

[Roady]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

I think it is important to think about why we collect autographs.
What is so special about ink marks and lines on something.
The player only held a pen and moved it around.

I would think most collect because the autograph is the players own personal artistic work. It is something that he makes that nobody else does.
If that artistic work is a Ted Williams or a Wil Myers it is still unique to that player.
Would you not want a Babe Ruth autograph if he only signed it BR.
I would not care if he made an X, I would want that Babe Ruth!

[russyurk]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

Get used to this guys, I've overseen a few signings for Upper Deck at work with high school kids and some of these kids can't write in cursive so they printed their name on the labels.

[bravesfanjd]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

All Star Fan Fest in 2012 Wil Myers was asked for his "good" autograph. His response was, "This is my good autograph".

That is hilarious

Thank you all for your opinions so far always nice to hear how other collectors feel on issues a lot of good points were made

[gorphils]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

Its interesting about the penmanship issue...cursive writing is a dinassour (sp) these days and with there being little reason for it other than an occasional signature its reasonable that crappy sigs are everywhere. And, as another person said, try signing your name a bunch of times quickly and in succession. A...its not going to look the same every time and B...you will probably end up with something sloppy or shortened because of laziness. I collect autographs and what they sign is what they sign. None of us would probably do better after awhile.

[Roady]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

Looks better than Cargo's autograph. -> OO

[sportsnbikes]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

All Star Fan Fest in 2012 Wil Myers was asked for his "good" autograph. His response was, "This is my good autograph".

[onlyalbert]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

While I'm not particularly in love with chicken scratch autographs, if that's what the guy's normal signature is, it's fine with me. Heck, something TOO neat may cause some collectors to believe it to be bogus.

Dave Miedema

I'd put a Shelby Miller or Carlos Beltran up against anyone!

[xsentrixsupra]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

Darren Rovell I think tweets out 1/day of bad athlete sigs. The one today was Giovani Bernard from the Bengals, haha it was like a little circle and a squiggle

[Roady]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

How about the Babe Ruth secretarial autographed baseballs?

http://keymancollectibles.com/balls/1937baberuthsinclairoilcontestball.htm

[frikativ54]

Re: Does anyone else find this autograph pathetic

While I like the old timers way of signing as a work of art, like Ted Williams, I respect that the player owns his signature and he can sign as he pleases.

I love neat signatures myself. But, from what I've heard, penmanship isn't emphasized in schools anymore, so does it surprise anyone that in this internet age how bad athletes' signatures are? Especially if they are signing hundreds of cards?

I agree that a bunch of scribbles is insulting to fans, but how many cards do these guys autograph? Try signing your name 500 times; I can guarantee you that your John Hancock would be much more sloppy.

While Myers's signature may be pathetic, it's better than having an athlete's girlfriend write them all out. Assuming he signed them himself. And I have heard of cases where it's not even the player autographing the cards.