Staying in the Hobby

[hamma]

I started collecting TTM about 2 years ago and loved writing letters to players and getting autos in the mail. Getting player autos make you want to root for a player even though they are not on your team or on a rival team altogether. That and not knowing what I am gonna get in the mail made TTMing fun. However, now I'm starting to lose interest in the whole hobby. For all you veteran collectors, how do you stay in the hobby?

[Coltron57]

For me printing out my own photos was a great way to get more involved with TTMing. When you don't have cards for a person or some bigger items like balls what do you send? Photos allow you to pick what picture you get signed as opposed to whatever picture Topps, UD, Donruss, Fleer, or Panini chose and you can send to anyone.

[sportscollectors]

I have been doing this for over 30 years and my interest has definitely had its peaks and valleys. Sometimes having fun projects keeps me going.

It is a huge commitment, but starting to try to collect getting an entire card set signed can be really fun. It can be really fun researching and getting some of the role players or coaches included in a set just as much as a big star. I was lucky enough to finish the 300 card 1991 Proline Portraits set a few years ago.

You may also like to start a multi-signed piece. I have been sending the 1977 SportsCaster Hall of Fame cards (for basketball, baseball, pro- football, college football, and hockey) to different players hoping to get them signed. I have seen many collectors do this with team photos or team cards.

Most of all, enjoy the run to the mailbox and have fun with this great hobby.

[indyreds]

I have stopped mailing many times and said I am done. Then I get someone in the mail that I had written off and it reminds me how fun it can be. I had stopped for over a year once and poof up shows an envelope. I opened it up and found a Mitch Richmond success. It got me wondering who was signing and got me rolling again. It gets boring if you do not have a focus or a project. I like doing mini projects when I mail. Spring Training every season is by far my largest. I might decide to mail to racers or boxers just something that I do not have in my collection. Earlier this year I did hockey players. I do not follow the sport close, but still there is a large number of guys that I know. I was shocked to get stars like Hull and Roenick to add to my collection. I did some actors and actresses this past year. I was never into regular celebrities for my collection, but they make a great addition. The biggest thing that has remained constant for my is building my Olympic collection. The stars that pop up every new Winter and Summer Olympics are fun for me to gather. Should you get to a burn out point.... take a break. I do it myself. Just do not forget to look every now and again at who is signing. I have been brought back over the years buy seeing TTM windows for stars like Pete Rose and Big Mac! Then you realize how lucky you were to add players like The Wizard of OZ when he was doing his mail. Get the legends before they are gone! Mailing to old school guys is a wonderful way to get excited again. They seem to have better success rates and are more open to answering a question that you tossed on an index card. There was a time for me that getting those answered index cards fired me up hard core into this hobby. I would ask a simple question like who was the toughest hitter you faced? Who was your sports hero growing up? What do you remember about your first Big League game? The answers were much cooler than just an autograph. It is also about having a part of the history of the game before it fades away as well. Ask the guys who have did this for awhile, how easy it was to get a Duke Snyder or George Kell back in the day. The folks who complete a project like team sets or even whole national release set are driven by the goal. I have done a few team sets and marvel at the those who complete a Topps set! The question is not how to stay in the TTM hobby, but how to get out of it! I am an addict and always get drawn back in.

[RealBrianD]

I myself have been struggling with the "am I burned out" dilemma. I started a few projects (2004, 2007 n 2013 Red Sox WS roster autos, all on individual balls). I got 3/4 of the way thru 2004, added a few of the 2 other years, then hit "the wall". It seems I've collected the guys I have an interest in, and don't wanna get an auto just for the sake of getting an auto. The guys I don't have for the project are the guys who either don't sign ttm, or are hard to find a valid address (Mientkiewicz, Alan Embree etc). Not wanting to get random autographs, I decided to double back around and try to get signed 8x10's now. I go thru Google Images, find a great moment frozen in time, and try to think of a clever inscription to go with the autograph. It adds a whole new dimension to my goals. I wanna get Foulke to sign an 8x10 of right when he tossed the ball to 1st to end the 2004 WS, as ball is in mid air, and have him inscribe what his thoughts were at that exact moment as the ball is traveling a mere few feet, but erasing 86 years of heartache. Could be fun for him as well, not just the average "Keith Foulke, 2004 WS Champs. God Bless"- I'm sure inscriptions for them are as cliche as the answers they give in interviews. To spice things up, I've also aimed for harder, more elusive targets, like a personal conquest. To see if I can be the one to finally land one (Varitek was one, Also Tim McCarver for examples. Both were years in between successes)
overall, the hobby should be fun. So add your own twist to it. If you hit the wall, chill out for awhile. Check back in once a month, or whenever u have "the itch". To me, it drives me nuts going weeks without a success, so the addiction is very much still in firm control!

[cyberer]

Graphing in person forever made ttm seem boring to me. I'd suggest if you aren't having fun then get out to games and hotels and get the sigs and the memories yourself.

[PackerBum9786]

I mainly do TTM with the GB Packers and I think the thing that keeps me in it is that every year I go up for training camp and take tons of pictures. It is always nice sending a picture I took and getting it back in the mail signed. I mean I also get a bunch in person but, I always look forward to going through and looking at the pictures and thinking hmmm this one would be awesome to get signed.

[ajcorleone]

Like Indyreds I say I am going to quit and then you get a hot mail week and it gets the juices flowing. I also suggest trying to focus on a certain topic this way you have a goal and you will be driven to complete it. My main focus is just all TTM autos from all walks of life.SO I will spend a few hours say on on Monday with email and mail requests then hop it stars rolling in.

[hamma]

For me printing out my own photos was a great way to get more involved with TTMing. When you don't have cards for a person or some bigger items like balls what do you send? Photos allow you to pick what picture you get signed as opposed to whatever picture Topps, UD, Donruss, Fleer, or Panini chose and you can send to anyone.

Thanks for the reply! I think that having autographed photos would be really neat except I don't have frames and enough wall space to actually display them. Currently I have a shelf of autographed cards and I rotate the cards that are displayed that way they never get too old to look at and whenever a guests comes over they have something new to look at. How do you store all your photos?

[hamma]

I have been doing this for over 30 years and my interest has definitely had its peaks and valleys. Sometimes having fun projects keeps me going. It is a huge commitment, but starting to try to collect getting an entire card set signed can be really fun. It can be really fun researching and getting some of the role players or coaches included in a set just as much as a big star. I was lucky enough to finish the 300 card 1991 Proline Portraits set a few years ago. You may also like to start a multi-signed piece. I have been sending the 1977 SportsCaster Hall of Fame cards (for basketball, baseball, pro- football, college football, and hockey) to different players hoping to get them signed. I have seen many collectors do this with team photos or team cards. Most of all, enjoy the run to the mailbox and have fun with this great hobby.

I was thinking about either stopping all together or try to get all the Heisman winners on one poster or 8x10. I'm just scared of getting a few autos then loosing the piece. I had an 8x10 with Paul George and George Hills autos on it then sent it to Roy Hibbert only to get someone elses 8x10 back in the mail. Luckily with the help of a few people on this site I was able to track down the guy who had it and get it back. I think your last sentence says it all, the joy daily mailbox run! Thanks for the reply!