Potential proof McGwire isn't using Auto-pen

[joshh212]

I don't claim to be an expert on autopen or anything, but the way i understand it is that if someone uses it, their signature will literally appear exactly the same way (position, etc.) on every card that they sign.
Last week I got My McGwire back. It is signed sideways, so take that for what its worth, but it may be good news.

[bball15fan]

He signed my 8x10 with my blue sharpie, and personalized it...(same hand writing)

[jyosi]

He is also signing baseballs which I am pretty sure autopen can't do. And he is only signing 1 per request. I think the McGwires are real as well.

[RockiesFan33]

Identifying an auto-penned signature is not difficult at all. I've included examples of the McGwires posted here on SCF for this guide.

Telltale signs of an auto-penned signature include:

1. Uniform thickness to the signature from start to finish. An auto-pen machine writes straight down with uniform pressure throughout the signature, so there are no variances of pressure. The McGwire returns do not display this trend.



2. When the machine begins to "sign", it does so by starting with a straight downward
press onto the page and then the signature flows from there. That is most often indicated by a blot of ink at the beginning of the signature. A hand-signed signature will display a "running start" from where the signer's hand starts moving forward right before the pen hits the paper.



3. The machine ends the signature in the same fashion. The pen stroke just stops and is then lifted straight up off of the page. This action creates another blot of ink at the very end of the signature. With a hand-signed item, the signature will trail off as the pen leaves the paper.



4. When compared to other "signed" items, there will be no difference in the signature. Some signers may use different machines for their signatures, but every signature produced from that machine will be uniform. The McGwires show variances in pen thickness throughout the signatures.



5. AP machines can sign on flat or flattened surfaces, like cars, photos, or jerseys. Not on an uneven or non-flat surface like a ball.

So, what does this all mean? The McGwires that are coming back are clearly signed by hand, not by machine. All of the scans posted show variances in stroke width and pressure. All of the signatures show variances in the size of the letters and the spaces in between letters. While this doesn't mean that they are authentic, it does indicate that they are hand signed.

[indyreds]

Great explaination Brian. I was in the same boat in believing they were not an autopen. I do hope that they are real and not a ghost. I am thrilled with my card.

[JVazz29]

Nice little lesson!

[Eddie_2]

Very cool explaination, I always enjoy reading something of that nature.

To be honest though (and I hope some people don't get mad), I don't know why some people are making a big deal of McGwire signing TTMs. I can't stand the guy but if people are happy about getting his graph, that's great. Personally I would make a big deal if Doc, Jeter, Pujols, or Hanley were doing TTMs, not McGwire.

Again, I hope people don't get ticked but it's just an opinion.

[lizard-jd]

McGwire is a great signer IP. I go to RDS like 3-4 times a week and I have seen him take a large box of mail to his car like 3 times in the past two weeks when he's done for the day. No way do I think he does AP. I think his TTM graph looks nicer than a few of the ones I have gotten IP. All the ones below were signed while I was personally holding my notebook:

http://s642.photobucket.com/albums/u...0McGwire%20IP/

[REDANDGOLDPRIDE]

McGwire is a great signer IP. I go to RDS like 3-4 times a week and I have seen him take a large box of mail to his car like 3 times in the past two weeks when he's done for the day. No way do I think he does AP. I think his TTM graph looks nicer than a few of the ones I have gotten IP. All the ones below were signed while I was personally holding my notebook:

http://s642.photobucket.com/albums/u...0McGwire%20IP/

That's awesome to hear. I don't have any doubts as to why they wouldn't be signed by him, but that makes me breathe easy knowing that.

[joshh212]

Its good to see that Mac is giving back to fans a bit. I remember as a player when ip he was impossible. I guess the roid revelations humbled him a bit. Nonetheless as a st. louisan im still a fan.