Karl Dunbar

Sent: 12/21/10
Received: 12/30/10
Time: 9 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Vikings
Item Sent: 1990 LSU Collegiate Collection
Item Received: 1990 LSU Collegiate Collection, signed in purple Sharpie and inscribed "Geaux Tigers!!"

Notes:
While flipping through a box of old football cards at my parents' house a couple of weeks ago, I came across this card of current Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.  His name meant nothing to me the last time I looked through that box, which means it had been at least five years since I had done so.  Since then, he's coached Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Jared Allen to several Pro Bowl appearances and developed younger guys like Brian Robison and Ray Edwards.  His return to Minnesota probably hinges on whether or not Leslie Frazier gets the permanent head coach job, but he's done a fine job while here.  Cool return!

Bucky Scribner

Sent: 12/21/10
Received: 12/30/10
Time: 9 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1985 Topps, 1990 Score
Item Received: 1985 Topps, 1990 Score.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Like I always say, "When you have a chance for an autograph from a punter named Bucky, you take it!"  Bucky Scribner was an average punter.  Not great, not terrible.  He had two okay seasons in Green Bay and was then out of the NFL for two and a half years before signing with the Vikings near the end of the 1987 season.  He spent the entire 1988 and 1989 seasons in purple, sandwiched between Greg Coleman's decade-long run and four years of great punting from ex-Steeler Harry Newsome.  After losing the job to Newsome in 1990, Bucky didn't find another in the NFL.  He did have one of the more fun names in Vikings history and I guess that's his legacy to me.

Shawn Chambers

Sent: 12/17/10
Received: 12/29/10
Time: 12 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
If the sight of longtime Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars defenseman Shawn Chambers in a Washington Capitals sweater seems odd, it is.  Traded by the North Stars to the Capitals prior to the 1991 season, he appeared in just two games for Washington due to a serious knee injury.  This is my second success this year from Mr. Chambers.  As with a few other early successes, I re-sent to him to acquire a 1991-92 Score card for my set.

Rickey Foggie

Sent: 8/31/10
Received: 12/28/10
Time: 119 Days
Address: c/o PreSnap Football Academy
Item Sent: 1990 Jogo CFL, 1991 Jogo CFL, 1994 Jogo CFL
Item Received: 1990 Jogo CFL, 1991 Jogo CFL, 1994 Jogo CFL.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Rickey Foggie is my all-time favorite Gopher football player.  I don't even know if I realized there was a University of Minnesota, much less a football team there, until the arrivals of Lou Holtz and Foggie, when I was around seven years old.  In the mid-eighties, before super-athletic quarterbacks started getting chances in the NFL, I had never seen anyone play the position quite like Rickey.  After college, he enjoyed long careers in the Canadian and Arena Football Leagues, and spent a few years coaching in Arena ball.  He is now back in Minnesota, working at the PreSnap Football Academy in Lakeville.  These cards are exceptionally treasured new additions to the collection!

Chad Greenway

Sent: 11/8/10
Received: 12/27/10
Time: 49 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Vikings
Item Sent: 2006 Bowman
Item Received: 2006 Bowman, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Of course megastars like Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, and Jared Allen are going to sell the most jerseys, but I would wager that an unscientific poll of hardcore Vikings fans might reveal Chad Greenway as the favorite player on the team.  He was born in South Dakota and went to college at Iowa, so he's basically one of us, and that always seems to carry a lot of weight with Minnesota sports fans.  He's also really, really good at football.

Dean Evason

Sent: 7/9/10
Received: 12/24/10
Time: 168 Days
Address: c/o Washington Capitals
Item Sent: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I wrote to Dean Evason (now an assistant coach for the Capitals) during the offseason, figuring it could take a while to get a response.  Unfortunately, I had not yet decided to focus on specific sets yet when I sent the request.  While I did get one card here to add to my 1991 Score set, he has two more (one in the base set and one in the traded set) that I need.  So, I'll probably be writing again at some point.  Thanks, Dean!

Larry Olimb

Sent: 12/17/10
Received: 12/24/10
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1992-93 Classic Draft Picks
Item Received: 1992-93 Classic Draft Picks, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
He never reached the NHL, but Larry Olimb was one of the best college hockey players I ever saw.  He could (and did) play each position, was a tremendous passer and playmaker, and a great leader.  He has started doing television work for FSN broadcasts of Wild and Gophers games this year.  Along with the card, he included a nice note and thanked me for the letter.

Kevin Miller

Sent: 12/14/10
Received: 12/24/10
Time: 10 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "Brothers" (already signed by Kelly Miller), 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "Brothers," 1991-92 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Immediately after receiving a success from Kelly Miller, I wrote to his brother Kevin.  Among the cards I sent was a 1991 Score "Brothers" card, featuring both of them ans signed by Kelly.  In only ten days (substantially faster than Kelly), Kevin's response included my very first multi-signed success!

Bobby Smith

Sent: 10/28/10
Received: 12/23/10
Time: 56 Days
Address: c/o Halifax Mooseheads
Item Sent: 1979-80 Topps, 1981-82 Topps, 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1979-80 Topps, 1981-82 Topps, 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
So awesome!  I'm about as excited about this return as any that I've had to date.  As a small boy just discovering the North Stars, Bobby Smith was my first official favorite player.  And, almost immediately after that, he was traded to Montreal.  Thankfully, the North Stars reacquired him several years later, in time for the '91 Cup run.  When I decided to start collecting autographs from the 1979 Topps set, the Bobby Smith rookie card became priority number one.  I'm happy to report that it looks just as great as I hoped it would.

Curt Giles

Sent: 12/17/10
Received: 12/21/10
Time: 4 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The great North Stars defenseman was my first TTM success in April.  I wrote to him again, thanking him for that return, and explained that I am only writing again because I have since decided to try collecting the 1991 Score set.  The second return came just as fast as the first!

Rob McClanahan

Sent: 12/3/10
Received: 12/21/10
Time: 18 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
A University of Minnesota hockey legend, Rob McClanahan found hockey immortality as one of the top scorers on the 1980 US Olympic team.  Following that, he spent parts of five seasons in the NHL with three different teams.  In his one full season, with the New York Rangers, he posted career highs of 22 goals and 26 assists.  Interestingly, the Vancouver Canucks were not one of the teams he played for in the NHL.  Notice the airbrushed uniform on this O-Pee-Chee card.  He was traded by New York to Vancouver, but retired before playing a game in the Canucks' hideous black, orange, and yellow "V" sweaters.

Wyatt Smith

Sent: 8/27/10
Received: 12/20/10
Time: 115 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1995-96 Minnesota Gophers Hockey Team Issue
Item Received: 1995-96 Minnesota Gophers Hockey Team Issue, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
1990s Gophers great Wyatt Smith has turned into a true hockey lifer.  When his career with the maroon and gold ended, he signed with the Phoenix Coyotes organization.  He's been up and down, between the AHL and NHL, a part of seven different organizations during his 12 professional seasons.  His longest single-season stay in the NHL was for 61 games in his lone season with the Wild in 2006-07.  He last appeared in the NHL with the Avalanche the following season.  Last year he served as captain for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  He's now providing that same veteran leadership for the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence (which was the postmarked town on this return).

Mike Peluso

Sent: 12/14/10
Received: 12/17/10
Time: 3 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
My first couple of months of through the mail autographing (April and May) were kind of a free for all.  I had not yet decided to start collecting any specific sets, so my requests consisted of whatever cards I had on hand.  Now that I have focused on a few specific sets, I'm finding myself double-dipping with players who I had early success from.  Over the last few days, I have sent out a few requests from the 1991-92 Score hockey set to players who I sent and received different cards from last spring.  I think I'll find honesty being the best policy, naturally.  For each of them, including Mike Peluso, I thanked them for the signatures from my first request and explained that after I received that I decided I wanted to collect a specific set and asked if it wouldn't be too much trouble to get one more autograph from them.  Mr. Peluso doesn't seem to mind!  Here's to hoping that holds true with the rest of the crew.

Steve Christoff

Sent: 12/2/10
Received: 12/14/10
Time: 12 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1981-82 Topps, 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1981-82 Topps, 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Minnesota Gophers great and 1980 Team USA "Miracle on Ice" star Steve Christoff spent two and a half promising seasons with his hometown North Stars before getting traded to Calgary (and, quickly after that, to Los Angeles).  He is now a pilot for Mesaba Airlines.

Pekka Rinne

Sent: 11/23/10
Received: 12/13/10
Time: 20 Days
Address: c/o Nashville Predators
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-10 Upper Deck
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-10 Upper Deck.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I firmly believe that Pekka Rinne is one of the finest goaltenders in the NHL.  He spent the previous two seasons platooning with Dan Ellis, in relative obscurity for an underrated Predators club.  Ellis left for Tampa Bay this past offseason, finally making it Rinne's undisputed job.  Then Pekka got hurt.  Rookie Anders Lindback has been outstanding in Rinne's absence.  Still, I can't help but feel that if Nashville is ever able to make a playoff run, it'll be behind Pekka Rinne.

Pat Verbeek

Sent: 10/27/10
Received: 12/13/10
Time: 47 Days
Address: c/o Tampa Bay Lightning
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I'm really excited about this return.  Pat Verbeek was one of my favorites while growing up.  I've written about my fondness for the Hartford Whalers several times already on this blog.  Verbeek was, in a lot of ways, the heart and soul of those teams.  Despite his diminutive stature, it seemed he was a lock for 40 goals and 200 penalty minutes every year.  You just don't see guys like that anymore.  He started with some terrible New Jersey Devils teams, and he won Cups with Dallas and Detroit in the twilight of his career, but he'll always be a Whaler to me.

Kelly Miller

Sent: 8/2/10
Received: 12/13/10
Time: 133 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "NHL Brothers"
Item Received: 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "NHL Brothers."  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The oldest of three Miller brothers to play in the NHL in the '80s and '90s (Kevin and Kip being the others), Kelly had the most successful pro career of the bunch.  After breaking in with the New York Rangers, he was traded to the Washington Capitals in 1987 and spent the next dozen years as a solid two-way forward in D.C.  Of note, this is the first signature I've acquired from the "NHL Brothers" subset in the 1991 Score set.  It is now en route to Kevin, along with his own base card.  

UPDATE 12/25/10: Received a response from Kevin Miller, completing the "Brothers" card!

Harold Snepsts

Sent: 11/20/10
Received: 12/8/10
Time: 18 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Harold Snepsts was a terrific defensman with an even better mustache.  It's a shame that his lone season at the Met Center was arguably the worst of his career.  He was the Vancouver Canucks all-time leader in games played and penalty minutes when he was dealt to the North Stars staight up for Al MacAdam.  Both were fan favorites in their respective towns, and it was a highly unpopular move for each.  As it turns out, both Snepsts and MacAdam's best days were behind them.  Snepsts only trading card in a North Stars uniform was this 1984 O-Pee-Chee card, featuring one of the worst full-uniform airbrush jobs in hockey card history.

Joel Quenneville

Sent: 11/19/10
Received: 12/8/10
Time: 19 Days
Address: c/o Chicago Blackhawks
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I assume Joel Quenneville's money is no good in Chicago after leading the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup in 49 years last spring.  It was a crowning achievement for one of the most successful and recognizable NHL coaches of the last 15 years.  Quenneville and his magnificent mustache enjoyed several prosperous years in St. Louis and Colorado before getting the Blackhawks gig.  While NHL coaching tenures are always volatile, he should be able to stay in Chicago for as long as he wants.

Sean O'Donnell

Sent: 11/20/10
Received: 12/7/10
Time: 17 Days
Address: c/o Philadelphia Flyers SkateZone
Item Sent: 2000-01 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2000-01 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in blue ballpoint.

Notes:
Sean O'Donnell will forever be in the trivia books as the first captain in Wild history.  Acquired in the expansion draft, he spent about two thirds of the 2000-01 season as part of the inaugural Wild squad before being shipped to New Jersey for young defenseman Willie Mitchell.  The trade worked out well for the Wild -- Mitchell would become one of the most beloved blueliners in the team's young history.  As for O'Donnell, his Devils would lose the Stanley Cup Finals that season, but he would get to hoist the Cup with the '06-'07 Anaheim Ducks.  Now 39, he's still active for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Chuck Kobasew

Sent: 10/16/10
Received: 12/7/10
Time: 52 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee Metal
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee Metal.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
As enthusiastic of a Minnesota Wild fan as I am, my collection of Wild autographs is extremely light.  I guess most of my hockey quests have focused on North Stars and other players from the '80s and early '90s.  A couple of months ago I became aware of the "Retro" parallel insert cards in the 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee set, utilizing the classic 1979-80 Topps/OPC design (most famous for being the set that included Wayne Gretzky's rookie card, but most significant to me for being the set that included Bobby Smith's rookie card).  Naturally, it set me on a quest to get as many of these cards signed as possible.  I've sent a bunch of requests out over the last couple of months and the first returns arrived today, thanks to Sean O'Donnell and Chuck Kobasew.  Kobasew's card features him as a member of the Boston Bruins, so I also sent a 2009-10 OPC card, featuring him with the Wild.  Of note: after several requests to Wild players and coaches, this is my first TTM success.  Most members of the team are allegedly solid signers, but my experience has been slow.  They could learn a thing or two from the Twins.

Ron Washington

Sent: 10/13/10
Received: 12/6/10
Time: 54 Days
Address: c/o Texas Rangers
Item Sent: 1982 Topps Traded, 1983 Topps, 1984 Donruss, 1986 Donruss
Item Received: 1982 Topps Traded, 1983 Topps, 1984 Donruss, 1986 Donruss.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
The primary shortstop on the 1982 Twins, and the primary utility infielder on the team for the next four seasons, Washington is now, of course, the manager of the AL Champion Texas Rangers.  This was a good year for Ronnie.  As much as any of the players, he looked like he was having the time of his life during the 2010 playoffs.  It was glorious watching him oust the Yankees in the ALCS.  For me, it even numbed a little bit of the pain from the Yankees first round sweep of the Twins.

Johnny Briggs

Sent: 8/13/10
Received: 12/6/10
Time: 115 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1972 Topps, 1976 Topps
Item Received: 1972 Topps, 1976 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Johnny Briggs played one partial season for the Twins at the tail end of a pretty solid big league career.  He was a valuable role player for the Phillies of the '60s before coming to the American League with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971.  He became somewhat of a star with that fledgling young Brew Crew, hitting between 17 and 21 home runs in each of his four full seasons there before coming to the Twins in a 1975 deal in exchange for Bobby Darwin.

Al Secord

Sent: 11/19/10
Received: 12/4/10
Time: 15 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1990-91 Pro Set
Item Received: 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1990-91 Pro Set.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
This might be the most fun I've had with a TTM autograph request.  I opened my letter to Al Secord like this: "Dear Mr. Secord, I absolutely hated you when I was a kid!"  I explained that I grew up a die-hard North Stars fan. The fantastic rivalry between my North Stars and his Chicago Blackhawks was the source for some of the greatest memories from my youth and he was Public Enemy #1.  I conceded that since the Stars left, my hatred for the Blackhawks has dissipated, to the point that I was genuinely cheering for them to finally win the Stanley Cup last season.  I guess Al took that to mean that I am now a Blackhawks fan.  In addition to extremely classy signatures and thoughtful inscriptions on the cards I sent him, he left a fantastic message for me on the back of the reply envelope.

For more on Al and me, check out this blog post of mine from last March.

Randy Carlyle

Sent: 11/20/10
Received: 12/3/10
Time: 13 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Randy Carlyle won the Norris Trophy (as the NHL's best defenseman) in 1981 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He spent the bulk of his career with the Winnipeg Jets, one of the last players to go helmetless upon his 1993 retirement.  For the last six seasons, he has been the animated, Stanley Cup winning head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. 

Jimmy Kleinsasser

Sent: 11/23/10
Received: 12/1/10
Time: 8 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1999 Bowman, 1999 Collector's Edge Fury, 2006 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 1999 Bowman, signed in black ballpoint.  1999 Collector's Edge Fury, 2006 Topps Heritage, both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
It's been a great run for Jimmy Flying Saucer in Minnesota.  Selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft, the dean of the Vikings is now in his 12th season as one of the most dominating blocking tight ends in the league.  More of a sixth offensive lineman than a pass-catching threat, he still manages to haul in a few key receptions each season. 

Ron Perranoski

Sent: 10/13/10
Received: 12/1/10
Time: 49 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1970 Topps, 1971 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection
Item Received: 1970 Topps, 1971 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection.  All signed in blue ballpoint.

Notes:
Although Ron Perranoski is best remembered by most baseball fans as a Los Angeles Dodger (both as an outstanding relief pitcher in the '60s and as Tommy Lasorda's pitching coach from 1981-1994), Twins fans know him best as the dominating closer for the 1969 and 1970 AL Western Division champions.  Saves officially became a statistic in 1969, and Perranoski became the first MLB saves leader that year when he tallied 31.  Along with nine relief wins and a 2.11 ERA, it was enough to finish 13th in the 1969 AL MVP voting.  He led the league again in 1970, this time with 34 saves (and seven wins and a 2.43 ERA), and this time finishing 12th in the league MVP voting and seventh in the Cy Young Award voting.