Sent: 5/13/10
Received: 6/21/10
Time: 39 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1985 Fleer Update, 1985 Twins Team Issue, 1986 Fleer
Item Received: 1985 Fleer Update, 1985 Twins Team Issue, 1986 Fleer. All signed in black Sharpie. Added pre-printed 1985 Twins Team Issue Postcard.
Notes:
After posting a 0.69 ERA and 17 saves at AA Orlando in 1984, Wardle was regarded as one of the Twins top-pitching prospects heading into the 1985 season. He struggled mightily with the Twins, posting a 5.51 ERA in 1985 before becoming a key piece in the trade with Cleveland that brought Bert Blyleven back to Minnesota. Mr. Wardle beautifully signed three cards for me in blue Sharpie and included a 1985 Twins team issued postcard of him (with a pre-printed facsimile autograph). Now comes a dilemma. How long do you wait before writing to a person a second time? Because in between sending my request and receiving it, I decided to try putting together a signed 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks team set. (This was the set that contained Kirby Puckett's only minor league card, which I had Kirby sign in 1988. Since I have him out of the way, I've decided to undertake the challenge of tracking down players who played A-ball in 1983.) Wardle is part of that set, but I didn't realize it until a couple of weeks after I had already written him. Given his genorosity of signing three cards and including the postcard, I figure if I'm honest when I write back, the chances are pretty decent of receiving a response. I just don't want to come off as greedy or ungrateful.
