Dave Pavlas

Sent: 10/25/11
Received: 11/10/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1987 ProCards Pittsfield Cubs, 1990 ProCards Iowa Cubs, 1991 Score
Item Received: 1987 ProCards Pittsfield Cubs, 1990 ProCards Iowa Cubs, 1991 Score.  All signed in black ballpoint.

Notes:
Dave Pavlas was remarkable in a September call-up for the Cubs in 1990, going 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA down the stretch.  He looked like a definite bullpen weapon for years to come.  But somehow he only appeared in one big league game the following year and would not return to the majors until 1995, with the New York Yankees.  In 1996 he got into 16 games for the Yankees and put up a nifty 2.35 ERA.  He didn't make the post-season roster, but was still a part of that World Championship team.  He would not pitch in the majors again.  He wrote on the back of his return envelope that he married a girl who went to Bloomington Jefferson High School in suburban Minneapolis.

Mark Brammer

Sent: 10/25/11
Received: 11/10/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1981 Topps, 1982 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection
Item Received: 1981 Topps, 1982 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Mark Brammer had a couple of solid seasons as a pass-catching tight end for the Bills.  Along with generously signing all three cards that I sent, he included a very pleasant note expressing appreciation (and perhaps a bit of disbelief) for my loyal long-distance support of the Bills.

Ron Hextall

Sent: 9/15/11
Received: 11/10/11
Time: 56 Days
Address: c/o Los Angeles Kings
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro

Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I double-dipped on Ron Hextall with decent results.  He thankfully signed the 1991-92 Score card that I needed for my set.  Unforutnaely, he kept the 2008-09 OPC 1979 Retro card that I sent.  He's the second person to keep one of these cards, following Wild defenseman Nick Schultz (who at least replaced it with a different card).  Perhaps he hadn't seen the card before and figured it was too cool to send back?  I'm happy, though.  The set card was most important to me.

Peyton Manning

Sent: 11/3/11
Received: 11/9/11
Time: 6 Days
Address: c/o PeyBack Foundation
Item Sent: 2006 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 2006 Topps Heritage, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
All I can say is "Wow."  I hope it's real.  I'm pretty sure it's real.  The consensus in the forums on SCN is that returns through Manning's PeyBack Foundation are real.  In the past, it has reportedly been a crapshoot.  If you're extremely lucky, you'll get the item you sent in personally signed by Peyton.  If you're lucky, you'll get a genuinely autographed 5x7 photo, but the item you sent will be returned unsigned.  And, if you're unlucky, you get a pre-printed facsimile autographed photo.  However, with Manning's injury that has kept him out of action all season, he apparently has more time to answer fan mail.  If it is really his signature, he's easily the highest profile athlete on the planet who does this.  Amazing!

Jeff Frazee

Sent: 10/28/11
Received: 11/5/11
Time: 8 Days
Address: c/o Albany Devils
Item Sent: 2010-11 ITG Between the Pipes, 2010-11 Panini All Goalies, 2010-11 Score Rookies & Traded
Item Received: 2010-11 ITG Between the Pipes, 2010-11 Panini All Goalies, 2010-11 Score Rookies & Traded.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Jeff Frazee signed with the New Jersey Devils after three stellar years in the net at Mariucci Arena.  He appeared in the AHL All-Star Game in 2009 and was mentioned as a possible successor the future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur.  Two years later, Brodeur is still manning the Devils net and Frazee is still in the AHL.  He's still young enough to put together a solid NHL career, but he appears to have been overtaken by Keith Kincaid (and still behind Brodeur and Johan Hedberg) on the Devils depth chart.

Mark Streit

Sent: 9/27/11
Received: 11/5/11
Time: 39 Days
Address: c/o New York Islanders
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
An offensively-gifted defenseman, Mark Streit missed the entire 2010-11 season due to a torn labrum and rotator cuff.  Despite missing the year, the 2009 All-Star was named Captain of the Islanders during this season's training camp.  He appears to be picking up right where he left off two seasons ago, with nine assists and ten points through the season's first fifteen games.

Shane Nelson

Sent: 9/27/11
Received: 11/3/11
Time: 37 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1982 Fleer Team Action, 1982 Topps
Item Received: 1982 Fleer Team Action, 1982 Topps.  Both signed in black gel pen.  Two 8x10 photos,  both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Getting a package like this in the mail is the most rewarding part of this silly hobby.  Shane Nelson was an undrafted free agent who eventually became a starting inside linebacker for the Bills.  He teamed with fellow linebacker Jim Haslett and nose tackle Fred Smerlas to form the "Bermuda Triangle" - the famed Bills defense that was the top-ranked unit in the league in 1980. 

Mr. Nelson signed both of the cards I sent him, and added two autographed 8x10 photos -- one of him tackling Walter Payton and one of him sacking Bert Jones.  It wasn't just the awesome extras that made this such a special return, though.  It was the thought that went into packaging the whole return for me.  He wrote a brief but awesome thank you note on my original letter.  He sent everything back in a manila envelope with cardboard reinforcement (and paid for the postage).  He inserted my cards in a top-loader for extra protection.  And he returned my unused SASE, saving me a stamp on my next autograph request.


That's class.

Jerry Olsavsky

Sent: 10/22/11
Received: 11/1/11
Time: 10 Days
Address: c/o Pittsburgh Steelers
Item Sent: 1990 Score, 1990 Topps
Item Received: 1990 Score, 1990 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Jerry Olsavsky out of the University of Pittsburgh in the tenth round of the 1989 draft.  He was a longshot to make the team, but by the end of the year he was honored with a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team.  He spent nine seasons with the Steelers.  Most of his actual linebacker duty was as a backup (though he did start in Super Bowl XXX).  Most of his value to the Steelers was as an elite special teams performer.  He returned to the Steelers last year as a defensive assistant coach.