1992 Ultra, Roberto Alomar

#143 Roberto Alomar

I got this card signed through the mail while Roberto was with the Blue Jays. This is the first Roberto Alomar card that I got signed. Rod, from Padrographs, gave me another one that I posted in December. You can see that one here. I posted that card on the 19th of December. It's a 1991 Fleer card. Today is the last day of February and I haven't even finished up my 1992s yet. But, I should be done with those in by Tuesday. Then I'll be showing some older cards that I got signed at Royals Fanfest and ones that I have received through the mail.

I'm glad that Rod gave me that other Alomar card. The signature on this one is hard to see (it actually looks better in the scan) as it is signed over the dark dugout. Any more, I try to avoid getting cards with dark areas on them signed, if at all possible. Sometimes, they are the only card I have. But, back then, I didn't really care what card I sent as long as I had doubles.

1992 Ultra, Juan Gonzalez

#132 Juan Gonzalez

I bought this card signed at a card show around 1993 or so. This is the only signed baseball card that I have ever bought. I guess that any more, I just don't trust people enough to know if it is an authentic autograph or not. I have a signed 8x10 photo of Mike Piazza and a signed ball from Mark McGwire and both of those are fakes. So, any more, I try to get my autographs in person and occasionally through the mail.

I paid $5 for this card. I'm pretty sure that I bought it since Juan didn't sign the card I sent him. It looks similar to the card on Baseball Almanac and a ball that I got signed at a Royals game in 2001.

1992 Triple Play, Bobby Bonilla

#GS-1 Bobby Bonilla

I got this card signed through the mail this past November. I sent Bobby two cards to sign. You can see the other card that he signed here.

These Triple Play cards were made by Donruss and you can't have a Donruss product without a Diamond King-like insert set. That is what the Gallery of Stars is. The pictures were even painted by Dick Perez, so you know they are the real deal. I bought a box of this stuff and got four GoS cards- Danny Tartabull (Yankees), Jack Morris (Blue Jays), and Frank Viola (Red Sox). I don't know about any of you, but when I think of those players, I don't picture them with the teams that they are representing on those cards.

1992 Triple Play, Royce Clayton

#123 Royce Clayton

Here's another card that I got signed through the mail in the '90s. I swear, once I get done with these 1992 cards, the "through the mail, early '90s" posts will start to thin out. So, just bear with me for another week or so.

Royce had an amazingly long career. It's hard to believe that he lasted as long as he did. He played Major League ball for 17 seasons. 2007 was his last year. I don't remember him retiring after the season, so maybe nobody decided to sign him and forced him into retirement. It seems like that is happening more and more each year. I wonder if he played any indy ball last year.

1992 Triple Play, Travis Fryman

#86 Travis Fryman

Here is another through the mail success from the early '90s. Travis quietly had a very productive career. He mainly played on a crappy Tigers team and an Indians team at the end of its run. But during that time, he had three 100 RBI seasons, seven seasons of 20 or more home runs, and was a five time All Star. He even had one Gold Glove and one Silver Slugger. Last year, he was the manager of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a New York-Penn League affiliate of the Indians.

1992 was the first year of Donruss' Triple Play brand. It was a cheap set compared to the regular Donruss. It wasn't glossy at all. It would have been a good bunch of cards to get signed. For some reason, I only have a couple cards signed from this set and I bought a box of this stuff. But, I guess I bought boxes of many of the 1992 cards, so that might be a reason.

It is very odd how Travis signed the side of the card like he did. Also, I love the picture with the beltless pants.

1992 Topps, Benji Gil

#534 Benji Gil

I got this card signed through the mail in either 1993 or 1995. Luckily Benji had more common sense than I did and he signed on the edge of the card rather than on his shirt. Otherwise, it would have looked very similar to the Paul Molitor signature that I have.

Benji only played in the Majors for eight years, split between the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angles. He was basically a light hitting infielder that wasn't very adept with the glove, either. That's not a good combination. After hitting .192 for the Angels in 2003, he was released. He played in the minors for a couple more years before hanging it up. He was, however, an .800 career hitter in the World Series (4-5).

This is not the best looking draft pick card that Topps ever made. Most of the draft pick cards in the set showed the player with their amateur team. I have no idea why this card is different.

1992 Topps, Jim Eisenreich

#469 Jim Eisenreich

I got this card signed at Royals Fanfest last month. I had three cards and Jim signed all three of them for me.

Jim started his career in 1982 with the Twins. He was hitting pretty good, but was having problems with hyperventilating and a nervous twitch. After 34 games in the Majors, he was placed on the DL with a nervous disorder. He came back in '83 as the Twins Opening Day centerfielder. But, he quit after two games. He was back in 1984, but he soon headed to the DL again. After just twelve games played that year, he retired.

Three years later, he was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. With proper medication, his condition improved and he decided to give baseball another try. He was picked up on waivers by the Royals and, after a brief stint in Memphis, was back in the Major Leagues. He struggled his first two seasons in Kansas City. But in his third season, he lead the team in hitting (.293), doubles (33), triples (7), and steals (27). He won Royals Player of the Year for his effort. He played three more season in Kansas City before the Royals let him become a free agent. He spent seven more seasons in the Majors playing for the Phillies, Marlins, and Dodgers. He played in the 1993 and 1997 World Series.

His signature on this card looks a lot different than the one on Baseball Almanac. He seems to be shortening his signature as time goes by. I have an 8x10 that he signed in 2003 and it is kind of in between the two card signatures. Somewhere, I have an autograph on a program that I got in 1998. I need to find that and see what his signature looks like there.