There was once a time where I would literally run home just to check the mail. It was always exciting to rummage through and hope to find a small envelope with my name written above the address, generally it was in my hand writing, and when I saw my awesome chicken scratch on the envelope, I knew that more than likely there was a small treasure awaiting me inside...Fast forward to present day, when I come home and checking the mail isn't as fun as it use to be; Bills, more bills, an "Ann Taylor" catalog addressed to the lady who previously lived at my place before me and some other junk. That is an average mail day for me as an adult, however every once in a while I'll come across another small envelope with my lovely handwriting, and a smile will form across my face.

There are many ways to obtain an autograph of your favorite Minor or Major Leaguer these days. You can hit up Ebay, check out a private signing, or even hang out at the ballpark for the slight possibility you'll be able to get a signature or two. Though these are all descent ideas, I'm going to explain to you a different way of obtaining autographs that is cheaper and just as fun as the ones mentioned above. Obtaining autographs through the mail has been a popular way of obtaining signatures for many years; it's cheap, it doesn't take much time and with the internet it's extremely easy to find the addresses you're looking for.

The Basics

There are a few basic necessities you'll need to send out an autograph request through the mail. You will need two stamps, two envelopes, a sheet of notebook paper and something to get signed. I generally stick to sending cards to get signed, as it is the least amount of hassle and if I happen to never get the card back it is generally not a big deal.

Once you have everything you need, quick take a look online and find an address for the person you are hoping to get an autograph from. If it is a current Minor or Major Leaguer sending it to them in care of their current team is the best way to go, these addresses can generally be found on the team's website, or by doing a basic Google search. If you're looking for home addresses or current or former players there are websites you can check out, which we will discuss later.

After you find the address, write out one envelope to send the player, and then fill out an SASE, which means self addressed stamped envelope. It's a good idea to buy a smaller envelope for the SASE so it fits inside the envelope your sending to the player. Also, make sure you have the right amount of postage so the autograph gets back to you safely.

After you're done with the boring part, it's time to write the letter requesting the autograph. I always hand write every letter, it might take a little longer, but at least the player knows you took the time to write and you didn't just print a form letter off your computer. Also, I always try to add a little personal note about the player in the letter. Even if you're not a huge fan of the player, you can always mention an attribute of their game you enjoy watching, or a great game they had last season. This lets the player know that you at least know a bit about them and you're not just trying to score an autograph to put on Ebay. Heck, if you don't know much about them, look them up on Wikipedia, you're bound to find a few facts that you can mention, and we all know Wikipedia is always right...

At this point, just put the letter, card, and SASE into the envelope and send it on it's merry way. Now there is one thing left to do, and it's the hardest part of requesting a through the mail autograph...waiting to get the autograph back! It may take a while, but it will definitely be worth the wait!

A Few Tips

1)   Never send something that you can't afford to lose. Granted, that Ryan Braun picture you made out of macaroni would look pretty sweet autographed, but there is always a chance that something you send out may not come back and you don't want to lose something that awesome.

2)   Going off of #1, some players get more requests then others. You may want that Braun autograph really bad, but TTM may be a hard avenue as he gets tons of requests. It doesn't mean he won't sign, but if your favorite player is Zack Braddock, you probably have a better shot of getting him through the mail.

3)   Always, and I mean always, hand write your request! These players get tons of requests through the mail and if they are nice enough to take the time to open up your envelope and sign your card, you should be nice enough to send a nice hand written personal letter. Though you don't want to make it too long...

4)   Keep letters to about half a page. Players get tons of requests and most likely if it is longer than a half page he won't bother to read it. Again, it's nice to show the player you took the time to write him a personal letter, but he doesn't need to (or want to) know your life story.

5)   Card companies nowadays often make cards with a glossy finish, which makes the card look a little flashy, but they don't hold an autograph well.  If the card you want to get signed has a glossy finish there is a simple way to make the card signable; just rub some baby powder on it. I don't know how or why it works, but it does. Just dump a small amount of Baby Powder on the card and rub it around with your finger, it will take the gloss right off. When you're done covering the whole card, wipe off all the remaining powder. You don't want a player wondering why you have baby powder on everything (trust me).

6)   Don't be afraid to ask for a personalization! It may seem that you're asking the player enough by just asking for an autograph, but a lot of players don't mind personalizing the autograph to you. This shows them that you're planning on keeping the autograph for yourself and not selling it, plus it looks way cooler in your collection.

Websites to check out

There are tons of awesome websites for TTM autograph collectors, but there are two that I couldn't live without...

1)   Sportsgraphing.com - Sportsgraphing is a forum for all things sports autographs, whether you obtain autographs through the mail, in person or at private signings this is the perfect site for anybody who enjoys sports autographs. It costs $10 a year, but it is well worth it.

2)   Startiger.com - Startiger is my favorite source for finding addresses. Most current players can be written to in care of their team as mentioned before, but Startiger is the best site to find home (and other) addresses of celebrities and athletes. The best part is, users will give feedback on each address so you know which ones work and which ones don't. Have you always wanted to get Scott Baio's autograph but couldn't find his address? This is your site. This site costs about $5 per month, or $35 per year, but if you really want to dive into TTM autographing this is a great site.

A future Collector's Corner will focus on some of my successes and failures through the mail.