Mr. Henri Richard Give Me More Than I Bargained For

For my birthday I got a box of 10-11 ITG Enshrined. Really happy to have had a chance to break the product. While I was pretty happy with the results, I was hoping to extend my enjoyment of the box by sending away a TTM request to HOF'er Henri Richard. In a very short period of time, Henri Richard was kind enough to sign my card and he included another card and a photo! 

To say I was pleased is an understatement. I was very happy to have my original card back and with the signature it looks very very sharp. The two thrown in autos are just icing on the cake. Check out the loot: 

The colour photo and the blue sharpie work so very well together!

Here is Mr Richard posing with the Stanley Cup. He managed to do that more times than any other player during their playing career and I never see this record being broken.

Here is the photo that was used with the above card, signed of course.

I really appreciated what Mr Richard did and I am so glad that I had a chance to write him and get back an amazing return. These three autos will always be appreciated in my collection, thank you Mr. Richard.

TTM Success - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

While I typically like to share my TTM success via  Dirty Dangle, I decided to just fire off a quick one on my own blog of a success I got a while back. Since I moved (and paid for mail forwarding) I was very fortunate to have done so because I have received about 4 or 5 returns that were out for well over a year and were ones I really really wanted. Here is an example:

10-11 ITG Heroes and Prospects Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Here is an awesome return! Ryan signed and returned this back after I had sent it out about 14 months previously. I am going to be honest, I wasn't sure if I would see the one back after failures with Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall. But, when it arrived I was really happy and gracious for its arrival. Ryan signed it with a blue sharpie and he included his Red Deer number 9 which is pretty awesome. Since Glenn Anderson had his number 9 retired with the Oilers, Ryan switched to number 93 which he currently wears with the club. I hope to add another RNH auto with his  number 93 to my collection someday,  but this one is certainly an amazing addition to my collection and I am very grateful for the signing. Thanks Ryan!

John Tavares TTM Auto - With a cool twist

A while back I received two John Tavares autos which were personalized. However, there was a neat twist to how the envelope found its way home, check out the rest of the story at Dirty Dangle!

Childhood Idol TTM Success - John MacLean

While this return too a pretty long time to get to me, it was MORE than worth it. Check out the rest of the post on Dirty Dangle. 

Wax Stain Wednesdays are Back!

Check out Dirty Dangle, I am hoping to keep these posts going once again as the summer comes and my free time increases ever so slightly!

This week's posts is a TTM from Bobby Clarke!

Nathan MacKinnon TTM

An idea came to me a while back that I decided to put into play and that is; using decoys for autographs. Every now and again I don’t have a card of a player, but I want to get an autograph before they move or die. A decoy works nicely because it is card sized (a little on the thick side), doesn’t crease easily (because of girth) and since Panini uses all white ones, the autos show up nicely.



I put this plan into action with up-coming superstar Nathan MacKinnon.



Check out the autos

Forgive the scans, they both are actually uniform in colour, but the scan seems to make the cards two-tone white-cream. Have you done this before? I liked the result and I think I will do it again!

Bobby Hull - TTM

When I found out that Bobby Hull does sign through the mail, I couldn't resist writing him. I already have one auto from him (on a replica jersey) so I figured my collection certainly needed an auto or two on cardboard.

Sure enough, after about 4 months I received both cards I sent, signed! The Champs auto turned out the best. I actually found a 71-72 Bobby Hull All-Star card at my LCS for a buck a few weeks back so I kinda wish I mailed that one...but I will certainly enjoy the two I did get back.

Check out the rest of the post at Dirty Dangle.

Recent TTMs

Even though I have been buying more autos than writing letters in the last couple of months (will share more later on those), I have been lucky to have some TTMs return home over the last month or so. Two that I got back earlier this month are Eric Lindros and Jeremy Roenick. Both are players I loved and worshiped as a kid and to have both sign rookies for me is truly awesome. Roenick loves signing for fans and was willing to sign three cards for me (2 Rookies and an All-Star Card) and he included a small form letter with his return. The return time was about 6 months on the Roenick cards.

Eric was a faster signer than Jeremy, but since I didn't know if he would sign for sure, I just sent along the one card. I received this card about two months after mailing out the letter.

Here is more of the Lindros Post.

Here is more of the Roenick Post.

Johnny Bower TTM

Got these in a little while back and like everyone says, Johnny Bower is a very generous signer!

Mailed him one and got back two with a note!

Here is the one I sent, a Topps reprint card.

Here is the note and bonus card!

Really glad to land these, I mentioned it last week on my Dirty Dangle post for those interested!

Yvan Cournoyer TTM

A while back after landing a 72-73 Topps Yvan Cournoyer I decided I would write to see if he would sign it for me. Well the results are in and no success. Much like Captain Canuck said, he sends along a different card signed along with your original unsigned. I am certainly not disappointed and am happy a legend would be so kind to sign for a guy like me!

Check out the rest at Dirty Dangle as always.

Martin Brodeur TTM

WOW!!!!!!!! Was my first response when I opened the mail as saw this. I really didn't expect to ever see the card as where I mailed it was a long-shot at best.

The rest of the story can be found at Dirty Dangle.com. I would share my contact address if I could, but I don't want to betray their trust in helping me get this auto so I will apologize in advance that cannot share it.

Theo Fleury - TTM

I received a couple autos from another childhood idol, Theo Fleury. Check out my other auto and my post at Dirty Dangle.com


He was kind enough to sign two cards and number them with #14. He had them signed and back to me in less than 2 months.

Nail Yakupov - TTM

Awesome return from a future superstar in the NHL. I mailed the card out and had it back in less than a month. That is a pretty fast turnaround if you ask me. He included some original artwork with his autograph! Check it out at Dirty Dangle.com!

This is one of the most fun returns I have had....ever! Glad to have it in my collection and thank you Nail! I hope you always find time for your fans!

Jonathan Toews - TTM

This kid is easily one of my top 5 favourite current NHL'ers. Super happy to get this return and it was a pretty quick one too (2 months). Auto is a nice black sharpie and he put his number 19 with it. I looked at other autos online and if he ever decides to go with an autopen it will be obvious because I have never seen two of his autos look the same!

Check out the rest of post at Dirty Dangle.com

Ron Francis TTM

After a week of nothing, I received Ron Francis in the mail on Monday. Awesome return in only 32 days. Ron has always been a favourite of mine ( I like the quiet superstars) and he was kind enough to sign both cards I sent!

Here is the 90 OPC Premier card and you can read the rest as always on my Dirty Dangle post!

Joe Sakic TTM

I was very happy to open this package. I enjoyed writing the letter almost as much as receiving the cards. Two cards, two autos and less than two months. What more could a fan hope for!



Thanks Joe








Check out the other card signed card and the rest of the story at Dirty Dangle.com!

Peter Stastny TTM

I hope to get around to finishing up my Swap meet posts. In the meantime, here is another TTM return. Super stoked to get this one, he is super under-rated in my books and one of the best centres in NHL history. Imagine what he could have done with the Oilers! I mailed two cards out and received one signed and one unsigned. I am sure glad he signed this one!

Check out the rest at Dirty Dangle!

Jean Beliveau TTM Success

Another great return recently. Mr. Jean Beliveau!

I send this out early July and received it at the end of August. Signed in blue sharpie and numbered. Check out the rest of the story at Dirty Dangle.

Alex Delvecchio - TTM

I seem to be averaging one a week right now, hope that rate increases!

Like Pentti, Alex also grew up in the Thunder Bay area. Here is my favourite card of the ones he signed.

Check out the other signature and the rest of the story at Dirty Dangle.

Pentti Lund - TTM

A little while back, I picked up a Pentti Lund RC which prompted me to write him a letter and see if I could get an autograph.

Sure enough he did sign for me, and I got a little more than a bargained for...(in a good way). Check out the story at Dirty Dangle!