re: Kingpin of sports memorabilia forgery ring posts manifesto, then offs himself. $350M worth

I’ve always thought it’s weird for an adult to ask another adult for their signature. I definitely would not buy something just because it had somebody’s signature on it.

One time we got drunk at the Flora-Bama, there was an empty table and chair at the front so I sat down and acted like I was someone important doing autographs. Signed a couple, lol, till a guy walks up and says “who the hell are you?”

If you give me five dollars I will take them off your hands.

If you read Jim Bouton’s book Ball Four his expose that got him blackballed from Major League Baseball he talks about how he hated to be in the Yankees clubhouse watching Mickey Mantle drink, while the guy that ran the clubhouse autographed hundreds of baseballs for him.

And that’s from the early 60’s.

Better yet, listen to the audiobook because he reads it and it’s funny as shite. And it’s over 50 years old.

Blowout has a thread also for you fellow sports card collectors.
As is TD, a fine group of aging gentlemen on a dated forum.
I frequent both equally

The Next Operation Bullpen

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had it in my mancave

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If you have a “man cave” you’re not a real man


Real men go drink beer by themselves to get away from their family in a place they can work, like a garage or shop

It won’t

May even make his fakes worth more. Lol

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I just never saw the allure of buying sports stuff from other people that didn't see it signed - there's just a different feeling of getting autographs and such on your own.

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Very true. It's why I don't understand these comic coventions and such, where people pay actors, illustrators, etc for a picture and/or autograph. The whole payment thing just makes it feel so insincere to me for some reason. I have baseball cards signed by pro players and pictures with celebs from attending free events or other surrendipitious encounters that I value. I have an unsolicited autographed photo from my favorite actor that I received as a kid after writing a letter to him. My wife bought me another autographed 8x10 of him a few years back. I wound up throwing it away during one of our annual clutter purges because I just didn't have any attachment to it.

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It's exactly why autographs in general are such a farce

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Certification companies are shite now too. I’ve had autographs obtained in person that they failed. It’s almost funny.

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It's why I don't understand these comic coventions and such, where people pay actors, illustrators, etc for a picture and/or autograph. The whole payment thing just makes it feel so insincere to me for some reason. I have baseball cards signed by pro players and pictures with celebs from attending free events or other surrendipitious encounters that I value.

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Different strokes for different folks. I like to collect autographs and sports memorabilia, but I couldn’t give a shite if I saw some famous actor in street or even the Pope. I always felt MORE intrusive when I asked them for a picture. “Hey, you don’t know me, but can you stand by me and smile so I can tell my friends I saw you?”

Some people collect autographs and memorabilia. Some people work on old cars. Some people nerd out over sci-fi movies. Some people go to Disney 6 times a year. Some people obsess over high-end watches and cigars. Some people love model trains.

I don’t know…I guess I’m just done trying to care what interests other people. Unless it’s something that is off the wall and crazy or criminal, to each their own.

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Pretty huge difference between a forged signature and a random print vs original artwork

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99.9 percent of the assholes in the Louvre would have no idea if the version of the Mona Lisa they’re taking selfies on front of was from hobby lobby