TTM autographs received: Carl Erskine

The 91-year old signed my trading cards in blue Sharpie and responded to my letter in about three months - there is something peculiar about sending an autograph request to someone who is closer to 100 years old than 25, because I wonder how someone so old can actually go get all the mail sent to them and manage to respond back to each of the senders.

I would assume, depending on how able they still are function - someone notable to still write to already their 70s, 80s or 90s, do have some help in answering mail.

After sending out to Erskine on January with a donation he generally requires - I was expecting about to see a response back in two or three weeks, but was worried when there was no response.

Erskine became a 'scratch the itch' guy for me because he has had a reputation for being a great TTM signer - I wanted to see if I could get ink on some loose cards I had of his.

However word got out through Facebook and the SCN message boards, that Erskine apparently had lost the ability to use his hands - which obviously prevented him from answering requests sent to him in the meantime.

According to the note that was posted, Erskine would wait a bit until things got better or he would mark the mail sent to him as return to senders - I was wondering if Erskine would be able to sign again and was relieved I saw a couple of successes within the past week or so.

Featured autograph - Sean O' Sullivan

I was there for Sean O'Sullivan's first career start at Angel Stadium[second overall in the bigs] - he was pitched a solid game, but was looking for a point where he would kind of crack.

Former Long Beach State star Troy Tulowitzki hit two home runs off O' Sullivan and overall - O'Sullivan he gave up three earned runs in five innings pitched, allowing six hits, while walking three and striking out three.

Fiddling with camera [batteries were dying] as key moments were happening - the crowd got electric when the Angels were mounting a comeback Tuesday night.

Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez was dominant for most of the game [seems like a young, athletic horse out there] - the Angels broke through and Bobby Abreu had a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie and give the Angels the lead.

Thankfully former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes was able to come in an close the game out - as the Angels won 3-2.

This 2008 Donruss Threads was signed in-person during spring training - O'Sullivan and Freddy Sandoval signed autographs at a card show last off-season, but I didn't think too much of him, then.