Autograph request through the mail received: Phil Niekro

Phil Niekro c/o home - I sent $10 and my card was signed in blue ink with a 'H.O.F. 97' inscription and he responded to my letter.

I was worried about this request because I mailed it in a regular envelope and when I take to a person at the post office - I have to see my outgoing envelope squeezed to see if I have to pay the surcharge [$0.20] for additional ounces.

Maybe it is a problem I'm just being petty about, but it pisses me off because by the way my envelopes are being felt up - card (s) I'm sending out [I'm probably more concerned over cards from the last 10 years] are probably bent up and creased before I pay for my postage.

Maybe about a week later I get my request back from Niekro- I was pretty relieved that all the squeezing at the post office apparently didn't damage my card at all as I see no visible creases.

Unlocked some Topps Diamond Giveaway codes

I was thinking about it lately and I hadn't gotten in on any Diamond Giveway action for the longest time - I ended up with about eight code cards [two pulled from packs] from the three 2011 Topps Value Boxes I purchased and wondered what to do with them?

I know I'd like to go to the Diamond Giveway Web site and enter the codes sooner than later - whether it is nefarious or not, there is a certain gambling element in play as you plug in a code and hope for something, anything of note.

I ended up entering two of the codes Sunday night and got a 1973 Topps Dave Marshall [who?] and a 1983 Topps Super Veterans subset card of Phil Niekro - maybe I should have save the rest of the unused codes to sell, particularly when the code cards are good for $3 or $4 each.

Chances are however, I'll probably end up entering the rest of the six four remaining code cards - after scratching in another set of codes Monday night.