Featured autograph - Dean Chance

I was doing a random search on eBay and spotted an autographed 1962 Topps PSA/DNA blue flip 1962 Topps rookie card [sold by Baseball Card Exchange] - Chance’s autographs may not be hard to find but I wasn’t able to secure his autograph before he passed away in 2015.

I was thinking of getting the RC as an impulsive, ‘scratch the itch’ purchase - so I don’t have to worry about not having an autograph of the former Angel who won the 1964 American League Cy Young Award.

It looks like BBCE had at least several slabbed autographs of Chance in their eBay store and decided I’d rather have the autograph on a larger 1964 Topps Giants card - which looks a little prettier and where Chance’s shaky but still readable autograph doesn’t look as crammed in like the one on the regular sized card.

There is another eBay seller with 1964 Giants Chance auto cards [selling for $14.99 each] - but the ones sold by BBCE come already slabbed, so there is a little peace of mind as far as far as authentication goes.

The Chance autograph will probably be triple counted as a signed card for my Angels all-time collection, for my award winners collection and finally for the regional component of my Top 50 common PC - as a side note, I’d like to really start putting TTM/IP autographs in my PCs, with the caveat they have to be PSA/DNA certified first.

Autograph in-person failure - Dean Chance

I thought I had an opportunity to get former Angels pitcher Dean Chance's autograph at the Angels game last Saturday against the New York Yankees - when he threw out the first pitch before the game.

Wristbands were handed out for the first 100 people and I was about 25 back - however, I had to wander around and watch batting practice for that other team [even though I was told by the longtime female usher as I got my wristband, I couldn't wander past the area where Chance was signing other than use the restroom perhaps].

When I finally came back towards the line at the start of the game, I was lumped towards the end of the line for people who were guaranteed an autograph - when Chance started to sign at around the top of the third inning, he only got through about 25-30 people before the signing was abruptly cancelled due to health issues.

I was really disappointed, though I sort of understand Chance maybe at a fragile age at 70 - he isn't like some of the younger Angels alumni who have participated in signing for fans after throwing out the first pitch.

My friend and I spotted him after the game and thought we could get his autograph then - some people saw him too and we followed him out one the side gates at Angel Stadium, but Chance still refused to sign.