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Insider Tips
This is the
best of what I know about getting autographs. Hockey players are the best in
the world in terms of signing, and a little insight and common sense will go
a long way in building your collection.
With most of
the new arenas being built with underground parking, it is getting harder and
harder to get autographs at the arena before games. What's the alternative?
Unless the team practices at another site where you can get them, the hotel
is sometimes the only alternative. Here are some tips if you decide to try to
get autographs at the hotel:
Tailgate: If you don't know where a team is
staying, it is possible to figure it out. Go to the arena for the morning
skate, and follow the team bus back to the hotel afterwards. You can see
where players are getting dropped off, and be ready for them when they return
to the arena for the game.
This insider tip is courtesy of Ron
Michalak. Ron has an excellent hockey autograph site. Check out my reviews of
other sites or my links page to visit Ron's site. To get a good idea of what players look
like, visit the
NHLPA's Web Site the night before you are getting autographs. It
has studio portraits of nearly every player in the NHL. Pay attention to
rookies as well. Many times they are very happy to sign when someone
recognizes them. Instead of getting just one Vincent Damphousse or a blank
stare from Mats Sundin or Jason Arnott, you can get a couple good ones from
up-and-coming stars like Jonas Hoglund or Patrik Elias.
It is very important to have your items to
be autographed in a place where you can quickly access them. This is
especially true when there are several autograph seekers around. For those of
us who get hockey cards autographed, it is important to get a players' card
ready quickly. One of the best ways to do this is to buy
a book of index cards in a binder. These are generally 4" X 6"
index cards that are spiral bound. Go to a photo place and get photo corners.
Place the corners around the card, and then "paste" the corners
onto the index cards in alphabetical order. You will be able to quickly flip
through your book to find the player. Plus, players are more likely to grab
these books in a crowd, since it gives them something to sign without have to
place the item against their knee to form a hard surface.
Assuming the visiting team did not fly
into town late the previous night, morning skates represent an excellent
opportunity for autograph collectors to score some good autographs. Generally
held at around
Chelios, one of the premier defensemen in
hockey, does not sign hockey cards. He will sign other items, including
pucks, 8 X 10's, and index cards. It is always a good idea to have items such
as blank index cards along in case a player refuses to sign the item(s) you
have brought.
One of the most popular players in the NHL
today is Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks. Generally a very gracious
signer, Pavel does have at least two cards that he does not sign for the
public. These are his 1992-93 Upper Deck card #431, showing Pavel as the
Calder Trophy Winner, and card number SP2, showing Pavel as the top
vote-getter for rookie of the year.
When there's no one around, or you've
already seen most players, a lot of collectors will figure there's no more
autographs to be had, and will leave. This represents a great chance for the
die-hard autograph seeker. When only a few people are around, players are
much better about signing, and you don't have to worry about fighting a
crowd. Some of the better autographs I've gotten have been after everyone
else left, figuring no more players were coming. I've gotten Pavel Bure,
Alexander Mogilny, and Teemu Selanne that way. Alot of the time, you may not
get anyone; but when you score a big autograph, you'll know it was
"worth waiting for"!
One of the greatest organizations is the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In addition to maintaining the greatest collection of hockey memorabilia
around, the Hall is also a good friend to autograph collectors. If you are
looking to write to a Hall of Famer, you may do so in care of the Hall of
Fame. Simply address your letter to the player, in care of the Hall of Fame,
The League's annual draft is held about a
week after the playoffs end. If you can get there, there's a good chance
you'll come away with some nice autographs. In addition to the wealth of prospects
attending, coaches, GM's, and other team personnel will also be in
attendance. Not only that, they’ll usually be in a very positive mood, since
the draft represents looking ahead and optimism. Check out NHL.com for
details on draft locations.
The familiar cry of players and coaches
following disappointing seasons is the same one heard from autograph
collectors once the season ends, especially those who do much of their
collecting through the mail. While you may feel the bug to write to players
during the summer at their homes, you are much better off to wait until
training camps open in September to send your requests in care of the team.
Most players prefer to spend time away from the game over the short summer,
and getting autograph requests at home is not their idea of a vacation. If
you really have the bug, send a couple requests in care of the Hall of Fame.
The early part of the season is the best
time to send autograph requests via the mail. Players often have fewer
demands on their time earlier in the year and will not have a stack of mail
waiting for them. You are always best off to send your request to the player
in care of his team; sending to a player's home may work, but is often
frowned upon. As always, be sure to include proper return postage for the
items you send, or you probably won't see them again!
So, the NHL is taking a 3-week break in
February and you don't have the coin to fly to
One of the more frequent requests I receive
is whether I can give out players' home addresses. Since there are some
players who don't sign in care of their team, people seem to think a letter
directly to the player's house will work. Well, if a guy doesn't read his fan
mail - he doesn't read his fan mail. Whether it's to his team or to his
house. Plus, in this age of "stalkers", I don't think players are
too keen on the idea of the general public having access to very private
information. This is where many people cross the line
between being a "Good Autograph Hound" and a "Bad Autograph
Hound". Doing things such as getting players' addresses and phone
numbers, following players home, and bothering them at their hotel are, in my
opinion, an invasion of privacy and a BIG reason that some players are very
distrustful of the general public. I see nothing wrong with going to morning
skates, games, and practices to track down those autographs, but give the
players some space. In the long run, it will benefit us all more to have
players who enjoy the public and take time to sign in appropriate situations.
So there's this red-hot rookie for a team
and you have the coolest item for him to sign. The problem? You have no clue
what he looks like up close. One of the main problems for in-person autograph
collectors is not being able to recognize a player up close. Fortunately, there is one trick that often
works that can help you nail down that indecision: have the player sign a
blank index card. With his autograph secured, you can analyze it to determine
who the player is. Hopefully, there will only be 1 or 2 guys you don't
recognize, and it should be pretty easy to determine who exactly has signed
your index card. Be sure to keep a current roster handy - you never know who
the team may have just called up! Click here to return to Kuch's House of Hockey Autographs
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