The Exciting Additions to This Year’s Game: A Home Run Derby and Autograph Session
The anticipation was high as fans gathered for the annual game, with a familiar setup from the previous year. However, there was a new twist this time around – a home run derby before the game even began. And for me, the real highlight was the presence of six former Cardinals players. Accompanied by my wife and son, I was able to score numerous autographs, making it a memorable experience for all of us.
A Month Without New Cards: My Recap of the 2nd Annual Legend’s Classic
It’s been almost a month since my last post, but don’t worry, I have some exciting trades to share with you. However, today’s post won’t be about new additions to my collection. Instead, I’ll be recapping my experience at the 2nd annual Legend’s Classic in Huntingburg, IN this past Saturday night. If you missed my recap of last year’s event, you can find it here.
Autograph Session and Home Run Derby
The setup for this year’s event was similar to last year’s, with an autograph session before the game. But this year, there was also a home run derby before the game started. As you can see from the flyer, the big draw for me was the presence of 6 former Cardinals players. My wife and son joined me, and we were able to get quite a few autographs. Each player would sign 2 items at a time, and the session lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes. With a smaller crowd, we were able to go through the line multiple times and get everything signed. Vince Coleman had the longest line, but he was very talkative and took the time to thank everyone for coming. He even asked me if I wanted Willie McGee to sign the dual cards, leaving plenty of space for his signature. This was my second time getting Coleman’s autograph in person, the first being back in 2009. The players also took pictures with fans, and I couldn’t resist getting a photo with my first favorite Cardinal, Vince Coleman. It broke my heart when he left to play for the Mets. Brian Jordan had the second longest line, and I was thrilled to show him a picture of him and Ray Lankford from my collection. I still need Mark Whiten’s signature to complete the foursome. Interestingly, Whiten was also signing autographs at a similar event in Springfield, IL on the same night. This was my first time getting Jason Isringhausen’s autograph, and it was a great addition to my collection of Cardinals Hall of Famers. Scott Spiezio still has his signature red facial hair, and it was my first time getting his autograph as well. I’ve gotten Eversgerd’s autograph at minor league games before, but I was impressed to see him playing left field during the game. At 57 years old, he made a nice running catch. Last but not least, I got to chat with Jason Motte about pitching. He shared some valuable advice for high school pitchers, and I was amazed to see him still throwing in the mid to high 80s during the game.
Pre-Game Activities
After the autograph session, we had about an hour to kill before the game started. We took a walk around the stadium and ended up in the team shop. To my surprise, I found a gem for only $60 – Ray Lankford’s jersey from last year’s game. I’m hoping to get it autographed in the near future. Lankford was also at the same event as Whiten, but tickets for that game were three times as much as what I paid for the Legend’s Classic.
