I have been collecting sports autographs for over 30 years. My autograph collection numbers in the thousands. My wife referred to my hobby as "bothering the old men." I began sleuthing out the addresses of these old sports stars before there was an Internet. I sought out clues to where they were living from newspaper research, the backs of old trading cards, and by other creative means. I had access to a wonderful collection of telephone books in the Salt Lake City Library where I obtained many addresses to write request letters. In many instances, finding an old sports cartoon in a newspaper gave me the impetus to try to find an address. In some sports, halls of fame were helpful in forwarding my request letters. The bulk of my autographs are from sports stars now deceased, as my interest was in those men and women who participated in these sports before 1960. As such, my collection is quite valuable. My wife keeps threatening that if I die before her, she will sell the collection and buy a villa in Tuscany and have a couple of Ferrari's in her garage. Those comments raise the ire of my sons, all four of whom love sports and have a different intention for the destination of the collection.
Click on the links below to see my different websites to view examples from my collection in various sports.
Click on the links below to see my different websites to view examples from my collection in various sports.
Baseball
Vintage Baseball Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
Vintage Baseball Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
- Includes autographs of over 300 Big League ballplayers from the 1920s thru 1960s. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons. Also includes a special feature page of brief bios on some of the great sports cartoonists featured in my collection.
Football
Football Autographs in the Leather Helmet Era (early thru 1948)
Football Autographs in the Golden Years (1949-1959)
Football Autographs in the Leather Helmet Era (early thru 1948)
- Includes autographs of over 900 college and pro football players and coaches dating back to before the 1920s. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons. Also features a special page of University of Utah Utes players and coaches in my collection.
Football Autographs in the Golden Years (1949-1959)
- Includes autographs of over 700 college and pro football players and coaches. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons.
Golf
Vintage Golf Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
Vintage Golf Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
- Includes autographs of almost 100 golfers who played as early as the 1920s. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons.
Tennis
Vintage Tennis Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
Vintage Tennis Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
- Includes autographs of over 35 tennis players who competed as early as the 1920s. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons.
Track and Field and Olympians in Other Sports
Vintage Track & Field Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
Vintage Track & Field Autographs from the Collection of Mel Bashore
- Includes autographs of over 100 track and field athletes and Olympians in other events who competed as early as the 1920s. Also includes a special feature on my collection of James E. Sullivan Award Winners. Featured are their signatures on copies of old newspaper sports cartoons.
Autographs for Sale
Autographs for Sale from the Collection of Mel Bashore
Autographs for Sale from the Collection of Mel Bashore
- Includes almost 200 3x5 football autographs of players who competed as early as the 1920s, over 25 football autographs on copies of old newspaper cartoons or articles, and more than 100 autographs of athletes in other sports on 3x5 cards or newspaper sports cartoons.