Five Best Signatures in Twins History

[Ted Schwerzler]

Whether signing baseball cards, inking checks, or simply checking in to a stadium, baseball players are constantly writing their name. Anyone even remotely connected to Twins Territory knows how important Harmon Killebrew thought legibility was, but who are some of the best to follow suit?I don’t think it’s burying the lede here to note that Harmon Killebrew’s signature is going to be number one on this list. He’s got some of the greatest penmanship we’ve seen in any era, and it was a craft he took great pride in. You’ll often hear stories from more recent players where they’ll quip about the times Harmon noted they needed to clean up their signature.

 

Given the recent explosion of the trading card collecting hobby it seemed only fitting to explore the guys that have followed his advice best. Surprisingly, there’s more than a few modern candidates on this list. Without further ado, let’s get into it:

 

5. Paul Molitor

 

After playing 15 years in Milwaukee for the Brewers, Molitor ended his Hall of Fame career with the hometown team. The St. Paul native was well past his prime when he joined the Twins, but Molitor still put up an .858 OPS at age-39. There was no shortage of autograph requests given the local fanfare, and those continued when he became manager, and eventually Manager of the Year, following his playing days.

 

Download attachment: Molitor.jpg

 

The signature is a compressed one, and the letters are all tight together, but getting every character is something rarely seen today.

 

4. Bert Blyleven

 

This is a weird case in which the signature is awesome, but it’s one that typically comes with caveats. Blyleven is also a Hall of Famer and played 11 of his 22 big league seasons in Minnesota. He is still connected to the team as a broadcaster, and while his capacity is slowly being phased out, it will never not be true that he was among the best to put on the uniform.

 

Download attachment: Bert.jpg

 

Much like Harmon’s style, Blyleven makes sure to get out his full name fully and visibly when signing. For collectors he’ll generally ink his name in undesirable places or attempt to devalue whatever he is signing for the fear of secondary market flipping. At any rate, the signature itself is a gorgeous one.

3. Torii Hunter

 

As the first modern day inclusion on this list Torii Hunter represents a guy bound by principles. He has often talked about things gleaned from his time listening to Harmon, and he too represents that type of retired veteran constantly passing information down. Hunter played the role of mentor and leader on multiple teams, and it’s not hard to see why doing things the right way would be of importance to him.

 

Download attachment: thumb.jpg

 

Hunter’s autograph is loopier and more cartoonish than the previous two entries, but it’s plenty obvious who the inscription belongs to when reading it. Often accompanied by his number, Torii takes any piece of memorabilia up a notch by putting his name on it.

 

2. Michael Cuddyer

 

One of my favorite autographs in all of baseball, Cuddyer combines principles from the three players before him. He was a Twins for 11 of his 15 Major League seasons and there was never a time in which he wasn’t fighting to cement his place as a regular. Often seen as the utility player that could contribute everywhere, Cuddyer went about all of his processes the right way.

 

Download attachment: cuddyer.jpg

 

Without sounding too sappy Cuddyer’s signature has an elegance to it. As a fan of photography, often taking pictures at away ballparks, maybe there was even an artistic tie to the swoops of his pen. Each time his name came out though, it looked as good as the last.

 

1. Harmon Killebrew

 

As I said when starting this off, it’s pretty impossible to look at any group of people under this subject and not determine Harmon as the gold standard. Playing 21 of his 22 illustrious seasons with the Minnesota franchise (after relocating from Washington seven seasons in) the Killer racked up accolades like no one’s business. An inner circle Hall of Famer doesn’t need to bother themselves with signature requests, but Killebrew took it upon himself to treat each as if it were his last.

 

Download attachment: harmon-killebrew-single-signed-baseball-2288.jpg

 

There will never be a time that the importance Killebrew placed on a well-respected signature isn’t a story that’s shared fondly among Twins fans. Although it doesn’t resonate with every future player, it’s great to see the trickle-down effect and know that his presence remains even though he has left us.

 

Who's missing that you would add to this list?

 

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[ashbury]

I've never been an autograph hound, but this article with its illustrative examples was a pleasure, as it gives insight about the fundamental appeal of the hobby rather than the profit-making angle.

[Trov]

Pretty sure each on the list had that conversation with Harmon.  I have heard a few stories from people who have had personal interactions with Harmon, and he was an amazing man that understood the importance of the fans.  

 

He would stand outside and sign for every fan that waited for him.  When he was asked, why he would be willing to do that, he response was if they are willing to wait it is the least I can do.  Without the fans I would be farming.  That is also why he wanted to make sure they could read it, because for him it was just a few seconds of his life, but for the fan it could mean a lifetime of memories to say that is his signature, and everyone could look at it and know.

 

Personally, I wish more players would think about Harmon and his wisdom.  Too many players feel entitled to play a game for insane amounts of money that fans pay hard earned money to watch.  If fans did not pay, players would have to find another job.  Players like Blake Snell get to me because they act like this is their birth right to play for millions and fans should be grateful they are willing to entertain us.  When really, the players should be grateful we are willing to pay them. 

[dberthia]

I've got a bunch here from the mid 70s: https://photos.smugmug.com/1970s/1974/i-68wqHK8/1/ff71cc0d/O/1974%20Twins%20Autographs.jpg

Check out Jerry Terrell for neatness.

 

Backstory: Was with my family in Baltimore 1974 (I was 12) and the Twins were staying in our hotel. Got all of these there. Of everybody I approached, Larry Hisle was the only dick who refused to sign.