TTM: Kid in a Candy Store!

I have many projects in my autograph collecting and one of them is collecting autographs of players that have had their number retired, or I think they will eventual retire by the New York Yankees.  As it stands, the Yankees have retired #1 (Billy Martin), #3 (Babe Ruth), #4 (Lou Gehrig), #5 (Joe DiMaggio), #7 (Mickey Mantle), #8 (Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra), #9 (Roger Maris), #10 (Phil Rizzuto), #15 (Thurman Munson), #16 (Whitey Ford), #23 (Don Mattingly), #32 (Elston Howard), #37 (Casey Stengel), #44 (Reggie Jackson), #49 (Ron Guidry).

I have a conspiracy theory that one day after all the current guys are retired, they are going to have "Dynasty Day" at Yankee Stadium where they will retired #2 (Derek Jeter), #6 (Joe Torre), #20 (Jorge Posada), #21 (Paul O'Neill), #42 (Mariano Rivera), #51 (Bernie Williams).  Guys that I think may get retired that weren't apart of the dynasty of the late 90's are #13 (Alex Rodriguez) and #24 (Robinson Cano).

Believe it or not, I have all of the guys that have had their number retired already, except Ruth, Gehrig, Howard, Mantle, and Mattingly, signed in blue sharpie.  I also have Jeter and Torre in blue sharpie as well, so I am trying to keep that theme.

The Yankees recently had a road trip and knowing that Paul O'Neill generally doesn't work games for YES unless they are at Yankee Stadium, I tried him Through The Mail (TTM).  I explained to him my project and how I felt very strongly that one day he was going to have his number retired at Yankee Stadium as well.  Last Friday, I checked the mail and saw I had a return and that was the only mail we had received.  When I turned the envelope over and saw the return address was from Paul O'Neill, I got very excited! I started talking to myself, "Please let this be his signature! Please let this be his signature!"  Sometimes players will want money or a donation for their autograph and will send back your items plus a price list.

I ran inside, got out the letter opener and BOOM (picture is what I saw)!  I'm instantly a kid in a candy store!  My favorite TTM success I have had since I started writing players again. 

EDIT:   What makes this success even better is Mr. O'Neill understood my project and added 21 on it without me asking.  And he normally doesn't add his # to his autograph!

Paul O'Neill was one of the greatest hitters of all-time in my mind.  Joe Buck/Tim McCarver team once referred to him as one of the only players in baseball that could think curveball and hit a fastball.  One of my favorite moments that happened at Yankee Stadium was Game 5 of the 2001 World Series when the entire stadium was chanting "Paul O-Neill! Paul O-Neill!".  It would be his last game in pinstripes as a player for the Yankees.  It gives me goose bumps thinking about it!  Thank You Mr. O'Neill for terrific surprise in the mail and I truly hope that my hunch is right and one day all your numbers will be retired by the most prestigious organization in all of sports!