1999 SP Signature Autograph - Mike Schmidt

I thank all of you for your comments and prayers (except perhaps any comments favoring the Mets and Brewers). I got home this morning (Friday) after my cardiac catheterization. It went very well. I was, apparently, lucky I hadn't had a heart attack. They found blockages in 2 arteries and placed three stents. My doctor said I have to get my cholesterol lower, keep my blood pressure down, get thinner, and obey posted speed limits. Good advice for all of us, I think.

Of immediate concern is Hurricane Ike. League City, where we live, is not under a mandatory evacuation. This means they do not expect our area to flood. Ike is forecasted to make landfall on Galveston Island between 1 and 2 AM as a Category 2 storm (winds up to 110 mph). It is expected to weaken rapidly once it makes landfall and then to move rapidly north and out of the area. We've got the house as well prepared as we can manage. It looks like a lot of neighbors have stayed. This is being handled much differently than Rita which is why you've haven't seen days of traffic jams on the TV. I expect to be without power for maybe a few days so you may not hear back from me until Monday. I've got a Song of the Week cued up for Sunday. If I've got power I'll add a note. I prepared this post on Thursday morning before I went to meet the guy with the big needle.

I bought this card on eBay in November 1999 for $46. It's the most I've paid for a single card. It is the only Mike Schmidt autograph I have. Long time readers will know that Michael Jack is my favorite player of all time.

Schmidt retired in 1989 and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1995. Between 1991 and 1998, there were 42 Schmidt baseball cards issued, that's approximately 5 per year. In 1999 there were 15 cards issued. In 2000, there were 17. In 2001 there were 129 Mike Schmidt cards and the flow has, if anything increased. Some of this has to due with the increasing numbers of parallel cards. But I also think it attests to Schmidt's continued popularity in the hobby. I myself own 103 post 1990 Schmidt cards. Prior to 1991 I own 72, which is pretty much every mainstream card issued.