Kin Kinsley
July 23, 2016
I’ve been very strategic so far with my through the mail autograph requests. I’ve checked who has a recent history of signing and used the address others had success with. Only once have I stepped outside the box, and it worked out.
I’m working to get autographs from as many of the drivers that have run in the Indianapolis 500 as I can. I will not be reaching the 604 (as of this week) that the top collection has, but I will do what I can.
When I attended the Indianapolis 500 in May, I took over 500 cards hoping to get some of them signed at Legend’s Day. That didn’t happen and after I returned the mailing process began. There was no address for Bill Alsup on Sports card Forum. I found an address through a Google search and decided to give it a whirl. The picture on his Wikipedia page is of him signing at Legends Day in 2012 and that made me feel slightly more confident.
As I started to open my envelope this evening, I noticed it was thicker than it would be with just two cards. I honestly wondered if maybe he send a letter stating that I was rude to send or something. I had no reason to think that, but the address I used was a business address for a company that he and his sons own. He returned my letter and had written on it.
It made me smile to see the letter. Mr Alsup had no reason to apologize. I love that he’s aware there’s a third set that he’s in! I’m not sure how many athletes would know that. I am keeping the letter along with the two signed cards that he returned.
I have chatted frequently with the gentleman in the link above that has the top Indy 500 autograph collection. He told me that Mr. Alsup is a great guy and that he is a great signer. It eased my mind a little bit, but until I got it back, there was going to be wondering.
Alsup ran in the 1981 Indianapolis 500 at the age of 43, starting 7th and finishing 11th in his only run in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In his career he ran 57 CART and Champ Car races with a best finish of third (three times). The number of times he attempted to qualify for the 500 unsuccessfully makes me admire him. I’m sure that one start made all the other times well worth it.
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