ABOUT

Mel Bashore

I started collecting autographs of those who played during what I think were the golden years of pro football after reading the book Iron Men in the late 1980s. A light bulb came on when I realized that many of those who had played pro football as far back as the 1920s were still living. I began writing to them, requesting autographs and information. My wife called what I was doing--bothering the old men. But for many of these men, the cheering had stopped long ago. Most of them seemed happy to be remembered. I also found great satisfaction in trying to capture and record the memories of those who participated in football's past.

Soon after beginning this hobby, I joined the Professional Football Researchers Association. One thing led to another. In 2001 I received the Ralph Hay Award for lifetime achievement in pro football historiography (that’s a fancy word for researching pro football history). I have helped contribute to three pro football encyclopedias. Early on I sought out the addresses of old players and sold address lists to fellow collectors. This was before the Internet made this kind of sleuthing so easy. It is amazing that I found so many old players by following clues and searching phone books.

I have thousands of items in my collection. One of the unique facets of my collection are hundreds of signed vintage sports cartoons. I became captivated by the artistry of these cartoonists and began sending copies of their cartoons to the athletes to sign. Although this website focuses on football, I have a vast collection of vintage baseball, track and field, golf, basketball, boxing, and Olympics autographs. Go to "Links" to connect to my other sports sites.

I don't actively collect autographs any more. I am more focused on organizing my collection and displaying it for others to see on the Internet. It's value is limited if it just sits in a closet. It also has potential value for football historians who might find quotes or information from the correspondence and oral interviews that I have done. This website will feature some of the autographs from my collection of players now deceased. My football collection is so large that I have spread it across several websites. Go to "Links" to connect to my other football autograph sites.