TTM Success - Jerry Watkins

This 2012 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions card had been in my box for a very long time.  I kept seeing it, and regretted not taking it with me when I went to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony when Deacon White was inducted.  I met his great grandson, Jerry Watkins, and stood with him for a photo.  He was very nice, then, and I kept kicking myself for not bringing the care with me.

In the time since that ceremony, I have gotten fairly decent in looking folks up, so I took a shot to see if I could get Watkins to sign his great-grandfather's card.  I was successful, and got a nice letter back, as well.

Deacon White (b. 1847 - d. 1939) played in the majors from 1871 to 1890 for the Cleveland Forest Citys, Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stockings, Cincinnati Reds, Buffalo Bisons, Detroit Wolverines and Pittsburgh Alleghenys.  He had 2,067 hits, 24 home runs and a .312 batting average.  He was a two-time batting champ (1875, .367 and 1877, .387).  He won the 1887 championship with the Detroit Wolverines.  

White was inducted into the Hall of Fame via the Pre-Integration Era Committee in 2013.  He was one of the game's early stars, and a catcher back when catchers caught bare handed.

I mailed to Watkins on March 28 and got the card back on April 6, for a 9-day TAT.