May 26, 2025, Graphing of the Redbirds at Bulls

Durham has become one of my favorite places to graph.  I typically do well there, and this time I graphed for the first time with my good friend Gerard.  I also had messaged my buddy Aidan on Onstagram that I was doing arrival in Durham, looked up, and Aidan was there.  He and I had the same plans.  He was able to meet Gerard and Mike as well, and it seems they hit it off.  Aidan is a great guy.

A highlight of the trip was getting this 2024 Bowman Chrome gold refractor of Tre Morgan signed.

I freed some cards from the Box Of Shame with some guys on Memphis.  My Nick Anderson cards were left over from last year's trips to Norfolk.  I also got some Rob Kaminsky cards that I had been holding into for a while. The yellow 2015 Bowman was a great hit.  I also got a green parallel from 2024 Topps Heritage High Number of Alex Fernandez signed.

Drew Rom was really great.  He got us on the board on arrival, and signed for me a second time pregame on two cards that I missed.  Thomas Saggese was happy to see Chris and I.  He hadn't seen Chris in a few years.  Saggese usually personalizes, but didn't for us. Apparently, that was a surprise to some other graphers.

Joe Boyle made a new friend in Gerard's brother, Mike.  Boyle really isn't too friendly to graphers, and it showed when Mike revealed his page of Boyle cards "ugh, you have too many. I'm only going to sign one..." "OK, that's fine, can you sign the yellow one?" "No." Gerard told me later in the week that Boyle did sign for him again, and was friendlier.

The main reason Chris came along was so that he could see Mason Englert in person again.  We missed him when we were in Columbus seeing Toledo last season.  He is now in the Rays system, and it was awesome seeing him again. 

Ha-Seong Kim was in Durham on a rehab assignment.  I didnt have any cards pulled for him, but two boys that were there gave me one of their extra cards after I gave them a few guys they didn't have.  It worked out doubly for me in that I got Kim and got rid of some cards that would have gone back in the boxes.

I cleared a few Andrew Stevenson cards out of the boxes, which helped clear a little room.  I also got a couple Durham team set cards taken care of.  I also got a couple Cole Wilcox cards that have been in my Durham box since last season signed.

Carson Williams was the last guy that we got.  I had made the decision to head out after getting a few autos post game, and the rain had returned.  I got Chris, turned around to say goodbye to Gerard and Mike, and saw them getting ready to get Williams.  Chris and I grabbed our books and knocked out two cards. 

One of the nicest guys we saw on this trip was another rehab assignment guy, Kevin Kelly.  I love this 2023 Topps Heritage.

We had a great time graphing with Aidan, Gerard and Mike.

In all, I got the following autographs: Nick Anderson x 2, Luken Baker x 2, Ian Bedell x 2, Howie Clark x 2, Jimmy Crooks x 2, Jose Fermin x 1, Ryan Fernandez x 2, Rob Kaminsky x 4, Michael McGreevy x 3, Cesar Prieto x 13, Drew Rom x 4, Thomas Saggese x 2, Mike Siani x 4, Andy Yerzy x 1, Zack Weiss x 1, Joe Boyle x 2, Mason Englert x 5, Brock Jones x 4, Dominic Keegan x 2, Kevin Kelly x 3, Ha-Seong Kim x 1, Tyler Ladendorf x 1, Tre Morgan x 2, Tanner Murray x 2, Pat Phelan x 1, Andrew Stevenson x 6, Jacob Wagiespack x 1, Cole Wilcox x 2, Carson Williams x 2 and Aidan Warnock x 1 (81 total autographs).