Amazing TTM Success - Frank Thomas

I have found a TTM signer who might be as prolific as the late Virgil Trucks.  I sent the above baseball card and $5.00 to Frank Thomas (no, the other one) and got it back signed.  The signed 1956 Topps wasn't the end of the process, however, because Mr. Thomas also included the below card of his own (also signed) and a lengthy note.

Mr. Thomas's note discussed some of his career accomplishments and explained that he had some photos for sale for a nominal fee that would also come signed.  Since Mr. Thomas took the time to write me the full letter, I wrote him back thanking him for signing my card and expressing interest in his order form for the signed photos.

He sent me another lengthy letter back, along with his photo order form, so I decided to buy several of the photos he offered.  I made the purchase because he uses the money to support a children's charity, and also because he was so nice to write me full length letters and signed my items.

 I was very pleased with how the photos turned out.  I ordered smaller copies of a few, like the Mets one shown above.

I also wanted some 8x10s for my wall, so I ordered the above Cubs photo and the below Astros photo so I can frame them and put them beside some of the other 8x10s that I have.

Mr. Thomas was really awesome to sign all of this stuff for me.  His letters are also really cool.  His handwriting is a little tough to decipher at points, but the general context is there.  I did, in my last letter to him (when ordering the photos), thank him for everything he has done.  I told him that it reminded me of the great Mr. Trucks, and I explained that Mr. Trucks and I had corresponded quite a bit before his passing.  In the letter that accompanied the photos, Mr. Thomas wrote this about Mr. Trucks:

Virgil Trucks was a great friend of mine.  After my playing days were over, he got me involved in going on cruises.  If he couldn't make the one he was supposed to be on, he would call me and ask me to pitch in for him.  One great man.  Yes, he was like me, William, in answering his mail, which a lot of players didn't do.

Frank Thomas (b. 1929) played in the majors from 1951 to 1966 for the Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Braves, Mets, Phillies and Astros.  He had 1,671 hits, 286 home runs and a .266 batting average.  He finished 4th in the 1958 NL MVP voting and was a 3-time All Star.  He never played in the playoffs or World Series and oddly enough, even with his career accomplishments, didn't appear on the Hall of Fame ballot.

I originally mailed to Mr. Thomas on April 18 and got the cards back on May 2, for a 14-day TAT.  I sent off for the photos on May 20 and got those back today (May 26) for a 6-day TAT.

Mr. Thomas is also offering signed 8x10s that I still intend to purchase.  One of which shows all of his baseball cards and the other shows him and three other Braves players who made history on June 18, 1961.  He, along with Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron and Joe Adcock hit 4 home runs in succession against the Reds.  A pretty huge feat in the annals of baseball history.  I want to spend the $20 on that one real soon.