Wednesday, December 18, 2019

TTM Success - Ed Montague

I still have a huge stack of 1987 Topps checklists, and I have been thinking of ways to use those for my set, and also some other things I may be able to do with them.  I sent a couple off to some umpires who were working that season.  I also may branch out and send some to other folks that accomplished things in 1987.  We'll have to see about that, though.
One of the umpires I sent to was Ed Montague.  Since I had the 87 checklists, and some other miscellaneous cards from that era, I sent an assortment of stuff for him to sign, and they all came back.  I was able to get this mini Spring Fever Baseball ad card signed.  I have a ton of these for some reason (why can't I throw stuff away?), but they have come in handy in the past when looking for something for someone to sign.
These Topps All Star Baseball Game cards are pretty cool.  I think they came from 1985 Topps.  I'm not certain; either 84 or 85.  I got one of these signed in the past by Bobby Brown.  I have several others, so I will probably get those signed as well.
Finally, Montague sent his own photo that he signed.  I appreciate that he did that; it will go in my post card album.

Montague (b. 1948) was an umpire for the National League in 1974 and 1978 to 1999 and both leagues from 1999 to 2009.  His 4,369 total games were 8th all-time at the time of his retirement.  He worked 6 World Series (1986, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007); the last four of which, he was the crew chief.  Only Bill Klem and Bill Summers crew chiefed World Series as much as Montague did.

Montague's father played in the majors in 1928 and 1930 to 1932.

I mailed to Montague on October 28 and got the cards back on November 12, for a 15-day TAT.

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