Just a section of Luke's autograph collection
Last August I ventured to Cincinnati for the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament and had a chance to watch my favorite professional stars. It is amazing to stand six feet away from an athlete of that caliber while they hit ball after ball, like a robot, perfectly placing each shot. I have been to the U.S. Open in New York and, although the vibe is thrilling, the players are kept far away from the fans. In Cincinnati you can get up close and personal with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and all of the top talent.
The food court at the tournament is always fabulous and features restaurants such as Montgomery Inn and Fusian, so I took a break from the sun and joined my friends, Mark and Terri Ritchie, for lunch.
Suddenly my friends’ 14-year-old son, Luke, ran up to us with a handful of used, wet sweatbands and said, “I got some more!”
Luke explained that he positioned himself by the stadium exit where the players walk off so he could ask for their wristbands or autographs. Terri and Mark put each sweat-soaked band into a sandwich bag, labeling each with the corresponding name of the pro. At home they gently washed the wristbands and put them in a frame with the name of the player, the year and the tournament. Currently, Luke has collected 75 sweatbands – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Mark and his older brother, Jeff, also enjoy collecting autographs and memorabilia, so Luke was introduced to the hobby at an early age. He began around age 7 at a Blue Jackets Christmas event for season ticketholders, where he obtained several signatures from players. Luke continues to attend the games and now has 70 NHL autographs.
“My uncle Jeff is a huge influence,” says Luke. “We go to baseball and hockey games together and he gives me lots of suggestions on ways to get more signatures.”
Luke holds a framed collection of signed wristbands
It was Jeff’s idea for Luke to write to his favorite players and coaches with something to sign. Jeff is president of the Columbus chapter of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, so he is well-versed in sports memorabilia himself. Luke took his advice and wrote to Matthew Driscoll, head coach of the University of North Florida Ospreys, the first year they made it into the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. Luke mailed a team photo, and Driscoll had every player sign it for him. So far the high school sophomore has 45 basketball autographs.
“I mostly follow college players because it’s really hard to get NBA signatures,” says Luke.
Luke also enjoys watching the NFL Draft and sending photos or playing cards with a self-addressed stamped envelope to the rookies the day after they get drafted. Athletes seem more willing to sign before they make it big, which is something Luke learned from his dad and uncle. Mark obtained Wayne Gretzky’s autograph in 1978 when he played for the Indianapolis Racers, and Jeff got Lew Alcindor’s signature before he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Luke has learned many other valuable lessons from his hobby, including planning ahead.
“I’ll do research on the teams that are playing, learn their names, and study and print their photos,” says Luke. “That way I can personalize it by calling out their name and having an individual picture or team logo for them to sign.”
The Ritchie family recently went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and looked ahead to see what baseball teams would be playing. The Tennessee Smokies were playing the Montgomery Biscuits in Double-A ball and were staying at the same hotel. Luke was careful not to interrupt the players if they were eating, on their cell phones or with their families, and then he politely asked and received 29 autographs that weekend. The hotel manager told Terri that Luke was the most respectful fan who had ever asked for an autograph. Luke’s baseball signature total is 155.
Patience is another virtue that Luke has learned over the years. He waited in the hotel lobby for two hours in Gatlinburg to meet the Montgomery team. Another time he was at the Memorial Tournament watching Ernie Els on the practice tee. After 30 minutes, Ernie asked him to come under the ropes and he signed Luke’s flag. Currently, he has 85 golf signatures.
“I have tons of top golfers’ autographs on a Memorial flag including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson." - Luke
It’s all about the stories, so when Luke met tennis great Martina Hingis last year, he asked for her wristband. Martina said that, after she made it to the finals, she would give it to him. Sure enough, four days later at 11:30 p.m., after losing the women’s doubles final, Martina gave Luke a clean autographed wristbands.
Sometimes the collecting of memorabilia can be a competition in and of itself.
“When pros throw their tennis towels up into the stands, lots of kids grab for them and don’t want to let go,” says Luke. “I got two towels from the winners of the men’s singles finals in Cincinnati and have 16 towels total.”
Luke tries to help the younger kids around him who are struggling to get items, but he has also assisted older fans with autograph requests. A couple in their 70s asked him to get their visor signed by Roger Federer, and Luke worked his magic. Another woman had a huge photo of Rafael Nadal that she wanted signed. That was more difficult, as Nadal only signs for a few people at a time. Luke had already been trying for Nadal’s signature for four years with no luck. This time, Luke inched his way forward through the crowd and reached the front in about 30 minutes. Then he watched Nadal practice for an hour and a half, and stood by the exit. Sure enough, as Nadal was leaving, he signed Luke’s tennis ball and the woman’s photograph. Now Luke has 400 tennis autographs, including 15 from Federer.
For Luke there are many bonuses to collecting sports memorabilia, including being featured for two years in the Western and Southern Open TV commercials. Mostly Luke collects items and autographs for the stories, encounters and memories. He has no intentions of selling or trading his collection of 885 signatures, because, for Luke, the meaning is in doing the work himself. So, now that Luke got Nadal’s autograph, which one is still missing?
“I have tons of top golfers’ autographs on a Memorial flag including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson, but I really want to add Jason Day’s signature,” says Luke, laughing.
With patience and planning, I’d say that’s a done deal.
Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling.
