IP Autograph: Jesse Barfield

One of the things I'd like to start showing off in this blog are some of my autographs and tell the stories behind how I aquired them. I love autographs and one of my goals is to try and get as many autos of players who played for the Yankees, Devils, Knicks and Jets. One of the main requirements I do have is that the player must be pictured in the uniform of the team I collect. I do realize it might be hard to do that as the player might have played only a handful of games and not had a card made in that particular uni. Thankfully, I can find a pic on the internet, use photoshop and make a quick custom. Good way to build the collection.

Today, I have this auto from Jesse Barfield to show off. When Barfield came to the Yankees, his offensive skills were diminishing. His best season as a Yankee was in 1990 when, after being traded for Al Leiter (a trade that still doesn't sit well with me), hit 25 home runs.

To me, what defined his brief Yankee career (he retired in 1992), was a play he made against the Indians that summer. I was at the game, sitting on the 3rd base side when the Indians hitter, who's name escapes me, hit a screamer past a diving Mattingly toward rf, geting an easy double. The hitter, feeling a bit froggy decided to go for three, especially after seeing Barfield slip and fall on the grass. Barfield, from his knees, gunned the ball to 3rd and got the runner out by a mile. His bat might have slowed, but the arm still had a few bullets left.

I was able to get this card signed by Barfield outside Yankee Stadium in Sept of '90, I think. Could have been '91, not too sure. The card was given out by the Yankees in a set made by Score. Barfield was a real nice guy and still is. I recently saw him at a card show in Westchester. He was passing me by and I put up my hand and he gave me a high five. Still has some strength cause it hurt like hell as well.

Nice to see some players still appreciate their fans.