R801

Reberto Clemente

Pirates Baseball Player with Roberto's signed COLLINS covers and each has his autograph

Collins Cover Announcement 

ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Where to start on this offering is the hardest part. There are four exciting (yes, I mean exciting) things that make this First Day cover the most unique (yes, I mean unique) that I've ever offered. Let me tell you about each of the four.

ONE: The hand painted cachet attempts to focus on all parts of

the game for Roberto truly was a great, all-around player. The cachet shows him making a running, back-hand stab in the outfield. The cachet shows him taking off on the base paths for a steal. The cachet shows him with bat on shoulder getting ready to come up to hit. Indeed, he was one of the great hitters of all time. A large baseball frames the action poses in the cachet. Its design conveys the quiet dignity of the man. It is pure baseball and the colors add realism and individuality.

TWO: The unofficial cancel is a special one. Pittsburgh is where

Roberto played in the major leagues for the Pirates. I wanted a COLLINS Clemente to boast a Pittsburgh unofficial. It was to come to pass with the help of two of my closest friends in the hobby -- Clark Johnson and Sam Sappo (both COLLINS collectors). To give a brief background: I flew to Puerto Rico on August 16th and arrived there late evening. In the wee hours of the 17th I headed via taxi to Carolina, P.R. which is some distance from San Juan. Our expedition consisted of a non-English speaking driver and a non-Spanish speaking passenger (me).

When we reached downtown Carolina I was stunned. It was dark. The area was depressed and foreboding. We found the small post office locked up tighter than a drum. Communication was a problem. I think that the aged driver was as apprehensive as myself. A bond was formed. We located some street corner stragglers and he parked and got out to ask about (I presume) other area post offices. It was dark. As in the Black Hills blizzard during my Crazy Horse trip, I wondered to myself if the quest for unofficials should dictate over common sense. (At those moments -- in the night shadows of a city's desolate gloom or in the blinding whiteness of a winter mountain road, it is easy to have second thoughts.) But then, the driver was back and after stops at a 24 hour drug store and a back street warehouse with a most friendly bi-lingual security guard, we finally located the right post office in the Carolina suburbs. I secured the stamps and it was on back to my San Juan hotel. But...no sleep. In the few hours before my flight I separated, licked and sticked. Then it was on to a flight to Kennedy Airport, N.Y. during which I licked and sticked and somehow kept my eyelids propped open. At Kennedy it was a taxi ride of 40 min. to Newark Airport.(Here I gave some covers to my friend Penny for her trip to Cooperstown and a cachet variety which will be offered at a later date.) Then, it was on to Pittsburgh via U.S. Air to the Pittsburgh Airport, Clark Johnson and his wife picked me up. On the way downtown we swung by Sam Sappo's place and he joined us. (Sam and Clark are very active in the AFDCS Pittsburgh chapter and they are always looking for new members.) At the post office we secured a new philatelic cancel for Pittsburgh. It features a famous local bridge, a fountain, a river barge and a triangle representing three major rivers which meet at Pittsburgh. The date is in the triangle. This is a large cancel and it is one of the relatively few Pittsburgh unofficials for this issue. Roberto belonged to the city of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh belonged to Roberto. They loved each other. With the great assist from Clark and Sam, COLLINS covers have the Pittsburgh connection. A wonderful unofficial.

THREE

: Roberto Clemente, Jr. is a professional ball player. He plays

the outfield like his dad. His hopes are to, make the major leagues. He would love to play in Pittsburgh. Having a perfect spot above the cancel and between the cachet and stamp, I began to think the almost unthinkable. What a marvelous COLLINS cover it would be if the son of this great ballplayer, and an athlete in his own right, would autograph the covers. Roberto Sr. died on a humanitarian flight to Central America to aid earthquake victims. His plane crashed and all were killed. The stamp was to honor his memory and Roberto Jr.'s signature would certainly add a human perspective to this FDC. The arrangements were made and several weeks later I was on my second flight to Puerto Rico with the covers. At the Airport my son Tim and I were met by Roberto Jr. and that meeting began what I hope will be a lasting friendship. He proved to be considerate, well-spoken, positive-thinking and we spoke for a long time on many subjects. Tim, an avid sports fan, was in his glory. During our conversation, Roberto signed the COLLINS covers and each has his autograph. A COLLINS hand painted cachet. A terrific unofficial Pittsburgh First Day cancel. The autograph of Roberto Clemente's baseball playing son, Roberto Jr. What else could be added?

FOUR: During our meeting, I took some photos for our family album. Tim and I will have the memory all our lives and pictures would help us recall. It occured to me that collectors too would like a visual record of Roberto Jr. Accordingly, I am very pleased to say that with each cover I'll include a photo of Roberto as he appeared while autographing the covers. This supporting material will make a very special addition to your FDC collection. Not only will you have the cover with Roberto's signature but the way he appeared at the time of signing.

As I said in the beginning, this offering is exciting and unique.

Please don't delay if you want one or more of these covers. There were less done than for Jackie Robinson (S501) or Babe Ruth (W602) and both of those baseball covers are sell-outs. If you order more than one cover, I'll send a photo for each FDC. These covers will go and I suspect quickly, so do let me hear from you if you are interested. Item #R801 - $11.50.