My local card store has a box of old photos and magazines signed by athletes of various sports. Most of the athletes are baseball players, including a few Hall of Famers. I got this certified authentic autographed photo for ten dollars, I believe - not bad for something I can just pick up and take home without paying for shipping.
Once again, I apologize for the bad picture quality. I would take another one, but this picture is in a box and kind of a pain to get to. Although I am known as The Ignorant Collector, I should probably be known as the Collector Who Can't Take Good Pictures.
Originally a third baseman, Lemon made his MLB debut at 20 in September 1941. He mostly played in the minors in 1942, and only made five at bats for Cleveland before spending three years in military service. When he returned, he worked with pitcher Mel Harder, the first modern pitching coach, to convert to the mound, and became one of the finest pitchers of his generation. Lemon won 20 or more games in six different seasons, leading the AL three times, and threw 10 shutouts in 1948. The highlight of his career came in that year's World Series, when he went 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA and helped the Indians take home the title, the most recent in franchise history.
Due to his background as a position player, Lemon was an outstanding defensive pitcher and also a great hitter who clubbed 37 big-league homers. From 1947 through 1950, he batted .282 / .341 / .520 (128 OPS+) with 20 home runs, and was used as a pinch hitter throughout his career.
This is the second Hall of Famer autograph I have blogged about so far, having previously shown a signed photo of Eddie Mathews. However, I have several more that I am excited to share with the blogging community. Stay tuned to see them, and thanks for reading!
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