Kevin Keating
About Kevin Keating
Kevin Keating graduated from Harry D. Jacobs High School (Lake In The Hills, Il, 1977), the United States Military Academy (West Point, NY, 1982), and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (Washington, DC, 2002). Upon completion of Airborne and Ranger schools, he served in the US Army as an Infantry officer where he commanded a Motorized Rifle Company and attained the rank of Captain. After that, he worked in pharmaceutical sales before opening his own business, Quality Autographs, which he operated for almost 25 years. He is a lifetime autograph collector and is now the principal autograph authenticator for Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), a subsidiary of Collectors Universe. He currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and two sons, and is currently working on his next book, Catching Jo, with co-author Alan Czarnowsky. Kevin may be reached at kevinkeatingbooks.com
Volume 2 Includes
Foreword by Paul Byrd
Prologue
“Why do people collect autographs? What makes autograph collecting special?”
Introduction
“You don’t have to be an autograph collector to enjoy owning autographs….”
Elmer Flick (1970)
“Mr. Flick…would [have] liked to have known you….”
Casey Stengel (1970)
“Become a Big Leaguer / Root for the NY Mets!”
George Sisler (1971)
“Keep up these nice habots [sic] and you will become a good man.”
Don Sutton (1971)
“Why don’t you just call me Don?”
Red Faber (1971)
“Call back tomorrow….”
Roberto Clemente (1972)
“…would you please sign the top two?”
Stanley Coveleski (1973)
“[Next time] please just send about three cards to be autograph [sic]…but not fifteen.”
Harmon Killebrew (1974)
“What do you want to ask me?”
Mark McGwire (1987)
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
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Bob Feller (1988)
“Bob Feller here.”
Chuck Connors (1991)
"Talent is God-given; be humble. Fame is man-given; be grateful. Conceit is self-given; be careful."
George Brett (1991)
“I want you to have this.”
Warren Spahn (1993)
“What makes a great hitter?”
Paul Gleason (1996)
“I’ll always answer the phone for you, Double-K!”
Buck O’Neil (2000)
“You love all men, not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loves them.”
Bert Shepherd (2000)
“There goes the ballgame!”
Mike Myers and Alan Embree (2004)
“I’ll keep one of the World Series celebration bottles for you—after I spray it empty!”
Joe and Phil Niekro (2006)
“I love this guy!”
Paul Byrd (2007)
“You’re shaking hands with the luckiest man in the world!
Ted Kubiak (2019)
“Your dad was like a second father to me.”
Epilogue
“Chasing Aaron Judge….”
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Kevin Keating has taken what is a hobby for many, and turned it into an art form. It’s not just the signatures or the keepsakes, it’s the stories!
BOB COSTAS, Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster