Daniel Alfredsson TTM

Daniel Alfredsson c/o Ottawa Senators - 340 days - 5/2

In addition to my 2 cards, Mr. Alfredsson also signed 3 of the 4 blank index cards I had used to protect my cards!

My first TTM success since January! :oO At least I've recently sent a few requests, so hopefully, more returns will start trickling in sooner than later! For now I'm really happy with this return though, as Daniel Alfredsson is one of my 2 favorite active players (the other being Alexander Ovechkin)!

Armand Gaudreault TTM

Armand Gaudreault c/o home - 6 days - 3/3

Mr. Gaudreault signed the back of my card even though I had asked him to sign the front, but at 90, we should just be grateful that he still signs autographs through the mail at all!

Manon Rhéaume IP

A few hours ago, Manon Rhéaume was signing autographs at Expo Québec. Here's the card she signed for me:

She said it was her first time seeing that card. I told her it came from this year's Between The Pipes set. She seemed genuinely excited to see this new card of her! :o)

Pro-Am Gagné Bergeron IP

This year the Pro-Am Simon Gagné became the Pro-Am Gagné Bergeron as Simon Gagné and Patrice Bergeron joined forces to benefit both Leucan and Le Pignon bleu. Today was the second time I went to this annual event. Click here to see how I did the first time around.

Like last year, there was a tailgate party before the game where the players signed autographs at tables. You had to choose one of two lines. Here's whose autographs I got waiting in the first line:

I didn't bother asking everyone to use my blue Lumocolor marker so as to keep the line moving faster... After getting those autographs, I would have had to line up again to get the other half of the players' autographs, but the autograph session was now nearing its end and there were hundreds of people in line! Fortunately, some of the players I was missing were dispatched in the crowd to sign for those who wouldn't have had the time to get to their table in time. That's how I got Steve Bernier and David Desharnais to sign these 2 cards for me:

Stéphane Veilleux was also there offering his autograph to whoever needed it, but I had nothing for him to sign, as I didn't expect him to be there today (he was there as a last minute replacement to Francis Bouillon). He still chatted a bit with my friend and I before moving on.

Soon after that, I was able to get these 4 cards signed by Marc-Édouard Vlasic right after he got done being interviewed by a local radio station:

I then went near the table I had missed. Even though there were still many people waiting in line (mostly for Patrice Bergeron), some players had begun leaving the tables to slowly head towards the arena's entrance. They were still signing autographs to whoever asked though, so that's how I was able to get these cards signed by Marc-André Bergeron, Jason Demers, Bruno Gervais and Antoine Vermette (I had limited myself to 2 cards when I went to his table earlier).

After the game, my friend and I waited outside the arena for Patrice Bergeron who was the only player whose autograph we hadn't got, but we never did see him come out. We did see Simon Gagné coming back from his car though, so I got this last card signed after taking a picture of my friend and him:

2011 Celebrity Softball Game IP

Earlier today at the Stade municipal in Québec was held the 6^th edition of the Celebrity Softball Game to benefit the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of Quebec. Most "celebrities" were local radio and TV people, but there were also some former hockey and baseball players present.

Before the game, I was able to catch Philippe Boucher and Tim Raines as they arrived at the stadium one after the other and both signed my cards:

I then waited outside for none other than Pedro Martinez to arrive, hoping he would sign the Rawlings Official MLB ball I had bought the week before at a Boston Red Sox game, but when he arrived in a bus with other celebrities, security led him right inside the stadium in an area reserved for the media and the celebrities taking part in the game. I then went inside the stadium and took a seat next to that reserved area, which was right by left field. I could see Pedro Martinez getting interviewed by all local media and signing a few autographs for the other celebrities. After some time, he stood up and looked like he was about to go on the field to get warmed up, so I called him over. He noticed me, came and I was able to hand him my ball and a pen under the chain-link fence seperating the seating area and the area where he was. He signed my ball very nicely and went on the field soon after that, where he had to take part in a few photo sessions before warming up. Here's a photo of my autographed baseball:

After the game, there was an autograph session with the celebrities around the infield. We were told that we could only get the game program signed and that only one autograph was allowed, but fortunately, none of those rules were enforced! That's how I was able to get all these cards signed by Pedro Martinez (again), Moises Alou, Vincent Damphousse and Denis Boucher:

Pedro Martinez was the most popular signer but man was he a slow signer! He'd sign a photo for someone then show it around to some of the other guys and comment on it, then sign something else and do the same thing all over again. He was definitely the one signer holding up the line! :o) At least you always got a very nice autograph out of him!

The other former players who were there today were Alain Côté, Mario Marois, Marc Fortier and Dave Pichette, but I hadn't brought anything to get signed by them.