The Stories – The Randy L. Kaplan Collection of Signed Baseballs from World Leaders and Heads of State

Pope Francis

admin — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 21:01:31 +0000

The Pope is one of the toughest signatures on the planet to acquire. I tried very hard for many years to get Pope Benedict to sign a baseball for my collection. The results were never positive.

Then one day it dawned on me. Let me try and get all the leading Papal candidates (Cardinals and such) to each sign a baseball for my collection in the hopes that they would someday be elected as the next Pope. While the baseball would not be signed as “Pope”, but rather as a Cardinal – it would still have a wonderful place in my collection. Within a year or so – I had collected signed baseballs from about 20 of the world’s leading Cardinals who I thought had a real chance at ascending to the Papacy.

In March of 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI – it was announced that the Papal Conclave had chosen Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio as the new Pontiff. I then realized that even though I had acquired signed baseballs from almost all of the leading Papal candidates, I did not have a signed baseball from Bergoglio. He had been illusive to me during my quest to get the anticipated candidates, and now I worried that another Pope’s signature on a baseball had eluded me.

I kept trying to find a way to get the newly elected Pope to hear about my collection and hopefully sign a baseball for me. I even tried a few different avenues when the Pope visited the United States in 2015. None of my plans were successful until I asked a very high ranking official at the Vatican for his assistance and it worked! I felt very positive about this request from the moment I thought about asking him. I was aware that the official I asked is very high up in the Hierarchy of the Church and if anyone could achieve this for me – it would be him.

Three months later a package arrived from the Vatican. While the package was sitting on my desk and I was staring at it – I knew that it could possibly contain a signed baseball from one of a dozen or so Cardinals who I am still currently trying to get to sign a baseball. But I knew that was not the case. Deep in my heart – I knew what the package contained and I was beaming before I even opened it.

When I finally opened the package – My heart almost stopped. Pope Francis had indeed signed the baseball with the exact pen I sent. Also included were (2) sets of Rosary Beads and a couple of pictures of His Holiness.

Nelson Mandela

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:19:52 +0000

Back in 1999 – I jokingly said to my dear friend Congressman Greg Meeks (D-NY) that if he ever got a chance to take a Congressional junket over to South Africa – it would mean the world to me if you could ask Nelson Mandela to sign a baseball for my collection of signed baseballs from world leaders, which was in its infancy at the time. I had given him a few baseballs to keep in his offices in D.C and New York for the just in case encounter with a world leader.

Fast forward to 2005 I get a phone call from Greg’s Chief of Staff who was very excited on the other end of the phone and barely able to tell me that the Congressman needed me to call him right away. I had a good feeling. Nelson Mandela had just made his last sojourn to the United States to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C. and Congressman Meeks was able to have Mr. Mandela sign my baseball at this meeting. The only caveat was that Mr. Mandela said in that authoritative voice to Mr. Meeks, “I better not see this for sale on ebay!” I could not believe it when I spoke with the Congressman and he told me of this great achievement. To this day – it is among my favorites in my collection and probably one of the most sought after signatures of the 20th Century.

Mikhail Gorbachev

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:18:39 +0000

Back in October of 1996, shortly after I started collecting in person signed baseballs from world leaders, former Secretary General of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev published his memoirs.

As part of his agreement with his publisher, Gorbachev held two book signings in the United States; his first stop was in New York at the Barnes and Noble Booksellers on Fifth Avenue.

It was the first book signing I had ever attended with a dignitary of his stature. I arrived at 6:00am; the signing was at noon. I think that if this was held today – you would need to camp out for two days to meet such a historic and reclusive person. I was the tenth person in line so I knew I had a chance of at least meeting him and getting a book signed.

But a signed book was not what I was after. I stood on line with a baseball in my pocket hoping that I could add a signed baseball from Mr. Gorbachev to my collection, which was still in its infancy.

I knew that the New York City Police, the store security and the U.S. State Department detail would be there in force, so I needed an “edge.’ The night before, I had called an acquaintance who spoke fluent Russian, and he taught me a bit of phonetic Russian on the phone. I immediately memorized the passage and I was prepared!

Many of my friends, as well as some folks on the book signing line, told me I had no chance of getting Mr. Gorbachev to sign a baseball – but I had an ace up my sleeve!

When it came time to actually approach Mr. Gorbachev, security was very tight, and only one book was allowed per person at the signing table. When my turn came, I immediately started reciting the passage I had memorized the night before. Mr. Gorbachev smiled and signed my book. Simultaneously I took the baseball from my jacket pocket and proceeded to hand it to him.

Security rushed to grab my hand and pull the ball away. In a very statesman-like manner, the former leader of the USSR stood up and gently shoved the store security guard out of the way, grabbed my baseball and sat back down. He signed it beautifully, then stood up and handed it back and finally bowed to me. I thanked him and shook his hand. The crowd applauded! What astory for the ages.

Bill Clinton (Bat and Ball)

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:17:55 +0000

I have had the opportunity to meet President Clinton numerous times since I started collecting back in the 1990’s. The first time was in 1996 when he spoke before our trade association at a meeting in Washington, D.C. He was very generous with his time and his pen back then. I remember telling my associates at the meeting that it was my first time meeting a sitting President and I was very impressed with his demeanor. He shook hands, took pictures and signed items for over 45 minutes after his speech ended. I still have the baseball he signed for me that day as my primary Bill Clinton signed baseball since he signed it as President. Since then – I have seen Mr. Clinton probably a dozen times at some fundraisers, receptions and rallies. He has always been an incredible signer and has always taken the time to see that everyone got their requested autograph. Recently A few years ago I attended some very intimate Congressional fundraising receptions where Mr. Clinton was the special guest. I knew that this was my opportunity to have him sign something very special for my collection. Then it dawned on me – what would be the best item to complement my collection of signed baseballs – a baseball bat! I ordered an official bat and had it engraved prior to the reception in New York City. I knew that getting a President to sign a bat is not easy so this would be my chance. Sure enough President Clinton was great and signed it beautifully.

Barack Obama (Baseball Bat)

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:15:23 +0000

Since obtaining a signed baseball bat from President Clinton – I have been able to acquire signed bats from the (3) other former living Presidents (Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Now the conundrum of how to get the current President, Barack Obama to sign a bat for this special niche in my collection. In the summer of 2013 – I attended a fundraiser for then Congressman Tim Bishop in the Hamptons on the east end of Long Island. The special guest that day was House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Leader Pelosi could not have been nicer as she actually flipped and served pancakes that morning. She took a liking to my two boys and started remarking about her own grand kids. When she was done cooking – she kindly came over and took a picture with my family and signed a baseball for my collection. I floated the idea to her that I have a very special collection and could use her expertise to help me with a huge favor – obtaining the current president’s signature on a baseball bat. She smiled and her staff who were taking the pictures of her and my family said please get in touch with them and they gave me their business cards.

As much as I am a believer in positive thinking – I knew this was a huge task to ask anyone – in a powerful position let alone Nancy Pelosi. I was thinking; at least I tried. Sure enough I followed up a week later and her staff could not have been nicer. They asked me to please prepare a letter asking the President to sign my bat and letting him know all about my unique collection and the previous museum exhibits that I have had. They wanted me to send the bat to the White House via USPS mail with the aforementioned materials on my collection. I knew it would take a few weeks to clear security and such. As I started to follow up with Leader Pelosi’s staff – it became apparent that this was a huge deal to try and get the President to sign my bat which I had engraved to match my other signed and engraved bats of the former Commander in Chiefs.

About a month or two after I mailed the bat – I followed up again with her staff and they advised me that this would be a long and arduous process. I was not concerned as this was Nancy Pelosi who was leading the charge for me. About 6 months later – I became even less optimistic – especially when I got a call from the Leader Pelosi’s staff that the bat which I sent to the White House was evidently lost in the mailing process. I could not believe it! After all this planning and getting the bat engraved – was this not going to ever happen?

They assured me not to worry! In May of 2014, when I was headed to Washington, D.C. for our annual meetings with our Members of Congress – they requested that I personally bring another bat to Leader Pelosi’s office in the Capitol Building. I deftly packaged the bat in sturdy tube and proceeded to fly to D.C. Upon my arrival in D.C. – I immediately hailed a cab to the Capitol Building and proceeded to walk up to the iconic building with my large tube in hand. No less than 10 Capitol Hill Police stopped me and questioned me as to what I had and where I was going. Luckily, Leader Pelosi’s staffer agreed to meet me outside the staffers entrance. She could not have been nicer or more accommodating and assured me that they would try their best to get this special request done. And that they would hand deliver the bat to the White House.

Every few months I would check in with her office and they would say, nothing yet – but we will keep you posted. This went on for about 18 months until that magical phone call was received recently stating that President Obama had just signed my baseball bat. I was thrilled. This was a huge accomplishment. Not everyone can get a sitting President to sign a large object like this. President Clinton was extremely generous to me while he was in the White House and signed many copies of his 1996 book, Between Hope and History for my friends and I. But that was a book – this is a baseball bat.

This has to be one of the greatest autograph success stories ever!

Barack Obama (Baseball)

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 17:14:07 +0000

In May of 2006, I was on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. preparing to go to Senator Clinton’s office for a meeting with some of my peers. While we were outside the building – Senator Clinton walked by, said hello and that she would see us in a few minutes in her office. Moments later out comes the junior Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. Before he could say a word – I pulled out my baseball and said to my friends that there was no doubt that he would ascend to our nation’s highest office based on his oratory skills at the 2004 Democratic Convention. But I thought he would achieve that in a decade or so – definitely not two years later. I asked him to please sign my baseball and told him that I’m pretty sure that he would be President someday. He must have been laughing inside – because it was not even public that he was about to launch his White House campaign. He reluctantly signed the baseball and then asked us if we were from Chicago? I told him we were from New York. He asked yet again, “Are you sure you are not from Chicago”? We responded the same as before that we were from New York. I was not done even saying New York before the Senator lit up a cigarette. I guess he did not want his constituents back in Illinois knowing that he was still smoking!

Enrique Peña Nieto – President of Mexico

admin — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 05:05:28 +0000

Recently I was able to get Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to sign a baseball for my collection of signed baseballs from world leaders and heads of state. His signature is very hard to acquire as he does not like to sign autographs but through a lot of perseverance with his inner circle – I was able to convince him to sign a baseball for my collection. He also sent me a photo (via email) of him signing the ball as well as a letter stating that he signed the baseball and it would be overnighted to me shortly.

As promised the signed baseball arrived within a couple of days. The baseball was signed beautifully but much to my dismay – President Enrique Pena Nieto also stamped a logo of Los Pinos (The Mexican equivalent to The White House) all around the baseball. It was messy and the stamp did not take fully so the President took a sharpie and wrote out the name Los Pinos and printed his name beneath it as well. As happy as I was to have his signed ball in my collection – I knew I would need to get this replaced as it did not conform to the way all the other leaders have signed baseballs.

I contacted his key staffer and explained the situation about the ball being not in such great condition with all the extraneous writing and stampings. I requested that the President kindly sign a replacement baseball but I was quickly alerted to the fact that President Nieto normally doesn’t sign autographs, he is quite busy and therefore I would have to accept this baseball. Additionally I was told that the President tried to make it special for me by adding the stampings and such.

I called the staffers numerous times in Mexico and explained how much it would mean to have a better example of his signed baseball in my collection so that my upcoming museum exhibits would feature a better specimen of his signed baseball. They advised me that it was unlikely that the President would sign another ball but I should go ahead and send another one explaining the situation. I did exactly that and also executed a major faux pau in autograph collecting – I sent back the originally signed messy ball. I knew I was taking a chance that I might never get the President to sign another ball and then I would have to beg them to send me back the original signed ball with the stamps – if by chance it was still hanging around their office.

After calling and emailing the President’s staff every month – I was told, “We did not forget about your request but the President is very busy.” This was happening for a period of 10 months when I finally contacted them and said – can you please send back the original baseball so that I would at least have that in my collection for the upcoming museum exhibit. The next day I received a telephone call and email that President Enrique Pena Nieto has indeed signed a replacement baseball for my collection without adding any stampings or such. I was thrilled!

(2) Former Filipino Presidents Joseph Estrada & Fidel Ramos

admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 05:03:57 +0000

One thing I have learned over the past few decades of collecting signed baseballs from world leaders and heads of state is that almost everyone knows someone who can potentially help you get the signatures that you desire. One of my mottos in life is always talk about what it is you are passionate about and success will come. Life is all about creating and fostering relationships.

Last year at a neighborhood park with my sons – I was speaking with one of the other kid’s dad and we starting talking sports. It wasn’t long before I brought up my passion for collecting signed baseballs from world leaders when suddenly he said – “You wouldn’t happen to want the signatures of any of the former Presidents from The Philippines, would you?” I almost fell down as he proceeded to tell me that a friend of his from Boston is close to a few of the former Filipino leaders, including former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Fidel Ramos, both of whom I had been trying to get to sign baseballs for my collection for almost 20 years.

Lo and behold, he introduced me to his friend in Boston and within a very short time she travelled to the Philippines and personally met with both of the aforementioned leaders. They were very receptive to add their signed baseballs to my collection. Coincidentally, President Fidel Ramos collects autographed golf balls from all the famous folks he has played a round of golf with including golf professionals, world leaders and celebrities.

The good news doesn’t end there as my new friend in Boston is actively trying to acquire signed baseballs for me from current President Duterte and former President Benigno Aquino III.

Hamid Karzai

admin — Fri, 08 May 2015 16:59:58 +0000

As a government affairs specialist I am afforded many fantastic autograph opportunities that I never take for granted. Whether it be an in person encounter or I obtain a desired signature through the help of a top government official – I am always grateful. Sometimes it is not my vocation that helps me but just plain old fashion planning and positive thoughts that produce incredible results. Back in the early 1990’s I began documenting my encounters with historical figures by having them autograph baseballs for me. My passion for collecting autographs has only increased as the years have gone on but now I focus my energy on just getting signatures from heads of state – past, present and future. I find this the most challenging and at the same time the most rewarding. In today’s world it is increasingly difficult to obtain an in person signature from a world leader. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., I was focused on obtaining one signature and one signature alone while I was in town. That was the current President of Afghanistan – Hamid Karzai – who was in town for talks with President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I knew it would be a major challenge not only to get President Karzai to sign a baseball for me but just to be anywhere near his presence and delegation. Well I could not have planned my mission any better as I ended up having dinner at the right restaurant that night! As we were walking into the restaurant – I saw a few State Department security officials mulling about. Then I saw a security officer from the Afghanistan delegation – who was escorting and protecting the Foreign Minister from Afghanistan that night. I approached him and introduced myself while I told him about my collection which was exhibited at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan back in 2008. I asked him for his help in procuring Mr. Karzai’s signature on my baseball. He said he would absolutely get it done for me and he would personally bring the baseball back to my hotel in a few days. I was very excited just at the thought of maybe adding President Karzai’s signature to my collection of baseballs from world leaders. He took a baseball from me and my business card. Ten minutes later as we were seated in the restaurant – the same security officer escorted the Foreign Minister and his guest to the table right across from us. He said hello to me and mentioned again that he would see me later in the week. I thanked him. Almost an hour later as we were preparing to pay the bill and leave the restaurant – the security official quietly approached my table and presented me with the baseball signed by President Hamid Karzai, who was staying at the adjacent hotel. He remarked to me that the President’s motorcade had arrived back a couple of hours earlier than he had thought it would and he was able to greet the President and have him sign the baseball as he exited his car at the hotel. I thanked him and could not believe that I finally had gotten Mr. Karzai’s signature on a baseball! The only downside – I never ask for personalization because all of my baseballs are signed with just the signature of that individual and I like them to all be signed in the same fashion. Oh well – I did not even think to ask him to have the President just write his name and not personalize it to me.

Newly Elected Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen

randy — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 19:58:11 +0000

Tsai Ing-Wen Was Just Elected The First Woman President of Taiwan in a Landslide Victory. Special Thanks to My Dear Friend Stephen Kraly Who was able to get her to Sign a Baseball for my Collection Last Year While She was Visiting Washington, D.C. We Knew She Was Going to be the Next President of Taiwan.