FORT WORTH – The first time he raised a big wad of cash for Special Olympics, Jim Albright flew 70,000 miles with a football to get the autographs of every living Heisman Trophy winner, including O.J. Simpson.
Then it hit him: If he got $200,000 from a Dallas man for the football, what could he get for baseballs signed by every Cy Young Award winner since they started handing it out in 1956?
"The motivation on getting the baseballs was that it'd put my fundraising over a million dollars," said Albright, a retired Dallas businessman who volunteered because of his special-needs daughter, Kate, "and then I wouldn't have to do this anymore."
First on Albright's hit list was Gaylord Perry (1972, '78), snagged at a Plano appearance. He got Orel Hershiser ('88) while the former Dodger watched his son play baseball at St. Mark's.
Location proved to be key. Albright "bumped into" Whitey Ford ('61), Ron Guidry ('78), Rick Sutcliffe ('84) and Dwight Gooden ('85) in Cooperstown.
But by the time he'd collected maybe half of the winners, he was out of steam and connections. And that's when he met Bobby Bragan, the Fort Worth icon and former big league manager.
Bragan told Albright he'd be glad to help as long as the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation got a cut.
Bragan's first call was to Maury Wills, the stolen base king. He asked Wills if he knew how to get in touch with Don Newcombe ('56).
Wills told him he played golf with Newk every week.
Bragan worked former players and teammates, clubhouse managers, broadcasters, agents, anyone who could help. He needed it. Four winners – Warren Spahn ('57), Early Wynn ('59), Don Drysdale ('62) and Catfish Hunter ('74) – were already victims of the Big Hook.
Bragan used his Dodger connections to get a ball signed by Drysdale. A collector sold them balls signed by Wynn and Hunter. And Spahn's came in the mail from a lady in Florida who'd heard about the cause.
Nearly all of the winners were glad to give. Only a couple had to be convinced.
"Pete Vuckovich ('82) said he doesn't sign baseballs anymore," Bragan growled. "We had to go through his agent."
John Denny ('83) was the final piece in the four-year odyssey.
"We got it from his ex-wife," Albright said.
Experts have told them the collection might be worth $30,000. But no one thought Albright would get $200,000 for the football, either. He's not putting it up for auction. He works one-on-one, which is especially effective when one of your backers is T. Boone Pickens, a high school classmate who sponsors Albright's annual black-tie gala.
And as a bonus for your purchase of a half-million or more, Albright promises that, as long as he's able, the collection will always be complete.
"Pray that C.C. Sabathia ('07) or Cliff Lee ('08) win this year," Albright practically whispered.
Why's that?
"We've already got theirs."
■ Now that the Titans have decided it couldn't get any worse, Vince Young returns, just as Reggie Bush's playing time in New Orleans decreases with Saints on the rise. Both players – forever linked by the '06 Rose Bowl, Heisman Trophy results and hubbub over '06 draft order – still have prospects, I suppose. But so far, neither has made former Texans GM Charley Casserly look bad for taking Mario Williams.
■ No one questions the success of Mike Maddux in his first year. Still, it was Nolan Ryan's hire. Ron Washington seems to have a significant say in the Rangers' new hitting coach, and if Washington's accountable for the club's record, that's as it should be.
■ Once watched son's junior high team march 25 yards in reverse on five consecutive false start penalties. And no matter how the Cowboys excuse it, that's what a false start is, a junior high penalty.
■ Recent survey of college presidents by Knight Commission concludes that athletics arms race is "unsustainable." Consensus: 85 percent say football and basketball coaches make too much. And who's to blame for that? For instance: Memphis' new baby-faced basketball coach, 32-year-old Josh Pastner, declined any commercials or billboards his first year, saying emphasis needs to be on university's team, at least for now. Meanwhile, he's getting by on $880,000 a year.
■ North Texas will get a new stadium and TCU talks about replacing Amon Carter or renovating. Counting JerryWorld and SMU's digs, the North Texas area may soon lead the world in fresh suites. ... By the way, according to UNT officials, their new plant will be first college stadium for HKS Inc., the firm that designed JerryWorld.
■ Bud Selig says baseball officials aren't happy with umpires' mistakes this postseason but adds they worry that replays would slow pace. A valid concern. But when Bud trumpets the "human element," he discounts technological advances that make many mistakes correctible, not to mention obvious to all. The longer he puts off replay, at least in postseason, the more the game's credibility suffers.
■ Bob Knight did the right thing, declining to attend induction into Indiana's athletic hall of fame this week on grounds that it would distract from other inductees. Might distract from just about all life in Indiana, and several Midwestern states besides.
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