Autograph collecting from favorite baseball players gives kids a meaningful, hands-on activity.
Instead of tapping a screen and getting instant reactions, they slow down, take a pen and put their thoughts on paper. The letter goes into an envelope, gets sent off to the stadium and the waiting begins.
Most hobbies today deliver instant results. This slows the pace. Kids write, send snail mail and learn to live with anticipation.
Here’s how kids benefit from this hobby:
Writing skills – Children learn to introduce themselves, explain why they’re reaching out and close respectfully.
Social etiquette – They learn how to ask politely and express appreciation for the player’s time.
Gratitude – Every letter ends with a genuine thank you. Not a “TY :)”
Patience – Sometimes envelopes sit in team mailrooms for weeks. Kids wait, and that waiting is part of the learning.
Getting Started
1. Pick the right item.
Use inexpensive trading cards or 4×6 photos. Never send anything valuable or sentimental as there’s always a risk it won’t come back. Players rarely sign bats, balls, jerseys or other memorabilia through the mail.
2. Write a short, kind letter.
Encourage your child to write a simple, friendly note. It can mention a favorite game, a great play, stats or something they admire about the player. Include a polite request to sign the enclosed card and always end with a sincere thank you.
Typing is fine, but handwritten letters feel more genuine as players notice and are more likely to respond.
3. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
This makes it easy for the player to send the card back. The athlete shouldn’t have to track down postage or envelopes. Make the process as simple as possible for them.
4. Send only one or two items.
More than that can appear greedy or suggest resale intentions. In fact, sending just one item often leads to the best results.
When and Where to Send
You have the best luck during spring training and the regular season.
Spring Training (Through March)
During spring training, send letters to the Giants at their spring training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. Address the envelope directly to the player, using the format below:
Landen Roupp
c/o San Francisco Giants
Scottsdale Stadium
7408 E Osborn Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
The final spring training home game is scheduled for March 21 against the Cleveland Guardians.
Regular Season (March–September)
During the regular season, send mail directly to the player at Oracle Park.
The Giants will play two exhibition games at Oracle Park against the Sultanes de Monterrey on March 23-24, followed by the regular-season home opener on March 25 against the New York Yankees.
Requests can be sent a few days before the exhibition games or Opening Day and at any point after the season begins. The final home game of the regular season is scheduled for Sept. 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During regular season, address the envelope directly to the player, using the format below:
Spencer Bivens
c/o San Francisco Giants
Oracle Park
24 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94107
As with all outgoing mail, be sure your return address is clearly written on the outer envelope, just in case it gets misrouted.
Make It a Family Project
Create a simple chart or spreadsheet to track:
- Who your child wrote to
- The date each letter was mailed
- Where it was sent
- When (or if) something comes back
- How many days the response took
Kids love watching the tracker fill up, and it turns the hobby into a mini-lesson on dates, data and probability.
Manage Expectations
Not every player signs. Some send pre-printed photos. Some envelopes come back marked “return to sender.” Some letters disappear altogether. That’s okay.
Superstars, in particular, receive thousands of letters every season, and it’s simply not possible for them to respond to everyone. Kids may write to a favorite All-Star and never hear back, not because the player doesn’t care, but because they are overwhelmed with mail. Let your child know this ahead of time so they don’t take it personally.
Explain to your child that collecting is about practicing kindness, learning patience and celebrating the small wins.
It helps to send a mix of letters – a few to big-name superstars, some to everyday starters and mid-tier players, and a handful to rookies or even members of the coaching staff. A few surprises from lesser-known Giants can be even more exciting than the ones they expect.
Safety Tips for Parents
1. Review every letter before it’s mailed.
2. Make sure your child doesn’t include personal details like phone numbers, school names or schedules.
3. If privacy is a concern, consider using a family P.O. Box. Keep in mind that some players are less likely to respond if the return address looks business-like as they may assume the request is for resale.
Through-the-mail autograph collecting is the opportunity to rediscover the simple joy of putting something meaningful in the mailbox. It becomes proof that kindness, effort and patience still matter especially in a fast-moving world.
Daniel Bennett is a freelance writer and parent of an adult son. He was inspired to write this article to promote screen-free activities for families.
