What is Pretzel Boy Central.com?

This web site showcases my collection of celebrity autographs and historical signatures. Collecting autographs has been a hobby of mine since about 1996. I am a big fan of pop culture, baseball, and events of the past, and this hobby is neat in that you have your own piece of history from a person that was there.

How did you get all of these autographs?

Most of the pieces in my collection were acquired through personal correspondence with the celebrity. In many cases, I provided the celebrity with a photo or item to sign, however, for the most part, they were gracious enough to send their own photo. Some of the signatures were acquired in-person at concerts, sporting events, or guest appearances.

Are the autographs real?

Current celebrities tend to be very busy, and often will reply to autograph requests with a photo containing a facsimile, or machine-produced, signature. Some stars are known to be very good about answering their mail, especially older stars of the past, and you can be relatively sure their autographs are genuine. Of course, some continue to use autopens or have secretaries sign for them. The best assurance that a signature is authentic is to acquire it in-person or to purchase it from them directly.

How can I get started?

This web site contains most of the addresses I have personally used. Addresses of deceased persons have been removed for obvious reasons. All it usually takes is a nice fan letter of appreciation written to the celebrity for their work or accomplishments. You must always include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Enclosing your own photo or item to be signed often helps, too. Please note that the majority of my collection was obtained from 1996 - 2000 so the addresses may be out of date.

What's with Pretzel Boy?

It all goes back to a nickname from my days at Tri-Valley High School ... and a certain t-shirt with "Let Pretzel Boy Play" emblazoned on the front. It was based on the 1990s ad campaign of Rold Gold Pretzels, starring Jason Alexander as a man elevated to superhuman abilities upon consumption of the Frito-Lay snack. The original shirt was willed to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in my high school yearbook.