Joe's Question #1: When I started collecting baseball autographs in the mid 80's, everyone in Milwaukee knew who Dave Miedema was. You definitely were, and still are in my opinion, considered one of the authorities on baseball autograph collecting. My question is: How did you start collection autographs and are you still doing it now?

Dave Miedema's Answer: I began seeking autographs on cards back in the '60's, when my father would take me to games on his vacation. As time went on, I attended games on my own and more frequently. Along about 1990, though, I cut back on my autograph excursions...too many encounters with players who assumed I was a dealer because of my age and gender, or else remembered me from previous requests. Over the 1990's, my health began to go south (I am on kidney dialysis), and, between work, medical visits and family time, I just was unable to pursue in person autographing to a major extent. Since then, I've had no real desire to pick up the pace, even though I'm now retired...the Chicago- based autograph hounds, in many cases, are too off-the-wall to work with, and a few even get cutthroat and petty when you don't choose to dance their dance. There are some good ones in the crowd, too, but too many of them are newcomers who are full of themselves and care not a whit about my contributions to the hobby in the '80's and 90's. I still pursue autographs, but no longer for me...if I try for them, it's either for autograph collecting friends or for charitable causes I support.

Joe's Question #2: I can remember meeting you in person at card shows in Milwaukee. Back then you were the first person that I saw with game worn jerseys. (By the way, I have two Milwaukee Brewer game worn jerseys of my own.) How did you get into the collecting of jerseys?

Dave Miedema's Answer: Game-used jerseys seemed incredibly appealing when I first got into them in the late 1970's. I bought styles, then upgraded the caliber of players. I dismantled my collection about the time I got married, and went to dealing exclusively. About eight years ago, my frequent attendance at Cubs and Sox games saw me wearing players' jerseys from earlier years, something which delighted many of them, and I became known as JERSEY MAN. I now have a collection of about 50 game-worn jerseys, mostly of guys I became sociable with while they were with the Cubs or Sox.

Joe's Question #3: What are some of the favorite autographs and jerseys in your collection?

Dave Miedema's Answer: Jersey favorites include my Mark grace 2000 Cubs BP jersey, a 1991 Cubs road grey Derrick May, and my one NBA gamer, a 1995-96 Spurs road Sean Elliott, the only pro athlete to come back and play after a kidney transplant. I divested myself of my autograph collection years ago.

Joe's Question #4: I know that you write a newsletter about game worn jerseys, (I'm a subscriber). What can you tell me about it and how can other interested fans get a subscription?

Dave Miedema's Answer: Uniformity comes out every month, and covers equipment from all time frames and all major sports, as opposed to my SCD replacement's column, which limits itself almost exclusively to baseball and pre-1970 items. A year runs $12 US funds, and includes a free 50-word classified ad. Payment can be sent to me at 1919A Grove #24 Berwyn IL 60402.