LOCAL ANGLES: MAN'S HOBBY BECOMES A UNIQUE MUSEUM

The beauty of the business I'm in is that on any given day the ordinary can blossom into something extraordinary.

Such was the case with Bill Adams. By day, Adams delivers mail. In his free time, Adams collects signatures of famous people. He's been doing that for 34 years.

If you do anything for that length of time, you learn a great deal about your pastime and yourself. Whether he knows it or not, Adams has put together a unique museum guaranteed to spark some kind of conversation about politics, sports, entertainment or history.

"We can usually expect the display of `The Wizard of Oz' to be popular for just about everyone and the same is usually true of the one on the Beatles," said Adams, escorting me around his basement with the care of a meticulous tour guide in love with his job.

A bat St. Louis Cardinal manager Joe Torre used when he won MVP honors with the Cardinals in 1971 hangs prominently atop a doorway. "Torre couldn't believe it when I showed up at the Cardinal Caravan with the bat he used during what turned out to be his best year in the majors," said Adams.

The most striking picture for me was one of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald. The photo, framed and autographed by Dallas police detective Jim Lavelle, took me back to a day and an era I had almost forgotten.

It seems Adams and Lavelle struck up such a warm friendship, Lavelle was willing to part with copies of documents that are even more eye-popping than the photo. There are Oswald's finger prints on an official police report. There's the rare photo of Oswald on his death bed after an autopsy was performed. Inscribed under the photo are the words, "Well, it's over now."

"That's what Oswald told Lavelle when he was arrested," said Adams. "It really is over now."

Another document jumped out at me. It was the resignation letter signed by Richard Nixon. "You can't find too many of those kinds of documents today," said Adams. "I don't think Richard Nixon would be too willing to autograph any resignation letter."

Adams has the signature and documents from every President save three: Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. One of his favorite presidential autographs is from one of the same namesake. "John Adams is one of my favorites because the document he signed is dated Feb. 1, which ironically enough is my birthday," said Adams.

When I first interviewed Adams, he had autographs of every Academy Award winner in the categories of best actor/actress and best supporting actor/actress save 16. "Give me time, I'll get them all and have the complete set," he vowed.

I believe him. Just a few days after the feature on Adams ran, Paul Meyr of Jackson called Adams and told him he had an autograph of Humphrey Bogart. "It seems he was stationed in Italy during the war and was able to get his autograph," said Adams.

OK, so now he's 15 autographs shy of a complete set.

He even plans on putting together a set of autographs of teen-age heart throbs. "I thought I'd start with Rudy Vallee, then go to Bing Crosby, Sinatra, Elvis and then I'd probably stop with the Beatles," he said. "I'd want to stop somewhere around there because I wouldn't want to get into tainted artists like Michael Jackson or Madonna."

The tour seemed casual at first. Adams really became more animated when he began to explain how he went about obtaining some of the autographs.

"I remember going to an auction and discovering that they had Clark Gable's autograph," said Adams. "It was in Blodgett, Mo., of all places. Of course, it takes two to make an auction. Well, it was me and this other couple going back and forth with bids that were surprising everyone else around us." The timbre in his voice revealed more enthusiasm. "I finally got it for $180, which worked out great because there was only $200 in my checking account. You wouldn't believe what a thrill it was to nab that sucker. I think part of the fun in going after these things is the chase."

There have been plenty of chases, some of the wild goose variety and others with a surprise or two. When he really begins to get excited about his fascinating collection, however, one begins to see how much knowledge Adams has picked up along the way.

Asked what he would do if it were to suddenly vanish, Adams closed his eyes, then quickly opened them. "If this house were to burn down, I'd die."

He's assembled a collection that would look good in a public museum. But Adams doesn't love the fruit of his labor because of its net worth. "I don't really idolize any of these celebrities," he said. "There's only one to idolize and that's the one I worship on Sunday. After that it's just kind of a fun hobby."

Adams had some fun with one still picture that was autographed by his daughter Jennifer. "She's an aspiring actress," he said. "I figured I'd better get her autograph now when it doesn't cost anything."

Before I left, I saw a sign on Adams' basement desk that suggested, "Why not your best."

It was then that I realized exactly who I had just met.

~Bill Heitland is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.