Since I started this blog I’ve been trying to add to my collection of Pacers autographs, with an end goal of getting one autograph per player to wear a Pacers uniform in a regular season game. I haven’t added any autographs in recent years so I’ve fallen well off the pace (ha ha), but I still have a good sized collection.

Of course my preference is to have a certified autograph with the player pictured in a Pacers uniform. If not available, then a card in a Pacers uniform with an autograph I’ve personally obtained in person or through the mail (TTM). I’ve got some of both in this category, but not too many. If neither category is an option here, then purchasing or trading for a card that someone else had signed is next in line. Then I’ll go for a non-Pacer certified autographed card. If not an option, perhaps sending a custom index card through the mail is the last resort.

Why am I writing this post series?

1. It’s a way to catalogue my collection and go through the players I still need to add. Hint, it’s a lot of players for just about every letter.
2. I get to learn more about Pacers team history.
3. I learn more about cards of the players I don’t have and where they might be pictured in a Pacers uniform. This is important for the guys whose tenure with the Pacers was short.

Autographs of Pacers with Last Name starting with ‘A’ – 3 of 14, 21.4% Complete

Note- I am including Ron Artest under where he is listed on Basketball Reference, which is under Metta World Peace.

Also, I’m using basketball reference a lot here.

First, the autographs I own.

Kenny Anderson

Anderson only has certified autograph cards in Georgia Tech, Nets, and Celtics uniforms. Luckily Kenny is a pretty good signer through the mail, or at least he was at the time I got this Topps Bazooka card back in 2011.

He played just one season for the Pacers, in 2003-04, averaging about 20 minutes a game, which tailed off towards the end of the season and playoffs. Despite this, he was a part of a pretty successful Pacers season, ending with a loss in the Conference Finals to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons.

Lou Amundson

Amundson came off the bench for the Pacers during the 2011-12 season, providing hustle plays and energy for a team that lost in the Eastern Conference semis to Lebron’s Heat.

Lou doesn’t have any cards in a Pacers uniform. I picked up a Suns autographed card back in 2009-10 from SP Signature Edition. This is a fine card for me, even if I would prefer a card for Lou in a Pacers uniform.

Darrell Armstrong

Armstrong played for the Pacers as the team’s primary backup point guard during the 2006-07 season. I remember him being a productive player during that season. Obviously Armstrong had a productive NBA career with many years as a starter and backup for the Magic. He was also named the 6th man of the year and most improved player for the 1998-99 season.

To my knowledge, Armstrong only has certified autographed cards in a Magic uniform. I picked up the 2000-01 Fleer Autographics. He does have non-autographed cards with other teams, but none I could find with the Pacers. I’m fond of the autographics series since it started in the 90s and was one of the more exciting inserts you could pull from packs as the time. I’ll stick with this Autographics card.

Next, the players I am missing.

Tom Abernathy

Abernathy played 29 games for the Pacers during the 1980-81 season, after playing for the Lakers and Warriors, per basketball reference. He played High School basketball in Indiana and is in the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame, winning a national championship with the 1976 Hoosiers team. He seems like a candidate for a through the mail autograph attempt with a custom card.

Matthew Aitch

The late Matthew Aitch played for the 1967-68 Pacers in the ABA as a rookie out of Michigan State. He has a Michigan State card from 1990, but no professional cards.

Jerome Allen

Allen appeared in 51 games for the Pacers during the 1996-97 season before he was traded to the Nuggets for Darvin Ham, per basketball reference. He’s currently an assistant coach for the Celtics under Brad Stevens. Allen has several collegiate autographed cards, but no professional issues. His non-autographed professional cards are rookie cards showing him in a Timberwolves uniform.

Lavoy Allen

Allen had a solid career with the Pacers. Kind of a throw in when the Pacers acquired Evan Turner from the 76ers, while trading away one of my favorite Pacers ever in Danny Granger. Hated the trade then, hate the trade now. But even so, Lavoy Allen had a solid time with the Pacers, mostly in a bench role. During his best season in 2015-16, he averaged 20 minutes a game, playing in 79 games and starting 28. Has been out of the league since 2017 after his last season with the Pacers.

Good news, I’ve got options as far as picking up a certified Pacers auto for Lavoy Allen. A quick ebay search shows several 2013-14 and 2014-15 products containing Allen autographs. Panini Spectra, Panini Preferred, Crown Royale, Threads, all good options. I can pick up a card here for less than $10 today, and hopefully less.

Jerome Anderson

The late Jerome Anderson won a championship with the Celtics in 1976 and played 27 games for the Pacers in the 1976-77 season, per basketball reference. Jerome has no basketball cards that I can find.

Ron Anderson

Anderson played three seasons for the Indiana Pacers in the late 80s, averaging over 10 points per game after coming over in a trade from the Cavaliers in 1985. His best seasons came later with the 76ers. He has a good many NBA cards from the late 80s and early 90s in a 76ers uniform, as well as a XRC from 1984-85 Star in a Cavs uniform.

Ike Anigbogu

A recent Pacer, Ike was a second round draft pick out of UCLA, part of an all UCLA 2017 Pacers draft along with TJ Leaf. Ike played in 14 games for the Pacers. As you’d expect, being a fairly recent draft pick means Anigbogu has a good many autographed cards. Looks like I should be able to find one of my choosing for under $5.

Bob Arnzen

Bob was a member of the ABA Champion Pacers in 1973. He has a card in the 1971-72 Topps set, in a Royals uniform. It’s a pretty sweet card- I may have to pick one up. There are even some signed ones out there for sale.

Vincent Askew

Askew was traded by the Pacers halfway through the 1996-97 to get back Mark Jackson and LaSalle Thompson. That half season was Askew’s only time in a Pacer uniform. He had a pretty successful career, with his best seasons coming in Seattle. He was a part of the runner-up Sonics in 1996.

As far as cards, Askew is in some pretty great base sets from the 90s, but only one that I can find in a Pacers uniform, from 1996-97 Stadium Club. He does have a card from 1996-97 Skybox Autographics, and that’s likely what I’ll try to grab for him, but also will hope to get a signed copy of the 1996-97 Stadium Club card.

D.J. Augustin

D.J. was just OK as a backup point guard for the Pacers in the 2012-13 season after starting his career with the Bobcats. He went on to have more success with other teams, mainly Chicago and Orlando. He’s played in two games for the Bucks this season.

Augustin has plenty of autographed cards, but only a few in a Pacers uniform, per Beckett, from 2012-13 Panini Contenders, 2012-13 National Treasures, 2012-13 Timeless Treasures. As far as autographs from Panini Contenders, so many stars are here with rookie autographs- AD, Kyrie, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, and more. And from the ‘Contemporary Contenders’, we have Kobe, Durant, Nash, Harden, Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Pau Gasol, it’s really an incredible list of autographs in this set. Oh, and I kept scrolling on the checklist and there’s also a small chance at autos of Bill Russell, Magic, Pippen, Bird, and many others. Just wow.

I can’t even find an image for the Panini Contenders Augustin, but luckily the Timeless Treasures is more available at a reasonable price.

Jeff Ayres (Pendergraph)

Jeff played for the Pacers for two seasons, and was a fan-favorite during his time with the team. Played with high energy, just didn’t get a ton of minutes.

He’s got several sweet Blazers and Spurs autographs, but no cards at all in a Pacers uniform that I can find.

Summary

I’ve got a long way to go here, so honestly kind of off to a rough start, but it’s a relatively small number of players out of the total number (14 out of 344, 4%).

Also, this was a beast of a post to write, and with the letter B having 31 players, I’m going to have to even split these out into even smaller chunks, or just pick select players to look into, which is reasonable. I definitely learned a bunch about some of these players, which is part of the goal here for me.

Any players that have been difficult to find an autograph for that you’ve added to your collection? Where did you find it and how long did it take? I want to read about it!