Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian Minister.

As usual, you can click for a larger, easier-to-read image.

You’ll note that a lot of the autographs I’ve collected are inscribed to “the Reverend J. Gravelle”.  I was ordained from the Universal Life Church (Baton Rouge, Louisiana synod).  Thank you Rolling Stone.

A couple things here.  First, Fred’s signature is fading, though not as badly as Ringo’s.  Second, he signed with the word “Xapis”… Latin for “peace”.  Mr. Rogers was the perfect amalgam for his generation.  His right-wing conservative cardigan, haircut, and religiosity were complimented by his left-wing simplistic idealism. I don’t know how you couldn’t like Fred Rogers, except out of feigned mature disdain for his generic childlike-ness.

He even had a music degree, meaning he might have stopped sat on the grass with any area park singing Janice Joplin songs on his way to or from church.  He was (both idealogically and literally) color blind.

In blowing up the autograph (above) I discovered something intriguing.  It appears he embedded a date below his signature.  It looks like “1967″ to me.

It might be “1967″, the year they began filming Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood (which debuted in ’68).  It might be 1957, though I can’t find any significance for that date in his bio.

If anybody knows, please clue me in.  I’ve got plenty to lose sleep over without adding Mr. Rogers to my restless lineup…

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