DiMaggio could be... interesting... at card shows, as well. Not rude to fans, usually, but not friendly, either.
Back in 1985, I saw that DiMaggio was coming to sign at a card show near me. I was an artist, so I did an 11 x 14 pen and ink wash drawing of DiMaggio that was a large portrait along with a smaller action shot of him swinging the bat to the side of the portrait. I get to the show and there's a line snaking around the hall. There's DiMaggio, impeccably dressed in a three-piece suit and tie, sitting in the center of a six-foot table. There's a guy on his left and a guy on his right. The guy on the left would take the item from the person in line, put it in front of DiMaggio and DiMaggio, without looking up, would sign the item. Then the guy on the right would pick up the item and hand it back to it's owner.
I'm watching as I'm in the line approaching and DiMaggio never looked up, never made eye contact, never spoke to anyone. No personalization, just a fast, clockwork-like repetition. Finally, I get to the head of the line. I hand my drawing, which is on thick board, to the guy on the left, who puts it down in front of DiMaggio.
DiMaggio starts to bring his pen over to sign and does a double take. He picks up the drawing and stares at it. He looks up at me and says, "What is this?" I answer, "I drew that of you." He says, "You drew this?" I answered, "I did." He gives it another look and says, "Not bad," signs it, shakes my hand and hands it back to me. Completely cut out the guy on the right, who I have to say, looked a little hurt.
For the rest of the show, as I visited dealers at their tables, I kept glancing at DiMaggio and as far as I could see, he never broke the routine or spoke to anyone again. Because I had a unique piece that he had never seen before, it caused him to break the routine. He was so used to seeing the same photos of himself or balls or cards. Still a great memory.
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