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I liked reading all the stories, I think most people have good and bad days. Also some people change.

I got to meet Joe D. back in 1996 I think at the AC show. I was nearer to the end of the line and stood there talking to everyone about Joe. I started hearing every horror story about him. He won't sign this, he won't sign that, he won't talk to you, don't speak to him, etc. But I really wanted to get a good photo with both me and Joe in the pic. I watched the whole show as people would just stand there and say nothing but "thank you" and snap a pic and run. So whe I got up there I had the guy behind me take the picture. I told him I was gonna lean across the table and turn to face him so we would both be in the photo. But since Joe was a signing machine he always had his head down. As he was signing my ball I said, "hey Joe, you mind if I get a picture with you?" He stopped dead and looked me up and down, then said "sure, come around". I ran around the table which was like 50 feet long! I'm pretty sure I was the only person who got to pose with Joe. You can see the picture as it is my ID photo on here.

As for Pete Rose, I first met him in 1996 (same show as Joe) and he was as I expected. He was signing faster than anyone in the room. I figured he was like that and had to beat everyone. How else do you get 4256 hits! He would not pose for a photo. But after about 10 years I saw him again. This time I watched him sign my scorecard and picked it up quickly to get out of his way. To my surprise he asked me how he did in the particular game. I said "one for four". Pete said "bad day" LOL He was genuinely nicer the second time. I think age is softening him. Or maybe he's trying to win support for the HOF, either way.

Last year I got to meet Bob Feller. I wanted to meet him in person because I really respect a guy who volunteers to go into the service when his country called. Bob went before he was called, not many players did that. Bob had done a lot of shows so I always thought I would meet him. But I thought that about Mickey Mantle also and he died before I got around to it. So I was so happy to meet Bob a year before he passed.