Wow, Michael! Great stories!
The one about Michael Jordan is a classic...
He signed 40+ items at once?? That's truly amazing!

A lot of people were challenged by trying to get Reggie and Carew. I was fortunate, as I got both of them many times when I was a season ticket holder at Anaheim Stadium during the 1980's and 1990's. I certainly saw both Rod and Reggie not sign for others, but I always felt that your approach dictated your result.

Eddie Murray never signed for me in 1997, the one year that he played for the Angels, but he did single me out on Fathers Day and gave me his Fila wrist band with his uni number on it. I think that was his way of rewarding me for attempting to get his autograph so many times that year. I will say that 'Steady Eddie" always ackowledged me and my request for him to sign. He always looked me in the eye and said "Thank you and no sir, not today."

Scott,

I wholeheartedly agree with you about the approach being the most important part. I always say Mr. or Miss and 'may I have your signature/autograph..." I feel that using the first name is rude as it presumes familiarity with the person. When it is opportune I will also talk about other things not related to their sport and I never ever say 'you are my favorite/greatest' or other type nonsense. At most I will say 'I enjoy(ed) watching you play' or the such. The first time I met Kareem Abdul Jabbar we talked about jazz and Islam. John Grubb and I talked about Australia (I have been 5 times). Bob Lilly and I talked about photography. (He is a very dedicated photographer and I have been shooting for 30+ years). I would like to bump into Keith Hernandez as he collects Civil War items and I used to give lectures on it and have visited many battlefields. I do the same with musicians though it is usually about different recordings, other musicians they have performed with or my photos of them.

Sometimes a comment can change an attitude. For many years I attended the SGMA sporting goods convention, known as the "Supershow'. There would be hundreds of athletes appearing for the companies that they endorsed. Many would be there to sign, but some were there just to schmooze with the store buyers. One year when I was at the show in Atlanta in the late 1990's I saw one of the young stars for either Atlanta or Philadelphia, Ron Gant, David Justice or Ricky Jordan possibly. I asked them to sign and they said they were not there to do that. I completely understood said thank you and mentioned that I saw them play up in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, home of the AAA Phillies in the early 1990's. They stopped and said 'The place with mosquitoes the size of birds, I'll sign for you then.' You never know what can work.

Frank Robinson
 

My last encounter with him was 2 years ago at the winter meetings. I told him I was Noahs dad- his batboy from Team USA. He asked how he was doing and we talked for awhile. I asked him to sign something for Noah and he said no. I paid $65 for him to sign a picture of him (at a signing) and Noah in the dugout. I had a great one of him with his arm around him posing and the Ritz Camera store lost the roll of film (pre digital) so had to settle for one of them talking in the dugout. When I paid I asked for Frank to incribe it and put one of the chants Noah taught Frank that Frank used to yell at the players from the dugout (Frank had heard Noah use it and started using it himself) and he wouldn't do it despite having paid.
He was very personable all the time but don't know why he was so against autographs.