I had worked at Wrigley Field as security back when Yogi was coaching the Astros. I wanted to meet the man and get his autograph but I didn't want to do it on company time (against the rules). I took the day off and waited with four other collectors at the corner gate. A taxi pulls up and out pops Yogi with a bit of a scowl on his face. He moved past us and didn't even pay us any attention. He expected us to be stopped by security as he slipped behind the gates of the old ball park but what he didn't expect was me, with my security clearance, to follow him in through the gate. Once we got inside I asked him for his autograph and as he turned to look at me I could see that scowl on his face now turned to anger and he looked at the gate guard and asked him how I got in. I flashed him my badge, told him I always wanted to meet him and stuck out my hand. He grabbed the ball, gave me a very tiny autograph on the least desirable place on the ball and handed it back to me without saying a word. I thanked him as he walked away but was grateful for the opportunity to meet a legend face to face, no matter the circumstances.
I got to thinking of that encounter years later and I guess I can understand where he was coming from. The man has been hounded by autograph seekers a large majority of his life and I am sure he felt that behind the gates, with no fans around he was safe and could let his guard down. I can only imagine how annoyed he found me right at that moment.
I still look at Yogi fondly even though the one time I met him did not go as I expected.
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