The conviviality factor is definitely there. I was a big Willie Mays fan as a kid. He was at the end of his career with the Mets when i got to see him play in a game in person for the only time. I even assembled a complete run of his Topps cards. Then I 'met' him at a show. Not even a hello or an acknowledgment of my existence. Just a scrawl on a ball, rolled across the table to a handler. I was so disappointed, I dumped my Mays cards. I've since bought back several. Now, Willie is at the pinnacle of the game regardless of his being a shit, but for a middling HOFer, being a fan favorite is a definite plus in terms of hobby memory. I think that add something to value.
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