Posted By:
JerryBlackSoxFan,
You seem to be one confused individual. On one hand, you criticize and insult people for relating their experiences and opinions. On the other hand, you call for everyone to "cut these guys a break". You need to make up your mind and I, for one, don't appreciate your implication that I was less than honest about the Aaron experience I posted.
I grew up in a baseball family, pal, a Braves family at that and I know a little bit about the scene. I went to spring training every year as a kid and was around those guys. My only interaction wasn't with them in a paid autograph signing situation.
There is a MAJOR difference between the way they might react if, say, they are interrupted at dinner and hounded for an autograph and if they ARE BEING PAID TO SIGN. And paid alot of money at that. It's not too much to ask of them to behave in a PROFESSIONAL manner and be polite to people who pay alot of money for them to sign. If they have such a disdain for the fans, FOR WHATEVER REASON, then they should be man enough to go make a living some other way.
Maybe you lack normal reading comprehension skills, but AS I WROTE, we patiently waited until EVERYONE ELSE WAS GONE, before asking Aaron to personalize the balls. Hank Aaron chose to act like a complete jerk instead of taking, what, a whole TEN SECONDS to add a personalization, that would have meant alot to my sons. My attitude toward him stems from that interaction. He had no reason on my account to behave that way. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of people like you apologizing for poor behavior, just because someone is famous or black or whatever. It doesn't cost anything to be nice or polite. And from the tone of your posts, apparently that is a lesson that would serve you as well.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH yourself! If you don't like what someone posts, either respond to it civilly or ignore it.
What bothers me most about the negative experiences I posted is that it turned off my sons to the hobby. And they both excelled at baseball through high school, yet have no interest in the hobby whatsoever because of jerks like Aaron, Mays and Gibson.