Any Cool Autograph-Signing Pix?

[SteveS]

Maybe this has already been done, and I apologize if it has (and no, I don't have any pictures of me with Doc Adams!). But I thought it would be fun to see cool photos you've taken at autograph signings. Here are a few of mine....

Willie Mays, from the mid-'70s, at an LA department store called Zody's that's long gone now. I'm doing my best to not smear my '73 Topps that he signed, while my sister is terrified because his bodyguard has his fingers dug into her arm (it seriously left marks).

Hank Aaron, early-'80s, arriving to sign at a card show in LA, the exact location of which I don't remember.

The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, was signing a prayer book he had written, but would sign anything brought to him (1984, Del Amo Mall, Torrance, CA). I had him sign a ticket stub from one of his fights. It's very rare that one of your idols can meet your expectations, but Ali exceeded them by a longshot. I was eighth in a long line, and it took forever to get to the front as he spent so much time with everyone. When I got to the stage, as he was signing he looked down at my mom taking pictures. He said, "Is that your mom?" When I told him that it was he immediately stood up and pretended to box with me so that she could get an amazing picture. I still have it, but as the photos from that day are old Polaroids, this is the clearest of the bunch.

I have several others I may post later, but these are some of my favorites.

EDITED TO SAY: Oops, I believe I might have put this in the incorrect forum, but I can't figure out how to move it. So if someone knows how I can delete it or move it to the other forum, please let me know.

[vthobby]

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[SteveS]

Cool! I hope those Gehrig balls got passed down in the families.

[ocjack]

I drove from Orange County to San Jose (about 375 miles and 6 hours) to attend a show that had Mantle and DiMaggio signings.

[SteveS]

ocjack, wow, definitely worth the drive!

[Scott Garner]

Nolan signing out in front of Shea Stadium in 1968.
Signature was from later the same year.
You didn't say PAID signing...

[SteveS]

Scott, that is about as cool as it gets. Look how young he is! He's one of my favorites. Of course freebies count. My Mays and Ali above were free, and Aaron was super-cheep compared to today's prices. Here's another freebie with my all-time favorite, Steve Garvey, rockin' our '80s hair at the opening of an LA sporting goods store.

[EldoEsq]

My son was 3 when he had my phone...he took about 30 pics in a 20 second span, this was the coolest!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[SteveS]

Wow, EldoEsq -- your son definitely gets the save!

[mr2686]

Here's a couple. First time meeting Mick in SoCal (late 80's). Signed my HOF book with a beautiful blazing sig. Second shot is Ted in Anaheim in the early 90's signing my 500 HR litho.

[ocjack]

Love the pictures. And it looks like Mantle had a favorite style shirt for signings lol

[SteveS]

mr2686, I wouldn't be surprised if you never washed that hand again after shaking hands with Mickey.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by SteveS

mr2686, I wouldn't be surprised if you never washed that hand again after shaking hands with Mickey.

It's true, I haven't washed that hand after all these years. Truth be told, my friends are used to it, however, it's that damn grin I still have that they find unsettling. LOL

[SteveS]

mr2686, if only you would have made an exception for Ted. Imagine how many home runs you'd have in that hand. Well, we don't have to imagine. 1,057.

[mainemule]

Me as a kid meeting my then idol at a signing at a southern Maine car dealer! I'm the goober right behind Yaz!

[SteveS]

mainemule, it's hard to believe that he has a grandson playing now.

Here's the first baseball player I ever met. Don Sutton at an LA department store in 1974 shortly after he got permed, reminding me that I need to look at my mom when she's taking a picture.

[mrmopar]

I don't have a lot of in person experiences to share, but these are probably my favorite photos.

The earliest was not for autographs, only pictures. I would discover later that the "best" one I got to stand next to was Bill Mazeroski, who briefly coached for the Mariners. This was 1980 inside the Kingdome, hence the dark background. Even to this day, not a fan of the knee patch pants and standing on the sides of my feet in this picture, but I guess I did that then, so it is what it is! Dig that Bochte Pepsi Jr Mariners T-Shirt though. Wish I still had that.

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My first IP signing (outside of baseball games) was Bob Feller when he came to Pacific Trading Cards before they were a major card maker and just a retail shop in Edmonds, WA. I think that was 1984, w/o looking it up.

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Then there was the first, and only, meeting of Steve Garvey at the 2001 AS Fan Fest in Seattle. An epic event that I was not prepared for (all my stuff was in storage for a household move), so I only had a crude printed copy of the 75 Yearbook cover for him to sign.

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The last one is a fairly recent one that is fun, because Dave Stewart was kind of an imposing presence on the mound. However, I am a big guy, so Dave looks small next to me! This is at a minor league game in Everett, WA.

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[Scott Garner]

God, these are awesome photos! Nice!!

[niembre]

Ryne Sandberg signed my beat up 1991 card that I carried in my wallet for 25 years and then signed my photo.

[SteveS]

There are some really awesome photos here! Keep 'em coming!

Here I am in 1982 with Mike Scioscia, Steve Sax and Steve Howe.

[theshleps]

This sits in my office. Whenever a patient says they are a big baseball fan I ask them to identify the players (not my son in the middle). I think out of 100 folks maybe one got it right. picture taken in the clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium where he worked
Second is when my son batboyed for team south africa. Also Scottsdale Stadium and Barry came in the dugout to say hello to the team
Eventually got both pictures signed tho almost got killed in the crowd around Albert
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[SteveS]

theshleps, man, there are a lot of home runs in those pictures! I met Frank once and I heard that Albert is a nice guy. But I've heard some not-so-nice things about Barry, so it's nice to see that he took the photo with your son and signed it.

[Wrightfan85]

I know I have more but I either don't know where they are or they may be lost

Anyway, here are Dick Williams and Jim Bunning:

[SteveS]

Very nice, Andy! Dick Williams is the epitome of the surly-looking old-school manager.

[theshleps]

Two more. I asked Rickey to pose with Noah and then ran home and printed it (A's spring training). Ricky wasn't happy to see us again but did sign. Shawn was Noahs favorite player. I had bough Noah Shawns Sky Chief jersey. Shawn came out of the DBacks clubhouse at spring training and we were about 100 yards away. Shawn saw Noah in the jersey and literally sprinted over and wanted to see it, signed it and asked Noah what else he wanted signed. Class act.
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[ocjack]

At a corporate event - a polaroid with The Duke and then put into a small cardboard frame for him to sign. Don't know why I'm not smiling.

[mainemule]

Originally Posted by SteveS

There are some really awesome photos here! Keep 'em coming!

Here I am in 1982 with Mike Scioscia, Steve Sax and Steve Howe.

Sad remembering the "what ifs" about Howe's career. He was really, really good early in his career, later derailed by drugs. He does look pretty smug in the that photo.

[SteveS]

theshleps, Rickey signs what and when Rickey wants.

ocjack, maybe you were in awe?

mainemule, when I went to school the next day I showed everyone the picture and said that Howe seemed high as a kite, and you can see it in the picture. Many years later, after his troubles were well known, I ran into one of my former teachers who remembered the picture and said how prescient it was.

[ocjack]

Originally Posted by SteveS

ocjack, maybe you were in awe?

Probably true. I still remember my hands shaking the first time I went up to Mickey Mantle at a show and handed him a ball to sign.

[90feetaway]

I met Bernie Williams at a Albany Yankees game in 1990 (that's not me in the foreground) and he signed his Donruss rookie. Look how young he is.

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[scooter729]

Here's my son Xander with his favorite player - Xander Bogaerts - a couple of years apart, displaying the balls he got signed. My Xander has been lucky enough to get to hang with the big Xander a few times, and has a number of items signed by him. Love seeing the pics a few years apart here as my guy has grown!

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by scooter729

Here's my son Xander with his favorite player - Xander Bogaerts - a couple of years apart, displaying the balls he got signed. My Xander has been lucky enough to get to hang with the big Xander a few times, and has a number of items signed by him. Love seeing the pics a few years apart here as my guy has grown!

So cool! Xander is a great player, too!

[mcgwirecom]

One of my favorite photos. I was the only person who got to walk behind the table and get a pic with him.

[SteveS]

90feetaway, that's a great card to have signed!

scooter729, what awesome memories for your son (and you)!

mcgwirecom, why did you get that special treatment?

[mainemule]

Not my best look but this makes me chuckle every time I stumble upon this. Oil Can Boyd at a charity softball game in my town.

[SteveS]

mainemule, that's photobombing at its finest!

Here's Jerry Reuss and Rick Monday at separate signings shortly after the Dodgers won it all in '81. Note that they're both wearing their championship rings.

[Frankish]

These are awesome!

Whoever posted the Gehrig photo is old....

[mainemule]

Originally Posted by SteveS

mainemule, that's photobombing at its finest!

Here's Jerry Reuss and Rick Monday at separate signings shortly after the Dodgers won it all in '81. Note that they're both wearing their championship rings.

My friend was taking a picture of his son (in front of me) so I figured I'd "sneak" into the photo 😂😂

[SyrNy1960]

Picture of myself and Harmon Killebrew in 2003. Great guy!!!!

[SteveS]

These pix are way better than a COA.

[bjerome]

This is not from a public signing, but he did sign a ball for me after the game on July 8, 2021

[T20Brew]

This is from the 2017 National in Chicago. Had Reggie sign my Naked Gun movie poster that was already signed by Leslie Nielsen and George Kennedy.
I had Reggie sign it with the inscription “I must kill the queen” which was his line from the movie. Has since then been signed by Priscilla Presley at a private signing.

[SteveS]

bjerome, what a great memory to have in the season of his historic home run.

T20Brew, that's a classic! Reggie is the only person I've ever seen announce himself at a card show signing.

[cnote08]

Originally Posted by mr2686

Here's a couple. First time meeting Mick in SoCal (late 80's). Signed my HOF book with a beautiful blazing sig. Second shot is Ted in Anaheim in the early 90's signing my 500 HR litho.

That’s awesome! What other signatures have you gotten in that HOF BOOK?

[mcgwirecom]

mcgwirecom, why did you get that special treatment?[/QUOTE]



I think because I was near the end of the line. I remember standing in line and everyone telling stories of how he won't sign this or that and don't ask him this. Plus they said no flash photography and he wore sunglasses most of the time (they said he was going blind from flashes). Everyone was afraid of him it seemed. Some people would just lean across the table and turn to get get a photo with him. So when i got up there I though I would just ask instead of being afraid. He was right in the middle of signing my ball and I said "hey Joe, mind if I get a picture with you?" he stopped signing and I thought, oh no he will ruin the signature! He looked me up and down and then said, "sure come around". I was not expecting it and had to go way down a line of tables to get around them. One of my favorite pics of all time.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by cnote08

That’s awesome! What other signatures have you gotten in that HOF BOOK?

Quite a few. Aaron, Mays, Mantle, Jackson, Dimaggio, Catfish, Gwynn, Spahn, Koufax, and too many more to remember. I was falling behind for awhile when shows dried up out here on the west coast, then I went to the HOF show in 2008 and picked up about 20 that I didn't have...unfortunately, I've only added a couple since then (Lasorda, Gary Carter, and Dick Williams all at local shows) before they passed.
Here's a photo of Yogi about to sign it in 2008...he signed a bunch of magazines for me as well. (Eddie Murray's at the end of the table signing).

[Scott Garner]

Here is a circa 2008 photo with Justin Verlander a few months after he threw his 1st no-hitter in June of 2007.

These are my two kids Sam & Sadie who are now 21 and 18 respectively.
JV signed my Verlander game used bat from the 2007 season and inscribed it "No-hitter 6-12-07".

Check out the bat manufactured date of 6/1/07 on the knob, literally 6 days before he threw his 1st no-hitter.
Love the bat, lots of use, but certainly not many hits, since JV didn't get his 1st ML hit until 7 years later in 2014!!

OT, but he only has 5 hits in a ML career and is a career .100 hitter after 16 years. Certainly not a hitter but an absolute lock for a HOF pitching career.

[guy3050]

Here's a few from Exposfest 2019

1st photo with Steve Renko and my 1st sports hero Coco Laboy
2nd photo with Dennis "El Perfcto" Martinez and Livan Hernandez
3rd Photo with the Spaceman Bill Lee

[pclpads]

Originally Posted by mr2686

Here's a couple. First time meeting Mick in SoCal (late 80's). Signed my HOF book with a beautiful blazing sig.

Count yourself lucky you got a great pic of MM. I shook hands with him too at signing he did at the Sands in LV in the early '90's. Unfortunately, my dum-dum friend captured the moment leaving the lens cap on his camera. At least I shook his hand.

[SteveS]

Scott Garner, a HOF bat is a HOF bat!

guy3050, way to keep the Expos alive!

pclpads, the autograph and the handshake are the important things. And the friendship. Although I imagine if you're still friends that person will never hear the end of it.