Surprise in-person autos!

[7nohitter]

I LOVE reading this forum daily-have for years!
One of the things that keeps me coming back is the 'stories' behind the acquisition of autographs....specifically 'surprise...holy cow I didn't know HE shopped here' types of things.

For instance, as a teen in the '90's I worked at a local supermarket and, guess what...even HOF'ers have to eat! Lucky me...autographs!! I was able to acquire the auto's of many '90's Red Sox players, a few Patriots and even HOF'ers Dennis Eckersley and KC JOnes!!

What experiences have you had where you looked up and saw...Sandy Koufax at the bank...or Bill Terry at the gas station??

Looking forward to some great stories!!
Andrew

[RichardSimon]

Rocky Graziano standing outside an Off Track Betting Office, very gracious and thanked me for asking for his autograph.
Robin Roberts shot me down outside the Polo Grounds after a game.
Rod Stewart at a Sotheby's picking up winnings day, Kevin Spacey at a theatre production of Ty Cobb an excellent off Broadway play, he sat down right in front of me.
I could have had many other celebs, but I rarely asked them.

[7nohitter]

Thanks, Richard-LOVE to hear about the encounters!

Was Spacey nice?

[RichardSimon]

Spacey was very polite, he was with another actor who I have seen on TV but don't know his name, he was not well known.

[David Atkatz]

In Broadway theaters:

Tom Hanks sitting directly behind me.
Bob Balaban sitting in front of me.
Bill Clinton sitting a few rows over.

Richie Havens walking down the street.
Rod Stewart at JFK.
Lou Reed on the street
Peter Riegert at the next table in a local restaurant as my (to be) wife and I had what we like to call our "engagement lunch."
Mick Jagger at a riding stable at Montauk.
More "Law and Order" actors than you can shake a stick at. (They all seem to live on the Upper West Side.)

I could go on.

I'm a New Yorker born and bred. I didn't bother any of them. Except for Mick. We were waiting in line together, and wound up having a nice conversation. Never acknowledged who he was, though. And certainly no autograph.

[7nohitter]

Thanks David....Trust me, I know what you mean about giving them their privacy! The only reason I was able to obtain the autos I have is because I was in direct contact with the person, which they initiated.

[JollyElm]

I saw Jesse Jackson in the short distance at Laguardia, so I walked up to him and shook his hand. He sorta met me with an uncomfortable, concerned look on his face (my gut told me it was as if he was in constant fear of someone attacking him), but I gave him a smile and said, "Nice to meet you."

And here's a name from the past. I ran across Gerry "The Huntington Heavyweight" Cooney in a mall on Long Island when he was in his prime. I had him sign a shopping bag I was carrying and then a whole bunch of people started swarming around him and he gave his time and just entertained everybody with fake punches and posing for photographs. Perhaps the nicest guy on the planet!

[Runscott]

I have had several good conversations with members of Soundgarden, because they used to meet in my local pub to plan their recent comeback album. Very down to earth and intelligent guys.

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[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I have had several good conversations with members of Soundgarden, because they used to meet in my local pub to plan their recent comeback album. Very down to earth and intelligent guys.

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Am I the only one surprised to hear Scott knows Soundgarden??

[murphusa]

Tom Waits and his wife at the Philadelphia Museum of Art seeing a Salvatore Dali exhibit

Heard his voice and turned and saw that he was standing next to me and he said, "yes I am"

[Runscott]

You just reminded me that I met Buddy Guy in a bar. We were the only ones sitting at the bar so it became obvious that I recognized him. I still have that autograph and have now seen him perform in three different states - easily my favorite performer ever.

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[Runscott]

Ken, I think they are almost my age, and I live in Seattle...and I am actually very cool.

..and now I am laughing...o l

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[frankbmd]

I collected autographs at Phillies spring training games in 1957. As a 9 year old kid with an autograph book and a ball point pen, I did pretty well.
The visiting team bus was about 100 feet from the dressing room door. Between the door and the bus was where the autographs were obtained.

The Dodgers were absolutely the worst team visiting team of the spring, all refusing to sign before getting on the bus. I was standing by the bus still hoping to pick up a Phillie or two, when a window on the bus opened and someone (?) from inside said, "Kid give me your book." Reluctantly I passed it up to him (?).

I waited for what seemed like an eternity. I was convinced the bus would leave with my book inside. Finally the window opened again and the book was handed down.

I looked inside and found

Maglie

Furillo

Newcombe

Snider

Craig

Labine

Alston

Branca

Spooner

Jackson

Kennedy

Kipp

and two catchers

Pignatano

and a guy named Campanella, his last spring training before his accident.

It turned out to be a pretty good day after all.

I still have the book and most of the above are posted at

http://www.collectorfocus.com/collec...bmd/autographs

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Ken, I think they are almost my age, and I live in Seattle...and I am actually very cool.

..and now I am laughing...o l

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[Scott Garner]

I've run into these athletes and celebrities through the years:

MLB perfect game pitcher David "Boomer" Wells on a flight from San Diego to Detroit. He boarded the plane with his trophy wife, kids and a huge sack full of In and Out Burgers (Double Doubles for those of you that know In and Out).
He must have been in training because he only ate two Double Doubles while I watched.

Anyway, he was a nice guy in person. We spoke for a bit about him returning to his hometown to pitch for the Padres. He thought that was pretty cool. He and his family were flying to meet buddy Kirk Gibson and family during the All Star break in MI. Apparently they own some property together. Wells signed a Padres ticket that I had with me from attending the previous nights game.


Jane Seymour (actress) without makeup. Pretty, but easy to miss

Marty Feldman (comedian extraordinaire). There was no missing this guy and his wild eyes!

Elizabeth Shue (actress) Beautiful gal, very petite in size.

Reggie Jackson- Boarding an American flight in Dallas airport in the early 1990's. I asked for his autograph and got it.

Neil Young and his son- I spotted him 5 minutes before boarding my plane with Reggie Jax!

Gordie Howe- In the airport in MN and at my daughter's dance recital last year. My daughter Sadie danced with Gordie's grandson.

Joe Peschi (actor)- Leaving "Goodfellas" Italian restaurant near Saddlebrook, NJ. I think he may be part owner.

Don Mattingly in O'Hare airport over the Christmas holidays with two kids in tow. This was during his playing career with the Yankees.

James Lovell (Astronaut commander of Apollo 13)- At his son's restaurant Lovell's in Lake Forest, IL. Great restaurant! Both James and his son James Jr. signed a coaster for me that features the flight patch from the Apollo 13 crew.

Magic Johnson and Dr. J- Both at airport luggage claim areas. Chatted with both. Magic signed a photo of my son without me even asking. Both guys were awesome.

George W. Bush (US President) and Rush Limbaugh within 5 minutes of each other at the elevator before the last game at Arlington Stadium in 1993. George W. was at the time the then owner of the TX Rangers. He signed twice for me.

Richard Nixon (US President)- Signed an autograph for me at El Adobe Mexican restaurant in San Juan Capistrano where I was having dinner with my family.

[Exhibitman]

If we're talking 'run-ins' there are aplenty as I live in L.A. and used to live in NYC. Some of the more memorable ones:

I am usually appalling at recognizing celebrities. Funniest one for me was a few years ago on Halloween. We were at some friends' house where the neighborhood has a giant block party and their family decided to have a party for the nursery school class where their kid was going. My brother in law and I were manning the door to hand out treats th the block party-goers and let in the kids from the school. A woman and her little girl came up, she and I talked for a bit, then she asked if this was the school party and I let her in. A while later my sister in law came over and asked what I was talking about with Annette Benning. I had no idea.

When my daughter was a baby we went to a holiday service and sat at the back with stroller and the rest of the baby crap so we could get out quickly if she started to cry. A while into the service Dustin Hoffman slips in and sits down next to us. He then proceeds to spill a bottle of water everywhere, which he ended up mopping up with my daughter's diapers.

A few years ago we were in NYC taking the shuttle from Grand Central to Time Square when a heavyset man walked in and sat down. It was Jeff Garlin, who I run into all the time around Studio City here in L.A. I asked him what he was doing in NYC. It was for the filming of the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Yoga is a great source of celebrity sightings here in L.A. The Bikram studio where I used to go was right in the heart of things in Studio City and got a pretty good mix of celebs. I've taken classes with Raquel Welch, Felicity Huffman, Mary Lynn Raskjub, Chuck Liddell and Joe Pantoliano, and my wife has taken classes with Rick Fox, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and Anne Hathaway. Lady Gaga has also taken classes there.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

If we're talking 'run-ins' there are aplenty as I live in L.A. and used to live in NYC. Some of the more memorable ones:

I am usually appalling at recognizing celebrities. Funniest one for me was a few years ago on Halloween. We were at some friends' house where the neighborhood has a giant block party and their family decided to have a party for the nursery school class where their kid was going. My brother in law and I were manning the door to hand out treats th the block party-goers and let in the kids from the school. A woman and her little girl came up, she and I talked for a bit, then she asked if this was the school party and I let her in. A while later my sister in law came over and asked what I was talking about with Annette Benning. I had no idea.

When my daughter was a baby we went to a holiday service and sat at the back with stroller and the rest of the baby crap so we could get out quickly if she started to cry. A while into the service Dustin Hoffman slips in and sits down next to us. He then proceeds to spill a bottle of water everywhere, which he ended up mopping up with my daughter's diapers.

A few years ago we were in NYC taking the shuttle from Grand Central to Time Square when a heavyset man walked in and sat down. It was Jeff Garlin, who I run into all the time around Studio City here in L.A. I asked him what he was doing in NYC. It was for the filming of the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Yoga is a great source of celebrity sightings here in L.A. The Bikram studio where I used to go was right in the heart of things in Studio City and got a pretty good mix of celebs. I've taken classes with Raquel Welch, Felicity Huffman, Mary Lynn Raskjub, Chuck Liddell and Joe Pantoliano, and my wife has taken classes with Rick Fox, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and Anne Hathaway. Lady Gaga has also taken classes there.

OK, we're all wondering, so I'll ask: how did Raquel Welch look???

[gregr2]

Great story Frank, quite the score!

[Exhibitman]

My father was president of the firm that handled public relations for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Yeah, the Oscars people. I got to go backstage at a rehearsal for one of the shows and got these:

Johnny Carson [host]:



Ray Bolger:



High from Cheech:



Uh yeah, Chong:



Gene Hackman:



Ricardo Montalban:



I also got Sylvester Stallone, Roger Moore, Christie Brinkley [total hottie, BTW], and Gene Kelly at the event. Definitely the best celebrity autograph experience ever. They couldn't know whose kid I was with the all-access pass so no one could risk being a jerk to me.

Got this one at a benefit for ASIFA [International Animated Film Society], Bill Scott the voice of Bullwinkle and other assorted characters:



Somewhere I have June Foray [Rocky the Squirrel, Natasha] from the same event.

[7nohitter]

these experiences are awesome! thank you all for sharing so far!!

[milkit1]

Went to a michael palin lecture at the radio/tv museum in bev hills and my favorite living director Paul Thomas Anderson sat right in front of me. He was very nice and signed the back of my monty python photo: "im not michael palin im p.t. anderson".

[RTK]

I sat behind Jesse Jackson at a White Sox game. A buddy of mine and I sat in seats next to Joan Cusack and her husband and two sons at the Winter Classic hockey game at Wrigley. I've also run into a few Chicago Bears players near where I live;Dan Hampton and Roland Harper among them. Robin Yount in the infield of the Milwaukee Mile racetrack at a race of the old CART indycar series. George Wendt outside Wrigley Field...an actor whose name I can't recall at the old Chicago Stadium during a Hawks playoff game in the early 90's.