Mike Marshall signing

[JimStinson]

Originally Posted by Leon

So you are saying you could manage this board?

Let me consider my options ...pour battery acid directly into my eyes or manage the board ?mmmmmmmm (theme song from jeopardy plays in background)...I'll take the 1st option ,
_________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[dgo71]

He's no longer active (he is now coaching college actually, I believe) but Billy Traber was always a real piece of work. I got him to FINALLY sign a card for me after about 10 tries over a couple seasons. He literally looked like he was going to throw up while signing the card. He is a very odd guy.

That Hendrick story is classic and right in line with how he was. As a player, forget it, he wasn't signing EVER. When he coached with the Dodgers organization, I did get him a few times in Vero but it was always Cardinals cards only. I'll say this, when he does actually sign, he has a great graph!

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by JimStinson

Let me consider my options ...pour battery acid directly into my eyes or manage the board ?mmmmmmmm (theme song from jeopardy plays in background)...I'll take the 1st option ,
_________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

I'm sorry, you didn't put it in the form of a question.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I am coming to this thread a little late but this is the first time I have really sorted through the autograph side.

I worked with Dr. Mike Marshall for two years at Henderson State University in the late 1980s. He was indeed a very interesting fellow and was acually a lot of fun to work with.

We would always play a number of northern teams early each Spring as they took their breaks to head south to get in games while the snow melted at home. This would usually be the first time they were out of gym and we would pound them 30-3, 19-3 and our players just couldn't help it.

After many/most of these games a few of the opponents would always ask Mike to sign their gloves or something and I never once saw him refuse. I might also mentioned that many times these teams would play us again at the end of the week and the scores would be much closer after they had seen some sunshine and knocked off some rust. Funny, they were always pretty sunbruned after a week.

Mike kept a stack of black and white Twins postcards on his desk and would stuff one unsigned into each autograph request he received TTM. He also returned everything sent to him unsigned.

We didn't talk about the signing or lack of very often but he loved to talk baseball. He did have some problems interacting with the rest of the university system. Our budget was pathetic and he couldn't understand why, it really created some problems.

When I resigned to move into a different profession he came to my going away party. As he was about to leave he handed me a paper bag, inside were two signed balls. Both of course signed Dr. Mike Marshall.

While I too have had personal issues watching players from different sports act poorly when asked to sign I can honestly say that Mike was always pleasent and never rude. We have had several phone conversations since that time and he is always great talk with.

As far whether a player should sign or not, I have always felt like they should, it is part of the big picture for their sport. The adoration of the fans is where the TV dollars come from ot to mention the ticket money.

I was fortunate, growing up in the early 60s my two favorites were Bart Starr and Mickey Mantle. I had the chance to see both in person and both were great. I think of the thousands of pro athletes I have encountered over the years Bart Starr, Stan Musial, Brooks Robinson and Ernie Banks are by far the best people I have had the chance to ask for an autograph.

[Marckus99]

All these years its a "no", until the money was "right"?

And $150 for him, is like spending $150 on a
1980 Donruss PSA 10 common.

Prick +1


Side note: When I was a batboy for the Yankees in '89,
Canseco would only sign if you spoke to him in spanish.
And Bo Jackson sign a large "X" on photos and
this was IN the clubhouse!!!

[travrosty]

i agree,

he should lighten up and sign autographs, be happy. life is too short to hold a grudge. he was blessed with enough talent to play major league baseball at its highest level, lighten up and be thankful, sign some autographs for the fans who go to their 9-5 salt mine jobs wishing they could play in the major leagues for just a day.

[milkit1]

Yeah no person is a decent person who holds a grudge against people that have never even met him. He made and still makes a good living. If he had been a prolific signer all along he probably would only get a few requests a month tops. Because of not signing now he has this backlog of people that are willing to pay a lot and....what a surprise he is now willing to take their money. I sure hope there is a hell. Mike marshall can sit there for eternity next to bill russell signing autographs for an endless line.
The ironic thing about bo jackson is that X Autograph is probably worth as much as his real one lol

[joed25]

Originally Posted by milkit1

Yeah no person is a decent person who holds a grudge against people that have never even met him. He made and still makes a good living. If he had been a prolific signer all along he probably would only get a few requests a month tops. Because of not signing now he has this backlog of people that are willing to pay a lot and....what a surprise he is now willing to take their money. I sure hope there is a hell. Mike marshall can sit there for eternity next to bill russell signing autographs for an endless line.
The ironic thing about bo jackson is that X Autograph is probably worth as much as his real one lol

+1

[JimStinson]

In bringing back an old thread ...Since I was the one that lined up the first private signing with Mike G. Marshall let me say this. Having completed private signings with the IMPOSSIBLE , Boxer CARLOS MONZON (in Argentina prison), NINO BENVENUTI (Rome Italy), etc etc I was deluged with requests for a signing with Mike G. Marshall which after many YEARS, yes YEARS I was able to compete , His autograph would have otherwise been unavailable ...Like it or not. But when finally it was offered I recieved late night phone calls to tell me what an idiot I was , Hate mail for charging so much. You name it I got it .....so you can't have it both ways.
On a personal level throughout the negotiations Marshall was always pleasent to talk to and a very intelligent man. I enjoyed our conversations but his level of responsibility to you and I was no different than any other athlete or celebrity. To give his 100% best when doing what you paid to watch him do. Nothing more nothing less. Its his choice to sign autographs for free , which by the way is a favor not an obligation. So the next time you watch a commercial for KFC during your favorite NFL game , stroll down there and tell them that since you have watched all of their commericials and assorted propaganda that you are entitled .......ENTITLED to a free chicken dinner , see what they tell you.
____________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[Kzoo]

Originally Posted by Marckus99

And Bo Jackson would sign a large "X" on photos and this was IN the clubhouse!!!

Wow. I've never met him, but I always pictured Bo as a decent guy towards autograph collectors in person, but......maybe not?

Matt

[JimStinson]

Originally Posted by Kzoo

Wow. I've never met him, but I always pictured Bo as a decent guy towards autograph collectors in person, but......maybe not?

Matt

Now THATS rude ,,,Its one thing to refuse to sign and another to ruin the photo to be obnoxious. Funny thing I had a woman approach me once to sell me an autograph , her and her husband were at a bar and her husband asked her to get Mickey Mantle's autograph , Mickey politely asked her name and signed the page for her. When she showed it to her husband he was furious , her name was Marilyn and it read "To Marilyn Best wishes and F--K You, your friend Mickey Mantle
____________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[packs]

Haha what an inscription.

[isaac2004]

I see it as this...

Sign or don't sign, change your mind, charge as much as you want, sign through the mail if you want, it all makes no difference to me. But if your going to take my money and sign an item for me, you sure as hell better be nice and cordial when you are doing it. You can be as much as an ass if you want if you sign for free, but not on my dollar, that's just poor taste.

As for appearance fee, charge what you want. People talk about how expensive some people are, think about what it will be like in a few years. Stephen Strasburg just signed for $300 a ball, and all he has done is blow out his arm. Imagine when Mike Trout starts charging, $500 a ball would not be out of the question. If some you hoe wants to pay that, he can waste it, I just won't waste mine.

[MooseDog]

I spent the bulk of my teen years chasing autographs in person, baseball and hockey for the most part. As I was brought up to respect people, I always asked politely and if they said no, so be it.

Then and even now, I don't hold anyone who holds celebrity status to the idea that they have any kind of requirement to sign autographs. In a way, it made the thrill of catching a Reggie Jackson or Carl Yastrzemski on a "good" day all the more sweet.

At the other end of the spectrum are hockey players. It may be different now in big markets, but back in the day, hockey players were the most friendly, approachable, and accommodating professional athletes I ever came across. I think as a whole, they understand that signing autographs is good PR for the game.

Even Gretzky was a willing IP signer until I think it just got to be too much.

Despite the recent labor stupidity, hockey is about the last sport left where the athletes don't all act like a bunch of individualists.