The Yogi Berra Experience

[theshleps]

I've only seen Willie twice in person. In 1967 I got him at the team hotel in NY. Don't remember much.
In 2011 I believe he was at Giants spring training where you wait outsode for theplayers to walk buy. It was your usual mix of fans, nice dealers and aggressive obnoxious ones. There was a 90 year old man that had a special item he really wanted Willie on. Never saw the many before and he only wanted Willie. Mays came out. We all stepped away- even the dealers which was a miracle to give the man a chance. Willie blew him off and the man was crushed. What more can I say.

[1963Topps Set]

I never met Willie Mays, and from what I am reading, I am glad I never did!

[JollyElm]

Growing up, Willie Mays was my idol, but i had heard so many stories of his disdain for fans that I purposefully never took the opportunity to go meet him at shows when I had the chance. I wanted to keep the wonderful memories of my childhood fully intact and unblemished by the realities of the world. (Wow, that sounded poetic!) And I'm glad I did. A half minute of watching him angrily sign my card while never making eye contact with me would've completely wiped out a lifetime of good impressions I've had of him as a ballplayer.

[jad22]

Originally Posted by theshleps

I've only seen Willie twice in person. In 1967 I got him at the team hotel in NY. Don't remember much.
In 2011 I believe he was at Giants spring training where you wait outsode for theplayers to walk buy. It was your usual mix of fans, nice dealers and aggressive obnoxious ones. There was a 90 year old man that had a special item he really wanted Willie on. Never saw the many before and he only wanted Willie. Mays came out. We all stepped away- even the dealers which was a miracle to give the man a chance. Willie blew him off and the man was crushed. What more can I say.

From what I have read on this site, Mays would have just signed his object on the worst possible place anyway.

[Wihawk]

Another Willie is a jerk story.
At a card show in the 80's in Salem Oregon at the state fairgrounds, I was in line behind a woman in her mid 30's -40's holding a Giants program. When it was her turn to get an auto, she very nicely told Willie how she always loved and admired him and how she had seen him play many games in SF having grown up there. She said the program was from a game in 63 which she had attended, as the program was slid over to Willie she told him it would be an honor if she could please shake his hand. The woman just totally gushed fandom of Willie and that prick wouldn't even look up at her, keeping his head close to the table and eyes constantly looking down. After she left heartbroken, Willie quickly looked up to see her walking away. I felt no joy in getting my ball autographed by that detached, rude piece of crap

[theshleps]

I need one card to complete the 1964 Topps Giant set- Clemente. That being said when I was actively collecting the set I need Mays and he would sign TTM for $100 so I decided I'd pay. Got it back signed on the back. Now I know why.

[1963Topps Set]

What about Tom Seaver, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and Joe DiMaggio? I have not heard any good stories about them.

[Klrdds]

Unfortunately I have had several bad experiences with Willie Mays over several years at different venues , different cities, with different promoters , being an in line autograph purchaser and also getting in on the dealer signings. Granted these were from 1988-1999 but he never changed and I believe getting older made him more of a jerk.
I believe any autograph signer can have a bad day as we all can, and I have enough stories that can verify that, but Mays was always a jerk consistently. This covers me doing this for over 40 years and meeting hundreds of players in a variety of settings.
On the other hand I have seen enough players go out if their way to accommodate people also, and this includes Mantle, Williams , DiMaggio Rose, Mike Schmidt and others.

[bigtrain]

I have had nothing but good experiences with Yogi in the three or four times I have met him. On the other hand, Mays has been unpleasant, surly and rude. Sometimes it seems he goes out of his way to mess up your collectibles. To me the only person on a comparable level of obnoxiousness is Johnny Bench.

[CW]

Just once I'd like to here a story about someone finally giving Mays a piece of their mind and putting him in his place for being such an asshole.

It's also funny how some athletes object to personalizing an autograph. I just sent an album cover to be autographed (hopefully) by my favorite band, and they actually make a point to personalize every piece as a way to prevent people from sending stuff in to simply resell for profit. A seller wouldn't get as much for a personalized piece, and a real fan would better appreciate an autograph made out to them.

[Klrdds]

Originally Posted by bigtrain

On the other hand, Mays has been unpleasant, surly and rude. Sometimes it seems he goes out of his way to mess up your collectibles. .

I agree totally. As I said I have had several bad experiences with Mays, and one set of memorable experiences involved over 1 year of work and travel and 100 of the Ron Lewis 500 Home Run posters ( the Yankee facade background style), and Mays trying to screw them up until my partner and I put a stop to it . Now I laugh about it but back then it just made my partner and me furious.