The Yogi Berra Experience

[Klrdds]

As always there are always more good guys than bad guys ,but you really only hear about the bad guys. It is the nature of our hobby and unfortunately our world!
My personal great experiences out weigh the bad 100 to 1 in my collecting lifetime.

[7nohitter]

Addie Joss was a little gruff, but not nearly as surly as Pud Galvin. Man, those were the days.

[1963Topps Set]

Warren Spahn left something to be desired. Very few actually made a great positive memory.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by 7nohitter

Addie Joss was a little gruff, but not nearly as surly as Pud Galvin. Man, those were the days.

Where's the darned 'like' button on this site??

[byrone]

Originally Posted by 7nohitter

Addie Joss was a little gruff, but not nearly as surly as Pud Galvin. Man, those were the days.

Were they together at the Coaches Corner signing last week?

[1963Topps Set]

Kevin Maas was also very nice.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by byrone

Were they together at the Coaches Corner signing last week?

Outstanding.

[egri]

Originally Posted by 7nohitter

Addie Joss was a little gruff, but not nearly as surly as Pud Galvin. Man, those were the days.

You should've been with me when I graphed the Declaration of Independence signing. Ben Franklin was surprisingly generous. On the downside, Charles Carroll insisted on adding 'of Carrolton' to everything and John Hancock always took up half the page.

[icollectDCsports]

Joe DiMaggio signed items for me and a number of others in a hotel lobby in 1986 when he was in DC for the Cracker Jack Old Timer's game. He was pleasant to everyone.

Frank Howard definitely the nicest former player I've ever met.

[71buc]

I posted this a while back but thought I would share it again. When Tacoma was the Twins AAA affiliate I played whiffle ball with Lyman Bostock in the parking lot of Cheney Stadium. I was 11 and he was very friendly and left a lasting impression. I was crushed when he was murdered.

Although it is not a baseball story it is still fun nonetheless. I took my son to an Oakland A’s spring training game about eleven years ago. During the game Mohammed Ali made a surprise appearance. When he entered the ball park you could hear a pin drop. It was surreal. The game stopped and the players applauded him.

The crowd chanted Ali, Ali! He sat a few rows away from us and an autograph line quickly formed. He signed between innings. Those in line knelt to avoid obstructing the view of others during the game. My son asked why people were kneeling. My wife smiled and told him you do that before royalty. I told my son that this was an autograph opportunity he should not miss. At that time he was painfully timid but with a bit of coaxing he stood in line by himself for two innings. When it was his turn to receive an autograph play resumed forcing him to kneel and wait. Ali looked over at him and motioned to him. My son approached Ali rather nervously. He told my son to sit next to him in a vacant seat. He then opened a bag and pulled out a large oatmeal cookie broke it in half and handed half to my son. He sat with Ali eating that cookie for a half inning. At the end of the inning Ali smiled at him and threw a quick jab his way. He then signed the autograph and thanked my son for sitting with him.

When we returned home my shy son shocked us with the announcement that he wanted to be a boxer. My wife and I cringed but he was persistent so we relented. He boxed for a few years and although he was an average boxer the sport changed him in a positive manner. He became assertive, disciplined, and extremely confident. He is in law school and has grown into a young man I am very proud of. I have to attribute some of that to boxing and his fifteen minutes with Ali.

[CW]

Great story, Mike! Well told and the picture almost puts you in the moment.

Speaking of nice guys, I have never met him but have always heard Bob Feller was great at shows. Any Feller tales?

[dgo71]

One day in Spring Training in Winter Haven my friend and I were outside the Indians minor league clubhouse. We were the only two around because the big league team was away and only the minor leaguers were there. A car pulled up to the curb and an old man popped out. He walked by and asked how we were doing, then talked about what a nice day it was for baseball. It wasn't until he walked into the clubhouse that we realized it was Feller. We just didn't expect a HOFer to drive up in a Cutlass and walk around like he wasn't anything special. He came back out a few minutes later and happily signed three or four cards for each of us. We talked for another few minutes and he wished us well and drove away.

Another instance with Feller was at a AAA game where he had been brought in to sign. Standing in line about 30 people back, and realized we were standing FOREVER. When we got to the front of the line we quickly realized what was taking so long. Feller would talk about every image on every card and photo that he was signing, telling us where the picture was taken and different facts about that season or even that day. I truly believe that he remembered every single thing that happened throughout his remarkable career. He took as much time as anyone wanted, saying he was in no rush and would stay until the lights turned off if he had to in order to accommodate everyone.

Feller was a truly first class man in every sense of the word.

[majordanby]

Originally Posted by 71buc

I posted this a while back but thought I would share it again. When Tacoma was the Twins AAA affiliate I played whiffle ball with Lyman Bostock in the parking lot of Cheney Stadium. I was 11 and he was very friendly and left a lasting impression. I was crushed when he was murdered.

Although it is not a baseball story it is still fun nonetheless. I took my son to an Oakland A’s spring training game about eleven years ago. During the game Mohammed Ali made a surprise appearance. When he entered the ball park you could hear a pin drop. It was surreal. The game stopped and the players applauded him.

The crowd chanted Ali, Ali! He sat a few rows away from us and an autograph line quickly formed. He signed between innings. Those in line knelt to avoid obstructing the view of others during the game. My son asked why people were kneeling. My wife smiled and told him you do that before royalty. I told my son that this was an autograph opportunity he should not miss. At that time he was painfully timid but with a bit of coaxing he stood in line by himself for two innings. When it was his turn to receive an autograph play resumed forcing him to kneel and wait. Ali looked over at him and motioned to him. My son approached Ali rather nervously. He told my son to sit next to him in a vacant seat. He then opened a bag and pulled out a large oatmeal cookie broke it in half and handed half to my son. He sat with Ali eating that cookie for a half inning. At the end of the inning Ali smiled at him and threw a quick jab his way. He then signed the autograph and thanked my son for sitting with him.

When we returned home my shy son shocked us with the announcement that he wanted to be a boxer. My wife and I cringed but he was persistent so we relented. He boxed for a few years and although he was an average boxer the sport changed him in a positive manner. He became assertive, disciplined, and extremely confident. He is in law school and has grown into a young man I am very proud of. I have to attribute some of that to boxing and his fifteen minutes with Ali.

thanks for sharing that story - shows how athletes can have a substantial impact on the thoughts, beliefs and lives of the kids who follow them. it's a shame that many athletes (old and young alike) take that for granted.

[CW]

Great Feller stories, Derek and Mike! Thanks for sharing.

Good one about Boggs, too, Drew.

[w7imel]

Originally Posted by 71buc

I posted this a while back but thought I would share it again. When Tacoma was the Twins AAA affiliate I played whiffle ball with Lyman Bostock in the parking lot of Cheney Stadium. I was 11 and he was very friendly and left a lasting impression. I was crushed when he was murdered.

Although it is not a baseball story it is still fun nonetheless. I took my son to an Oakland A’s spring training game about eleven years ago. During the game Mohammed Ali made a surprise appearance. When he entered the ball park you could hear a pin drop. It was surreal. The game stopped and the players applauded him.

The crowd chanted Ali, Ali! He sat a few rows away from us and an autograph line quickly formed. He signed between innings. Those in line knelt to avoid obstructing the view of others during the game. My son asked why people were kneeling. My wife smiled and told him you do that before royalty. I told my son that this was an autograph opportunity he should not miss. At that time he was painfully timid but with a bit of coaxing he stood in line by himself for two innings. When it was his turn to receive an autograph play resumed forcing him to kneel and wait. Ali looked over at him and motioned to him. My son approached Ali rather nervously. He told my son to sit next to him in a vacant seat. He then opened a bag and pulled out a large oatmeal cookie broke it in half and handed half to my son. He sat with Ali eating that cookie for a half inning. At the end of the inning Ali smiled at him and threw a quick jab his way. He then signed the autograph and thanked my son for sitting with him.

When we returned home my shy son shocked us with the announcement that he wanted to be a boxer. My wife and I cringed but he was persistent so we relented. He boxed for a few years and although he was an average boxer the sport changed him in a positive manner. He became assertive, disciplined, and extremely confident. He is in law school and has grown into a young man I am very proud of. I have to attribute some of that to boxing and his fifteen minutes with Ali.

Was running a baseball concession stand in smalltown indiana and someone told me they saw a guy who looked like Ali there the night before. Did not think much about it until the next day I saw a team banner from Mich that had a kid on its roster named ali. Looked in the parking lot and saw a huge motor home with plates that said "champ" . So taking a chance knocked on door and a lady answered and said it was indeed champs RV and he was napping and if I come back in a hour or so he would be glad to sign something for me. He signed a really nice baseball for me and about 20 other people. Nice guy the 2 times I met him!!! There was a teenage girl in line who had a white square purse and he drew a boxing ring and a stick figure of himsel and frazier on it with frazier laying on the ground and his eyes were xx. I remembered how cool it was to watch him draw that I hope she still has it.

[sb1]

I also have an Ali story, actually two part, but only part of it pertains to this thread. Many, many years ago at a Tri-Star show in Houston I was set up, and Ali among all of the biggest names in all genre's of sports was signing. First part of the story I walk into the restroom and could not figure out why it was so quiet(this was pre 2000 and the show was packed), I look next to me and I am side by side with Ali. I walk out and his security detail are freaked out how I am in the room when it was supposed to be closed and Ali only. It had a double entrance and I happened to come it at the exact time they shut it down. So long story short I pee'd next to Muhammad Ali. Now for the real point of this post, there were probably 5-6 HOFers from various sports signing on the main stage all at one time, Bobby announced that Muhammad Ali would be taking the stage to sign, you could have heard a pin drop and the most impressive show of respect occured, Joe Namath who was signing, abruptly stopped his signing, stood up and led the crown in a standing ovation for Ali.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by 71buc

I posted this a while back but thought I would share it again. When Tacoma was the Twins AAA affiliate I played whiffle ball with Lyman Bostock in the parking lot of Cheney Stadium. I was 11 and he was very friendly and left a lasting impression. I was crushed when he was murdered.

Although it is not a baseball story it is still fun nonetheless. I took my son to an Oakland A’s spring training game about eleven years ago. During the game Mohammed Ali made a surprise appearance. When he entered the ball park you could hear a pin drop. It was surreal. The game stopped and the players applauded him.

The crowd chanted Ali, Ali! He sat a few rows away from us and an autograph line quickly formed. He signed between innings. Those in line knelt to avoid obstructing the view of others during the game. My son asked why people were kneeling. My wife smiled and told him you do that before royalty. I told my son that this was an autograph opportunity he should not miss. At that time he was painfully timid but with a bit of coaxing he stood in line by himself for two innings. When it was his turn to receive an autograph play resumed forcing him to kneel and wait. Ali looked over at him and motioned to him. My son approached Ali rather nervously. He told my son to sit next to him in a vacant seat. He then opened a bag and pulled out a large oatmeal cookie broke it in half and handed half to my son. He sat with Ali eating that cookie for a half inning. At the end of the inning Ali smiled at him and threw a quick jab his way. He then signed the autograph and thanked my son for sitting with him.

When we returned home my shy son shocked us with the announcement that he wanted to be a boxer. My wife and I cringed but he was persistent so we relented. He boxed for a few years and although he was an average boxer the sport changed him in a positive manner. He became assertive, disciplined, and extremely confident. He is in law school and has grown into a young man I am very proud of. I have to attribute some of that to boxing and his fifteen minutes with Ali.

WOW Ali sharing a cookie with your son and how it helped shape his life is one of the best autograph stories I have ever read. Thank you for sharing.

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by icollectDCsports

Frank Howard definitely the nicest former player I've ever met.

Oh my! Tried to get him one time after an A's game, he put his huge arm around me and said he had to get to the bus...got on the bus, must have found out they weren't leaving right away...then actually came back out off the bus and signed for everyone, but did mine first!

Huge man, huge heart.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by MooseDog

Oh my! Tried to get him one time after an A's game, he put his huge arm around me and said he had to get to the bus...got on the bus, must have found out they weren't leaving right away...then actually came back out off the bus and signed for everyone, but did mine first!

Huge man, huge heart.

Absolutely. There are countless stories about how generous he has been by spending time with fans. As has been stated about a couple of other players on this thread, autograph lines for Hondo move slowly because he enjoys taking his time talking with fans.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by egri

You should've been with me when I graphed the Declaration of Independence signing. Ben Franklin was surprisingly generous.

The Declaration of Independence is one thing, but good luck trying to get Ben to sign a kite unless you are a middle-aged woman who would appreciate Ben's technique. The guy thinks he's Willie Mays or something.

[egri]

I was at a PawSox game some years ago where Johnny Pesky and Frank Malzone were signing. They were only supposed to be there for an hour or so. If you haven't been to McCoy Stadium, they have a giant spiral ramp that is about 3-4 stories tall. The line wound around that entire thing and spilled out for some distance into the parking lot below. As my luck would have it, I was almost the last person in line, and everyone was fretting that Pesky and Malzone would be gone before we got through. I found out later from talking to one of the security guards that when Pesky was told how long the line was, he just smiled and said he didn't mind. Sure enough, three hours later, when I finally got up to the top, those two were still there smiling and joking with the fans. He was 88 at the time, and his hand must have hurt like the dickens after all that signing but he never let it show.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

The Declaration of Independence is one thing, but good luck trying to get Ben to sign a kite unless you are a middle-aged woman who would appreciate Ben's technique. The guy thinks he's Willie Mays or something.

I waited in line for 2 hours for him to sign my copy of Poor Richard's Almanac. He was a bit cranky and gratuitously added an inscription so raunchy I wouldn't post it on a family friendly forum. I won't post it here either.

[1963Topps Set]

The impact of meeting a hero is huge. Not just athletes, but entertainers as well.

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by egri

You should've been with me when I graphed the Declaration of Independence signing. Ben Franklin was surprisingly generous. On the downside, Charles Carroll insisted on adding 'of Carrolton' to everything and John Hancock always took up half the page.

HA!!!!!

[almostdone]

Since this has turned into a good guy thread I thought I would share a story I just heard from a work college the other day.

His name is Glen ans was born and raised in western Mass. for ten years before his father was transferred to South Carolina. He still remained a huge Red Sox fan and when he graduated from high school in the mid 80's his parents gave him a trip to Boston which included tickets to a three game series and hotel accomidations for the duration. His favorite player was Wade Boggs who was on a tear at the time.

While during his stay at the hotel he was hanging out in the lobby waiting for his friends to meet up with him. Glen didn't know this was the same hotel Boggs was staying at during the season. Boggs walked through the lobby and was talking to the front desk person when he noticed my friend starring at him. Boggs smiled and said hello. Glen was speechless and finally stammered "Do you know who you are?"

Boggs laughed and shook his hand and said it was nice to meet him. Glen quickly told him why he was there and couldn't believe he got to meet him. Boggs asked if he wanted an autograph. He said yes but couldn't find anything to have him sign. Boggs said to wait right there, retreated to his room and quickly returned with a 83 Topps rookie card. He signed it and gave it to him.


Boggs then asked if he wanted a picture taken with him to remember the day. He said yes so Boggs asked if the front desk person wouldn't mind snapping a photo with him and "my new friend Glen".

After hearing so many horror stories of people meeting thier heroes and having them turn the moment into regret I was happy to hear such a happy and lasting encounter.

Drew