Show your most sentimental item

[MacDice]

For me it was going through a bucket of bp balls that my dad used to throw to me and finding a ball he for some reason signed. It was faded but I was able to trace over it to make it stand out. As he currently lays in a hospital bed waiting to die it is my most sentimental item

[frankbmd]

Previously told, but too lazy to find it, is my sentimental journey.

In 1957, as a nine year old overweight kid who could hit but not run, my passion for baseball was enhanced by going to an elementary school about a half a mile from Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Florida where the Phillies played their spring training games. After school I would ride my bicycle to the games armed with only a cheap ball point pen and this



After the fourth inning, admission to the games was free. This was not a problem though, because it was usually the fifth inning by the time I arrived. I soon learned that the visiting teams dressing room was under the stands on the third base side and that the team bus was parked close to the gate where the players left after the game. Soliciting autographs between the gate and the bus (less than 50 feet) became the post game norm.

When the Yankees came to town, they brought a B team without Mantle that day, but I was able to get this one



However the day the Dodgers came from Vero provides the reason for this post. They brought their A team with all the big guns. My anticipation of the post game autograph hunt reached a fever pitch as the game progressed. Even the Dodger bus was special in 1957.

After the game I assumed my post at the gate where they would exit to the bus. I was sincerely crestfallen when every single Dodger turned me down. Not a single Dodger autograph in my book. I was more despondent than the kid in the old Mean Joe Greene Coca Cola commercial that wouldn't be made for nearly twenty years.

I just stood there by the bus in disbelief. The bus didn't leave. Then a window opened and I heard "Kid, let me see your book". To this day I don't know who it was, but I reluctantly handed my treasured book and pen up to the window and waited. The window closed.

It seemed like an eternity and I soon became convinced that the bus would pull out and leave with my book. The door to the bus was closed as well, but still the bus didn't move. I was about to leave and accept my loss when the same window opened again and my autograph book was returned.

I thumbed through it quickly and learned that about 20 of those smug bastards, who previously turned me down in person moments before, had now signed the book. Even Joe Pignatano had signed



Now fast forward forty plus years, long after I realized that my dear mother had admitted to disposing of all my baseball cards from the fifties, I was visiting my parents in their condo near Clearwater. They had a storage unit next to where their car was parked. One day I asked them what was in it. They didn't know. I asked for the key hoping to find a gem mint Mantle RC.

I opened the door and the stench was sickening. Boxes that had been packed for decades were stacked. I went through them all and alas not a single baseball card was found, but my eyes lit up when I found my old friend



I thumbed through the pages, largely intact, until I came to a section where the Dodgers had signed, Duke Snider, Carl Furillo, Clem Labine, Don Newcombe and Roger Craig, all there present and accounted for.

And then I turned one more page and saw this



As an adult I had never been an autograph guy, but recognizing Walter Alston was not difficult. The other one I didn't recognize immediately, but I soon learned it was very special. Remember, this was the spring of 1957, months before an accident that would render this autograph impossible to obtain. I had been reunited with my buddy, Roy Campanella, nearly fifty years after that bus window opened.

[SAllen2556]

Wow. What great stories.

I was 11 in 1977 when my dad got to go to a Tiger party and came home with a bunch of autographs. Even at 11 I just thought it was a really cool thing for the manager (Ralph Houk) of the Tigers to write to a kid even though I knew I was probably not a "future Tiger". Plus, there's just something really sentimental about your dad getting you an autograph isn't there?

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[GoCubsGo32]

Some very cool stories on here!

Mine goes back to 2011:

My girlfriend got me tickets to see Paul McCartney for his Cincinnati show.I had a postcard already signed by Ringo Starr himself and when I realize my birthday gift...I knew I had to try to get Sir Paul McCartney autograph on it as well. I didn't have my hopes up since I knew the chances were very small...

We got to the ballpark early because, I had never seen Cincinnati and wanted to spend some time around the city before the show.We went to the ballpark early to say hi to a friend and as we were leaving to walk downtown. We saw Paul's SUV drive by and go into a parking garage.
*Me pointing at Paul's arrival!*


Then the stadium garage door was down about 80%....



and all of a sudden the garage door reopens up and BOOM!


*My big head*



Paul McCartney comes out to signed for me and my girlfriend!! There was less than 10 other people around besides me and my girlfriend.Those other people just so happen to be walking the street at the right time.His guard said,"You are lucky..he's ahead of schedule." Paul came up to me saw my hand was shaking with the postcard.Look at me and said,"You are shakin' my dear boy!"(I was sooo anxious and nervous!) .He wanted to make the autograph nice and I didn't have anything hard to sign the postcard against...sooo Paul grabbed my hand, to make sure it was underneath the postcard to make it easier to sign...which he took his time to give me his best signature! I told him how much I appreciated him and how he influence my life.He look at me and said,"No problem man!" smile and gave me a wink. I was soooo excited and in disbielf...I was shaking for about 20 mins after I met him.





He came out only to sign for me and my gf..then quickly went back into the ballpark garage and closed the door...as the mob of people were coming.

I still can't believe the timing of everything and how it just seemed meant to be... I'll never forget the day that my I met my idol and how nice he was to me.

(a quick pic...still need to take a better pic)

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by GoCubsGo32

Some very cool stories on here!

Mine goes back to 2011:

My girlfriend got me tickets to see Paul McCartney for his Cincinnati show.I had a postcard already signed by Ringo Starr himself and when I realize my birthday gift...I knew I had to try to get Sir Paul McCartney autograph on it as well. I didn't have my hopes up since I knew the chances were very small...

We got to the ballpark early because, I had never seen Cincinnati and wanted to spend some time around the city before the show.We went to the ballpark early to say hi to a friend and as we were leaving to walk downtown. We saw Paul's SUV drive by and go into a parking garage.
*Me pointing at Paul's arrival!*


Then the stadium garage door was down about 80%....



and all of a sudden the garage door reopens up and BOOM!


*My big head*



Paul McCartney comes out to signed for me and my girlfriend!! There was less than 10 other people around besides me and my girlfriend.Those other people just so happen to be walking the street at the right time.His guard said,"You are lucky..he's ahead of schedule." Paul came up to me saw my hand was shaking with the postcard.Look at me and said,"You are shakin' my dear boy!"(I was sooo anxious and nervous!) .He wanted to make the autograph nice and I didn't have anything hard to sign the postcard against...sooo Paul grabbed my hand, to make sure it was underneath the postcard to make it easier to sign...which he took his time to give me his best signature! I told him how much I appreciated him and how he influence my life.He look at me and said,"No problem man!" smile and gave me a wink. I was soooo excited and in disbielf...I was shaking for about 20 mins after I met him.





He came out only to sign for me and my gf..then quickly went back into the ballpark garage and closed the door...as the mob of people were coming.

I still can't believe the timing of everything and how it just seemed meant to be... I'll never forget the day that my I met my idol and how nice he was to me.

(a quick pic...still need to take a better pic)

One heckuva memory, Gary.

[tazdmb]

Gary wins this thread.

[T20Brew]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

Gary wins this thread.

Agreed. Gary wins.
So awesome.

[doug.goodman]

Here is mine:

[mcgwirecom]

Originally Posted by MacDice

For me it was going through a bucket of bp balls that my dad used to throw to me and finding a ball he for some reason signed. It was faded but I was able to trace over it to make it stand out. As he currently lays in a hospital bed waiting to die it is my most sentimental item

Thats a good one! I actually had the forsight to get my dad to sign a baseball a few years before he died. He was a very good high school player leading the league in batting. After he died I signed it and gave it to my nephew who is the only male heir in the family.