Best & Worst Experience Meeting An Athlete

[Tony Gordon]

Best experience was in summer of 1981, I was 14 years-old, when the Boston Red Sox were here in Chicago to play the White Sox. I walked into the Ron of Japan steakhouse with my family in Downtown Chicago. The host immediately handed me a blank postcard, pointed at a table, said the guys there were baseball players and told me to get their autographs on the postcard. I immediately recognized Carl Yastrzemski. I walked over to Yaz and asked him to sign the postcard. He couldn't have been more gracious. He signed the postcard then handed it over to Dwight Evans, Frank Tanana and Chuck Rainey, who all signed as well.

My worst experience was in the summer of 1983 when the All-Star game was at Comiskey Park. My dad somehow got us tickets to the players' dinner on the night before the game at a hotel in Downtown Chicago. Prior to the dinner, the players were scattered all over the hotel. I walked around and got quite a few autographs. I found a group of players having a conversation with Rod Carew in an empty banquet hall. I had been a huge fan of Carew and checked his stats daily in the Sports Section of the Chicago Tribune. I walked up to the group and had each guy sign a single baseball, except for Carew. I stood next to him for what seemed like forever, probably five or ten minutes. I thought he would take the ball from my hand like the other guys. Instead, he ignored me. I finally said, "Excuse me, Mr. Carew, can you sign my baseball?" He exploded at me, shouting, "Can't you see that I'm talking!" I said I was sorry and walked away, no longer a fan of Rod Carew.

[luciobar1980]

I only have a best. David Wright. Around 2011 I was sitting eating my lunch on a stoop in Manhattan and what do I know, here comes David Wright walking down the sidewalk. I am a Mets fan and a David Wright fan so this was particularly surreal. He saw me coming and he could just tell I was about to get up and say something to him and he just kinda got a good-natured but embarrassed look on his face. Walked up, told him I was a fan, shook his hand, and he was all teeth. Seems like a great guy.

[mr2686]

For the most part, baseball players I have met have at least been cordial, but a few have gone above and beyond to either be really nice, or a complete ass.
Let me preface the list with the fact that I am always polite, always say please and thank you to them, and never ask questions of them unless they engage me first.

Beyond Great: Brooks Robinson, Gary Carter, Carlton Fisk, Sparky Anderson, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray
Brooks was the nicest for many years until I met Carter and Fisk. Both players talked to me for like 10 minutes and were genuinely "baseball fans" not just players.

Funny: Warren Spahn, Tony Gwynn.
Tony was pretty reserved and gave a WTF look when my wife went total fan girl on him, but after I explained she was a San Diego State Alum, he started laughing and loosend up.
A show promoter tried to rush Spahn along because he was taking too long talking to one of the kids. Spahn told him "go to hell, I'm teaching this kid how to pitch". Still makes me laugh thinking about that.

Bad: Hank Aaron, Dave Winfield - Just kinda unfriendly in general.

Total Dicks: This category is reserved for Pete Rose and Willie Mays
This was not a situation (for either player) that they were having a bad day or are just reserved around strangers. I've met them at multiple shows each, and each time they were the biggest dicks you'd ever want to meet. If it wasn't for the fact that I needed certain things signed, I would never have put myself through the experience. A collector friend went with me for his first meeting of Mays. My friend was very polite but came away with the same opinion of him. Oh well.

[Exhibitman]

Can't do a thread like this w/o mentioning boxers. Some of the absolute friendliest, nicest down to earth guys you will ever hope to meet. I've been to a few HOF related events and some other times too, so I've met quite a few. Some highlights:

--Ali: always good stories about the GOAT. I met him before his diagnosis but it was clear he wasn't well. He didn't say much but he stayed at a show for hours beyond his scheduled appearance to make sure everyone got a signature. Really impressed me; only other athlete of his stature I've ever heard of doing that was Babe Ruth.

--Emile Griffith: Multi-division champ and HOFer. I met him several times at various events. A really nice man. Towards the end he was at a point where he enjoyed meeting fans but really had very little recollection of his career or much else. 339 championship rounds--the most in history--will do that to you, I guess.

--Gaspar Ortega: a great 1960s battler from L.A. I asked him to sign a striking pad for me. He did so, then pulled out his own photo and signed it to me.

--Carlos Ortiz: another HOFer. Absolutely cracked me up. I saw him signing for people at a HOF show and said "I have a card of you but I didn't bring it." He put his hand on my shoulder and said "Face it my friend: you f***ed up." Then signed my glove.

--Jeff Chandler: another HOFer, Joltin' Jeff came to my table at a HOF show. We had a nice conversation and he signed a card for me. Actually thanked me for remembering who he was afterwards. This is a multi-division champion and HOFer who thought people might not remember him.

--Terry Norris: Terrible Terry was a 4 time champ and HOFer. I see him around town--he has a gym near my office. Not only is he nice to fans, he is nice to clerks and so on. I was behind him at the grocery store and the clerk had no idea who he was; she was really surprised when I told her because she said he is always so nice.

--Ken Norton: I met him once at a HOF show. The show itself was pretty much over and he was coming in for the banquet afterwards but he took the time to come into the show and greet and sign for all of the people who were still there.

[drcy]

Not a famous person-- I don't recall meeting anyone famous--, but have a worthy related story.

I've for a good number of years volunteered and house managed plays at a neighborhood non-profit playhouse/art gallery, and there is this maybe 70 year old lady who's always at the functions and ALWAYS donates money, buys stuff and otherwise supports the place. Has always been the nicest, most down to earth person who is friendly and humble with everyone there, whether you're the executive director or a volunteer usher. I've always known her by name (everyone there does), and I finally decided I'd google her to see what she did and so to determine how she could afford to always donate money. Turned out she is a member of the 38th richest family in the country. Her family founded and still privately owns the Fortune 500 truck manufacturer, Paccar.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by drcy

Not a famous person-- I don't recall meeting anyone famous--, but have a worthy related story.

I've for a good number of years volunteered and house managed plays at a neighborhood non-profit playhouse/art gallery, and there is this maybe 70 year old lady who's always at the functions and ALWAYS donates money, buys stuff and otherwise supports the place. Has always been the nicest, most down to earth person who is friendly and humble with everyone there, whether you're the executive director or a volunteer usher. I've always known her by name (everyone there does), and I finally decided I'd google her to see what she did and so to determine how she could afford to always donate money. Turned out she is a member of the 38th richest family in the country. Her family founded and still privately owns the Fortune 500 truck manufacturer, Paccar.

That's cool. Sounds like she's living a good life.

And I'll have you all know I'm a member of the 38th richest family in my subdivision.

[howard38]

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[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Can't do a thread like this w/o mentioning boxers. Some of the absolute friendliest, nicest down to earth guys you will ever hope to meet. I've been to a few HOF related events and some other times too, so I've met quite a few. Some highlights:

--Ali: always good stories about the GOAT. I met him before his diagnosis but it was clear he wasn't well. He didn't say much but he stayed at a show for hours beyond his scheduled appearance to make sure everyone got a signature. Really impressed me; only other athlete of his stature I've ever heard of doing that was Babe Ruth.

While perhaps not as big a name overall as Ali and Ruth, Richard Petty was known for decades for how willing he was to sign. Racers on the whole are much like boxers for how down to earth and fan friendly they are, but so much of Petty's reputation was that he wasn't just the best driver; he was also amazing when it came to signing autographs for hours and hours.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Can't do a thread like this w/o mentioning boxers. Some of the absolute friendliest, nicest down to earth guys you will ever hope to meet. I've been to a few HOF related events and some other times too, so I've met quite a few. Some highlights:

--Jeff Chandler: another HOFer, Joltin' Jeff came to my table at a HOF show. We had a nice conversation and he signed a card for me. Actually thanked me for remembering who he was afterwards. This is a multi-division champion and HOFer who thought people might not remember him.

Adam, one of the best books I have read in recent years was Tris Dixon's amazing book "The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing's Wastelands." The premise of the book is that Dixon spent several months criss-crossing the country on Greyhound buses and staying in bus terminals/fleabag motels in search of as many forgotten boxing champions or cult heroes as he could find. The premise is pretty much "Glory of Their Times" for boxers instead of baseball players.

https://www.amazon.com/Road-Nowhere-.../dp/190962652X

Dixon tracked down over 40 former boxers, many of whom have since passed away. He saw lots of really sad sights; boxers who now suffered from dementia and had nothing left to show for their careers. He phoned Jake LaMotta and told LaMotta that he wanted to talk about his career. When LaMotta asked how much he was going to pay, Dixon stated nothing. The phone line then went dead.

Iran Barkley shook down Dixon for $10 after a photo was taken. But Dixon was not upset, since it clearly appeared that Barkley could use the $10. Dixon bought a $20 t-shirt for Matthew Saad Muhammad, only to have Muhammad literally sell the shirt off his back for $15 because "you can't eat a t-shirt."

Some of the boxers were moved to tears that anyone even remembered their career or wanted to talked about it. Jeff Chandler could not believe a white guy walked though one of North Philadelphia's most violent ghettos and knocked on his door to talk about his boxing career.

Dixon found a listing for a "Dwight Qawi" in the Camden, N.J., phone book and called the number. Qawi answered the phone and said he would be "right there" when Dixon told him he wanted to talk about his boxing career. Qawi then became agitated when Dixon asked too many questions and snapped "We ain't doing my life story."

Dixon called former light-heavyweight champion Harold Johnson to set up a meeting. Johnson said on the phone that he would be thrilled to talk about his career, then forgot he had ever talked to Dixon in the 45-minute span it took Dixon to arrive at Johnson's apartment. Dixon stayed in contact with Johnson several times after that initial meeting, and the boxer never remembered any of the prior conversations. Dixon would then tell Johnson that he was just a fan who wanted to know how one of his favorite boxers was doing these days.

[Exhibitman]

Read it some time ago. It was as you reported. Try "In This Corner" by Peter Heller. The real boxing analog to The Glory of Their Times because he interviews guys who were fighting in the teens through the 1970s

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Read it some time ago. It was as you reported. Try "In This Corner" by Peter Heller. The real boxing analog to The Glory of Their Times because he interviews guys who were fighting in the teens through the 1970s

I am familiar with the "in This Corner...," book, but have not pulled the trigger on buying it.

[Pat R]

I've been to a lot of nascar races but I'm not an autograph person
especially when it requires waiting in a long line.

It was 2001 at Dover Delaware the first nascar race after 9/11
my wife and I were walking through the area where all the souvenir
trailers are and Rusty Wallace was signing autographs at his so I stopped
to take a couple of pictures.

There was a long line and some how he found out that a woman in the
back of the line was the wife of a New York City firefighter so he had
someone go get her and bring her into the trailer. He gave her a hug and
thanked her and if I remember correctly I think he signed a few things
from the trailer that he gave her besides whatever she brought to get
signed.

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