Who are the tougher living Baseball HOFers?

[Wrightfan85]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Any updates to this thread?

Piazza is high on top of the list for sure. He splits time between the US and Italy now. He does 1 signing per year tops now it seems.

I do not want to publicly reveal how much I paid for my Mike HOF plaque lol. Did not expect it to go as high as it did.

[mrmopar]

Sometimes it's both the joy and sorrow of getting specific items signed. If you have to have that certain rookie card, a framed multiplayer print or a HOF plaque signed to name a few of many possibilities, then you need to be prepared to hunt one down or get it signed yourself.

Using Piazza as an example, I won't claim to know the market on his autograph too well, but his first pack issued autograph that I am aware of (96 SPX Commemorative) can usually be found for $100 or less. I have seen at least a pair or more newer pack issued autographs sell for maybe half that.

[Wrightfan85]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

Sometimes it's both the joy and sorrow of getting specific items signed. If you have to have that certain rookie card, a framed multiplayer print or a HOF plaque signed to name a few of many possibilities, then you need to be prepared to hunt one down or get it signed yourself.

Using Piazza as an example, I won't claim to know the market on his autograph too well, but his first pack issued autograph that I am aware of (96 SPX Commemorative) can usually be found for $100 or less. I have seen at least a pair or more newer pack issued autographs sell for maybe half that.

Totally agree. The item really makes a difference.

[sreader3]

FWIW, here is a non-exhaustive list of living HOF guys who haven’t signed much (if at all) through the mail in the last five years:

Aaron
Alomar
Aparicio
Bagwell
Biggio
Brett
Brock
Carew
Eckersley (very spotty)
Gibson
Glavine
Griffey Jr.
Guerrero
Henderson
Hoffman
Jackson
Jeter
Johnson
Jones
Koufax
Larkin
Maddux
E. Martinez
P. Martinez
Mazeroski (only signs for Pittsburgh locals)
Mays
Morgan
Morris
Murray
Perez
Piazza
Raines
Ripken
Rivera
Schmidt
Seaver
Simmons
O. Smith
Smoltz
Sutter
Thomas
Thome
Trammell
Winfield (very spotty)
Yaztrzemski
Yount

Many other guys will sign TTM (or through their websites) for set fees.

[dgo71]

Tough is a relative term. I always think of "tough" meaning the player isn't a fan of signing autographs (i.e., Mays, Griffey Jr.). But it could also mean the accessibility to that player is extremely limited or non-existent, even if they aren't necessarily bad signers (Piazza, Jeter). Mays and Tom Seaver both have medical issues that basically make them impossible to get now, although neither player can be considered rare by any stretch. Tough could also mean that the price for the player to sign is so astronomical that it would dissuade most casual fans from obtaining the signature at a signing (Koufax, Aaron).

I don't really consider any living HOFer "tough" per se, considering even the grumpiest signers are readily available on the secondary market. A guy like Mays who has not been able (or willing) to sign in recent years might be considered truly tough on a later issue card, for example, a 2019 Allen & Ginter, so the specific item could carry a premium as was previously discussed.

In terms of guys I've encountered who are just plain not friendly, my list would be, in no particular order:

Ken Griffey Jr. (though it seems he may be mellowing a bit in recent years)
Willie Mays
George Brett
Rickey Henderson
Eddie Murray
Ted Simmons
Reggie Jackson
Randy Johnson

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by dgo71

Tough is a relative term. I always think of "tough" meaning the player isn't a fan of signing autographs (i.e., Mays, Griffey Jr.). But it could also mean the accessibility to that player is extremely limited or non-existent, even if they aren't necessarily bad signers (Piazza, Jeter). Mays and Tom Seaver both have medical issues that basically make them impossible to get now, although neither player can be considered rare by any stretch. Tough could also mean that the price for the player to sign is so astronomical that it would dissuade most casual fans from obtaining the signature at a signing (Koufax, Aaron).

I don't really consider any living HOFer "tough" per se, considering even the grumpiest signers are readily available on the secondary market. A guy like Mays who has not been able (or willing) to sign in recent years might be considered truly tough on a later issue card, for example, a 2019 Allen & Ginter, so the specific item could carry a premium as was previously discussed.

In terms of guys I've encountered who are just plain not friendly, my list would be, in no particular order:

Ken Griffey Jr. (though it seems he may be mellowing a bit in recent years)
Willie Mays
George Brett
Rickey Henderson
Eddie Murray
Ted Simmons
Reggie Jackson
Randy Johnson

Hi Derek,
Although admittedly it has been a while since I chased any of these guys for an autograph, I recall:

Eddie Murray & Rickey Henderson never signing for me in public, but both were somewhat cordial. Eddie would always thank me for asking even when he didn't sign. But, Murray singled me out and gave me his wristband after a game in Anaheim on Fathers Day when he played for the Angels at the end of his career. I think that was his way of paying me back for the effort of trying to get his sig several times during that season.

In person, I recall that Steady Eddie had a spirited, fun conversation with me about Nolan Ryan being a "Wolf in sheep's clothing" when he spotted a copy of Nolan's autobiography "Miracle Man" at a paid signing after Murray got his 3,000th hit.

While Randy Johnson was terrible to chase for an autograph during his playing era, I found him to be surprisingly thoughtful and engaging at a MAB paid signing in NJ about 8 years ago.

Although Reggie has been given the label of a terrible signer, I was successful at getting his sig several times while he was a member of the Angels in the 1980's and I also got him at the airport in Dallas in the 1990's. The key with him, as I recall it was to approach him with the right attitude. Although he can be cranky, I have seen him also be very approachable at times, FWIW.

[tazdmb]

Not-signing through the mail does not equal tough. Many of the guys you listed will gladly sign for free if you meet them in person. Trammel is a constant around Detroit baseball and I have never read a story of him turning someone down. I was at a (paid) dinner in St. Louis shortly after Ted Simmon's election and he was signing for everyone-granted, he wasn't the friendliest. Other's, like Biggio and Bagwell, are regular on the show circuits. Even Jeter has become become more friendly IP since taking over the Marlins.

IMHO, the only ones that are currently "tough" to add onto a piece now are Koufax, Aaron, Mays and Seaver.

Everyone else may be expensive and/or rude, but not tough.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Hi Derek,
Although admittedly it has been a while since I chased any of these guys for an autograph, I recall:

Eddie Murray & Rickey Henderson never signing for me in public, but both were somewhat cordial. Eddie would always thank me for asking even when he didn't sign. But, Murray singled me out and gave me his wristband after a game in Anaheim on Fathers Day when he played for the Angels at the end of his career. I think that was his way of paying me back for the effort of trying to get his sig several times during that season.

In person, I recall that Steady Eddie had a spirited, fun conversation with me about Nolan Ryan being a "Wolf in sheep's clothing" when he spotted a copy of Nolan's autobiography "Miracle Man" at a paid signing after Murray got his 3,000th hit.

While Randy Johnson was terrible to chase for an autograph during his playing era, I found him to be surprisingly thoughtful and engaging at a MAB paid signing in NJ about 8 years ago.

Although Reggie has been given the label of a terrible signer, I was successful at getting his sig several times while he was a member of the Angels in the 1980's and I also got him at the airport in Dallas in the 1990's. The key with him, as I recall it was to approach him with the right attitude. Although he can be cranky, I have seen him also be very approachable at times, FWIW.

I actually had decent luck with Eddie in the days of Memorial Stadium in the late 80s, but he had gotten much tougher after his retirement. As a coach with Cleveland and Baltimore I witnessed him deny every time he was asked, and even made a racist remark to one collector. I haven't seen him since he stopped coaching so maybe an in person encounter would be different these days. That said, he does a fair amount of signings/shows so he's gettable these days for those who don't mind paying the fee.

To your point, Reggie was not terribly difficult to get an autograph from, if you were willing to listen to him complain and drop more F-Bombs than a Richard Pryor stand-up set. As young teens, my buddy and I used to laugh after the fact at the tirades Reggie would go on while signing autographs. We always felt like he'd be happier if he just walked right by us, but maybe he enjoyed the chance to call us all "motherf*****."

My favorite Rickey Henderson story was a non-success in terms of autographs but man did he engage the crowd. It was a spring training game in St. Lucie when he was with the Mets. Rickey came out into the crowd that had gathered along the fence adjacent from the baseline and just started mingling with everybody. He told people he wouldn't sign anything, but was happy to chat and take pictures. He sat out there for 2 or 3 innings interacting with the fans. The thing I remember most, because it cracked me up, was a guy up in the bleachers yelling out "Hey Rickey!" Rickey replied with "Hey!" and the guy says "You're going into the HOF!" Without missing a beat Rickey responded "I know!"