When the heck is Barry Bonds doing a signing?

[egri]

I used to be a member of another collecting forum, and there were a couple members over the years who had tried to set up signings with Willie Mays. After these members would pay deposits and spend months jumping through all kinds of hoops, Mays’s handlers would just stop returning calls. This was more recently than the 1980s/90s (within the past 10-12 years IIRC).

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by egri

I used to be a member of another collecting forum, and there were a couple members over the years who had tried to set up signings with Willie Mays. After these members would pay deposits and spend months jumping through all kinds of hoops, Mays’s handlers would just stop returning calls. This was more recently than the 1980s/90s (within the past 10-12 years IIRC).

I wish I had all those 1952s I had been saving for those "signings" I think I had 5 or 6 I just dumped when they didnt come through! That was a terrible tease.

[theshleps]

Willie used to sign for $100 TTM. I was collecting the 1964 Topps Giants set and send him $100. He signed the back

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by theshleps

Willie used to sign for $100 TTM. I was collecting the 1964 Topps Giants set and send him $100. He signed the back

What a prick

[Topps206]

I don't get why some people are the way they are, really. It's one thing if somebody is rude or impolite or entitled in asking for a signature, but if people are kindly and politely asking, I don't see why some go out of their way to be nasty if they don't oblige.

Furthermore, if it's an official, organized paid signing, I don't see why an athlete shouldn't oblige where somebody wants to have their particular item signed. I last saw Mays do a show (at least the venue I frequented) almost 10 years ago, and he was $289 for his cheapest price. Why not take the time out of your day to be nice to others?

After all, we are people, and being kind to one another shouldn't take much or be too much to ask.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Topps206

I don't get why some people are the way they are, really. It's one thing if somebody is rude or impolite or entitled in asking for a signature, but if people are kindly and politely asking, I don't see why some go out of their way to be nasty if they don't oblige.

Furthermore, if it's an official, organized paid signing, I don't see why an athlete shouldn't oblige where somebody wants to have their particular item signed. I last saw Mays do a show (at least the venue I frequented) almost 10 years ago, and he was $289 for his cheapest price. Why not take the time out of your day to be nice to others?

After all, we are people, and being kind to one another shouldn't take much or be too much to ask.

From what I've heard, Mays is bitter about Mickey Mantle being more popular than him, and about today's athletes making several times what he did.

[bjerome]

There have been several instances where Barry Bonds has showed some good will to the fans since the end of his playing days. During his one year stint as hitting coach for the Marlins there was a mob of about 40 people outside the team hotel in Minneapolis seeking to get his autograph. On the travel day, Barry stopped and signed for pretty much every one of us. He wasn't picking or choosing items. I got a gorgeous sweet spot that day on an ROMLB. Another instance of Bonds showing the fans some good will was at GiantsFest in 2017. Bonds had not been invited to attend 2017 GiantsFest and decided to crash the party. While the fans were waiting outside for the gates to open, Bonds rides up on his bicycle and just impromptu begins signing autographs. Barry has mellowed to an extent in his retirement. When he signed for us in Minnesota he even laughed and joked a bit. I even shook a bit after landing that signature.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by egri

From what I've heard, Mays is bitter about Mickey Mantle being more popular than him, and about today's athletes making several times what he did.

Okay, and how is the second one the fault of the fans? It has nothing to with them. As far as Mantle goes, he played for the Yankees, and on a dynasty, too.

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by egri

From what I've heard, Mays is bitter about Mickey Mantle being more popular than him, and about today's athletes making several times what he did.

The first part may be true but certainly isn't the case for those of us in the Bay Area, the majority of us would take Willie over Mickey in a heartbeat.

As to the 2nd part Mays has had many lucrative endorsement deals since he retired and has long lived in an exclusive community here in the Bay Area and by that I mean exclusive even by Silicon Valley standards (there is literally a wall around the whole of he city limits).

Any perceived bitterness is likely rooted in something much deeper I doubt any of us are equipped to understand.