What drives the hobby love for certain players? Ozzie Smith as an example...

[frankhardy]

Originally Posted by bk400

(For the record, I'm not trying to pick on Ozzie. He was my favorite player growing up. My dad took me to Shea Stadium when the Cardinals were in town one summer, and I leaned over the railing during warm-ups, and Mr. Smith signed a ball for me. Probably one of the most enduring of my baseball memories. I wonder if today's players realize how they can make or break a kid's day depending on whether they sign their autograph.)

That is so true. Also, the opposite is true I have found out. When baseball players sign autographs for fans and for kids especially, most kids just grab the item after it is signed and move on.

Our son is a 23-year-old mechanical engineer now and we are very proud of him. But when he was about 6 years old it was the first year at the new Busch Stadium. Scott Rolen was signing autographs and my son Andrew took his baseball down to the edge of the field where there were probably 30 kids waiting for autographs. Scott Rolen was signing autograph after autograph and moving on down the line almost mechanically just to be able to sign as many as he could as fast as he could.

When he got to Andrew, Andrew looked at him in the eyes and said "thank you" in a sweet little child's voice. I will never ever forget this. Scott Rolen stopped in his tracks and he looked like he was stunned. He looked at my son for a couple of seconds stopped and said, "Son you keep that up. That is very good manners." It was almost as if nobody ever told him a simple "thank you". I think that made an impression on Scott Rolen. When you watch his Hall of Fame speech, I'm not exactly sure what words he used but he talked much about integrity and character throughout his speech.

Wouldn't it have been very cool for him to have mentioned that? I doubt he remembers it but I guarantee you I'll never forget it.

[ALR-bishop]

Great story Shane

[bk400]

Heartwarming story indeed. The cynic in me wonders whether kids lining up for autographs nowadays are being paid by grown men dealing in memorabilia.

As an aside, I took my own kids to Shea before Covid, and they didn't let people with cheap seat tickets get close to the field, even during warm ups. It's just become a less innocent experience all around.

Finally, your story reminds me of a classmate who saw Marshawn Lynch at a store in San Francisco a few years back. My friend took his young son up to say hello. Lynch told them to "back the f**k off". I guess he's kind of the anti-Ozzie. Or maybe he was worried about having a gun pulled on him. Either way, times have changed -- in my ways, for the worse.

[JollyElm]

OP, we're begging you!!

Three easy steps:
1. Hit "Edit" in the original post
2. Hit "Go Advanced"
3. Correct the frickin' title of this thread by changing the "Why" to "What" (and perhaps add "the" before "hobby")!!!!!!!!

[ledsters]

Every thread needs a card….and I just happen to have an Ozzie 😎

IMG_5787.jpg

[bk400]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

OP, we're begging you!!

Three easy steps:
1. Hit "Edit" in the original post
2. Hit "Go Advanced"
3. Correct the frickin' title of this thread by changing the "Why" to "What" (and perhaps add "the" before "hobby")!!!!!!!!

Sorry about that -- done and done.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by bk400

Sorry about that -- done and done.

Thank God, now I can finally sleep at night!

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Thank God, now I can finally sleep at night!

:OCD:OCD:OCD

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Exhibitman]

The conviviality factor is definitely there. I was a big Willie Mays fan as a kid. He was at the end of his career with the Mets when i got to see him play in a game in person for the only time. I even assembled a complete run of his Topps cards. Then I 'met' him at a show. Not even a hello or an acknowledgment of my existence. Just a scrawl on a ball, rolled across the table to a handler. I was so disappointed, I dumped my Mays cards. I've since bought back several. Now, Willie is at the pinnacle of the game regardless of his being a shit, but for a middling HOFer, being a fan favorite is a definite plus in terms of hobby memory. I think that add something to value.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Gorditadogg

:OCD:OCD:OCD

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

Should have been

:OCD:ODC:O:CD

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by bk400

Heartwarming story indeed. The cynic in me wonders whether kids lining up for autographs nowadays are being paid by grown men dealing in memorabilia.

As an aside, I took my own kids to Shea before Covid, and they didn't let people with cheap seat tickets get close to the field, even during warm ups. It's just become a less innocent experience all around.

Finally, your story reminds me of a classmate who saw Marshawn Lynch at a store in San Francisco a few years back. My friend took his young son up to say hello. Lynch told them to "back the f**k off". I guess he's kind of the anti-Ozzie. Or maybe he was worried about having a gun pulled on him. Either way, times have changed -- in my ways, for the worse.

My reaction would have been "who is Marshawn Lynch?"

Ozzie was a pretty impressive player. 1980 Smith is another toughish centering card.

[brian1961]

Shane, I really loved your story. Thanks for sharing it, bro. I was taught to say "please", and "thank you". My wife and I passed these priceless kind of manners and gratitude on to our son. When he began his job as a courier for a huge hospital system, it wasn't long before his smiling, respectful personality shown through. I heard that one of his contacts on his rounds said my son "reinvents nice". Made my day.

I suspect your son made Scott Rolen's day, and perhaps vice versa. You certainly "remember it well", Shane.

Back to OP, a similar topic closely associated with love for certain players' cardboard may be attributed to the fact that they're a terrific autograph guest, and really try to schmooze with their "well-paying" fans. We just lost Brooks Robinson, God rest his soul. He was one of the finest, if not THE FINEST, autograph guest. I heard the late Bobby Hull was super terrific with his fans. How much that was reflected in Brooks or Bobby's trading cards, or memorabilia, it is perhaps impossible to say. Still, those former athletes were welcomed back to the autograph table again, and again, and again.

Back to the story, Shane, that was a beaute. Thanks again, sir.

--- Brian Powell