Brush with HOF fame...

[jb217676]

Wow! My Barkley story is the opposite of the Bench story. Sir Charles posed with us for pictures and signed autographs (including my jersey) for anyone who asked. I was still working at the same golf course the following year when Barkley made another appearance and was able to get him to sign my picture.

[scooter729]

Yeah, that Bench incident was surreal when it happened. I've heard from others since then that Bench is notorious for this sort of behavior; had I known that, I would never had tried to get the bat signed.

Tons of other HOFers have been total class acts and happy to sign for free, such as Bobby Doerr (who still signs for free through the mail at age 92!), George Kell, Brooks Robinson, Warren Spahn, Luke Appling, etc. whom I used to be able to obtain when they played in old-timers games at Fenway.

I miss that the Red Sox don't do old-timers games any more; they used to be a great way to see older players. Do other teams still do these, or is it a thing of the past?

[AndyG09]

I cannot believe Bench would suck that bad. I loved the "Baseball Bunch" when I was a kid. Bernie Carbo was my barber when I was young. He wasn't a Hall of Famer on the field, but he sure was to me when I was young. I don't remember much about the haircuts, but he was about as gracious a person a kid could meet. He would let me swing his WS black bats and he always had a cold one for my dad when we came in. Once he said in the mid 80's, "Bring me in a couple of baseballs and I will get you Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr." He was going to Florida to do the fantasy camps with the Sox. When he got back into town he apologized for not getting me Bobby Doerr. He got me two from Teddy Ballgame instead!

[53Browns]

Yeah, I've heard enough stories about Bench to totally believe he is a class A jerk! I've never met him and have no desire to.

[barrysloate]

It's always seemed strange to me how these signing sessions sometimes pan out.

In almost every business, be it a retail or service one, the proprietor has an obligation to be courteous to his customers. You can't run a store, or wait tables, and be cursing at or insulting your customers. If you do they will not only never come back, but will tell their friends about it, too.

But in the sports memorabilia signing world, if a nasty ballplayer chooses to be rude to all the paying customers, and many of them do, the lines still keep stretching out the door and the ballplayer will always be invited back. Why is that?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

But in the sports memorabilia signing world, if a nasty ballplayer chooses to be rude to all the paying customers, and many of them do, the lines still keep stretching out the door and the ballplayer will always be invited back. Why is that?

Because we are collectors - if you are collecting HOFers, you need Bench in your collection. We don't treat restaurants the same way - I'm not aware of anyone attempting to go to every restaurant in NY and eat every item on the menu at each one. Sounds like a bad documentary.

[alanu]

I hope Bench is reporting his income to the IRS.

[leaflover]

It was 1946 when my Dad introduced me to Casey Stengal and Babe Herman. I especially remember, and will never forget, Herman because his hand was as big as my first basemans glove.
My Dad was in the moving business and he got the contract to move the Oakland Oaks equipment from Oakland to the City of San Fernando for spring training.

[Exhibitman]

Where did they train in San Fernando?

[David Atkatz]

That's Mickey Mantle, putting on his jacket after leaving his car. He's in the player's parking lot, across the street from the Stadium. That door just visible over Mickey's right shoulder is the player's entrance to the Stadium. Notice the iron pipe railings to the right of the door.

OK, let's set the scene. It's late August, 1968, and the Yankees are playing a day game. It's a hot, humid, summer-in-the-city weekday, and my friend Howie and I are bored to tears. So, we decide to walk to the Stadium, about a mile away, wait for the game to end, and get some autographs--you could do that in those days. Mantle had been playing first base, but was pulled in the third to save his legs. We're walking to the Stadium, listening to the game on our transistor radios, when Steve Whitaker--remember him?--homers. I've got a brand-new, snow-white American League baseball with me, and I tell Howie that if I see Whitaker after the game, I'm gonna tell him it's his home run, and have him sign it. (I didn't know back then that game balls are "rubbed up," and are no longer white.)

We get to the Stadium. It's the seventh inning, and absolutely nobody is around the player's entrance. So, I sit down on the iron-pipe railing to the right of the door, my back to the Stadium, facing across 157th Street and the player's lot. Howie takes the same position on the railing to the left of the door. After a few minutes, a guy leaves the Stadium, through the player's door. As he passes me, I can only see him from behind. He's big, blond, wearing a red polo shirt, and the back of his neck is a mile wide. Holy shit--it's Mickey Mantle! By the time I realize who it is, he's across the street, and just entering the parking lot through that door in the chain-link fence you can see above.

I run after him, waving my baseball and pen, screaming "Mickey, Mickey, please--I'll never have this chance again! Please, Mickey,..."

He slams the door in my face, and walks to his car. I run down 157th Street, to the gate where the cars exit and enter, and I'm standing there as he drives out. He stops his car, rolls down his window, takes the ball and pen, and places a beautiful signature on the sweet spot.

I still have that ball, and always will.

[Kawika]

Great story, David. No price you could ever put on that signed ball.
I used to wait at that very same clubhouse door after every game I attended back in the fifties with my game scorecard to get as many Yankee and visiting team autographs as I could. The Yanks would walk to the curb to be whisked away in a cab or by their wives and we kids would mob them in the thirty seconds or a minute we had. The visiting ALers would generally go off in a bus. When Mantle exited the clubhouse a small brigade of NYPD would form out of nowhere into a modified flying wedge, a cab would materialize at the curb and he would vanish in seconds amidst the kids squealing "Mickey, Mickey". Had all the Yankees but never got Mantle's sig. Wish I could go back to 1957 for a day with a digital camera. Great memories.

[Jerry G]

Cool story, David. The photo really adds a lot and puts the jealous reader right there at the "scene of the crime."

[leaflover]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Where did they train in San Fernando?

Exhibitman, The ballfield was located as I recall near Jessie and1st street. It was a cobblestone structure with a covered grandstand.

[Exhibitman]

There's a public park there now. I'll have to drive by next time I go to court in San Fernando and see if anything is left...

[mr2686]

One other story, although more of a witnessed story than direct contact, was at a show with Warren Spahn. He had a real long line to get his autograph and it was barely moving. A lot of people were grumbling etc, and once I got about 10 people from him I could see what was going on. He was taking his time and talking to everyone, especially the kids. This one kid was asking him how to properly throw a curve ball, so Warren grabs a ball and starts showing him. Just then, an employee of the show comes over and I could hear him say...Mr. Spahn, the promoter wants me to tell you that we have to hurry up the line a bit. Warren looks over at him and with a booming voice says..."You tell that promoter to go to hell...I'm teaching this kid how to pitch". Everyone in the line was busting up and from then on there was no grumbling...and I have a great memory that will last forever.

[Cooptown]

Sorry to resurrect this post from the dead, but a couple of stories I thought I could share.

In the early 90s, I was a real autograph "hound" in minor league stadiums, and attended every baseball HOF induction ceremony from 1987-99. I was a know it all kid, who had balls of steel going up to athletes, and never really got intimidated or starstruck. As many people who have been to HOF Induction Weekend can attest, the golf course is a good place to try and score some free autographs. In 1991 I was walking back from the golf course and thought to myself "I wonder if any HOFers ever play tennis?" So I walked past the tennis courts. To my surprise, Ted Williams was sitting on a bench watching some people play tennis. I just happened to have this 8x10 with me. I am not even sure if I even said anything to him, I was so nervous. To this day, I really think it was the only time I have ever been starstruck by anyone.



In 1996 (I think), I was walking down Main Street in Cooperstown, when I hear a car honking. I look over, and it's Phil Rizzutto driving, and his wife in the passenger seat. He's honking because I am carrying a Phil Rizzutto lithograph, and he's giving me a thumbs up. I was pretty excited about this, and I never even thought about going over to the car to see if he would sign it (DUH!). Now I HAD to get this lithograph signed, just because of the story behind it, so I paid to have Scooter sign it the next year in Cooperstown.

On the flip side....In 1995 (I think) I see Reggie Jackson walking down Main Street of Cooperstown. Just a backstory, Reggie was my favorite player growing up. Although I was young, I would always tell my Dad to tell me when he was going to be at bat for the Yankees because I wanted to watch him bat. I still remember telling my Dad that one spring, and he said "Scott, Reggie doesn't play for the Yankees anymore". Anyways, Reggie was all alone, and no one seemed to recognize him or be bothering him. I went up to him with a Perez Steele postcard and asked him to sign it. Instead of signing it, he informed me of when, where and the pricing for all of the paid signings he would be doing that weekend. It probably took him 10x longer to explain all of that to me than to just sign my postcard. Stupidly, I actually paid for him to sign it....when I look at it now I am still bitter about that. Although I did get a bunch of Reggie items signed at Cooperstown in the mid90s and got free inscriptions at the time such as "HOF 93" and "Mr. October" without paying.

Lastly, I was on a plane one time with Scotty Bowman and got my picture taken with him on the way in. Seemed very friendly, but in the picture he doesnt look happy at all. I was with a buddy who wanted an autograph, and he asked me for one of my business cards. Scotty Bowman signed one of my business cards for this guy.

[David W]

In 2005 I was tipped off by a customer that Muhammad Ali would be at a local sports complex for his son's baseball tourney. They said if you see a big motor home, it's probably Ali.

I dug out a bunch of old Sports Illustrateds and had them there, as my kids were all playing soccer at the complex. My wife saw the motor home come in, grabbed my oldest daughter and went to the motor home, where they let her in and he signed 3 SI's. He was very gracious and all that weekend he posed for pictures and signed autographs I was told, but only when his son was not playing.

[GasHouseGang]

Scooter, I guess Mr. Bench was trying to be nice and give you a deal by only asking for $50 to sign your bat. I knew he was actually a nice guy. Here's a recent price list for an appearance the weekend of 10 July.

Johnny Bench
14 time All-Star
1968 NL ROY
1970 & 1972 NL MVP
10 time Gold Glove Winner
2 time World Series Champion
1976 World Series MVP
HOF 1989
balls and flats up to & including 11x14: $79.
large flats: $99.
equipment: $119.
bats, jerseys & original art: $149.
inscriptions: $25.