Brush with HOF fame...

[JasonL]

I guess it all depends on when in their lives you meet them, and what kind of day they're having? ...sounds like Bench is aging badly. I collect Bench and Frank Robinson cards specifically because of the great experiences I had with each one of them at signings...several years ago...too bad how these things can go wrong sometimes.

[oldjudge]

In the summer of 1987 I took my two sons to a cards show in upstate Connecticut. Whitey Ford was signing at the show but there was literally no one in line for his autograph. I bought a baseball and took the boys over to meet him and get his signature. Since there was no line we chatted a while. He had gone to spring training with the Yankees that year to work with a rookie pitcher named Al Leiter. Whitey told me that Leiter's biggest problem was not throwing first pitch strikes. To cure this he struck a bet with Leiter. Every time Leiter threw a first pitch ball he owed Whitey a beer; every first pitch strike Whitey owed him a beer. Thought this was a great story from one of the greatest clutch pitchers of all time and a real hero of mine when I was growing up.
I used to throw celebrity dinners for my company's clients and had the pleasure of spending time with Mickey Mantle, Jim Brown, Dick Butkus, Roger Staubach, Chuck Bednarik, Randy White, John Riggins, Jim Plunkett, Lynn Swann and Wilt Chamberlain. Mickey was a little quiet till he got a few drinks in him and then he was great. All the others, with the exception of Lynn Swann, were a real pleasure to be around. Staubach was a true gentleman, Brown a remarkable off the cuff speaker, and Butkus exactly the way you would envision him. Wilt was the most outgoing and really the life of the party.

[jcmtiger]

Not HOF baseball, but,


I moved to Las Vegas in 1996 and that fall a new restaurant was opening on the strip. Several Stars(investors) were there for the opening. I had a couple of baseballs and Tiger Woods was there. This was his 1st year on the tour.

He walked over to the ropes and signed my baseball. I also had a baseball signed by Brook Shields, Ken Griffey JR would not even stop for anyone. Monica Seles was there and a few other stars.

Still have the ball.

Here he is signing the ball.

I have since moved back to Michigan.

Joe

[Orioles1954]

Frank Robinson= World class butt munch.

Brooks Robinson= One of the greatest experiences I've ever had. He took the high school yearbook I had him sign and started telling me stories about his basketball teammates in Little Rock. After that, we chatted about the Arkansas Razorbacks football team and what we thought of them (we're both Razorbacks fan). Then told me his little brother was on the National Title team in 1964. Gave firm hand shakes, joked and was so down to earth.

[bobbvc]

On June 18th 1979, me and a friend went to the Sheraton Hotel in San Diego (next to the airport) where the Cardinals were staying. We got a few autographs here and there from some of the players around the hotel. We saw Lou Brock sitting in the hotel restaurant by himself and waited patiently by the door. He saw us and waved us to his table. Me and my friend Jon wished him a happy birthday (it was his 40th) and he asked us to sit down.
He then told the waitress to bring us anything we wanted on his tab. We both ordered a typical breakfast for teenagers (both 14 at the time). He then spent the following hour talking baseball and anything else with us while signing 5 items for me and OVER 40 items for my friend Jon (he went on to become a lawyer FYI, just saying....)
I took my oldest son to a small card shop signing with Lou 30 years later in 2009, and HE Remembered Me! Even introduced me to his wife. I remember him sitting in that hotel restaurant/coffee shop on his 40th and I think he knew then, that was a turning point in his life (not meeting me, I mean turning 40 as a player and knowing it was pretty much over).
I've since read the book October 1964 (the month and year I was born) about the World Series and the changing of American society and race relations and learned a bit more about Lou Brock and gained even more respect for him. Anyway, I wish I had the time and writing talent to do this story justice, but in closing Lou Brock is a class Human Being and a pretty good ballplayer as well. I've met a few other Hofer's and many players but those stories will need to come later.

[kmac32]

Ernie Banks at cubs camp. A group of us were drinking beer with Ernie in his hotel room at the Dobson Ranch Inn in Mesa Arizona. He asked me who my boss was and i told him my wife was my boss. He had me call her on my cell and he chatted with her for maybe 5 minutes asking her if she was my boss. Afterwards he said that he knew she was the boss before I had called her and told me go go get him a soft drink. He was a little senile but pure class.

Also was at Cubs camp in 2002 and Fergie Jenkins asked if he and his wife could sit with my wife and myself at the week end final awards banquet. Couln't tell a HOF er no on that request.

Have also met Billy Williams through the camp.

All 3 men were pure class in my opinion.

[mets41]

I had a run-in with Frank Robinson in the mid-80's. I had purchased a partially autographed 1969 Mets team picture. I decided to go thru the card show circut and have all of the pictured players and coaches add their autograph. Also I'd get as many noteables from the Brave and Oriole squads the Mets beat in the post season to sign for as long as space permitted. When I showed the picture to Robinson to autograph, if looks could kill, they'd have to take me out in a body bag and Robinson out in handcuffs.

[Buythatcard]

First of all, that pic of Bench/Bush that PolarBear posted was hilarious.

Back in the late 80's, I was working in Manhattan. One day, while walking thru midtown, I passed a card store(remember those?). There was a sign out front saying that Mickey Mantle would be signing his book. I decided to go in and take a peek. When I walked in, the store was empty and there in the back was a small table with Mickey Mantle sitting behind it. I couldn't believe that I was the only one there with the great Mickey himself. I bought his book and went over to get it signed. Since I was the only on line at the time, I figured I tried to say something to him. I said to Mickey, is that your World Series ring that you are wearing? He looked at me and said in a mean tone "NO, it's my Hall of Fame ring". That was the end of our conversation. It left a real sour taste in my mouth after that. It bothered me for years until I heard about his drinking problems. I started feeling bad for him and finally forgave him in my heart. I still love Mickey.

[Exhibitman]

Not baseball but:

I saw Vitali Klitschko in a Whole Foods Market. Kinda hard to miss since he's
6'7" and built like a mountain. He bought a drink and jumped into a waiting SUV idling in the parking lot. I didn't have anything to write with so I couldn't get an autograph.

Speaking of tall, when I was in school in San Francisco I went out on a Friday evening and saw David Robinson in a club in the Marina (I think he was still in the service at the time). He was literally a head and shoulders taller than everyone else in the place and happily dancing by himself.

Even taller, Chuck Nevitt, 7'5". He was the 12th man on a few of the great Lakers Showtime teams, and a fan favorite because if he came in you knew the game was over. I met him on the campus of UCLA one summer when I was using UCLA's jobs center to look for work and he was working out at the campus. I was a sprightly 6' even back then and I remember his leg seemed to reach nearly to my shoulder.

Back in 1979 my parents and I went to see All That Jazz in Westwood (near UCLA). As we were leaving the theater we ran into John Belushi. My father angrily said "Hey, you keep my kid up late at night." Belushi did that shrug thing he used to do and mumbled something in "Samurai".

My wife and I had a week where we could not avoid Michael Chiklis. First we saw him in a local restaurant with his family a few tables from ours. A few days later we saw him at the Aquarium of the Pacific with his kids. Then on Saturday my wife and her sister went to see Mama Mia and he and his wife were sitting right behind them. My wife finally turned around and asked him if he was following her.

Back when my daughter was still a baby my wife and I went to a religious service where we had to sit in the very back because of the baby. Dustin Hoffman and his wife come in and sit down beside us. We wish each other "good yuntiff" which is Yiddish for happy holidays. He then spills a bottle of water and is frantically trying to deal with it. My wife gave him a diaper and I got to watch Dustin Hoffman mopping up with my daughter's diaper. And yes, it was a clean diaper.

[mr2686]

Hi guys! I'm usually over on the memorabilia side of the house but thought I'd drop by. A couple of quick stories to show both sides. First off, I am ALWAYS very respectfull when getting an autograph...yes sir, no sir, please and thank you. I've never demanded that a player sign or take a picture...asking politely, but not demanding, etc. Anyway, first big Card/Autograph show I attended back in the 80's...had something like 15 HOF'ers. All of them nice until I got to about the 10th one...Willie Mays. I was such a big Mays fan and he was a complete jerk. I can't remember his exact words but I do know that I just wanted to skip the rest of the players and call it a day...totally deflating. Fortunately I stuck around and the next player was Brooks Robinson...totally the best, nicest, warmest person I could have meet. He talked with everyone for a a minute or two and made everyone feel great.
The other story is Carlton Fisk. I must admit that I was never a Fisk fan. Maybe because he played for the Red Sox (sorry!) but I just always had this opinon of him that I didn't like him. Anyway, I was in Cooperstown a couple of years ago and he was signing autographs. As I was walking up to him he saw my Padres cap and starts talking to me about them. Did I think they would be trading so and so soon, can you believe that their pitching is holding up this well, etc. I mean c'mon, here's a guy that had played in the American league and knew what was going on with the current Padres...he is obviously a baseball fan and was a great guy to talk to. That one 3 min conversation has made me a Carlton Fisk fan for life. A really, really nice guy.