My favorite story of meeting a ballplayer

[almostdone]

Great Feller story!

I have two stories one that I did meet and the one I was too younbg and stupid not to meet.

First a friend of mine invited me to a game in New York when I was a kid with his family. The best seats I ever had. 2nd row behind the visitors dugout. Turns out my friends dad was a friend of Tommy Lasorta (Dodgers werein town vs. the Mets). Thgey exchanged hellos accross the dugout before the game. I was stunned. After the game we went to eat and happened to sit next to the table where HOFer Ralph Kiner was sitting. He was a Met announcer at the time so I knew who he was but sisn't really know anything about his HOF carrer. After much prompting and nerves I wen up and asked for his autograph. He was gracious and polite and signes my scorecard I still had in hand.

The other story of stupidity came when I was in college and just getting into buying cards. I went to a smallish show to see what was new. There was a guest star signing that day. I watched him from a distance and was impressed that he took the time to talk to everyone wanting a autograph about baseball, his career, history or anything else. I only had a bit of money left but decided to take my chance on a few more packs rather than take the chance to meet and talk to the great Warren Spahn. I don't know what packs I bought that day but I wish I had a bit more foresight. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!

[Big Ben]

Nice Feller story. I had a great experience with Feller at a lightly promoted Memorial Day weekend baseball card show near my hometown around 1984. Feller was there and very bored as there were probably 25 people in the room. So for about 2 hours, I had a conversation with the Hall of Famer and we talked about everything from baseball, Indianapolis 500, and the Titanic! I still remember Feller telling me that he thought that the captain of the Titanic was drunk as when he was on a ship, as he could smell an iceberg a mile away.
Good time!

[CTDean]

Mentioned this a few years ago, but here it is again.

In the mid 1950's our Little League seasons always opened with a parade, which included Frank Baker riding in the lead car. Four teams would play two games and Mr. Baker would stay for both, sitting on the bleachers and happy to talk to any kid that sat down beside him. I sat and talked with him a number of times, but was too young to understand his importance to the game. Funny thing, I never remember anyone ever asking Mr. Baker for an autograph, in either of the three years he attended our opening day. I do remember the parade was extra special one year, as it also celebrated his election to the Hall of Fame.