Willie Mays: to or not to say hey?

[Gary Dunaier]

Sounds like some of you might have had a more fulfilling experience buying a "Willi" Mays signed baseball at Toys R Us...


(Photo taken June 20, 2007. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)

[travrosty]

I watched him sign at a show for over an hour in bloomington, mn in the mid 90's. very surly, didnt look up at the people who stood in line to see him.

he ruined a home plate that was signed by mantle, snider because when he went to add his name to it, he picked a sharpie that was drying out and weak, and his name was faint and light, compared to the nice mantle, and snider signatures. i am sure that guys heart sank when he saw that. i would have been not to happy about it.

then when mays was finished signing, he ran to the back door at a speed that usain bolt would have trouble keeping up with. i was already there though, had to stick my hand in the middle of his chest to get him to shake hands. he shook my hand and walked out he back door, leaving other people to shake hands with the broom closet.

i didnt stand in line to get anything signed by him, just watched. but later i went to the bert blyleven line, and couldnt have had a more pleasant experience. what a nice gentleman.

[GrayGhost]

ENJOY...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH6fUdncWkY

[Jayworld]

My dad and I were invited by a friend to the Equitable Old Timer's Game in Arlington in 1988. Our friend was an Equitable rep at the time. We got to meet the old timers prior to the game at the Arlington Sheraton Hotel, where we got to chat, shake hands, and get autographs, then we attended the game and got to go on the field during pre-game batting practice and take photos, then after the game, back to the Sheraton to meet players, etc.

All the players that we met were very gracious and some spent a considerable amount of time talking and reminiscing with my dad, such as Johnny Mize, Bob Feller, Ralph Branca, Al Oliver, Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn, Leo Durocher, etc., but the ONLY no-show to the pre-game and post game festivities was, you guessed it, Willie Mays. Our friend said that because of Mays attitude, he would see that he was never invited back to an Equitable Old Timers game.

On a side note, Bob Feller and his wife were wonderful, as was Bob Gibson and Al Oliver. All were incredibly nice signers, too. It was nice to see my dad meet and speak and length with his boyhood idol, Bob Feller.

[Vintagedegu]

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[byrone]

Does anyone know why Mays is often so difficult? Has he actually given a reason for his contempt? Was he always difficult?

[ScottR81]

Originally Posted by byrone

Does anyone know why Mays is often so difficult? Has he actually given a reason for his contempt? Was he always difficult?

Only thing I image is put yourself in his shoes.

You have to meet and sign for how many people (strangers) to make money to support your life style which he probably didnt think he'd live this long.

Plus your one of the greatest baseball players ever and now bench players of today make 10X the amount he did in his era.

I'd be pretty piss too.

[travrosty]

thats not an excuse, then why isnt ernie banks tee'd off then?

mays is making tens of thousands of dollars per appearance to sign his name. thats a sweet gig. babe ruth never got to do that. babe ruth should have been mad. he signed for free all of those years. Musial is still alive and he got less than mays, he should REALLY be mad then.

mays is shooting himself in the foot by being a grouch. he could make more money if he were nice. he would get more gigs, more money. he could get endorsements. i dont know any product that has him as an endorser, why would anybody? joe dimaggio was mister coffee. joe wasnt brooks robinson at the signing table , but he wasnt willie mays either. mays definitely is the benchmark when it comes to bad attitude.

he can make a decent living signing his name. whats not to like about that?

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by ScottR81

Only thing I image is put yourself in his shoes.

You have to meet and sign for how many people (strangers) to make money to support your life style which he probably didnt think he'd live this long.

Plus your one of the greatest baseball players ever and now bench players of today make 10X the amount he did in his era.

I'd be pretty piss too.

The story I always heard was that he didn't understand why Mantle was always the toast of NYC centerfielders...he seems bent that Mantle has become this beloved icon (drinking problems and unfillfilled potential notwithstanding) compared to Mays, who many consider the greatest all-around player of all time...in short, simple jealousy.