Are there any player's autographs that you refuse to collect?

[Mr. Zipper]

As a general autograph collector, I have no interest in having the signatures of serial killers, terrorists, etc. Bad karma.

I can't think of too many athletes that fall into this category, but I'd avoid adding OJ to my collection.

[phikappapsi]

I only refuse to collect people that are only "famous" due to a blunder...

Example:

Buckner
Or
Scott norwood

If the player is only remembered for a blunder, or because they gave up the game winning or historic HR etc etc then I don't see th point.

Why celebrat mediocrity mixed with failure?

[RichardSimon]

OJ and I won't sell him either.
Had two, tore them up and threw them away.

[39special]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

OJ and I won't sell him either.
Had two, tore them up and threw them away.

Good job Richard!!!!

[ss]

I bought a Barry Bonds ball for my sons at a charity auction once. When I got home with it, my little twins sons said "he's a steroid bum and we don't want him." So I sent it back to the charity the next day and told them to keep the money.

[toyman55]

Maybe age (I am 63) and the fact that I have loved baseball since 1955 has given me tolerance. I still have great memories of Pete Rose playing harder than anyone to set a hit record and win games. He belongs in the HOF and I do have his autograph. As far as the steroid era I remember the excitement that McGuire and Sosa gave not to me from only watching them on their quest but through the voices of the broadcasters who loved them and now refuse to acknowledge they knew along with everyone else that these guys were juicing. I find it repulsive that my tax dollars are being used to prosecute and persecute, Bonds, CLemens and all the other great players we brought our kids to see.
Wake up, we are fans not judges. Mantle was an alcoholic as attest to his early death, Cobb was mean to a core, Ruth had no guidelines and I love Baseball for all it's good and all it's bad.
I do have autographs of Bonds, Mcgwire, Sosa, Clemens and more and I cherish them as much as any of the over 150 autographs I have.

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by toyman55

Maybe age (I am 63) and the fact that I have loved baseball since 1955 has given me tolerance. I still have great memories of Pete Rose playing harder than anyone to set a hit record and win games. He belongs in the HOF and I do have his autograph. As far as the steroid era I remember the excitement that McGuire and Sosa gave not to me from only watching them on their quest but through the voices of the broadcasters who loved them and now refuse to acknowledge they knew along with everyone else that these guys were juicing. I find it repulsive that my tax dollars are being used to prosecute and persecute, Bonds, CLemens and all the other great players we brought our kids to see.
Wake up, we are fans not judges. Mantle was an alcoholic as attest to his early death, Cobb was mean to a core, Ruth had no guidelines and I love Baseball for all it's good and all it's bad.
I do have autographs of Bonds, Mcgwire, Sosa, Clemens and more and I cherish them as much as any of the over 150 autographs I have.

I totally agree. I am no moralist, and I love the history of baseball AS IT HAPPENED, played by imperfect human beings.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by phikappapsi

I only refuse to collect people that are only "famous" due to a blunder...

Example:

Buckner
Or
Scott norwood

If the player is only remembered for a blunder, or because they gave up the game winning or historic HR etc etc then I don't see th point.

Why celebrat mediocrity mixed with failure?

I respect your collecting choices, but Buckner was definitely not mediocre. He was a very good player, and I think he's collectible despite his error.

I have auto's of Bonds, AROD, McGwire, and Raffy that I had for years and have painted baseballs of, so I keep those, but since then I have no interest in adding Manny, Braun, or David Ortiz since they blew it.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[phikappapsi]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

I respect your collecting choices, but Buckner was definitely not mediocre. He was a very good player, and I think he's collectible despite his error.

I have auto's of Bonds, AROD, McGwire, and Raffy that I had for years and have painted baseballs of, so I keep those, but since then I have no interest in adding Manny, Braun, or David Ortiz since they blew it.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

Understood, he was a "good" or at minimum above average player, that said, without the error nobody would care about him, his name would linger in mild 1980s obscurity... That play is the only reason anyone other than maybe some diehard red sox fans would really see him as collection worthy.

[johnmh71]

I have no interest in anyone that has been linked to steroids. And I definately don't want an OJ autograph.

[Orioles1954]

Eric Show committed suicide?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Eric Show committed suicide?

Eric Show died of drug overdose (abuse). He had taken a speedball (cocaine and heroin) and had a massive heart attack, FWIW.

[mr2686]

Several people have brought up OJ, and I agree completely. I had two of his autographs from the early 80's and ended up giving them both to a friend because I didn't want them in my collection.
As for players that are known for a famous blunder or only known for one famous event, I look at it like this; I'm not collecting the player because of the blunder, I'm collecting the event because it's a part of baseball history. Whether it's Branca giving up the homerun to Thompson, or Buckner and the groundball, or Torrez giving up the homerun to Dent, or Gionfriddo taking away a homerun from Dimaggio, etc etc, it's all part of baseball history...and for the most part, all of these things are in just about every baseball documentary so I feel it's worthy of collecting.

[rjackson44]

byce harper ooops sorry guys

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by phikappapsi

Understood, he was a "good" or at minimum above average player, that said, without the error nobody would care about him, his name would linger in mild 1980s obscurity... That play is the only reason anyone other than maybe some diehard red sox fans would really see him as collection worthy.

Buckner had over 2700 career hits with bad ankles and knees. Another healthy season and change and he's in the Hall of Fame regardless of 1986.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Steroids don't help improve your optical focal vision, you still got to see the ball and hit the ball. It isn't going to improve your hand-eye coordination, and it certainly doesn't help improve your quick twitch muscle types. And if you were to look at home run charts abotu close home runs and no doubters, there isn't too big of a difference.


Bonds is the best ever, plain and simple, who cares about steroids. Was going to be best ever even before he started juicing. He was a player who did it all. Stole, hit for power, hit for average, strong arm, amazing fielder. There is no one better IMO.

A lot of the players who used steroids didn't necessarily use them to be the best, or break records. They used them as a means to recover quicker from surgeries or injuries to get back onto the field and get there paycheck