Vent: Baseball Autographs

[CloneFan65]

Sorry, I just need to vent for a moment. :angry6wn: I took my son to a D-Backs game for his 9th birthday. We got there early enough to see the Phillies take batting practice and waited down by the dugout to get a few autographs. Several of the Phillies took a couple minutes to sign autographs after batting practice, but my beef is with these men in their mid-30's that bring their baseball card collections with them and practically shove the kids aside to get their cards autographed. On several occations my son, who was very polite and quietly held up his baseball and pen, was passed by for the obnoxious baseball geeks with greasy hair who jumped in front to get another autograph for their collection. :frown3qg: Come on guys, leave your three-ring binder with the baseball cards in your mom's basement and let the kids get the autographs.

My son did get an autograph from Rod Barajas which was pretty cool though, and we saw a great game. (D-Backs won 3-2).

 

[jperickson23]

I couldn't agree more. If I were a sports star I wouldn't sign anything for anyone over the age of 16.

 

[BryceC]

HILARIOUS STORY for you, it might get a little long but I feel the same way as you and this actually happened to me once:

My wife is a huge chiefs fan, and the year after the Chiefs signed Johnny Morton from the Lions, we went to training camp. She was really excited and we went through the WR's line to meet them (Priest's line was long, as was Trent Green's) and there was some doofus in front of us like you said, he had a helmet, and a bunch of stuff for the players to sign. Probably just so he can go put it on Ebay right away. He was standing there just ripping all the people that were getting T-shirts signed and stuff, just saying stuff like, "why would you waste your time with that crap" and all kinds of stuff. Really pissed me off because there were a bunch of little kids around doing that exact thing.

This dude walks up to Morton and asks him to sign...guess what, a freaking Lions helment. Morton tells him he won't do it. The guy is like utterly shocked. Morton just says something like, "Hey, I'm a Chief now."

The dude like muttered something under his breath, it really pissed off Morton and the other receivers, and they had him escorted out by security. Absolutely freaking classic moment.

 

[joepublic]

I was 8 or 9 the last time I asked someone to sign. Gable, Ben Peterson I think, Chris Taylor, Carl Adams maybe. Anyway the whole team from that great Harold Nichols group in the late 60s early 70s. Getting old, can't remember.

Anyway, I still have the greasy popcorn box they signed for me.

 

[DaddyMac]

I have season tix to the AAA team here in Des Moines and get a kick out of these 20 and 30 year olds scrambling all over the stands to beat the 10 year old out for a foul ball.

More often than not, the guys who get a ball (legitmately) give it to a nearby kid. But there's always a dip-sh!t or two each game.

Hey guys, it's $2.50 in the gift shop.

On the flip side of the coin (I think I've told this story before) you really have to appreciate the athletes who do the autograph thing. I have a real appreciation for Felix Pie for that reason. Last season after a night game, he was about the last one leaving the field and a bunch of kids nearby came down to the wall and were yelling for him to sign some stuff. Felix turned around, came back and signed a number of them. Not a ton of guys do that - especially the more "prospect" players. Mike Fontinot (sp?) is another guy I've seen who took some time out. And Les Waldron is another favorite of mine who's very fan savy and often acknowledges fans.

 

[SuperCy]

I've seen players personlize stuff so that the person asking for it can't go and sell it on Ebay. Totally funny when they do that. You can tell that the guy seeking it gets pissed. :laugh8kb:

 

[price26]

I've got an internship in Illinois this summer and I was thinking about making a trip to Chicago, Milwaukee, or St. Louis this summer to watch a game and catch a Diamondbacks game when they visit there, but it looks like most the time the D'Backs are in St. Louis and Milwaukee are during the week when it would be hard to get from work in Central Illinois to either place would be hard and tickets to Cubs games I am guessing would be hard to come by as cool as it would be to go to Wrigley Field and see a game there.

For the most part the only autograph though I have is a picture signed by Steve Young that he sent me (supposedly).

 

[clone52]

I've got game worn shoes signed by Charles Barkley. Also have a letter of 'authentication' sent by the equipment manage I think. Won the bid for them at a benefit auction.

 

[HILLCYD]

I've got an internship in Illinois this summer and I was thinking about making a trip to Chicago, Milwaukee, or St. Louis this summer to watch a game and catch a Diamondbacks game when they visit there, but it looks like most the time the D'Backs are in St. Louis and Milwaukee are during the week when it would be hard to get from work in Central Illinois to either place would be hard and tickets to Cubs games I am guessing would be hard to come by as cool as it would be to go to Wrigley Field and see a game there.

For the most part the only autograph though I have is a picture signed by Steve Young that he sent me (supposedly).

Tickets for Cubs games aren't as hard to get as people make them out to be. You can go to StubHub, or my fav, scalping on the "L" platform.

 

[arganbright2]

So I was at a K.C. Royals spring training game in Arizona and Mike Sweeney walked out of the clubhouse and covered his face as he walked by a line of kids wanting autographs. When it became clear he wasn't going to sign anything, a 12 year old kid yelled at him saying "There are only 7 Kansas City Royals fans in the world Sweeney, and you just pissed us all off." Also, Alex Gordon is a class act. He signed autographs for an hour straight and even into the clubhouse to bring kids bubble gum and sunflower seeds.

 

[price26]

When it became clear he wasn't going to sign anything, a 12 year old kid yelled at him saying "There are only 7 Kansas City Royals fans in the world Sweeney, and you just pissed us all off." Also, Alex Gordon is a class act. He signed autographs for an hour straight and even into the clubhouse to bring kids bubble gum and sunflower seeds.

That is hilarious. It does not surprise me though that Alex Gordon would be a class act, he is going to be a star someday too.

 

[cyclonekj]

So I was at a K.C. Royals spring training game in Arizona and Mike Sweeney walked out of the clubhouse and covered his face as he walked by a line of kids wanting autographs. When it became clear he wasn't going to sign anything, a 12 year old kid yelled at him saying "There are only 7 Kansas City Royals fans in the world Sweeney, and you just pissed us all off." Also, Alex Gordon is a class act. He signed autographs for an hour straight and even into the clubhouse to bring kids bubble gum and sunflower seeds.

In Sweeney's defense, he has suffered several season ending injuries from signing autographs in the past. Just playing it safe. (Yeah, I'm a bitter Royals fan myself.)

 

[Wesley]

Pete Rose will sign I bet on baseball on his book for $234. He was at the Vegas mall last month.

 

[cybsball20]

It's amazing some of these old guys with their binders full of cards and pictures... We even encountered these guys when I was playing independent league. I don't even know why these guys would want our autographs, we are talking a bunch of never weres and a few never will be's yet these guys had every card ever made of us... There were guys on teh team trying to buy up cards of themselves that they didn't know existed. Even with us the autograph hounds were rude and pushy...

 

[jdoggivjc]

Pete Rose will sign I bet on baseball on his bopok for $234. He was at the Vegas mall last month.

Are you sure it's gonna be Pete Rose signing it or will it be his trusty sidekick?

 

[JHudd]

Pete Rose will sign I bet on baseball on his bopok for $234. He was at the Vegas mall last month.

Yeah I got his Autograph there at a sports shop in Caesar's Palace at the end of January. I didn't fork over the $250 for the "I'm sorry I bet on baseball." ball, I just spent the $100 for a personalized ball for my future father in-law.

He was actually a really nice guy and spent 4-5 minutes with us and let us get quite a few pictures. He did however spend a good chunk of that time flirting with my fiancé. :biggrin9gp:

 

[Dave19642006]

I have season tix to the AAA team here in Des Moines and get a kick out of these 20 and 30 year olds scrambling all over the stands to beat the 10 year old out for a foul ball.

More often than not, the guys who get a ball (legitmately) give it to a nearby kid. But there's always a dip-sh!t or two each game.

Hey guys, it's $2.50 in the gift shop.

On the flip side of the coin (I think I've told this story before) you really have to appreciate the athletes who do the autograph thing. I have a real appreciation for Felix Pie for that reason. Last season after a night game, he was about the last one leaving the field and a bunch of kids nearby came down to the wall and were yelling for him to sign some stuff. Felix turned around, came back and signed a number of them. Not a ton of guys do that - especially the more "prospect" players. Mike Fontinot (sp?) is another guy I've seen who took some time out. And Les Waldron is another favorite of mine who's very fan savy and often acknowledges fans.

I recieve autographs, I also get fly balls. I do not push people aide to get any off them. Fly balls to me means more when I hand it to a child that can't get one.

I had an elderly gentleman (70+) go to his first AAA ball game. I talked to him and thn I asked Mike Quade if I could have a foul ball to hand it to him. He stated sure. The next foul ball that was hit when Kerry wood was pitching in his many re-habs he recieved it. I got the ball from Mike and then handed it to the gentleman. When the game was over, I was invited with the gentleman to get stuff autographed. Sure its only AAA but then look at the Cubs roster, I have half the roster with Autographs. Sure I have other jerseies autographed, but it mostly in the AAA affilliate. I do have some others that I am VERY proud of. When it comes to pure mosh pit type attitude thats where I cut the line. Wait in line and let some of the younger get theres and then you. Women and Children first.

 

[DaddyMac]

Well said.

If auto's are a passion to some people, I don't begrudge them that. But I think 99.9% of us will agree that a 5 year old getting a ball or a minor leaguer signing their hat, is way more bang for the buck. It's great to see those kids light up.