Who gave you your favorite autograph?

[abolishthedh]

In baseball, who gave you your favorite autograph? In other words, I am assuming that you are not collecting for the sake of selling the autograph at any time, but for the fun of collecting and the thrill of meeting a ballplayer!

For me, it was at age 13 in 1973 when I had Bobby Bonds sign in a hotel in Pittsburgh. He had a wonderful signature, with large loops and a lot of style. Its true he was my favorite player at the time.

[AutographCollector]

In baseball, who gave you your favorite autograph? In other words, I am assuming that you are not collecting for the sake of selling the autograph at any time, but for the fun of collecting and the thrill of meeting a ballplayer!
TOUGH question. But after sitting here and pondering for a minute or two I would have to say that it's a tie. Between Bob Feller & Ralph Kiner
Many years ago I went to several card shows throughout the Northeast and obtained both autos on 8x10's. Both men are true gentlemen, and are very nice.
On a side note: I too despise those who get autographs and sell them for a profit. I do this for the love of the game and the hobby.

[Ichiro51]

Too many to name as I've obtained autographs from many players. I scanned the one that were very nice to the fans/collectors, while I'll scan some of the one from this season (2005) sometime after the World Serie.

[VIBaseball]

I'd heard stories before, and have since, about how Seaver can be none too pleasant. But I caught him in a good mood at a Chemical Bank event years back. I waited until he came out of the men's room (!) and he was as jolly as could be while signing the '69 Mets ball I'd compiled. We talked about the one-hitters he threw as a Met, and I mentioned the one against the Padres that Leron Lee broke up in the 9th. He popped me with a question, "Who was the catcher?" When I gave the correct response -- Duffy Dyer -- he said with genuine delight, "Very good!"

[tonjes]

the most memorable signature i've seen is bob gibson's on a bananna. i'm not making this up.

while gibson still attends most cardinal games, he prefers to keep to himself rather than spending portions of the game signing autographs. because gibson's autograph is such a novelty, this old guy who hangs around the stadium, gus, decided that it would be funny if he forged gibson's signature onto a bananna.

i'm pretty sure that bananna is nothing but rotten mush by now though.

[RuthMayBond]

Broks Robinson. Smiled, shook my hand, ASKED me where on the baseball I wanted him to sign, what to write, talked for a while. Charged about six-eight bucks, not fifty. Never met a nicer guy.

[Chisox73]

Broks Robinson. Smiled, shook my hand, ASKED me where on the baseball I wanted him to sign, what to write, talked for a while. Charged about six-eight bucks, not fifty. Never met a nicer guy.
I totally agree on Brooks Robinson here.I got his autograph about 10 years ago.He is such a nice guy.

[runningshoes]

Yaz. He didn't charge me a dime.

[MetsFan11368]

Billy Martin.

I can still see him smiling and asking me how long I'd been a Yankee fan while autographing my hat.

He was the perfect gentleman. :)

[RuthMayBond]

Yaz. He didn't charge me a dime.Tell us about it :radio

[Zito75]

I've never paid for an autograph... Ever.

As far as my favorite one... I would say Reggie Jackson. I caught him outside the Kingdome before a Yanks - M's game back in 1995 when he would travel with the team as an "advisor." He shook my hand and was very low key and friendly. He even answered a few questions.

Other favs are Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Eric Chavez and Eddie Murray who is a notorious tough signer.

[runningshoes]

Tell us about it :radio


It was before a game in Toronto in 1980. It wasn't at a show. I made that comment because I've been reading latley about players and what they charge to sign a ball. It's special to me cause he's one of my favourite players of all time. Williams is obviously my fav, but I got his ball from his web site, so it's not as special as my Yaz ball. I wish I had more personally signed balls, but we don't get too many shows in Canada and I've been out of the counrty for awhile now.

I have close to 100 signed balls, but the majority of them were purchased either on ebay or from Steiner.

[trosmok]

I've been fortunate to accumulate a number of autographed balls, all in person, from stars and soon to be famous ballplayers. Most recent was Richie Hebner, what a character! Harmon Killebrew was cool but friendly, Roy White is a perfect gentleman, (even though he was a Yankee), Willie Stargell signed a ball he launched skyward that landed with me in the basket at Wrigley, and Cecil Cooper was busy at the time, but never too busy to sign and chat for a few. All time favorite though, has to be Dodger great Carl Erskine. Oisk and his son Jimmy come to the park here a half dozen times a season, and the ball he signed for me became a prized possession of mine for only a few months. Over the winter I met an octogenarian who is a huge Brooklyn Dodger fan that shared long but fascinating tales of the Dodgers exploits and his own loyalty with me. As kind of a surprise for him, I brought the ball with me to his home, at first intending to just let him look and handle it to feel that Brooklyn magic once again. His eyesight is failing but he readily made out the distinctive Erskine scrawl, and I knew instantly it was his for keeps. I guess those are the best gifts, the ones you would really like to keep for yourself; besides, I'll likely have another opportunity to get another.

[Southlake CubsFan]

mine would have to be my mark prior rookie baseball card, my grandpa, got me a signed one, it was awesome!

[Captain Cold Nose]

I did have to pay for my Yaz autograph, but it was great. He was signing with Fergie Jenkins (who would get practically ignored that day and probably would remain so until he missed HOF election in his first year of candidacy.)
I had a first edition copy of his 1968 autobiography, and he signed it not only on the front facing page, but on the blank page a couple pages after that. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

I've gotten Feller's autographs at shows twice, the last time for free. Very opinionated about a lot of stuff, and enjoyable to talk to. Stan Musial is as classy as they come, another of baseball's true gentlemen. Non-baseball, the first autograph I got at a show was hockey superstar Bobby Hull, who was also first class.

The most memorable, though, was not mine, but witnessing my brother chase down Cal Ripken Jr. and his date as they went to their car in the Tiger Stadium parking lot after a night game. Ripken was shocked someone would make that much of an effort for him.

[runningshoes]

I guess those are the best gifts, the ones you would really like to keep for yourself; besides, I'll likely have another opportunity to get another.

Nice Story. Good for you.

[west coast orange and black]

orlando cepeda's is one of my favorites.

the signing was at a card show -- the first of two that i have ever attended. after talking for quite a while (this was a few months before cepeda was voted into the hall by the vet committee and everyone was pretty much there for stan musial) cepeda broke his own rule by adding "the baby bull" to his name on one side of an item and "el perucho" on the opposite side. he told me that he rarely did that.

cepeda ended up giving his home number to me and i went to his home the following week where we talked baseball for hours. while i was there, willie mc covey telephoned twice (he recently had had one of his dozens of knee surgeries and was bored) and juan marichal telephoned to ask cepeda if he wanted to go fishing. cepeda even asked me if i wanted to go with them.

a very memorable day, because cepeda commissioned me to make a personalized, custom keepsake chest for him. and also because cepeda was my dad's second-favorite player.

[RuthMayBond]

orlando cepeda's is one of my favorites.

the signing was at a card show -- the first of two that i have ever attended. after talking for quite a while (this was a few months before cepeda was voted into the hall by the vet committee and everyone was pretty much there for stan musial) cepeda broke his own rule by adding "the baby bull" to his name on one side of an item and "el perucho" on the opposite side. he told me that he rarely did that.

cepeda ended up giving his home number to me and i went to his home the following week where we talked baseball for hours. while i was there, willie mc covey telephoned twice (he recently had had one of his dozens of knee surgeries and was bored) and juan marichal telephoned to ask cepeda if he wanted to go fishing. cepeda even asked me if i wanted to go with them.

a very memorable day, because cepeda commissioned me to make a personalized, custom keepsake chest for him. and also because cepeda was my dad's second-favorite player.Awesome story, Tony :clapping

[kearns643]

Easy.....the one that my young friend gave to me that he got from Tim Wakefield......The boy, thirteen died of cancer shortly after but thought of my son and I before he did. Give that card up.....not in my lifetime...it's worth more than a Ruth is to me.

[Zito75]

because cepeda was my dad's second-favorite player.

Great story. So who was your dad's #1 favorite player?

[trosmok]

1979 HOF inductee, ROY, NL MVP (twice), 1971 Roberto Clemente award winner, 1951-57 NY Giant, 1958-'71 SF Giant, okay part of '72 also, former Negro League great.....Say Hey?

Just a wild guess.

[Coal Cracker]

Clete Boyer. I met him when he had a restaurant in Cooperstown. He signed a photo for me and we chatted for about two hours.

[ElCaminoSS]

eric gagne a couple of days before he blew the save streak

[RuthMayBond]

eric gagne a couple of days before he blew the save streakSo it was YOUR fault :rolleyes: :laugh :p :waving

[hellborn]

Luis Tiant on my ticket a few weeks ago, he signed it at his food stand just outside Fenway. The pressed Cuban sandwiches are quite good.
Come to think of it, that's my ONLY player autograph. I guess I don't get into the hero worship stuff too much. Tiant was a very gracious person, though, he put up with a very rude person in front of me without the slightest sign of irritation.
I did buy a Sports Illustrated autographed by Mark Bellhorn at a baseball dinner last year, but he didn't sign it for me in person. That's $100 invested in something probably worth about $3.95 now...wait, I also have an autographed photo of Killebrew, but, again, not in person.

[baseball_fan#1]

My favorite moment came in 1991, when I visted N. Milton Gaston, who played for the 1924 Yankees. I met him in his home in Bradenton, Florida and he was great as recalled all the great stories of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, who he roomed with. He also mentioned the time he played industrial Baseball for the Paterson Silk Stockings and Lou Gehrig was on that team also besides Hartford of the Eastern in 1922, he went by the last name of Long not Gehrig. Also Milton's brother was Alex. I wish he was still alive sommetimes, as I wish I met him sooner in life, as I would've written a book on Baseball after the tragic 1919 season. The Rebirth of Baseball in the Twenties.


Maurice :)

[GoSox!]

The best autograph that I have of someone I met in person would have to be Fergie Jenkins. He was signing at the mall and signed 2 things for us-a helmet and a mini bat. It was pretty sweet.

[YOUgodofwalks]

I have only 2 autographs in my short life, both gotten this year, and I plan on getting many more.

The two I have are Jonathon Papelbon of the Red Sox and Ivan Rodriguez

My favorite is obviously Pudge, being a future HOFer, he only gave about 7 autograps that day over the visitors bullpen wall at Fenway, but thanks to my long arms, I was able to reach over and get it.

[sennalvr]

I grew up in a little sleepy town called De Tour, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and have been a Detroit Tiger fan because of my dad.

I can't remember how old I was, but when I ws young I found out that Jim Northrup used to occasionally go duck hunting on Drummond Island after the season was over. So this one particular year, a friend of our family, who knew Jim personally was able to get him to autograph a rubber-coated baseball for me as he was riding the ferry across to Drummond. The next year he took Bill Freehan with him and I was able to have his autograph added to it.

Since then I've also been able to add Mickey Lolich and Willie Horton's(both in person) signatures to it. I would have liked to have added Norm Cash's sig to it also, but he pasted away before I got the chance. Would luv to get Al Kaline's someday if I ever get to a Tiger game again.

[wamby]

Rickey Henderson. I didn't even ask him. He offered.

[pesky6]

I've been fortunate to accumulate a number of autographed balls, all in person, from stars and soon to be famous ballplayers. Most recent was Richie Hebner, what a character! Harmon Killebrew was cool but friendly, Roy White is a perfect gentleman, (even though he was a Yankee), Willie Stargell signed a ball he launched skyward that landed with me in the basket at Wrigley, and Cecil Cooper was busy at the time, but never too busy to sign and chat for a few. All time favorite though, has to be Dodger great Carl Erskine. Oisk and his son Jimmy come to the park here a half dozen times a season, and the ball he signed for me became a prized possession of mine for only a few months. Over the winter I met an octogenarian who is a huge Brooklyn Dodger fan that shared long but fascinating tales of the Dodgers exploits and his own loyalty with me. As kind of a surprise for him, I brought the ball with me to his home, at first intending to just let him look and handle it to feel that Brooklyn magic once again. His eyesight is failing but he readily made out the distinctive Erskine scrawl, and I knew instantly it was his for keeps. I guess those are the best gifts, the ones you would really like to keep for yourself; besides, I'll likely have another opportunity to get another.

HUH? You mean you didn't throw the ball back onto the field? How did the bleacher creatures treat you over that one? :laugh

[pesky6]

Here's a reply I made to the almost exact question in this forum a while back:

Great question. The best in person (non-show) was a few years ago at spring training with the Phillies. It was between workouts and many players were headed to the locker room to change. I asked a few players if they could sign and they said that they didn't have enough time, which was ok to me, considering the time of day. I asked Paul Byrd if he could sign and he said, "No, sorry. . . I've got to go change for the next workout." He turned and headed to the locker room. Just as he opened the door, he asked the attendant what time it was, then turned around and came back to sign for everyone who was waiting. I thought that was a total class act.

Bob Feller was good at a show I went to. There wasn't much of a line, and I talked to him for about 10 minutes about flying and his museum in Van Meter, Iowa. I went to two Negro League reunions at the Meadowlands in the mid-90s and the players always loved to talk about their experiences.

When I got Mays at a card show in '94, he wasn't rude to me personally, but I heard a bunch of horror stories from other collectors, like the time a guy gave him a ball that was signed by Mantle, and the guy told Mays that he wanted the ball "signed by the two greatest center fielders of all-time." Mays grabbed the ball and signed his name over Mantle's signature!!! Everyone can thank Mays for starting that whole extra-money-for-inscriptions thing that other players, unfortunately, have picked up on.

In spring training there have been a few players who seemed to go out of their way to avoid me, such as Jack Morris, Alfredo Griffin, and a slew of others who have repetedly turned away from me or simply ignored me. I think being legally deaf is a prerequisite of being a major leaguer. . . :D

[Behrendj]

The most and keepsake is Mickey Mantle ball and pitcure that he signed for me when i was in High School. And meeting Ted williams , Bob Feller and B. Grimes all at one time in 1965 and had all three sign a baseball.

[dmbfan]

I'm new to the board and started reading this thread. All are great stories. My favorite in-person autograph experience was with Steve Sax. He was signing at a show in Greenwich, CT after he signed with the Yankees. The day was cold and rainy and the show was not well attended. Steve was in a separate room from the card show and when I went to get my card signed, I was the only fan in the room. So, my father and I sat and talked with him for about an hour and during that time, he signed other items for me without charging me.

But, all of my experiences getting autographs in-person, whether at shows or games, have been memorable due to the fact that it gave my father and I a lot of time together to truly bond as father and son, which is something that I still cherish. Thanks to everyone for the stories.

[kearns643]

I'm new to the board and started reading this thread. All are great stories. My favorite in-person autograph experience was with Steve Sax. He was signing at a show in Greenwich, CT after he signed with the Yankees. The day was cold and rainy and the show was not well attended. Steve was in a separate room from the card show and when I went to get my card signed, I was the only fan in the room. So, my father and I sat and talked with him for about an hour and during that time, he signed other items for me without charging me.

But, all of my experiences getting autographs in-person, whether at shows or games, have been memorable due to the fact that it gave my father and I a lot of time together to truly bond as father and son, which is something that I still cherish. Thanks to everyone for the stories.

Nice on Sax....TOUGH ONE ttm...at least three times to get him...and he is a brother of former Red Sox C? Dave...

[DoWnWiThTheSiCkNeSs]

David Wright signed my glove

[BelieveForever'03]

Cal Ripken Jr and Turk Wendell

[hudsonharden]

Mike Mussina, right after he was called up from the Rochester Red Wings.

[Red Mach 1]

When I was 12, Mookie Wilson was at my little league awards dinner. He gave a speech and signed autographs after the dinner. I was next in line and I saw a kid sitting next to Mookie so I asked him for his autograph, then I got Mookie's autograph. I didn't really look at the paper and I put the paper in a box and forgot about it for years. Then one day I heard that the Mets had drafted Mookie's step-son. I ran into my basement, opened the box, and saw that I had the autograph from a 10 year old Preston Wilson!

[EvanAparra]

eh... David Eckstein

[TigersFanB406]

Actually, I have a hockey one. I got Steve Yzerman's autograph at the airport before.

But for baseball, I'd have to say Marcus Thames and Craig Dingman. I got Joel Zumaya's but he didn't seem very friendly. Dingman and Thames were friendly guys.

My favourite mail order autographs right now are a signed jersey by Al Kaline and a ball signed by Tom Gordon.