View Full Version : Autograph Request 'Failures'
KevinWI
10-17-2008, 12:01 AM
What are some 'rude' things players have done to your autograph requests? I use rude lightly, and I don't mean when they don't send a reply. I mean things like - sending your card back ripped up into pieces.
A family friend of my dad's was doing some work for Jackson County, MO in 1992 or 1993 and got a tour of Kauffman Stadium. He saw George Brett arriving at the ballpark. This family friend pulled out a pen and piece of paper and asked Brett for an autograph. Brett snatched it away from him, marked down the dreaded 'X' and shoved the paper and pen back in his face.
I've seen players pull the "cell phone" act way too many times.
howiek
10-17-2008, 04:58 AM
Mitch Williams was a pitching coach a few years back for a Indy Team in the Atlantic League. I asked him nicely for his auto on a OMLB. He signed the ball on the SS as requested. Just after he signed the ball he smeared the sig with his thumb and gave the ball back and told me to have nice day. :banghead:
yankeesr#1
10-17-2008, 08:02 AM
I've seen players pull the "cell phone" act way too many times.
It would be funny if he was on the phone and it rung
nepats3912
10-17-2008, 08:10 PM
It would be funny if he was on the phone and it rung
Haha yeah, i hate it when they do that.
Rockhound
10-17-2008, 09:42 PM
What are some 'rude' things players have done to your autograph requests?
Not returning my cards signed! :)
riredsox
10-18-2008, 07:24 AM
This past July I send 4 cards and a polite letter to former Expo Ray Burriss, explaining that I wanted the autos a surprise presents for my Canadian relatives. I got an angry letter back, in which the opening sentence was "For 36 years I have been exploited for autographs, and have been gracious enough to comply." He went on to use exploited 2 more times. Th only good thing he did was return my cards unsigned.
This past July I send 4 cards and a polite letter to former Expo Ray Burriss, explaining that I wanted the autos a surprise presents for my Canadian relatives. I got an angry letter back, in which the opening sentence was "For 36 years I have been exploited for autographs, and have been gracious enough to comply." He went on to use exploited 2 more times. Th only good thing he did was return my cards unsigned.
What the hell is Burris' problem??????
icee82
10-18-2008, 08:41 AM
I sent Jim Brosnan a 5 X 7 photograph to autograph. He turned the pic upside down and signed it!:eek:
icee82
10-18-2008, 08:43 AM
Matt Belisle pretended to be on his cell phone. I got his auto anyway!!!
Richie Zisk likes to pull the "I don't sign, I was the victim of ID theft" line of BS on people...
shoreyart
10-18-2008, 10:56 PM
Jeff Burroughs "signed" 3 cards for me TTM but he used a ball point pen with no ink- just an impression left on the cards----hmmmmm
Another Roger McDowell story-I got him to sign a card once---perfect blue sharpie---he folded the card right in half before giving it back----geez, and I was gonna get rich on that one---
I heard a while back that when Ted Williams was asked to sign a photo that had already been signed by someone else, sometimes he would sign his name right over the top of the other sig---I recall a collector saying he did that over a Mantle signature----OUCH!!!
metrotheme
10-19-2008, 05:21 AM
What the hell is Burris' problem??????
I think ballplayers have heard the line, "can you autograph these extra items for my mom / sister / grandparent / cousin" etc. Regardless if it is true or not (something the ballplayer cannot determine), I can see how the player thinks they are being taken advantage of when someone says they're getting multiple autographs in the name of someone else. While this may be true in your case, I can see how someone can feel exploited, especially after hearing it for 30+ years.
Another Roger McDowell story-I got him to sign a card once---perfect blue sharpie---he folded the card right in half before giving it back----geez, and I was gonna get rich on that one--
I remember reading an article with McDowell and he said while he didn't have a problem signing, that he usually bent each card he signed so that people couldn't sell it. He said if people were happy with his autograph, that the bend on the card shouldn't matter. Bending the card in half though is a bit extreme.
icee82
10-19-2008, 06:54 AM
If McDowell's sig was worth a lot of money, I could understand but there is not a huge demand out there for him.
nyyfan
10-19-2008, 08:02 AM
Theres nothing worse than seeing the back of a David Wright card in your SASE and turn it over to find it unsigned.
Dalkowski110
10-19-2008, 08:18 AM
I believe there is. Seeing what's left of a Daric Barton card that he ripped up and mailed back to you (happened to one of my best friends in the hobby).
psbaseballfan27
10-19-2008, 10:52 AM
I believe there is. Seeing what's left of a Daric Barton card that he ripped up and mailed back to you (happened to one of my best friends in the hobby).
I think returning the card unsigned would of been enough.
Drivenbyjeter2
10-19-2008, 04:30 PM
OMG it was so funny, i was at Nationals ST when Alfonso Soriano was there, and they barely have any protection compared to the yankees. So they have to walk right past the fans to get to the parking lot. Alfonso soriano picked up his phone like somone called him and 2 seconds later his phone rang it was soooooo funny.
I've seen players pull the "cell phone" act way too many times.
Drivenbyjeter2
10-19-2008, 04:31 PM
LOL omg i didnt even see this, i wish i put this in my last response up there ^, but ya good prediction, Soriano's fan actually rang.
It would be funny if he was on the phone and it rung
KevinWI
10-24-2008, 12:01 AM
I believe there is. Seeing what's left of a Daric Barton card that he ripped up and mailed back to you (happened to one of my best friends in the hobby).
What a real tool. That's gotta be just as close to as much work as it is to sign it. Is he just offended that fans send stuff to his house?
What a real tool. That's gotta be just as close to as much work as it is to sign it. Is he just offended that fans send stuff to his house?
This guy sounds like he's BEYOND being a tool...
Dalkowski110
10-24-2008, 07:17 AM
"That's gotta be just as close to as much work as it is to sign it."
That's what my friend thought. This happened late in the Minor League season in 2006. My friend wonders if he was even sober when he did it.
"This guy sounds like he's BEYOND being a tool..."
Yes, although fortunately he's at least made it known that he doesn't sign TTM to those people on this forum that have asked him. Go back some posts and you'll find both that and also that he purposely smeared another autograph in-person (or something like that) and despite there being no line, he says "sorry, you had your chance."