Player asking how game used item was received

[grenda12]

I was at spring training this past weekend in AZ. I had a pair of batting gloves that I wanted to get signed. As the player was signing them, he was asking me a bunch of questions on how and where I got the gloves. I told him exactly how I came upon them. It felt as if he wanted to take them back.

Just wondering if anyone else has encountered this and what you did/said?

[Eurostar09]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

did he sign them? I would ask if perhaps they would like them for their collection & offer a trade or sell for what I paid for them or even less depending how much I admired the player. Thats just me

[Birdbats]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

Happens all the time. I just tell them "eBay."

[godwulf]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I've had Chris Young (the outfielder, not the pitcher) sign a bat for me on two occasions, and both times he asked where I got it. (I told him, "I dunno, I've had it for awhile, probably eBay.") I think he's the only player who has even asked me that once, let alone twice. (Unless you count Matty Williams' frequent, "Where do you find these things?")

[legaleagle92481]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

did he sign them? I would ask if perhaps they would like them for their collection & offer a trade or sell for what I paid for them or even less depending how much I admired the player. Thats just me

Tough luck on the player unless it is an item from a special moment in the guys career, why would you offer it back to the player? What would he trade you for it? He has access to all of his own equipment so it is not like he has an incentive to give you anything of value for an item that was not from a special moment in his career. Maybe he will give you an autographed baseball or something. Alot of players are slow on the uptake and don't realize that alot of the stuff out there was originally sold by the team/league. Yes some stuff is stolen but unless your the person that stole it it is not your problem.

[michael47]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I took a 1990 Tony Gwynn game used bat to have him sign at a NYC show in 1991. As soon as I approached the table & started to hand him the bat, he said "Now that's one of my gamers." He could tell even before he had the bat in his hands. He then asked where I got the bat. I told him that I was told he gave it to a batboy at Shea Stadium the year before. As soon as I told him that he said "Oh, I remember this bat." He then flipped the bat around & told me that he cracked the bat in at least two different areas & he pointed out each crack. He clearly remembered the bat in detail.

I also had a similar experience with George Brett around the same time. George did not remember the specific bat but he also said the bat was one of his game bats as soon as he held it & saw the pine tar & the writing on the knob. He commented that sometimes people bring him game used bats but they were never used by him & that he did not have the heart to tell them that they were not used by him. He was actually happy & almost excited in telling me that this was definitely one of his game used bats.

[obpercent1]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I went to spring training in 2008 and had Jon Lester's cap from the previous season in Pawtucket. I asked him to sign it and he looked at the cap and I could def tell he was pissed. He asked where I got it, and I told him the person I got it from and he was OK with it after that. It has a really good bible quote in his own hand under the bill. The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

[murfsteve25]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

Ya...I had Andruw Jones sign his jersey with a silver Sharpie on the back number. Looked good for the first day, now you cant even tell its there unless you put your face right up to it. Also a lesson learned.

[jgoldstein2000]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I went to spring training in 2008 and had Jon Lester's cap from the previous season in Pawtucket. I asked him to sign it and he looked at the cap and I could def tell he was pissed. He asked where I got it, and I told him the person I got it from and he was OK with it after that. It has a really good bible quote in his own hand under the bill. The only bad part is I had him sign it with a silver sharpie and you can barely see it now(the cap is blue). I should have had him sign it with a paint pen. Lesson learned

Would love to get that hat

[suave1477]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I actually like to joke with the players when they ask me that. It usually takes the awkward feeling at of the moment.

One incident I met Julio Franco and has his Batting Helmet from the Mets 2006 Playoffs.
(As another member here pointed out a lot of players do not realize the teams and such are selling there stuff)
This helmet I got directly from the Mets.

He asked me where did I get this from? (in a bit of a perturbed tone)

I said (jokingly) when he was sleeping the other night I went through his trash and found it. He started chuckling.

Then I said at home I got his under wear too. He started hysterical laughing. He said I can keep those lol lol.

At that point he was more than happy to sign it.

[godwulf]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

This didn't happen to me, but to a media guy I know. He was at a show where Vida Blue was signing, and had a number of Vida's older jerseys. Vida signed them with no comment, but then later approached my friend and began very loudly talking about how the jerseys had been stolen from him, and getting very agitated. My friend told him that he'd purchased the jerseys directly from the team owner, and that he'd be happy to show him the documents. Vida didn't have much to say after that, but his wife came up to my friend a few minutes later and asked about purchasing one of the jerseys, but apparently the asking price was too much for her.

[Manram]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

This didn't happen to me, but to a media guy I know. He was at a show where Vida Blue was signing, and had a number of Vida's older jerseys. Vida signed them with no comment, but then later approached my friend and began very loudly talking about how the jerseys had been stolen from him, and getting very agitated. My friend told him that he'd purchased the jerseys directly from the team owner, and that he'd be happy to show him the documents. Vida didn't have much to say after that, but his wife came up to my friend a few minutes later and asked about purchasing one of the jerseys, but apparently the asking price was too much for her.

My experience with Vida was a lot better than that. Although at mine he was not signing a game used item. I met him a a celebrity tennis tournament and he would sign for anyone. One of the nicest guys I have met

[TNTtoys]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

I have never actually had a player outright ask me "how I got this" but have had similar experiences. One player (I did tell the story before on another thread) turned to the guy next to him and muttered that "these used to walk out the back door of the locker room" and at that point I felt impelled to show him the "purchased from the team" stamp on the inside of the jersey just to show him that it was obtained "honestly."

This year, in the span of a month, I was told by the players that they wished they still had this item. I truly felt sorry for them but did not wish to give up a meaningful item in my collection. One one of these 2 occasions, I reconsidered and phoned the promoter and offered the jersey to the former player at my cost. He agreed to contact the player and relay my information to him. I never heard back from either of them.

[bigtruck260]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

The only one that really stands out for me is Ryan Ludwick.

I was at a signing with Ryan and Skip Schumaker last year...and when I got to Luddy, he looked at my bat REALLY hard. First question was "Is it even cracked?"

I got the bat from Ball Park Heroes, and the crack was really nicely repaired - so good in fact, I had a hard time showing him where the crack was ...

He then looked at the knob and checked the date code on the bottom. That's the first time that ever happened. His comment was "probably a bat that I brought with me when I got called up."

He just kind of smiled while shaking his head - kind of like he was flabberghasted that people would want something that he discarded. He ended up hitting 37 homers that year and driving in 116...

Most of the other guys are either indifferent, happy - or don't realize what it is they are signing.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Re: Player asking how game used item was received

Why should anyone care what they think? They are getting paid lots of money, if they really want it they could easily pay for it.