Here are a few more:

Gary "Sarge" Matthews:

I was sitting at a the bar of a local Japanese restaurant with no television. The only other person there was this older black gentleman - and we struck up a conversation about sports and baseball. I asked him if he was a Cards fan and he said "NO!" - he shrugged at me and said "SH#t man, I'm the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs."

It didn't register. I laughed and said - lemme see your ID.

His response - "Why would I lie about something like that"?

Me - "OK - so who are you"?

Him "Gary Matthews"

Me - Sarge! (I loved him as a kid - though he was a Cub.) I told him a story about how I got kicked out of a little league game for throwing off my helmet the way he did after hitting a homer...

Him - "I only did that on base hits"...

We talked for at least an hour about his kid, the best players ever...and coaching Sammy Sosa on hitting.."everyone has holes sometimes".

He was not bothered by my chain smoking or Saki-talk. We got a little buzzed together as he waited for his drop dead gorgeous lady to arrive.
I never asked him for an autograph or a photo. It was just a neat experience. I had two witnesses too - whom I introduced him to - unfortunately, they are both hockey fans, and had no idea who Sarge was.

Not really an athlete per se, but still a fun time was meeting my childhood idol, Bill Dance - the bassmaster. My dad and I talked to him at a boat show, and he had us in stitches. I don't have many autographs left from my collection, but I still have Bill's personalized auto stashed somewhere.