Got my Grace Gamer signed

[gracecollector]

Hi all. I'm new here, but not to collecting (been doing that for 20+ years). Great forums!

I went to the Chicago Sun-Times Sports Collectibles Convention this past Saturday because Mark Grace was one of the autograph guests. I took my 1995 game-used hat and had him sign it. I asked him to inscribe "game used" on it and he did after giving it a good examination. I thought it looks great and wanted to share the photos:






If anyone is a Grace fan, be sure to check out my website www.markgrace.com. I have a tab for my memorabilia. If anyone has any Grace gamers, I'd be interested in them. Thanks for looking!

[AWA85]

Nice hat, and welcome to the board!

[Vintagedeputy]

I'm hoping that one day Gracie makes it to the Richmond/DC area. I have a Grace gu bat that I'd love to get signed. He was always one of my favorites.

[godwulf]

I've managed to collect four game-used Gracie bats, and had them all signed at one time or another - all from his days with the DBacks. One regular season 2001 bat, one from the post-season that year, and one each from '02 and '03.

The '02 bat has an interesting history. I have a friend in the media, one of whose colleagues was up in the pressbox one day during bp, and I guess Gracie wasn't having a good day against the ball, 'cause the guy could hear him yelling and cussing all the way upstairs. At one point, Gracie either had the bat slip out of his hands or just launched it into the (empty) stands, and never made any move to retrieve it. The press guy watched, but no one else ever went to get the bat, either...so at the first opportunity, he went down and located it, himself, and smuggled it up to the pressbox and later home. He later sold it to me.

[Vintagedeputy]

Thats a neat story!

My Grace bat was given to former D'backs pitcher Scott Service by Grace at the end of tje 2003 season. Service sold it to a cop and the cop ebayed it, where I grabbed it.

I've managed to collect four game-used Gracie bats, and had them all signed at one time or another - all from his days with the DBacks. One regular season 2001 bat, one from the post-season that year, and one each from '02 and '03.

The '02 bat has an interesting history. I have a friend in the media, one of whose colleagues was up in the pressbox one day during bp, and I guess Gracie wasn't having a good day against the ball, 'cause the guy could hear him yelling and cussing all the way upstairs. At one point, Gracie either had the bat slip out of his hands or just launched it into the (empty) stands, and never made any move to retrieve it. The press guy watched, but no one else ever went to get the bat, either...so at the first opportunity, he went down and located it, himself, and smuggled it up to the pressbox and later home. He later sold it to me.

[metsbats]

Mark Grace had to be one of the best signers during playing days.

Everytime I send cards to get signed to Wrigley they always came back with a great signature.

Anyone whose idol growing up was Keith Hernandez is alright in my book.

David

[godwulf]

I had the pleasure of sitting at a table between Matt Williams and Mark Grace a few years ago, for a couple of hours, while they were doing a signing. The interaction between those two guys and the fans, and with each other, was really great. Two great ballplayers, and also two guys who "get it".