OT: Willie Mays autograph habits.

[joelsabi]

This is little off topic but does anyone know the habits of Willie Mays. Does he refuse to sign a baseball if he cannot sign the sweetspot? What is the best way to get a nice clean autograph of his? does he still do shows. thanks in advance.

[OaklandAsFan]

Mays is a jerk, he just refuses to sign autographs period.

[suave1477]

He does a couple of shows a year. I belive he is currently doing one now or one just passed that he did.

If yoru located near New York or New Jersey MAB Shows usually get hime once out of the year.

i personally cannot comment on his autograph habits as I never got him on anything. But from what I heard he is not the most pleasent to deal with.

[metsbats]

During the heydays of the autograph shows in NYC the big headliners were Mantle, DiMaggio, Mays, Snider. There were times when Willie, Mickey, and the Duke appeared at shows together.

I've met Mays a couple of times and had him sign my 500 home run print and 500 home run ball. While on line waiting to get my 500 home run ball signed, I heard other collectors saying that Mays will deface a baseball if he didn't have the sweet spot. Defacing meaning he would sign over another players signature on purpose. Now my 500 Home run ball had Ted Williams and Hank Aaron on the sweet spot and was filled with at least 8 other signatures on the other panels. So I got off the line and went to my car where I wrapped the ball in paper, tissue and tape leaving only a small exposed blank area of the ball when Mays can only sign his name. You should have seen the look on his face when I present the ball for his signature and he preceeded to sign his name in the only place he could

I've not been to a Mays signing in ages so maybe he's mellowed out in this old age.

[suicide_squeeze]

I've had the privilage of meeting Willie three times over the years at signings.

He is brash, downright difficult at times, but my experience is he will sign almost anything you want.....if the price is right.

He really frowns on signing game used items. But if you bring enough cash, and I mean benjamins, his latest thing is to tell you how "If I sign that, it makes you a rich man! How much are you willing to pay for this?"

Then he'll lean into you with an ear out, and as you pop off a figure, he'll take his thumb and pump it up in a quick motion three times as if to say "higher". You go in $100 increments, and he'll keep going up with that damn thumb....until he gets what he wants for his signature on that particular item.

I saw him work a guy who had a BEAUTIFUL painting of him with the "thumb up gesture" until the guy got to $3,000. Then, Willie had the painting placed in the back room, and he went back there with his representatives, and signed it very nicely , large, bold, and in classic "Willie" style in gold paint pen. The guy who payed the 3K asked if he could take a picture of Willie signing it, and Willie not only said "Sure", he took a picture with the guy AND with the painting in the background.

On baseballs and other smaller items, he'll do as you wish if you are quick to explain it to his help sitting next to him, and you've GOT to be sure he has the correct pen in his hand! Willie is famous for signing baseballs in "sharpie" (UG!) if you don't get a ball point in his hand quick enough. So be careful!

His prices are going through the roof, so my recommendation to anyone is to try and catch him when he does a signing in the Bay area Walnut Creek, CA or anywhere close), as the prices are usually a bit lower than if he does them on the east coast.

My last comment is if you are bringing an item already signed by him, and you are just looking for an inscription to be added.....you're in for a battle.

He'll treat you like you are a dealer who is trying to get him to "authenticate your fake item" while you take a picture of him adding the inscription. It doesn't matter how real it is....he wants the dough to sign everything when he does a signing with his name first and foremost, and the inscriptions (which he does charge extra for) are frosting on the cake to him. He will also cover his signature with his free hand if it is already signed so you can't take a picture of him adding the inscription with the already-aplied signature showing.......he's a tough one, trust me! He knows the game, and he is in CHARGE!

Good luck....but if you guys haven't met the legend, you better get on it. He's 76 or 77 now.

Regards,

Steve

[stkmtimo]

There's no doubt Willie Mays is one of the Top 5 all-time greatest baseball players but I've heard nothing but horror stories about him with fans and autograph signing. To top it all off, did anyone notice him at the All-Star game last year? He barely acknowledged Josh Hamilton and was chewing gum the whole time he was on the field. That just left a bad taste in my mouth, too.

Tim

[trsent]

He does a couple of shows a year. I belive he is currently doing one now or one just passed that he did.

If yoru located near New York or New Jersey MAB Shows usually get hime once out of the year.

i personally cannot comment on his autograph habits as I never got him on anything. But from what I heard he is not the most pleasent to deal with.

When was the last show Willie Mays attended? Please post the date, I have been looking for a show appearance for years and I would love to see him in person so please let us know about his few shows a year as I do not remember seeing anything advertised for years.

[Bondsgloves]

Willie will sign almost anything for the right price. He is doing a show at the San Francisco tristar show $299 flats and balls- $699 for Jerseys, inscriptions are over a $100. What a joke in this economy.

Anyway has signed ocassionally at AT&T park, but only baseballs. He prefers to sign with a sharpie, because his eyes are so bad. He has a hard time seeing with a ink pen.

He is very grumpy when it comes to signing and tries to squeeze you for every buck.

[Bondsgloves]

When was the last show Willie Mays attended? Please post the date, I have been looking for a show appearance for years and I would love to see him in person so please let us know about his few shows a year as I do not remember seeing anything advertised for years.

Tristar san francisco 05/09!

[suicide_squeeze]

When was the last show Willie Mays attended? Please post the date, I have been looking for a show appearance for years and I would love to see him in person so please let us know about his few shows a year as I do not remember seeing anything advertised for years.

May 1-3 2009 is his next appearance in San Francisco. Here's the link...

http://signingshotline.com/