"Where did you get this bat!!??"

[emann]

So, I'm very new to getting my GU items signed by the players. I've always wanted to do this as it gives some sort of instant authentication and is more interesting to own to me than a signed photo or ball. (... and most of what I collect is from the 80's generation of players anyway, well before MLB holos... LOL)

I've brought two bats to signings this month and gotten the same reaction from the players; "this was my bat... but how did you get it?"

Neither of them have been "angry" about it, George Foster was one of the two and was actually very nice, saying "it was a good bat, but it's got a crack, see?" (then pointing out the crack to me). He talked with me a little more, looked it over fondly and even wrote "game used" on it for me.

But it still left me feeling a bit odd. I'm just wondering how other collectors feel when you get something signed (or show to a player). I'd prefer not to get a "this was stolen from my locker, you theif!!!!"* at some point from one of my favorite players, but feel it might be unavoidable given the fact none of us really know where some of the GU items come from...

Thoughts?

* I read the thread about Kirk Gibson going ballistic over his batting helmet.

[cjclong]

The first game used bat I ever got was a Rafael Palmeiro Louisville Slugger with a tape job. He was signing autographs as I went through the line. When I got to him and handed him the bat everything stopped while he held it up and inspected it. It seemed like a couple of minutes. It was obvious he recognized it. He asked me where I got it. I told him on ebay and thought , Lord I hope it wasn't stolen out of his locker. He signed it and then the line moved on. But from his reaction I knew I really did have one of his game used bats.

[sox83cubs84]

One bad encounter I had was in the 1990s with the late Dave Ricketts, then a Cardinals coach. I showed him a late 1980s gamer of his at Wrigley Field and his response was a loud "How the hell did you get that?", followed by an almost immediate "Never mind, you probably stole the G** D*** thing!" After that, I wanted to flip that jersey as quickly as possible. His tone was not discreet, either...everyone within 30 or so feet heard him.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[emann]

"How the hell did you get that?", followed by an almost immediate "Never mind, you probably stole the G** D*** thing!" After that, I wanted to flip that jersey as quickly as possible. His tone was not discreet, either...everyone within 30 or so feet heard him.

Yikes, that's what I want to avoid... Did it slow you down from getting GU stuff signed in person?

[godwulf]

I've been told that many players routinely "tip" the batboys and clubhouse guys with bats and other equipment, and that this has been going on for a long time. They also give their bats to other players, either as souvenirs or to use, and many bats, when a player leaves a team, get left behind and used by somebody else or even sent down to the minors.

Every once in a while, you hear about a player who jealously guards all of his game-used or -worn stuff, but the vast majority of them don't seem to do that. I can't imagine why most players would be unduly surprised or upset because one of those items ended up in a fan/collector's hands...and, in fact, in all the time I've been collecting and getting bats signed, I've only ever been asked the question a few times: both times I had Chris Young sign a bat for me, he asked where I'd gotten it, but not in an angry way, just curious...and then, there was the incident with Randy Johnson and the 2001 World Series bat, which I've related a couple of times. He was obviously pissed, but then, Randy usually is, about something.

[sox83cubs84]

Yikes, that's what I want to avoid... Did it slow you down from getting GU stuff signed in person?

Not really...I just felt it was a case of "consider the source". The other surprising thing is the number of Cardinals fans/collectors I have told the story to who can't (or won't) believe that Ricketts cursed at me. Apparently, he was quite the stand-up guy for the home fans. Still doesn't change my opinion of him, though.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[Yankwood]

Graig Nettles asking me about a bat at a signing,"Where the f--- did you get this"? When I told him I got it from a clubhouse guy in Detroit where he cracked it he said, "Yeah, and how the f--- did he steal it from the clubhouse"? All of this was said loudly in front of small children. I told him "If you don't want to sign it, then don't". He said, "Did you pay your 10 bucks". That's how long ago this show was. I said I did so he signed it gruffly and rolled it across the table to me. I wanted to bash his head with it. Instead, I sold it to the first person who wanted it. He went from one of my favorite Yankees to someone I dispised.

[W_EISENHUTH]

I've had nothing but good luck getting game used items signed but I've heard the horror stories. Since when do the payers buy their own bats/jerseys, hats, gloves, etc. and why should they give a hoot if a fan collects discarded items or those sold by their own ball club at fan conventions/team garage sales? Perhaps you should have asked Nettles how much he paid for the bat!

[sox83cubs84]

Graig Nettles asking me about a bat at a signing,"Where the f--- did you get this"? When I told him I got it from a clubhouse guy in Detroit where he cracked it he said, "Yeah, and how the f--- did he steal it from the clubhouse"? All of this was said loudly in front of small children. I told him "If you don't want to sign it, then don't". He said, "Did you pay your 10 bucks". That's how long ago this show was. I said I did so he signed it gruffly and rolled it across the table to me. I wanted to bash his head with it. Instead, I sold it to the first person who wanted it. He went from one of my favorite Yankees to someone I dispised.

Back in the 1980s, many collectors believed that Nettles was so upset about his bats getting out because he was alleged to be corking them. He had run-ins with other bat collectors during his playing days, as well.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[012562]

I think that possibly getting questioned about an item comes with the territory. Rarely do I try to get any game used items signed. However, a few reactions that come to mind:

a. Ned Yost Brewers cracked bat while he was still playing, after a spring training game in Sun City, AZ, inspected a bat and told me that if it was not cracked (he had cracked it that day), he would have taken it back. He did sign it.
b. Dave Chalk, two Angels cracked bats, way back in 1976, at a personal appearance at a McDonald's restaurant in Orange, CA, and no other fans were there, he rolled the bats over on the table and found the small cracks, and also told me that if the bats were not cracked, he would have taken them back. He also signed both of them.
c. Eduardo Perez, game used Angels rookie jersey, I asked him to sign it in the neck the next year at spring training in Tempe, AZ, he gladly signed it and wrote the year in the collar, and then said "make sure you hold onto this, it is going to be worth a lot of money someday." The funny thing is that both my friend and I could tell he was serious when he said it.

On Nettles, I had a friend working in the visiting clubhouse and he could NEVER get a cracked bat through many seasons. Finally, he did get an unused, uncracked bat, but from my view, I agree that Graig must have watched his game used stuff closely. I never tried to have Graig sign the bat. Another quick and funny Nettles story that has nothing to do with game used. Tommy John had a golf tourney during the winter when he was on the Yankees that Nettles attended. At one of the tees, they had a basket of red apples for the players to pick up and eat. Nettles walks up, picks up an apple, and says "what's this supposed to represent, the Big Apple?" He took a bite, and said "well there goes a million maggots!"

Tom Duino