Probably a touchy subject...

[Roady]

I agree that it is selfish on the collectors/sellers part it but the player can always sign just one and move on to the next person.
Do they ever do that? Just say they can't sign that many for one person?
I have never asked for an autograph at a game so I don't know.

[shaunharr]

I get mostly cards signed, at minor league games that is. With guys that I know have no problem signing multiple cards, I will ask them to sign howeve many I have. I don't ask guys to sign a lot if I know they won't either. Also, if I have many cards, I will ask a player if he could get a couple done, because I have them all ready for the entire series.
Yes, I have gotten 10-15 cards signed at once by players, but they had no problem with it, and a lot of the times, there aren't more than a few people around anyways.

[Roady]

I would hope that any grown man would make way for any child that wants an autograph. I have seen men getting in front of children before and that is not right. It is shameful actually.

[xpress34]

I would hope that any grown man would make way for any child that wants an autograph. I have seen men getting in front of children before and that is not right. It is shameful actually.

Roady - there is another side to this issue (and it's been brought up before) called 'entitlement'.

There are many times that I have been at the park early and waited (literally) for hours for the one player I am looking for an autograph from only to have parents show up with their children just minutes before and then demand that we should let the children get up front. I'm sorry, but lack of planning on their part does not constitute and emergency on mine.

I hear them telling their kids just to squeeze or force their way in and very rarely have I ever heard an 'excuse me' out of any of these kids. They knock your stuff over, step on your feet, etc. and neither them nor their parents have any type of manners to apologize for their actions.

Now, if you're talking about the jack @$$e@ that shove their way past kids (and everyone else), then I completely agree with you... the problem is, the kids I'm talking about above will grow up to become these type of adults because their parents are raising them to feel entitled to do or get whatever they want whenever they want it.

Just my .02.

Smitty

[xpress34]

As an addendum to my post above...

Having worked for Rawlings and Nike and having gotten to know on a somewhat personal level many of the players, some of those parents don't even realize that my friends or myself might have a better shot at getting some players to come over and chat and sign than their child screaming at the player for 15 straight minutes - and not even knowing the players name.

I can't tell you - and I'm talking about at the MLB level (Coors Field) - how many times Rockies players have come over to hi and then start signing and then the kids and their parents (the same rude jerks I mentioned above) now want to be polite and start asking, 'Who was that?'.

They aren't there for certain players, they are just there to get an autograph... I seen them yell at Coaches, Ground Keepers, etc to come and sign...

Great example - 2008 Spring Training at Hi Corbett - St Patty's Day - the Rockies usually toss many of their hats (with Green CR) into the stands after the game... Mark Stritmatter (former Rockies Bullpen Coach and now roaming instructor) is coming off the field and a group of kids are yelling 'GIVE ME YOUR HAT!'... not even a Please... 'Mister', 'Hey You', etc...

I calmly walk past them and yell, 'Stritty! May I please have your lid?' He looks at me and says 'My cap?' and I reply 'Yes Please.' He walks over in front of the kids and gives it to me.

I immediately get the squawkers telling me to 'Give it to a Kid!' My response? 'Can ANYONE tell me who that was or what he does?'.... SILENCE... So I said 'Have a nice day!' and left with my cap...

The next day, a Dad and his two kids were sitting next to my mom and I... Stritty threw a ball up to one of the kids and his brother burst into tears. Between innings I went to the rail, got Stritty's attention, told him the situation and he handed me another ball to give to the other boy... I think it made their day and their father was so thankful he bought me a beer...

[Roady]

As a grown man, unless I am paying for an autograph, I would just move out of the way for the kids. I don't care if their parents planned or didn't plan. It's not the kids fault.
As a collector I still know these guys are not Gods and nothing is worth going to war with children or their parents.
And I sleep very good at night.

[64SHEA]

The worst part is when the kids, at there parents behest, force there way in to get an autograph and then have no idea who the guy is. Its hard enough to get an autograph because it seems a lot of players wont even sign for grown men. David Wright has signed a few times at roads games but he walks by anyone who is not under 12 or, of course, a good looking female. I don't understand why kids think they should, and are given anything they want. I look at it like this, in 10 years that 9 year old is going to be a rude, entitled PIA 19 year old with my, probably long forgotten, autograph.

On the other hand it is nice to be able to have my, now 14 year old, niece be able to get autographs for me.

[xpress34]

I agree that it is selfish on the collectors/sellers part it but the player can always sign just one and move on to the next person.
Do they ever do that? Just say they can't sign that many for one person?
I have never asked for an autograph at a game so I don't know.

Roady -

I've been collecting autos for the better part of 30 years and for someone who doesn't do it, you seem to be very judgmental of those of us that do and you certainly like to make your opinion known about how you think we should handle ourselves and who we should let go first (kids), etc.

Unless you do chase autos (and I hate that term), then you really have no basis for most of your complaints about those of us that collect autos.

I am always more than polite - asking please and thank you - as well as knowing more about the person I asking for an autograph than that they are this week's 'flavor' or hot rookie or whatever.

I also try to educate newbies on good autograph etiquette - not screaming constantly, knowing who the players are, waiting for them to finish warming up, etc.

I also have seen the 'entitled' or 'entitlement' attitude grow each year as kids who have not been raised with any type of social manners push crawl and try to squeeze their was through without so much as an 'excuse me' or 'please' etc. while their parents 'coach them from a few rows back to just make their way past others - and I'm not just talking about adults. I'm talking about them squeezing other kids out as well.

So I'll back sox83cubs84 and godwulf when they call many of these children brats. It's not because they have upset me, it's because that is what they are. They are (as the vernacular was back in my day as a child), "spoiled brats" who have been raised to believe that they should always get their way and what they want and that even if they fail, they should be given and award/trophy for trying. I'm sorry if this upsets your apparently sensitive sensibilities, but I was raised with the idea that your learn from your failures and mistakes. I have a friend who has a 6 year old and when he called me this year to tell me that they no longer keep score or track outs in T-Ball and some Little Leagues, I asked why. He said they don't want any kids to be 'losers'. I think that ideology has a lot to do with the 'entitlement mindset' of a lot of these kids growing up today.

All that said, there is also the final piece to this puzzle - the kids who show up everyday with their parent(s) who pull their items back when 'Joe Schmoe' comes to sign, but turn on the kid cuteness when the big names or rookies come by. You really think these kids are getting these items for themselves?

There's a kid here in Denver who until last year when he had a growth spurt used his small stature to snag every big name or rookie - and bragged that he sold them all. He was almost 18 when he had the growth spurt but looked like he was 11 or 12. And there's plenty of other kids I've heard brag about how someone paid them to come down and get player X, Y or Z's auto.

I have a pretty good sense who the kids are that are truly just excited to get an auto - any auto - just for the sheer joy of it vs the ones who are working the system for themselves, their parents or a dealer.

Unfortunately, those 'kids' and the 'brats' make it tough to just want to move anytime a kid shows up.

And on a closing note, as I have told many players who have said they don't sign for anyone over 18... 'I appreciate you signing for the kids - you should sign for the kids - but don't forget who dropped $40, $50, $60 for that box seat. It certainly wan't that 6, 8,10, etc year old...' many have stopped. looked at me and realized that while children may be the future of the game and it's fans, adults and parents like myself are the ones who fund that.

So while I am happy that guys sign for the kids, I do not agree with your ideology that everyone should just step out of the way and let the kids get autographs. I understand the kids can't help what time they get there - but their parents certainly can.

Sorry for the long rant everyone.

All the best -

Smitty

[Roady]

I don't have to chase auto's to tell the difference between acting like a man and acting like a child.

I have seen the "adults" pushing and shoving for an autograph, everyone sees them. If that makes you happy that's fine.

You can justify anything you want if it helps you sleep at night.
I sleep very well knowing that I act like a man and I let the children act like children.

[xpress34]

I don't have to chase auto's to tell the difference between acting like a man and acting like a child.

I have seen the "adults" pushing and shoving for an autograph, everyone sees them. If that makes you happy that's fine.

You can justify anything you want if it helps you sleep at night.
I sleep very well knowing that I act like a man and I let the children act like children.

See - there is the problem. You are painting everyone with the same brush.

I have never pushed a child - or an adult for that matter - to get an autograph.

I have been pushed and shoved by many an adult and I have confronted the situation with the adult in an adult matter and moved on with my auto seeking.

I sleep just fine at night because I know that I am not guilty of any of the things you claim to know about 'adult' autograph seekers.

If I use that same 'broad brush' as you, you would appear to be an Elitist, 'Holier than Thou', Pious, Self Righteous, Indignant... well, you get the picture.

You're like anyone who puts down an activity, a book, a movie, a play, etc that they have never participated in, read or watched, but they believe they know everything about it.

You have no right to judge GodWulf, Dave M, myself or the countless others because for some unknown reason you seem to think you are better than other people.

Please come down from your Ivory Tower and let those who enjoy this part of the hobby enjoy it.

I have a question - when you have 'seen' grown men shove kids, have you done anything about? I doubt it.

I have. I'm a disabled vet who enjoys this part of the hobby - even when I have to deal with the jerks and the brats. You want to know what kind of autograph seeker I am? I'll tell you one story that should let you know.

At Hi Corbett in Tucson, years ago at Spring Training, there was 'kid' (he was 16 or so) in a wheelchair on the rail waiting for autographs. When Larry Walker came walking over, the crowd - mostly kids - starting literally climbin on his chair, some tried pushing him back, etc... I stepped in behind his chair (I didn't know the kid and I didn't see anyone else stepping in), reached around it and grabbed the railing and made the best shield around him I could.

When Walker got to the wall, he yelled at all the kids climbing on this kid and made them move back to give the kid room. He signed for the kid and he signed for me and he left. But I'm sure in your opinion, I should have given that autograph up to one of those 'deserving' brats that had no concern for a kid in a wheelchair.

So sorry Roady - but you don't really know jack about me or any of the other autograph seekers here - you just want everyone to fit into your very tightly constrained definition and accuse the group for the actions of the few.

I hope being so narrow minded helps you sleep well at night.

- Smitty