Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

[godwulf]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

along with with opposites

Should read "along with their opposites". This board really needs an Edit function.

[Josh M]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

This was a few weeks ago. I was at a club and saw Jason Kidd and Vince Carter and a few other various Nets players. My friend went up to Vince and just said "Hey, I'm a big fan, I've liked you since you were at UNC" and just wanted to shake his hand...........and Vince goes "Whatever" and just turns away.

It'd be one thing like the story explained on page 1 of being tired and real late............there was really no one around them and they weren't with anyone. Oh well............

[commando]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

It's interesting how the same players (or entertainers) have been listed under both the good and the bad.... Even Barry Bonds! While Willie Mays and Barry Bonds are obviously legendary for their disdain of autograph seekers, some of these players are just victims of timing and what's going on in their lives at the moment I would imagine.

I had the chance to meet Ray Nitschke in Denver at a show shortly before his death. The line for his autograph was very short, and Mr. Nitschke took the time to sign a throwback jersey and pose for a photo with me! During the photo shoot, a couple of middle-aged burnouts wearing Packers caps started heckling me, saying I wasn't even old enough to see Nitschke play (which was true, I was one year old when he retired). Well Ray, in that Wisconsin voice of his, lobbed a few back at those guys, telling them their comments were uncalled for.

It was the first (and probably the last) time a Pro Football Hall of Famer ever defended me!

[godwulf]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

I'm not a big Barrry Bonds fan, to say the least - but I have to confess that my one personal encounter with the man was not unpleasant, even if it was a little weird.

While going to school, I was working as an alarm company dispatcher, monitoring people's home burglar and fire alarms, and we also remotely monitored some gated communities - answering the phone at the gate and buzzing people in when they gave us the password.

One evening, probably in '95, Barry Bonds rolled up to one of the gates and asked to be let in. He said that he was renting a house from a woman in that community during Spring Training. I quickly checked in the computer and saw that the residence's password was "Baseball", so that made sense, but Barry didn't know the password.

When I advised him that I was sorry, but that I couldn't let him through the gate without the password - that he'd have to contact the owner of the house by phone and obtain it before I could help him, and that this precaution was for his own security - I braced myself for a blow-up. Instead, he said, "Okay, that's cool." I was so surprised that I accidentally pushed the button on my phone that opened the gate. So after telling him that I couldn't open the gate for him...I opened the gate for him. He must have thought I was an idiot.

[godwulf]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

During my year as a dispatcher, I also got to speak at length with Charles Barkley's lovely wife, who got her car stolen at the mall while simultaneously managing to lose her house keys. Also Glen Campbell's wife, Rob Halford's significant other (he set off the burglar alarm in the house at least three times a day) and the ice queen, Leona Helmsley - all nice experiences with the notable exception of the last.

[Yankeefan01]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Several good and bad, but here are the one's that come to mind first.

Worst: Another Kirk Gibson. This was back in the late '80's to early '90's at Tiger Stadium after a game. I was there with my then 10-12 year old nephew. He was getting Tiger autographs as they left the clubhouse after a game. Gibson walked past without saying anything to anybody so I told my nephew to run up to him and ask. His response "get lost, kid". All around great guy eh?

Best: Another Cal Ripken. This was outside Doubleday Field in Cooperstown. The Orioles were in town to play in the HOF game. This was back when they did it on HOF Induction weekend. There were about 1000 people out in front of this small stadium and Ripken didn't even enter the stadium, he was signing all game out there. Standing next to me was a woman who was going to try and get a Ripken bio signed for her future husband. When her turn came, she told her story to Cal and he said "would you like a pic with me to add to the book?". She said sure. He then took her camera, gave it to the security guy escorting him and said to take their picture. He lifted the rope that seperated the fans from him and took her away from the crowd. Made a great pic I'll bet. He autographed my Camden Yards CBC bat for me. he made alot of people happy that day.

[bigtruck260]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Rob Halford's significant other (he set off the burglar alarm in the house at least three times a day)

I am certain that this would have been worth taking photos of.

[mvandor]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

It's interesting how the same players (or entertainers) have been listed under both the good and the bad.... Even Barry Bonds! While Willie Mays and Barry Bonds are obviously legendary for their disdain of autograph seekers, some of these players are just victims of timing and what's going on in their lives at the moment I would imagine.

I had the chance to meet Ray Nitschke in Denver at a show shortly before his death. The line for his autograph was very short, and Mr. Nitschke took the time to sign a throwback jersey and pose for a photo with me! During the photo shoot, a couple of middle-aged burnouts wearing Packers caps started heckling me, saying I wasn't even old enough to see Nitschke play (which was true, I was one year old when he retired). Well Ray, in that Wisconsin voice of his, lobbed a few back at those guys, telling them their comments were uncalled for.

It was the first (and probably the last) time a Pro Football Hall of Famer ever defended me!

Nice jersey too, I'm betting you'll go to your grave wearing that one!

[CardinalsFan]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

One experience that stands out for me was at Spring Training for the Cardinals is 2006. My daughters and I were waiting for the players to drive out from practice and coach Hal McRae stopped to sign. There were serveral adults who virtually pushed kids out of his way to get the autograph. I actually let several kids go in front of me until I was the only when left in line. When I politely asked him to sign he said that was it for the day, even though he had seen me let the kids go first.

[frikativ54]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

I never mentioned my Dad's worst experience dealing with an athlete. This took place back in 1998, when Randy Johnson had been traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Houston Astros. They were doing a TV special on the Big Unit, so he was signing autographs for the PR.

My Dad yelled "Randy, we miss you in Seattle." The Big Unit, seeing that we were together, refused to sign for either me, my Dad, or my brother. Then, my dad shouts again, "Randy, we miss you in Seattle!" at which point R.J., having had more than enough, screamed back in a gruff voice, "Okay, enough, I've heard you already!"

Of course, the TV cameras caught what my Dad said, editing out Randy Johnson's response. It was funny when family called, telling us that we were on TV. Of course, we then offered the rest of the story.

[kenozebi]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Frikativ54,
If you are serious I would love to buy a Pence gamer. I have met him at the last two tri star shows in houston and had the exact opposite experience. he was always smiling and stopped to take a picture with everyone that wanted one. He even stayed two hours after the first Tristar show ended so that evereyone could have an autograph and picture that wanted one (granted, he got paid, but no one else was willing to stay late).

Maybe he was just having a really bad day. I would tell you he's not like most of the other guys out there, but if you are really ready to give up on him I would love to take that bat off your hands

[Birdbats]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

I typically get several autographs each year at the Cardinals Winter Warm Up, and the players are almost universally great to deal with. The past two years, nearly every player I asked gladly wrote some kind of notation under their signature about being 2006 World Champions. But, each year, you can count on one guy being a total jerk -- Mike Jorgensen. Jorgensen played on the '85 NL championship team and has been part of the team's front office for several years, which is why he attends the event.

The first time I got his autograph on one of his GU bats, he spun the bat 180 degrees and signed it on the back.

The next time I got him to sign a different GU bat of his, remembering what happened before, I asked him to sign on the front. Again, he spun the bat and signed the back.

The next year, I returned with the same bat and, again, asked him to sign on the front. Once again, he turned it around... only to find his signature from the year before. He looked up at me, smirked and then wrote his name just above the previous signature.

I'd planned to take the bat back again and again until he made it around to the front, but I sold my '85 team collection and no longer own any of his bats.

This year, my buddy had a red mesh BP shirt from when Jorgensen was the Cards' manager. His daughter agreed to get Jorgensen's autograph for him and they decided having him sign on one of the white numbers was preferable to getting a sig on the mesh material. I shared my tales of woe regarding Jorgensen and warned her to be prepared for disappointment. Sure enough, he signed on the red mesh, above the numbers, and didn't even acknowledge her. Tool.

[AWA85]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Jeff that story about singing the back of the bat would get me. Really wonder what the players get out of it by doing such a thing. Ever had any experience with Jack Clark signing? He is coming to town and doing a free signing and was looking forward to meeting him for my first time.

[Birdbats]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Ever had any experience with Jack Clark signing? He is coming to town and doing a free signing and was looking forward to meeting him for my first time.

Funny you should ask. Clark is great. He was at the Warm Up this weekend -- I'm not even sure he was a scheduled guest, but he was walking around the vendor area signing for anyone who asked. I had a Clark gamer on my bat rack and my friend Wade asked if I wanted him to ask Clark to sign it. So I gave him the bat. He returned a few minutes later with my bat, signed "Jack Clark, The Ripper, 340 HRs, Game Used." I've had Clark sign several bats -- he's always nice, always adds his nickname without being asked and recently has started adding "340 HRs" without being asked.

[AWA85]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Glad to hear that, look forward to meeting Jack THE RIPPER.