Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

[mvandor]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

About 4-5 years ago, there was a card show in North Jersey where all the living World Series MVPs were signing autographs. I was interested in 2 - Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose. At the time, I had about 100 auto's of the two of them, but what I really wanted was an autographed photo personalized to me. Schmidt obliged without issue, although for $65.00, he could have at least looked up and made eye contact. When I finally made it to the front of the Pete Rose line, I asked very nicely if he could please sign it "To Daryl." He stopped, put down the pen, looked up, and said:

"You've got to be kidding! Think about it. Think about it! If I had to do that for every one of the people, I'd be here all g-d da-- day! Do you think I really want to sit here all day?"

I didn't know what to say except "Excuse me??" He proceeded to pick up the Sharpie, sign "Pete Rose 4256" and in a very disgusted manner slid the photo back to me. I looked around, and everyone within hearing distance had a look of disbelief on their faces.

With everything that's now public knowledge on Rose, is anyone shocked he's an arrogant jerk to the fans that are now 90% of his income?

Guy deserves to spend the rest of his days sitting at an autograph card table in Vegas.

[Vintagedeputy]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Easy one for me......Mark Wohlers

A few years ago, Wohlers was pitching for the AAA Richmond Braves and was stinking up the place like a backed up sewer line. This guy was awful but he was working with a torn oblique (or whatever it was).

Anyway, Wohlers came into the game and blew the lead and lost it. Amazingly, a group of us stil wanted his autograph even after he lost the game for us. About 5-6 of us waited near a gate that goes to the parking lot. I saw him first and said "Mr. Wohlers, could you sign my picture". I had a 1998 Braves team composite photo. Wohlers stormed past my and at the same time grabbed my picture and sharpie and scribbled all over it. I started to run after him as he never stopped. He turned and tossed the ruined picture to me. Then he threw a backhand bitchslap at the next poor guy and knocked a ball clean from his hands and it rolled along the parking lot.

A simple "not tonight fellas" would have sufficed.

[Carlevv]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

My worst experience or one I remember so vividly was when I attended a baseball game in St. Louis with the Cardinals and the Reds. I was 7 or 8 if I remember correctly. After the game, my father and I waited out in the back area to see if any ball players came out to board the team bus. I had a program in my hand from the game and a pencil. Pretty soon Pete Rose came out and when I politely asked for his autographed he looked at me and said..."Sorry, I'm not Pete Rose." Then another player came out a couple of minutes later and signed my program. It was the Reds pitcher-Jack Billingham. After signing he turned and yelled at the first player who had already boarded--"Hey Pete, I'll catch you in a couple of minutes!"

One of my nicest experiences was taking a Lou Gehrig bat to Comiskey park a few years ago and making a huge sign asking Cal Ripken to sign my Gehrig bat. I had to get special permission to take the bat in from the head of security at the park and also be lucky enough to catch his attention and interest after his warm ups. As he was leaving the field after batting practice, I asked him if he would sign it--he motioned for the bat...looked at it...took a couple of cuts with it...and sat down on the dugout steps and autographed it...then handed it back and thanked me for letting him see it as well as I thanking him back. It was the only item he signed at the park that entire evening. How lucky did I feel with 16,000 plus people in the stands that night.
A truly class act all the way and still continues that way at shows as well. Congratulations on todays HOF election!

Thats pretty cool. Ive been fortunate to work in a clubhouse for 10 years. A visiting clubhouse at that. Cal was always one of my favorites. If i wanted something signed he would say but it in the back room. After the last game of the series on getaway day Cal would have requests from the other team and from various big wigs with the team i worked for. Cal would sign at least 50 autographs or whatever was put in this back room. If you wanted it personalized he would always oblige and never use the vanilla term "best wishes" He signed a picture of him and i and wrote "Looks like a couple of goofy guys to me." Thats just a small sample of how cool Cal was. Its great seeing guys like him go into the Hall Of Fame. A class act and a GAMER!

[allstarsplus]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

My story involves a good and almost horrible experience. I put together a display of items from the 2000 Subway series which included a great Piazza bat that was cracked like the one from the infamous Clemens/Piazza flying bat incident.

I didn't think Clemens would sign my Piazza bat, but he did and we had a good conversation about the bat as he inquired if it was "the" bat.

I didn't think I would ever have the opportunity to have Piazza sign the bat until a couple of years ago when one of my good buyers from Atlanta said his good friend that played for the Braves was best buds with Piazza and he was heading over to his hotel when Piazza was coming to town. I told him I doubted Piazza would sign the bat since Clemens had already auto'd it, but he told me Piazza will sign anything and he was personally getting a bunch of stuff auto'd!

I Fedex'd the bat to Atlanta and a couple of days later I get a call that there was a problem. I was like, oh no, what happened. Piazza saw the bat and says to my guy something like----is this a joke! He got agitated and wanted to trash the bat. Luckily I got the bat back. I can certainly see why Piazza was upset.

[LWMM]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

I haven't had any really bad experiences (which may be due in part to mainly going to AAA games), but if I had to choose it would be Jose Hernandez about a month ago; after the game his left hand was wrapped up in plastic, and he refused to sign under the premise that he signed lefty and injured said hand during the game. However, nothing happened to him during the game, and when signing a few cards before the game I think he signed with his right hand. For what it's worth, he didn't sign at all before/during/after the next three games either.

XPFO, would you mind posting your story abbout Iverson's bodyguard? I'm afraid that mention piqued my curiosity.

[XPFO]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Worst experience....while in Toronto when the Expos were in town, Felipe alou leaves his hotel and begins to walk to the ballpark. Stops at a red light, I ask him to sign a ball. He (while carrying a large bottle of rum in a brown paper bag) starts giving me this huge spiel about how it is against Major League Baseball policy to sign autographs outside of the stadium....total lie, to each their own.

Best experience.....while in Toronto when Juan Gonzalez played for the Tigers, Juan was sitting out front of his sotel drinking a coffee. Asked him for an autograph signed the ball on the sweetspot, started chatting him up about his homerun the night before. told him I would be cheering for him at the game tonite...he asked me if I needed a ride to the ballpark and we shared a cab to the game. That meant I was at the ballpark 2 1/2 hours early for the game mind you and I got no more sigs that day, but fantastic story and memory (and ball)

Other great players to sign who seemed to enjoy it Rod Beck (RIP), Dikembe Mutombo, Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers...signs every last item you have..if you had 10 cards, he would sign all 10, Torii Huner...will chat your ear off, Sean Green, Ed Sprague...there are many more.

Pricks....Jim Mcilvaine...would ask you a trivia question about something irrelevant and if you answered it wrong he would write, "Back to School" on your card

Allen Iverson...total tool, but not as much so as his bodyguard back when they played the Raptors in the playoffs...that is a long story.

[bigticket]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

In junior high and high school I enjoyed going down to the Metrodome and getting autographs before Twins games. At that time it was much easier.

Anyway when the Royals were in town around 1990 I am guessing Kirby Puckett and Bo Jackson were heading inside together by the entrance near the outside ticket windows. Everyone else in the small group outside went to Kirby and as usual he signed something for everyone. I, completely alone with not a person around me, had a new official league ball and asked Bo Jackson very politely if he would sign it as he kept going when Kirby stopped. His response without looking directly at me was and I quote, "Look out kid or else." And he kept walking and went inside. Keep in mind it was me and him and not another soul within talking distance. Nice guy.

[mdube16]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

I have to admit, I've never had a pro athlete say "Thanks so much for coming" to me at a ball game!

For what its worth, Scott Kazmir said that exact thing to my wife and I when we got his autograph before a Marlins/Devil Rays game earlier this month. I guess he was surprised anyone showed up at all!!

[topekabob]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

One good, one bad, one great, one middling experience and a good non-sports experience:

Good: I was about 12 years old and was on the field for an old-timers game before a Portland Beaver baseball game. I asked Ernie Banks for a photo and a signed ball and he was the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Still have the photo. I look like a dork, but it's a great photo.

Bad: Saw Hank Aaron standing by the dugout, doing nothing, and went over and said "Mr. Aaron, would you please sign my ball?" He looked at me with disdain, took the ball, and without looking at it, scribbled something that was totally incromprehensible and unrecognizable. Handed it back to me and still wouldn't look at me. Made me a feel like a idiot.

Great: Snuck down to the bullpen during a Beavers game (amazingly, a vendors hat did the trick - remember, I was 12) and sat down on the bench next to former Red Sox hurler Rick Wise. We chatted and then I asked him if he would show me how to throw the curve. He gets up and gives me a five minute pitching lesson - during the game! Then we sit down and he looks at me and says "Shouldn't you be up there selling something?" I said I was on "break." Nice guy, needless to say.

Middling: During a spring training game I caught a foul ball and brought it up to Frank Robinson, who was sitting in the stands. I had my 2 year old son with me and asked him to sign it for my son. He signed it but said that he "doubted this was for my son." The ball now sits in my 10 year old sons room and he cherishes it. I guess Frank was a little jaded that day.

Great non-sports: Saw Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard) in a play in London. After the play went to the stage door and when he came out he not only signed my program, but when I told him I loved the play, he looked at me and said "Thanks so much for coming, I really appreciate it."
He stayed and signed everything for everybody that was there.

I have to admit, I've never had a pro athlete say "Thanks so much for coming" to me at a ball game!

[sicollector1954@insightbb.com]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

My worst experience or one I remember so vividly was when I attended a baseball game in St. Louis with the Cardinals and the Reds. I was 7 or 8 if I remember correctly. After the game, my father and I waited out in the back area to see if any ball players came out to board the team bus. I had a program in my hand from the game and a pencil. Pretty soon Pete Rose came out and when I politely asked for his autographed he looked at me and said..."Sorry, I'm not Pete Rose." Then another player came out a couple of minutes later and signed my program. It was the Reds pitcher-Jack Billingham. After signing he turned and yelled at the first player who had already boarded--"Hey Pete, I'll catch you in a couple of minutes!"

One of my nicest experiences was taking a Lou Gehrig bat to Comiskey park a few years ago and making a huge sign asking Cal Ripken to sign my Gehrig bat. I had to get special permission to take the bat in from the head of security at the park and also be lucky enough to catch his attention and interest after his warm ups. As he was leaving the field after batting practice, I asked him if he would sign it--he motioned for the bat...looked at it...took a couple of cuts with it...and sat down on the dugout steps and autographed it...then handed it back and thanked me for letting him see it as well as I thanking him back. It was the only item he signed at the park that entire evening. How lucky did I feel with 16,000 plus people in the stands that night.
A truly class act all the way and still continues that way at shows as well. Congratulations on todays HOF election!

[jonpaulmoen]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Not necessarily a "worst" experience, but sometime between '89-91, I had the chance to caddy for Kevin McHale at Golden Valley Country Club in Golden Valley Minnesota. He didn't really talk to me and just gave me $20 for about 4 hours worth of work. He did though let me get a photo of him and I at the end. Damn he had huge golf clubs!

Was at a Twins game in the early 90's when they were playing the mariners. I was hanging out watching batting practice when Ken Griffey Jr. walked by. I was about 15 or 16 yo and was surrounded by a bunch of younger kids who, when they saw him, were of course all yelling "can I get your autograph?" Griffey turned to all of us and in a really cocky kind of way and said, "Not right now." Just the way he said it left a bad taste in my mouth for the last decade or so. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but he wiped the smiles off all those kids faces in an instant.

[yanks12025]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

This does not really go along with some of your guys posts. But so far my worst experience was during 2005 at the WBC. And Moises alou was doing autographs at the end of the dugout. And there was a railing in my way. So i rolled the ball to him it hit his arm and almost made him drop another persons ball while he was signing it thank god he did not. He did sign my baseball but when he looked up to roll it back he gave me like a mad stare it was kinda funny though.

[Canseco44]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

This is not a bad experience, I guess we should post another thread since this is supposed to be about bad one. Anyways, in 2006 at a Houston Astros game I had the pleasure of meeting Jason Isringhausen of the St. Louis Cardinals. He must have stood in one spot for almost an hour and signed for close to a hundred people and even joked with everybody. He would even do personalizations. My thoughts ar he is a standup guy and someone I wouldn't mind my kids following his career. I am now collecting him and would love to have a game used bat labeled IZZY if anyone knows of one. Thats odd, the two players I collect are Isringhausen and Canseco. Any Thoughts?

Todd Ricks

[3arod13]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Not a bad experience, but it was an honor and priviledge to meet Harmon Killebrew a few years ago. He visted my squadron. I also met Mr. Hicks, owner of the Texas Rangers when he also visited my squadron. Memories I will never forget.

[ahuff]

Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

Sorry, dude. I try not to pass judgement on anybody that has a job, period. You must live in Pleasantville. If you one day live in a city with crooks, panhandlers, drug dealers, identity-thieves, public-defacators, un-insured drivers, male-prostitutes and transvestites, then you will have a newfound respect and admiration for bagboys, stock-workers and clerks."

Despite the fact that you were being a smart arse, you actually agreed with my statement. That was my point exactly!!! Don't think more highly of yourself than you do of them.

About living in pleasantville. . .I don't. I believe we have those in most places that have a population larger than 1. My only concern about the statement was why you didn't just say prostitutes? Is a male prostitute worse than a female one? But that does contradict your statement about not passing judgement on someone that has a job.