[parker1b2]

In the late 80s/early 90s my parents used to take me and my brother to a few Yankee games a year. We would always wait outside by the players entrance wich was connected to their parking lot and you could hang around and get some autos after the game. Usually it was easier to get the visiting team cause they also had to walk by you to get to their bus. Scored many signatures there including guys like Reggie and Roberto Alomar.

One time I begged my parents to stay, pretty much everyone passed by and the visiting team bus left. They started to break down the gates seperated the fans from the players and personnel, which was sign that most everyone was gone. Almost all the fellow autograph hounds were gone, except for me, my brother and parents and maybe 5 other people or so. Phil Rizzuto came walking out as he was still the Yankees Announcer at the time. My mom grabbed my hand and we ran up to him. She told him she grew up in Hillside( the town Rizzuto lived for many years) and how she walked by his house everyday on her way to school. She asks very politely if he could please sign my ball. He said he was sorry but if he signs for me he has to sign for everyone and jus walked away. My mom took a look around and just laughed cause other then us there was less then 10 people there.

Fast forward about 7 or 8 years later and my mother was working for Macy's in their PR dept. She had to set up some kind of event, but they had Rizzuto and Yogi signing autographs in the Bridgewater NJ mall. Well she made sure she told Phil the story and made sure I got a few extra autos that day. You were only allowed one auto from each guy.