For the most part, baseball players I have met have at least been cordial, but a few have gone above and beyond to either be really nice, or a complete ass.
Let me preface the list with the fact that I am always polite, always say please and thank you to them, and never ask questions of them unless they engage me first.
Beyond Great: Brooks Robinson, Gary Carter, Carlton Fisk, Sparky Anderson, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray
Brooks was the nicest for many years until I met Carter and Fisk. Both players talked to me for like 10 minutes and were genuinely "baseball fans" not just players.
Funny: Warren Spahn, Tony Gwynn.
Tony was pretty reserved and gave a WTF look when my wife went total fan girl on him, but after I explained she was a San Diego State Alum, he started laughing and loosend up.
A show promoter tried to rush Spahn along because he was taking too long talking to one of the kids. Spahn told him "go to hell, I'm teaching this kid how to pitch". Still makes me laugh thinking about that.
Bad: Hank Aaron, Dave Winfield - Just kinda unfriendly in general.
Total Dicks: This category is reserved for Pete Rose and Willie Mays
This was not a situation (for either player) that they were having a bad day or are just reserved around strangers. I've met them at multiple shows each, and each time they were the biggest dicks you'd ever want to meet. If it wasn't for the fact that I needed certain things signed, I would never have put myself through the experience. A collector friend went with me for his first meeting of Mays. My friend was very polite but came away with the same opinion of him. Oh well.
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