I used to collect autographs with my twin brother starting in the early 80's ( I was about 8). I would go 5 hours before the game and ask players to sign baseball cards or a team baseball as they walked from their hotel to the ballpark about 3-4 times a year at St. Louis and 2 times at Chicago. I would guess at least 95% of all MLB would sign if you saw them in this situation up until the early 1990's. Many would chat as they signed cards and seemed happy that I would ask for their autograph. Here are some quick stories about some HOFERS
1. Bob Gibson Told me he would sign my ball if I knew who he was. Then he went to spot away from the crowd a signed my ball. A few years later he wouldn't sign anything he perceived as valuable.
2. Ozzie Smith always nice and would sign for 30 minutes if he had to.
3. Ripken signed at spring training for 1 hr plus down spring trainging 3rd base line..
4. RICKEY HENDERSON WITH NO ONE AROUND EXCEPT ME AND MY BROTHER "I don't sign autographs little boy" He was the only A's player that didn't sign that day (Eck, Mcgwire very nice)
5. Clemens sat and talked to me for 5 minutes but wouldn't sign because he was pitching that day he too was very nice and apparently superstitous. EVANS RICE BOGGS SIGNED AND WERE NICE
6. Strawberry Gooden signed with an entourage around them
7. Gary Carter would sign any baseball card older than 1983 I think... He auctioned the other newer cards off for charity.. Super nice guy
8. All of the Braves and Astros always signed for everybody in the early 1990's Chipper, Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Biggio and Bagwell. (Maddux I think remembered me from the year prior when I got his autograph he is very detail oriented.)
9. Barry Bonds never signed a thing for me when I was a teen ager. Told me I should have gotten him a couple of years ago when he did sign.
10. Matt williams was super nice.
It would get old to sign day in day out. That is why I only bothered them while they were walking to the ballpark.
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