Lee MacPhail/Al Lopez
Back in 1998, when Lee got in the HOF, I got his address in FL and he was actually listed in the phonebook. My dad and I called him up and asked if we could come over for an autograph. He said sure! My dad ended up "friending" him and they met for lunch several times since then.
Another story is in regards to Al Lopez, since I was a big IP collector and he never did shows, I wrote to him in 1996 asking if I could come to his house (flying in from MI to Orlando on holiday) and get an autograph. He wrote me back saying that when I come to Tampa, stop by and he would sign 1 (underlined) autograph-and did not sign the letter. Finding his house (in the days before mapquest/GPS) was no easy task. We get to his house only to find out he wasn't home. I was devastated and left a note in the mailbox (only to find the keys to his home inside, no I did not steal them). Went to dinner and went back for one last try. Sure enough, he answered the door! He couldn't have been more gracious and laughed that someone came from Michigan for his autograph. He wished us well and signed my most cherished baseball.
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