Autograph Signers- Best and Worst

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Posted By: Mark

For those who collect autographs in person, who do you consider to be the best/most gracious signer, and who is the rudest or least accomodating?

I have heard some pretty good stories, but let's try to stick to personal first-hand experiences (and not word of mouth or heresay...)

I'll start out with a recent one. I was staying at the St. Francis in S.F. this year, during the All Star Game. The players all happened to be staying there as well. I saw probably a dozen immediately recognizable All Stars, and nearly all breezed past the group of people waiting for autographs (mostly kids).

The ONLY guy to stop was Chase Utley, who was incredibly personable, accomodated lots of requests, and gave lots of individual attention. I really respected him after that. David Ortiz made brief eye contact and told a few jokes, but didn't sign anything. All others completely refused to acknowledge these kids.

Some other memorable and very positive encounters were with Tony Perez and Tony Gwynn (both at store signings). Any other stories or interesting encounters (either positive or negative) are welcomed!

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Best I've gotten in person:

Jim Palmer
Ozzie Smith
Bret Saberhagen
Tom Gordon


Worst:
Don Sutton

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Posted By: Bob B.

I have many first hand stories, mainly from the 70's. Jim Gantner let me batboy for the Brewers in a spring training game and gave me a bat. (Yes, still have it).
Lou Brock bought me and a friend Breakfast on his 40th birthday in a San Diego hotel. (we were auto hounds). Signed 5 items for me and over 30 for my friend. We were both about 13-14 at the time. I saw Lou a few months ago at a signing I took my son to and he said he remembered me! Who knows? The 40th is a big one. Anyway, after reading the book "October 1964" (my birhday month and year) I gained a lot of respect for him. The book mentions his intentions of educating himself to help his community. Lou Brock is a great man as a person and by the way, not a bad ballplayer.
Other players off the top of my head- Cliff Johnson, Dick Drago, Mike Hargrove, Jim Maler, Eddie Murray, George Brett, Terry Kennedy, too many others to list. Great experiences with the above, like all people, ballplayers have good and bad days so have nothing bad to say about anybody.

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Posted By: howard

A year and a half ago I watched several games of the World Baseball Classic in a seat a few feet in front of the broadcast booth where Juan Marichal was doing the games for Dominican TV. I never approached him myself but I watched as before and after and between innings of every game Marichal chatted with and signed autographs for a never ending line of people. Over the course of the tournament I'd bet he signed over a thousand autographs.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Not to drop name, but I asked Jimmy Spence the exact question. He said Brooks Robinson and Joe Sewell (deceased) were the best, and Willie Mays and Frank Robinson were the worst.

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Posted By: Mark L

Just to add another vintage touch, I can recall that Pie Traynor was always friendly and generous with his autograph.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

Paul Hornung is from Louisville here and he used to have a sports showcase tv show and he'd bring in GREAT guests........Muhammad Ali, Joe Namath, Brett Farve, tons of NFL guys, Rose, Steinbrenner, etc. ALL those guys (except Farve) were fantastic signers. Namath stood up the whole time he signed but I bet he signed hundreds of autographs. Oddly enough, Rose was a great signer but he said he would not sign bats. I did get about a dozen balls signed by him one night before he told me not to get back in the line again. He had a Seinfeld-Like puffy shirt on and kind of mauve polyester pants. It was a sight to behold! Anyway, guess Hornung told them that they'd get tons of requests but they were very generous as was he. Signed a couple football mini helmets each and every show for me.

I used to send out hundreds of requests via mail to guys and if they'd sign, I'd continue to send them out. Catfish Hunter was a great signer through the mail and I guess I'd sent too many to him to the point that he one time refused one and wrote 'HOG' on the outside of the envelope. I wish I still had that envelope to this day but I disposed of it. Anyway, he was still a great signer.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

As a symphony attendee, I heard classical violinist Hilary Hahn is a good signer after concerts. I'm sure she'll play in San Francisco. Attend a concert plus get her autograph on a baseball afterwards.

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Posted By: Anonymous

As far as class acts and took time out to actually talk to you! I met them all!

Brooks Robinson
Warren Spahn
Monte Irvin
Enos Slaughter
Ozzie Smith

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Posted By: Rob

Whitey Ford was happy to personalize a ball he signed for me "To Rob", and shook my hand and was very cordial. Meant alot to me as a teenager (sometime in the early-mid 90s). At the same show my dad got a ball signed by Yogi Berra and he was similarly kind. Also, Sparky Lyle signed at a local Mall when I was a kid, and he went out of his way to make the kids happy.

Phil Rizzuto must've been having a bad day when he signed for me. Didn't even acknowledge I was there, and was complaining to someone on the side. I might've thrown away the autograph soon after I got it cuz I haven't come across it in many years.

Rob

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Posted By: jeremy

when i was about 12 i played in a babe ruth tournament in vallejo ca.---our coach took us to an oakland A s day game---after the game we were waiting for the players after the game---while trying to get some autographs signed we spotted mark maguire sneaking out a different exit and running to his car--we ran over to him while he was putting his golf clubs into his car and he screamed at the top of his lungs for us to "get the heck away from me" we all crapped our pants and he drove away.
on the flip side ---rickey henderson would always talk to fans and sign free autographs before and after card shows while he played for the yankees.

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Posted By: Mark

Jeremy:

Sounds like you and your friends may have been victims of a 'Roid Rage!

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Posted By: howard

When I was a kid I went to many Yankee games in 1977 and 1978. It was fairly easy back then to sneak into the Yankee parking lot and my friends and I did this frequently. We often approached Yankee players who were either going to their cars or already in them and never once had a player turn us away. I remember Mickey Rivers the best. He laughed and asked how we got in there the first time we met him and the next time he laughed again because he recognized us. He also signed and chatted both times.