Posted By:
jay behrensThe nicest players I've met:
Killebrew: exchanged many great stories with and gave him all my wire photos I had of him when I got out of the hobby in 1991.
Lou Dials: spent many shows cahtting with him and he always loved it when I had my son with me. Unfortunately, my son was an infant, he does't remember any of it.
Maury Wills: took the time to to write a really neat personalization on a ball he signed for me.
Ray Dandridge: met him a couple of times and always loved talking about his days with Minneapolis Millers.
Earl Battey: I loved the look of utter horror as I showed him a wire photo taken of him in spring training swinging at a ball on a string. His pants were unzipped with his shirt hanging out looking at if he had exposed himself. He asked if that actually got published. I couldn't confirm it, but told him that more than likely it was since it had a caption, etc. We got a good laugh and he ultimately ended up with photo when I got out of the hobby in 1991.
Total Jerks:
Mantle is in a class by himself. Calling him a drunken sot is being kind. I never had a nice experience even though I set up at 10 or so shows that he was at.
Jose Canseco: a guy I knew had been getting a team ball signed by all the A's in 1987. He was saving the sweet spot for for Canseco and it was the last sig he needed. We ran into him at the Black Angus in San Leandro. My friend asked him to sign the ball on the sweet spot (there really wasn't anyplace else to sign) and he said sure. He took the ball, turned and signed his across about 6 or 7 other names on a panel and handed the ball back to him.
Jay
My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.