Posted By:
JerryDJ, you may have just caught Spahn on a bad day. My dad knew him very well and he knew I was his son. The first time I met him, he was gracious, kind, patient and very friendly. The second time he was very gruff and curt. I wrote it off to an older person having a bad day.
My list of nicest baseball players:
Ernie Banks-one of the nicest, friendliest people I've ever met
Brooks Robinson-see Ernie Banks
Lou Brock-a quiet gentleman
Harmon Killebrew-see Lou Brock
Ferguson Jenkins-Mr. Personality-I LOVE his cowboy hat!
Robin Roberts-remembered a college game I coached against him years earlier
Sandy Koufax-another real gentleman
Fernando Valenzuela-very nice and accomodating
My list of obnoxious baseball players
Willie Mays-just a miserable human being
Barry Bonds-saw him push his way through a crowd of 10 year olds-AT SPRING TRAINING!
Bob Gibson-along with Mays, by far the rudest I was ever personally treated while paying them to sign
Bob Feller-gruff and rude
Hank Aaron-a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Everest
Some very pleasant surprises for me included Mickey Mantle (post-drinking), Tom Seaver (very nice to me, we talked skiing) and Steve Carlton (extremely nice, cordial and a real gentleman). I had heard bad things about all three, but found them to be very nice.