[Michael B]

I have been thinking about this thread for quite a while. Since it has jumped back up the list I thought I would contribute.

Maine - Maine Phillies, Richmond Braves (Justice, Gant etc), plus one other team I do not recall

New Hampshire - 1984 Pittsburgh Pirates when they visited Nashua affiliate. Canadian and U.S. women's ice hockey players

Massachusetts - 15+ years in person all four major sports, 20 years Basketball HOF Inductions, many retired players from local teams - Orr, Havlicek, Bucyk, etc. Many Olympians. Hundreds of musicians - The Who, Rod Stewart, Elton, Bowie, Zappa, Bee Gees, Grateful Dead, Lionel Ritchie, Ramones, Cheap Trick, Santana, Miles Davis, Genesis, Ted Nugent, Boston, Blondie, Beach Boys, Allman Brothers, Aerosmith etc, etc. Actors/Actresses - Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, Robin Williams, Stockard Channing, Cher, Bette Midler, Don Johnson. Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. Carter signed photos I took of him at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library dedication which is on the campus of my alma mater. Astronauts John Glenn, Wally Schirra. Authors Edward Albee, Joseph Heller, Arthur Miller, Robert Penn Warren.

Rhode Island - 1996 U.S. women's basketball team (Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards etc.), 1998 U.S. women's ice hockey gold medalists. Musicians - Blue Oyster Cult, Rick Derringer, Bad Company, Dead Kennedys (at the Station Nightclub in Warwick site of the fire), Better Than Ezra.

Connecticut - 2002 U.S. women's ice hockey team. Jacque Jones, Chad Allen - visiting the New Britain Red Sox. Musicians - Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits), Elvin Bishop, Graham Parker, Frank Zappa.

New York - 25 years Boxing HOF inductions, Frank Robinson, Stan Musial, Muhammad Ali. Women's Olympic ice hockey players - U.S., Canada, Germany, Sweden, Russia. 1997 U.S. Olympic ski trials - Picabo Street etc. Tony Randall and Eartha Kitt walking down the street in NYC.

New Jersey - Bob Hayes, Spencer Haywood, former Boston Celtics player from the 1940's whose name escapes me. Musicians - Graham Parker, Martha Davis (Motels), Marky Ramone, Yvonne Elliman, Smithereens, Dennis Dunaway & Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper/Billion Dollar Babies), Starz. Actresses P.J. Soles (Stripes, Rock n Roll High School), Ellen Foley (Night Court, also singer on 'Bat Out of Hell")

Pennsylvania - St Louis Cardinals players circa 1985 at their team hotel while I was in Philly for another event.

Maryland - No athletes. Musicians - Turtles, Lovin' Spoonful, Al Stewart, David Johansen, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Living Colour, The Tubes.

Washington, D.C - Curly Neal (Globetrotters), Sandra Day O'Connor, Chuck Yeager, a few astronauts, Norman Mailer, Billy Dee Williams. Musicians - Earth Wind and Fire, Paul Weller (The Jam), Sylvain Sylvain (NY Dolls), Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys), Kenny Loggins, Steve Smith (Journey), Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, George Duke, Billy Cox (Hendrix Band of Gypsies), Aretha Franklin, Hugh Masekela, Juliana Hatfield, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Rose Royce, Gloria Estefan, Martha Wash (C+C Music Factory, Black Box, Weather Girls -"It's Raining Men").

Virginia - no athletes. Musicians - Helen Reddy, Nils Lofgren, America, Randy Newman, Ian McLagan (Faces), Tommy Ramone, UFO, Derringer, Neil Innes, ELP (all three), Yes (almost every member), Robin Trower, X, Steve Hackett, Stanley Clark, Chick Corea, Jason Bonham, and others.

South Carolina - Jars of Clay (Christian band). I shot one of their shows in Florence. My friend Herb Barten, 1948 Olympian, at his house.

Georgia - many athletes appearing at the SGMA (Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association) "Supershow" 1992-2000 - Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Jimmy Connors, Larry Holmes, Ron Gant, Milt Plum. Many Olympians.

Florida - Derek Jeter and others for the "Supershow" when it was there for 3 years in Orlando (2004-2006).

Louisiana - no athletes. Musicians - James Burton (Elvis's guitar player, solo intro on "Suzi Q"), Al DiMeola, Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson's lead guitar on BAD Tour), Nokie Edwards (Ventures), Albert Lee, Junior Brown.

Ohio - Oscar Robertson

Illinois - Mia Hamm, Dick Fosbury, Bob Beamon, several jockeys

Minnesota - Multiple U.S. Hockey HOFers including 1980 team when they were inducted

Nevada - All at "Supershow" when it moved there from Atlanta (2001-2003). Lynn Swann, Pete Rose, Barry Sanders, Dominik Hasek, Gale Sayers, Bob Lilly, Misty May and Kerry Walsh - Olympic Beach Volleyball. Olympic softball players.

California - Dick Fosbury, John Naber and other Olympians in Long Beach.

Out of the U.S.

Canada - New York Mets and one other team in Montreal: Hernandez, Gooden, Strawberry etc. 1984 NHL Draft most of the first round picks: Kirk Muller, Petr Svoboda, Al Iafrate and some retired players.

Mexico - Sammy Hagar near his club in Cabo San Lucas, Michael Anthony (Van Halen) with Hagar for a concert at his club.

Australia - Bart Connor, Matt Biondi, Algerian Boxing team, Netherlands water polo team, Mongolian athletes plus others at 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Cathy Freeman at a book signing in Brisbane in 2003

Sweden - about 15 Olympic medalists in Gothenbörg

Switzerland - several International Olympic Committee members in Lausanne

Slovakia - about a dozen Olympic medalists in Bratislava including tennis player Miloslav Mecir.

Poland - about 40 Olympians over two trips to Warsaw including the father of former NBA player Marcin Gortat. Janusz Gortat won bronze medals in boxing in 1972 and 1976. He lost to Leon Spinks in the semifinals in 1976.

Many of the times you get an autograph it is nothing more than a quick interaction. I have had hundreds if not thousands of those. A few that really stick out even 25 plus years later:

Reggie Jackson - Coming back to the hotel after a game at Fenway. He ignores everyone and sees me with my 3x5 black and white photos I took of him at a game. He tells me to jump on the elevator with him while he signs my photos. I have one other great story with him, but this one will do for now. I was very lucky with him in person 4 for 4 during and after his career.

Ron Gant - He was at the sporting goods convention in Atlanta to appear at one of the booths he had a sponsorship deal with but not to sign autographs. I recognized him and asked him to sign and he said he was not there for that. I mentioned I saw him play in the minors in Maine. He said 'The place where the mosquitos are the size of birds! I'll sign for you then.'

Robert Palmer - He was walking into the Lowell (MA) Auditorium for sound check. I was there with a few other people. He asked me to step inside so he could sign my rock book and a Power Station picture sleeve and photo.

Graham Parker - He played a show at "The Record Collector" a record store in Bordentown, N.J. The store tells the musicians to bring records and merchandise to sell after the show. They stand behind the counter to sign. He saw me with my 10 or so GP solo and GP and the Rumour vinyl albums. He points to me and says 'Vinyl. I always sign that first."