Who's the earliest HOF you met in person?

[MacDice]

Sure does. Great post. I now live 5 minutes away from where PTC used to have their store. Brings back good memories every time drive by

[Mark]

Wonderful names. Edd Roush and Carl Hubbell! I saw Stengel at an old timer's game, but my oldest conversation buddy is Pie Traynor. Spoke with him 2 or 3 times since he was often at the ballpark in the late 60's and early 70's. Most memorable one is Roberto Clemente, who spent some time talking with me when I was 10.

[Tabe]

First one I ever met was Lou Brock at a Sears store in Pontiac, MI around 1977 when he was hawking the Brockabrella. Got his autograph.

First guy elected to the Hall I ever met was Ernie Banks. Met him at a card show in Pontiac around 1984, maybe 1985. Got his autograph on an SSPC Hall of Fame card.

First one I ever met who was in the Hall when I met them was Al Kaline. Met him when he was signing autographs at a bank in 1980.

The only other HOFer I've ever met was Wayne Gretzky, much later.

[lumberjack]

In the mid to late 1970s I thought I was going to be the next Larry Ritter and there were a few dead ball era guys in Michigan and Ohio who gave me some interview time.

Waite Hoyt was very gracious. He would have been 80 years old. I guess he figured anyone who would spend ten hours on the road (round trip) was serious about meeting him. Waite Hoyt wasn't shy about sharing his opinions regarding baseball, by the way.

Ray Fisher isn't in the Hall, but he was the oldest man I met, having been born in 1887. The guy played for Frank Chance and Hal Chase. Think about that.

The one I kick myself about was Frank Bowerman's son. Bowerman was one of the last of the old Orioles and had been dead for 25 or 30 years, but his son was very much alive and for some reason, I had this opportunity to talk to him and I simply dropped the ball. UGH.
lumberjack

[Case12]

Earliest inductee: Bob Feller at a show

Next earliest inductee: Stan Musial in the men's bathroom standing next to him at a urinal. True story...

[Den*nis O*Brien]

In 1962 I met Bronko at his International Falls Standard Oil service station. And to reiterate a previous poster ....those hands were unforgettable. He signed the Cubs book I was reading. Bob Feller was at this UP card show signing items. He was very conversational and friendly. I was getting a ball signed for a friend whose card shop had been burglarized 2 weeks previously and he took great interest in the story and details then proceeded to "Personalize" the ball. But was very sympathetic and dismayed that a sports card shop could be violated