Sports Illustrated?

[Topps206]

People who play sports and appear on the cover often do other things in life. Such is the case with John Laskowski.

Laskowski was the first Indiana University basketball player to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and he now owns a Culver's up in Bloomington, which is just more than an hour away from me. I went there yesterday to meet him, since my SI and pen had just arrived by mail.

However, he was out of town and was not there. I was bummed out. They called him and I talked to him by phone. He offered to sign it and send it back by mail if I left it there, but I told him I wanted to meet him. I asked if he would be there today. He said he would be, and I got there this morning.

The man couldn't have been nicer. He was very polite and obliging. The signature itself turned out okay, but I'll cherish the memories of how polite and courteous he was. He was kind enough to take a picture with me as we took off our masks and put his arm around me. Then, we talked a bit of IU Basketball.

He has his jersey framed on display, along with his cover framed and other framed IU basketball SI covers. He also has a framed picture signed by Bobby Knight. Knight bought a place in Bloomington not that long ago, and he regularly frequents the Culver's, as he was there as recent as Tuesday.

Knight used to go inside, but because of the virus, he now uses the drive-thru. Laskowski also has a picture on display of him and his son with Knight. I asked him if he was there this year when Knight returned to Assembly Hall, and he said he wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I love getting SIs signed, no matter what, and while Laskowski does sign by mail, this was a memory I'll never forget.

[ocjack]

My small, but meaningful to me, collection.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by ocjack

My small, but meaningful to me, collection.

That looks really awesome.

[ocjack]

Thanks topps. They were even more memorable because I was able to meet them at the same time.

[Jewish-collector]

Question -

Are the unsigned ones with pretty big names (McAdoo, Knight, Moncrief, etc,...) from the 70's, and 80's really worth anything, in average condition with mailing labels ?

Thx.

[commishbob]

march27_0031.jpg

My long story, reposted from my blog...

In July of 1971 Ali and Jimmy Ellis were preparing to fight in the Astrodome here in Houston. For a buck or two you could get in to watch sparring sessions in the Arena next to the Dome.

I went to a couple and would watch Ali clown with the small audience set up on three sides of a ring set against one wall. He liked to flip up the hem of his rubberized sweatshirt and watch the ringsiders duck the sweat that flew out. He put on a real 'Ali' show, talking about Ellis, hollering at the boxing writers, showing off his 'Ali Shuffle', etc.

I had taken along this cover just on the off chance that what happened after his session would happen. After Ali finished and not long after Ellis entered the ring I heard the metal crash doors behind me open and close a few times. I turned and saw Ali peeking in from the corridor. I went out there and he was alone, it was just me and one of the most famous figures on the planet. I mumbled a few words and asked him to sign the cover and he took my 'Flair' pen (the 70's version of a sharpie) and signed across the crown as you can see.

I thanked him and went back into the Arena seating area. As I got to the row of metal chairs I was sitting in I was jolted from behind and before I could react Ali dove into a chair pulling me down by my shoulders into the seat next to him. And there I sat. Next to Muhammad Ali, with Dick Young of the New York Daily News (among my favorite writers) now standing on the other side of me, kibitzing with him.

Ali taunted Ellis for a bit, ducking behind my back as if hiding from Ellis. After awhile Angelo Dundee's people (Dundee was Ellis' trainer for that fight!) had had enough and began yelling at Ali from the ring.

That was almost [fifty] years ago but I remember it vividly. I have a lot of nice cards and lots of other cool memorabilia but I'd give all that away before I'd give up this SI cover. Looking back I wish I had kept it in glass or something. I had it in a cheap frame in dorm rooms and the apartments I lived in for years. You can probably tell it's a bit frayed along the edges. The blue 'Flair' ink has turned purplish (but it hasn't spread or faded, thank goodness) And I wish I had not covered my mailing label with the smaller photo. But nevertheless this piece holds a great memory.

[ocjack]

Commishbob, great autograph but even greater story and I'm sure a treasured experience.