DiMaggio vs Mantle at card shows

[packs]

I was at a White Plains show in the early 90s when Ted, Joe D and Mickey were all there. I couldn't afford a ticket then. I think they were signing for $100 each. But one of the attendants was nice enough to let me and my dad into the room where they were signing so we could have a look. I remember the room being absolutely silent.

[egri]

The mother of one of my high school track teammates was a professional photographer. In the 1980s, she was hired to cover a show with Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. She spent the whole day at arm’s length from the two of them, chatting them up, and at the end, they each offered to sign as much stuff for her as she wanted, for free. She said no, as she didn’t collect autographs.

[Duluth Eskimo]

DiMaggio was quiet and went about it like a job. Wore a suit, No eye contact unless you were a woman, and wouldn’t converse with you. As others have mentioned, Mantle was grumpy until he started drinking. After he had a couple drinks he was gracious and cordial. Mantle smiled and joked around with people. Both were flawed in their own ways.

Other than guys like Brooks Robinson, many of the early guys were like this. LOTS of drinking. Pretty sad lives. I met and did signings with many of them when I was working with a guy who regularly promoted shows. We also travelled to many shows to get autographs for resale like Mark mentioned. I vividly remember a show where we were at with Mantle and the promoter went around to the autograph guys begging them to buy more autos so he could cover the signing fee. This was when Mantle was $20.

[jingram058]

I found Joe DiMaggio to be a true gentleman. Very nicely dressed, not drunk, and was able to talk to him for a few minutes. This was at the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida at a fundraiser dinner. There was no money charged for his autograph. The ball he signed is an official American League ball, and he signed "Joe DiMaggio" and underneath "Yankee Clipper". You don't see many signed that way, and I am told he only did this at his hospital events. I think, and have been told, that if he thought you were someone only interested in flipping, he could be very cold. I believe I would be the same way. I found all the old baseball stars I had the pleasure to meet to be true gentleman like the stars they were...Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Johnny Vander Meer, Whitey Ford. All very nice. I never had a bad experience. Incidentally, my father thought Joe DiMaggio to be the best all around ballplayer he ever saw. He could do it all...was a one man outfield, could hit in the clutch, everything. It was an honor for me to meet him. I have a Babe Ruth signed ball, and others, but the one I personally treasure the most is the Joe DiMaggio.

[perezfan]

Seems like the case with both of them depended largely upon when you caught them, and their mood that particular day.

Off topic, but I will say that the nicest in-person signer I've ever met was Tony Gwynn, bar none. So respectful, and such a pleasure to chat with. We walked away calling him "Chatty Cathy" (but in a very good way ).

[packs]

I do think it's in everyone's best interest to meet a player they revere like Mantle or DiMaggio if the opportunity ever presents itself.

I never got either's signature at an event, but my personal favorite player has always been Don Mattingly. I've encountered Mattingly at Yankees spring training, Marlins spring training, and Dodgers spring training and with either team he was the exact same guy. Always such a nice presence for fans. Always took the time to sign for everyone once he finished up for the day.

It just makes you like your favorite player that much more when he's also a really nice guy. I'm not sure I would continue to collect Mattingly if he weren't.

And now a card from one of those spring trainings:

[Huck]

When, I made the switch to the dark side (autographs) of the hobby the holy grail was DiMaggio, Mantle and Williams.

In August of 1993 Upper Deck had a promotion with Triple A clubs and Mantle was to appear (with others) in Louisville, Kentucky. My girlfriend at the time and her son decided to drive from Northern Virginia for likely our only chance to see Mantle. The show was being held at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center - West Hall. By sheer luck, we happened to be staying at the same hotel as the former MLB players. My girlfriends son had a time running around the lobby bugging ballplayers for sigs. Had I been 10 years of age, I would have been right there with him but I refrained. Imagine my surprise when there was a knock on the door and Johnny Bench is standing there inquiring as to where the hospitality room was located (just around the corner from our room)! Thinking that Mantle would sellout quickly we rose at o'dark thirty to make our way over to the fair grounds. We were second in line. Mantle was clearly hungover and frankly I believe he was miffed that he did not sell out. He was not rude, but if you have ever been hungover, you know the feeling. The cost was $50 a throw. I wish that I had the money to have Mantle sign a dozen balls that day. Alas.

In July of 1994, Upper Deck again had Mantle signing at the Tuff-Stuff Sports Classic in Richmond, Virginia. Dang, if only I had waited a year! Only 90 minutes away! The price rose to $80 a graph and Mantle sold out. I believe the show was one of Mantle's last. Mantle was in much better spirits. He was talking with just about everyone, he even asked me if I wanted to take a picture. Both items were authenticated by Upper Deck gratis but the current database does not go back that far. I called Upper Deck about the issue and Upper Decks wants a picture of the item and sticker after which they will add the item to the database. So before dropping $$ on authentication, consider what happens to the database if the company goes out of business or in the case of Upper Deck, upgrades and decides to drop older material.

In October of 1994, another road trip to the NYC to see Joe DiMaggio at the National Pastime 11th Long Island Classic at Hofstra University in Uniondale. It was my first visit to NYC and the New Yorkers were brutal when talking about Joe. As another user mentioned, Joe had a laundry list of of items of items that he would not sign. Okay, pictures with his Mom or Marilyn Monroe, I completely understand. No Perez-Steele cards because purportedly they owed him $10K? Okay. The list went on and on. One dealer said "For $150 he should sign by underwear if I put it on the table!" Those were salty words to this transplant southerner (not that NOVA can be considered the South), that is the legend JoeD you are talking about! Joe was all business and it was touch-and-go on whether he would complete the signing. He kept taking breaks. We finally got our items signed and when I thanked him, he reached out his hand for a shake. To this day, I believe saying "thank you" elicited the handshake.

I never had a problem with Mays. Mays did not talk much and you had to be on your toes because he had a tendency to grab items and sign them with the wrong pen and upside down.

Not that I am looking to make a friend, I just want the item signed but there are quite a few cordial players in the hobby - Gwynn, Brooks, Frank Howard to name a few. There are also quite a few, uh tools.