Your experiences with HOF'ers

[theshleps]

As a shy 16 year old going up to Mickey Mantle in 1967 as he was standing alone in front of the hotel he lived in while in NYC (I was the only one there) I had a Sport magazine photo already signed by Casey Stengel and I said "Mr Mantle can you please sign this" and he looked at me and spit in my face and walked off- that I will never forget .
My other horror story was going up to Hank Aaron (my hero) the same year outside the team hotel and politely asked him to sign my autograph book and he said "go play in the traffic son".
Considering I saw most teams these were my only bad stories. Eddie Mathews started up a conversation with me and was great.
After taking almost 35 years off I started doing IP collecting again in 2002 and still am though this may be my last year at it as dealers are getting too aggressive at spring training, etc and it is no longer as much fun for us "older guys". Sandberg, Brook Robinson, Billy Williams, Fergie, Santo,Ryan, Gossage, Herzog have been great (again none of these are show appearances which can give you a skewed impression since they are paid to be there).
Of present day "superstars" my least favorite has been Sammy Sosa who acted like he thought he was God when the cameras weren't on him.
Others like Frank Robinson and Griffey have been extremely tough autographs but would talk to us for long periods of time.
Lots more stories but these will do for now.

[RB]

In 2008 I was putting together a 50th anniversary video for the parents of a friend of mine. His dad, whom I was very close to, was a huge baseball fan and we had spent many hours discussing the old greats of the game. I was in Cooperstown for the HOF Induction ceremony and decided to see if I could get a couple of the guys to say "Happy 50th Anniversary Bob and Donna" on video. I was nervous as heck to ask these legends, but I really wanted to include their greetings if possible to make the video more special. I did this by buying an autograph ticket and getting in line.

Well, long story short, I got Killebrew, Feller, Doerr and "Shotgun" Skuba (my friend's dad grew up a Brooklyn fan) to all give personalized greetings and congratulations for the video. Each was more gracious than the next and Killebrew did a couple takes to get what he wanted to say out.

Needless to say, my friend's dad was blown away by the greeting from his baseball heroes. He passed away suddenly five months later.

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by theshleps

As a shy 16 year old going up to Mickey Mantle in 1967 as he was standing alone in front of the hotel he lived in while in NYC (I was the only one there) I had a Sport magazine photo already signed by Casey Stengel and I said "Mr Mantle can you please sign this" and he looked at me and spit in my face and walked off- that I will never forget

OMG.

Are you serious?

[perezfan]

I agree on the Tony Gwynn inclusion, and was glad to see his name finally come up. Nicest, most humble and down-to-earth guy ever (and beloved by all in San Diego).

[theshleps]

I am serious about the Mantle story. I cried on the subway ride home. I since have heard at least one other similar Mantle story

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by theshleps

I am serious about the Mantle story. I cried on the subway ride home. I since have heard at least one other similar Mantle story

Stunning and saddening. So hard to believe he would do that to anyone, let alone a kid.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Just read a wonderful essay by Fritz Peterson on his friend Brooks Robinson at www.baseballhappenings.net I think it will reinforce all the nice things said in this thread about my favorite ball player! Best wishes to Brooks, get well soon

[71buc]

This has been one of my favorite posts since joining this board. My initial post on this thread dealt with my experience with baseball players. After reading the positive comments on interactions with boxers I thought I would share my own.

I took my son to an Oakland A’s spring training game about ten years ago. He was twelve at the time. I’m a third generation Indian and Pirate fan. He broke with the family tradition and adopted the Oakland A’s. He now has his own personal hell and he can at least relate to his father’s pain. During the game Mohammed Ali made a surprise appearance. When he entered the ball park you could hear a pin drop. It was surreal. The game stopped and the players applauded him. The crowd chanted Ali, Ali! He sat a few rows away from us and an autograph line quickly formed. He signed between innings. Those in line knelt to avoid obstructing the view of others during the game. My son asked why people were kneeling. My wife smiled and told him you do that before royalty. I told my son that this was an autograph opportunity he should not miss. At that time he was painfully timid but with a bit of coaxing he stood in line by himself for two innings. When it was his turn to receive an autograph play resumed forcing him to kneel and wait. Ali looked over at him and motioned to him. My son approached Ali rather nervously. He told my son to sit next to him in a vacant seat. He then opened a bag and pulled out a large oatmeal cookie broke it in half and handed half to my son. He sat with Ali eating that cookie for a half inning. At the end of the inning Ali smiled at him and threw a quick jab his way. He then signed the autograph and thanked my son for sitting with him.

When we returned home my shy son shocked us with the announcement that he wanted to be a boxer. My wife and I cringed but he was persistent so we relented. He boxed for a few years and although he was an average boxer the sport changed him in a positive manner. He became assertive, disciplined, and extremely confident. He has grown into a young man I am very proud of. I have to attribute some of that to boxing and his fifteen minutes with Ali.

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by theshleps

As a shy 16 year old going up to Mickey Mantle in 1967 as he was standing alone in front of the hotel he lived in while in NYC (I was the only one there) I had a Sport magazine photo already signed by Casey Stengel and I said "Mr Mantle can you please sign this" and he looked at me and spit in my face and walked off- that I will never forget .

I hope you kept the spit. That would make a hell of a relic card.

[matty6]

1952 Topps Spit-stained Mickey Mantle 1/1

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by scmavl

I hope you kept the spit. That would make a hell of a relic card.

Wow...this is why I'm loving this thread...I feel like we're seeing sides of players that are not the usual perception. Imagining Mantle doing this is tough...I wonder how drunk he was.

[matty6]

when Will Clark was at Miss. St. my girlfriend's parents would go to the home games and hold up a sign that said Miss St Alum. One day Clark came over and started talking to them. This became a home game ritual and eventually my gf's mom invited him to their house for dinner. His favorite meal was Southern fried pork chops. He became a routine guest as she can cook now! Lemme tell ya!

They continued the friendship even when he became a star for The Giants. They had moved to Philadelphia and whenever the Giants were in town he'd come over for fried pork chops! Great guy, too!