Spahn is gone

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Posted By: BlackSoxFan

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Posted By: Anonymous

I'm stopped at a signal on Coldwater Canyon Blvd. in Studio City a couple of years ago. A sharp looking exotic red sports car pulls up next to me on the right. Not being a "car guy" I have no idea what make/model. I glance at the driver and do a double-take. It's Jay Leno! He looks up and I must have a ridiculous deer caught in the headlights look. He gives me an authentic smile and the peace sign, then drives off in his $100K ride. Cracked me up. OK, he's not a sports celeb, but seems like a really cool guy.

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Posted By: DJ

Black Sox, I respect you tremendously as noted in an e-mail I sent you but this thread must have hit a nerve with you of some sorts. Some collectors enjoy being treated nicely by their baseball heroes at card shows.

I had an almost identical story as the one above with Hank Aaron in New Jersey in 1994. Mine was more cruel because after following a regular signing (where he refused to write 755 on my inscription ball with a scoff), you went into this other room where Hammering Hank signed bats for $100 a piece (and bats only). This time, Aaron was as cordial as can be. I guess I had to pay $82 extra dollars to get my timber signed and get a cordial home run king.

Just think about it this way: You have 800 people that want to meet you. They pay hard earned money to spend ten seconds with someone they enjoy and idolize. The athlete will get $$$ and the adoration of the public. Why does Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron have to behave in this anti-social manner? Why can't they simply be nice, polite, willing, take a photo, answer a question or two. Why do they act like I'm interrupting their dinner?

Sorry, I don't get it. If you don't want adoration or money...STAY HOME! Do a private signing so you don't have to meet the public and you can be your miserable self all in some hotel room.

DJ

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Posted By: Bryan

There may not be an excuse for acting rude but how would you like going through life knowing that everyone wants something from you. I bet it would get rather tiring as time goes by. You may have politely asked for the autograph but I bet the next guy asked him while he was at dinner or waiting next to him to get off the phone.

Second, think of your own self and how you act while having a bad day. Would you appreciate it if someone developed a poor opinion of you based on that one meeting. Then proceded to tell everyone about it. I bet not.

Seriously, give them a break. They are people too. But at the same time they should at least try to be curtious.

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Posted By: BlackSoxFan

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Posted By: identify7

I know, it is the old folks that lament .... there was a time when ballplayers signed a ball for a kid just because he could.

But that was before that kid would take his new autographed ball to eBay to see what he could get.

The players did not do this to signing their name to an object. The mercenary pseudo-fan did.

Now we have the Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, etc. Corporations. Whose product is largely a signature. Where is the value?

I have a personalized Musial picture. To me there is value. To eBay? Who cares?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I work in Burbank and have run into him a number of times at local businesses (he frequents a hot dog stand in town). He is unfailingly polite and respectful to his fans. The guy had a really long, really hard road to success as a comedian and I think he never forgets that he owes it all to the public. Sylvester Stallone is another one who I've met several times in several contexts and found to be a cordial and respectful person with his fans. Eric Idle was nice as could be when I met him, even though I turned into the usual gushy Python fan. I probably sounded like a Gumby but he put up with it and was very pleasant. Even John Belushi was polite, and he had other crap on his mind at the time.

One of the biggest impressions an athlete ever made on me was Steve Garvey. Back in the late '70s I was at dinner in a restaurant in Woodland Hills. Garvey was there with his family. He had a line of kids at his table. Not only did he sign things for the kids, he actually took the time to speak warmly with each youngster. While I was a Dodgers hater at the time, I was very favorably impressed by this and have always thought of it as a model for how you treat fans, especially kids.

On a personal note: Ted, try more paragraphs. Your posts are welcome but sometimes hard to read, especially late in the day.

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Posted By: Dan Lundrigan

identify7
(Login ItsOnlyGil)

I`m sorry for the misunderstanding as well. I was not offended just confused "NOTHING NEW".No need to tread softly on my account I can take it!

I too am a one finger typist so I share your pain!

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Posted By: Anonymous

I know Leon wants to this thread to pass so a few points before I exit.

It's amazing how we are all human beings with abilities. The abilities that are advertised in an Entertainment form seems to get the most recognition. Celebrities (including sports) play an important role in society. Some people value celebrities more than others. Either way, these celebrities don't necessarily need to acknowledge their fans but must understand that their increase in popularity is due to the fact that so many people idolize them and appreciate their craft and want to have one passing moment with them. My friend paid $150 just to get her picture taken with Dan Marino at a show.

It's how this celebrity handles this initial first impression that is burned into out minds. I became a much bigger B.B King fan when I spent thirty minutes with him and lost a lot of respect for Whoopi Goldberg as she ran by two fans who waited seven hours just to meet her.

In saying that, why is that when I said hello to Alan Rosen in Chicago several years outside a gas station, he looked at me, produced a scowl and then looked away.



DJ

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Posted By: identify7

It cost me $10 in Atlantic City. Extra; For a show.

A tip to the guy who assigns you to whatever table and chair set up you get.

That $10 bought me a personal seranade from the show star to my wife - one foot apart. A memory she treasures. A big name guy. I dunno, three minutes, then he continued with his show. Priceless. For $10.

Gohead sign my balls big name baseball player, you can't do it.

Edited to add: It was probably more like one minute and three feet apart - but the effect was the same.

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Posted By: Jerry

BlackSoxFan,

You seem to be one confused individual. On one hand, you criticize and insult people for relating their experiences and opinions. On the other hand, you call for everyone to "cut these guys a break". You need to make up your mind and I, for one, don't appreciate your implication that I was less than honest about the Aaron experience I posted.

I grew up in a baseball family, pal, a Braves family at that and I know a little bit about the scene. I went to spring training every year as a kid and was around those guys. My only interaction wasn't with them in a paid autograph signing situation.

There is a MAJOR difference between the way they might react if, say, they are interrupted at dinner and hounded for an autograph and if they ARE BEING PAID TO SIGN. And paid alot of money at that. It's not too much to ask of them to behave in a PROFESSIONAL manner and be polite to people who pay alot of money for them to sign. If they have such a disdain for the fans, FOR WHATEVER REASON, then they should be man enough to go make a living some other way.

Maybe you lack normal reading comprehension skills, but AS I WROTE, we patiently waited until EVERYONE ELSE WAS GONE, before asking Aaron to personalize the balls. Hank Aaron chose to act like a complete jerk instead of taking, what, a whole TEN SECONDS to add a personalization, that would have meant alot to my sons. My attitude toward him stems from that interaction. He had no reason on my account to behave that way. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of people like you apologizing for poor behavior, just because someone is famous or black or whatever. It doesn't cost anything to be nice or polite. And from the tone of your posts, apparently that is a lesson that would serve you as well.


BLAH, BLAH, BLAH yourself! If you don't like what someone posts, either respond to it civilly or ignore it.



What bothers me most about the negative experiences I posted is that it turned off my sons to the hobby. And they both excelled at baseball through high school, yet have no interest in the hobby whatsoever because of jerks like Aaron, Mays and Gibson.