Which state(s) have you gotten an autograph in?

[Topps206]

I thought it'd be fun to discuss this and to discuss the places where we've been working on our hobby. Traveling and collecting are two things I really enjoy, especially when I'm able to put them together.

If you want to add who you got, when, etc., that'd be cool, too.

1. Illinois - Born and raised, got countless things here from shows to games, charity events, just different signings in general in my home state.

2. Indiana - I've been here since late 2019, got John Laskowski to sign a Sports Illustrated for me at the Culver's he owns in Bloomington in August 2020, then the very next week, I went to the Indiana Boxing Hall of Fame two get Michael Spinks on a pair of Sports Illustrateds, and Buster Douglas on his one from 1990. If it counts, I dropped off Damon Bailey's SI at the warehouse he owns about an hour away from me, which he inked and I picked it up the next day after I dropped it off.

3. Oklahoma - I was in Oklahoma from August 2017 through October 2019, got to have Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White sign a Sports Illustrated Heisman edition previously signed by nine other Heisman winners.

4. Texas - When I was in Oklahoma, I'd make some trips to some Texas Rangers games at the old Globe Life Park in Arlington, was able to get some in June 2019 when I got Hall of Fame broadcaster Eric Nadel on a ticket, Mark McLemore and Daryl Boston on a card each and Shelby Miller on two cards.

5. Ohio - I've gotten a couple in Ohio. Last May, I went to a show and Greg Pruitt signed all three Sports Illustrated issues for me, plus a card. Then, I went to see my Cubbies play at Great American Ballpark last July, got former Reds pitcher Sam LeCure to sign a Reds mini helmet for me, the kind you get in an ice cream helmet, during the postgame.

6. Colorado - I went to Denver last year on a trip for my 30th birthday, and was fortunate to meet Dave Logan, voice of the Broncos, after his radio show. He signed his 1980 Sports Illustrated for me.

7. Iowa - As part of the 30th trip, I went to Davenport, Iowa, met with Bill Rodgers, signing all three SI covers he appeared on.

8. Missouri - My newest addition, Jan. 9 I went to a show in St. Louis to see Bob Lilly, who inked both Sports Illustrated covers for me - 1963 and 1967, plus an 8x10 I previously got signed by Jim Brown

Not a state, but if you want to count Washington, D.C., I went to see my Blackhawks play the Capitals in D.C. in October 2008, with some former Caps players signing before the game - Rod Langway, Gary Rissling and one other alumnus were signing before the game.

I had those three sign a complementary Division Champions banner from 2007-08 that was handed out before the game, and Langway signed an Opening Night puck that I bought with the H.O.F. inscription that I still proudly have on display in my room back home.

What about all of you? Which states have you gotten a signature in? It might be fun to share and discuss.

[egri]

Assuming TTM requests don't count:

1. Rhode Island, at McCoy Stadium back when the PawSox were still there. Got to meet Johnny Pesky and Frank Malzone, as well as a bunch of the players, most of who never made it big, but it was fun at the time.

2. Massachusetts, at Fenway Park. Mainly at the Futures at Fenway doubleheader, though I understand that's been discontinued.

3. Florida, when I went to Ft. Myers a couple times to see the Red Sox at Spring Training. Met Johnny Pesky again, also got Daisuke Matsuzaka's autograph his first year here.

[Scott Garner]

Not including paid signings at shows, Nationals, etc. here are a few that come to mind:

CA: Certainly where most of my 'graphing occurred, since I'm from there and attended too many Angels games through the years. Ryan was my favorite target, although I chased down the autographs of any player that I thought was cool. I probably got him to sign 100 or more times through the years.
A few other players that stand out: Don Drysdale, Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Fernando Valenzuela, Frank Thomas several times, Ken Griffey, Jr., Cal Ripken, Jr., Kirby Puckett, Barry Bonds, Rod Carew, Phil Niekro, Tony Gwynn, Alan Trammell, Orel Hersheiser (59 innings of shutout ball in 1988) and Angels no-hit pitchers: Mark Langston, Mike Witt, Bo Belinsky.
Basketball HOF'er Jerry West at a Laker game when he was the GM during the Showtime era.
Lots of golf autographs including Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Johnny Miller that all stood out as interesting or great experiences.

AZ: A few players at Bank One Ballpark during the AZ Diamondback's 1st year.
Basketball player Dan Majerle and his bar near the BOB after a game in which I saw him hitting before the game (the dude had power!). Majerle was apparently a two-sport star (baseball and basketball) at Central MI.
I was able to get former Twins player Rich Reese to sign 13 items for me on top of his Corvette out in front of a Walgreens near his home. Rich Reese was Nolan Ryan's 383rd strikeout in 1973, which is the all-time record for a single season.
I was able to get Ryan's 3rd no-hitter catcher Tom Egan to sign a game used bat in AZ just after he took out the trash (according to his wife) in bare feet, t-shirt and shorts. All of these experiences were rich with some great conversation about their careers. All great guys!

FL: Brad Mills, Ryan's 3509th strikeout victim, passing Walter Johnson for career strikeouts at an Astros Spring Training game the year that Mills skippered for the Astros.

GA: Phil Nevin (also a fellow CSUF graduate) at Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta.

HI (Big Island): Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ray Floyd at the Sr. Skins Tournament in 1997. I also was fortunate to play 18 holes behind Palmer at the Grand Opening of his new golf course Hapuna.

MD: Boog Powell at his BBQ kiosk at Camden Yards.

MI: Brad Mills, Ryan's 3509th strikeout on a game used bat. Greg Myers, Ryan's 5,714th K (last career K) on a game used bat, ball and ticket from his last K that I attended as an Angels season ticket holder. Both Mills and Myers were gracious about adding great inscriptions to all. Justin Verlander and other Tigers and ex-Tigers at Tigerfest. While on vacation in 1996, my Tigers ticket stub was signed by both Tigers owner Mike Illich and acting AL President Gene Budig while we ate hot dogs during a rain delay that preceded the game. Both guys were very nice, BTW.

NY: (Cooperstown 1999 Induction) Robin Yount at the Leatherstocking GC.
I played golf in the foresome directly behind him and his brother Larry the day before the HOF Induction that had Ryan, Yount, Brett and Cepeda.

OH: HOF Jim Palmer, Denny McLain (31-6 in 1968), Bob Feller all at Toledo Mud Hens games. No-hit pitchers Carlos Zambrano, Bob Milacki, Juan Nieves, Devern Hansack (unofficial no-hitter). All of these were autographs near or at Toledo Mud Hens games. Mike Hessman (all-time minor league HR King- 433 dingers!) at a Mud Hens season ticket holder event at a restaurant in Toledo. Angels combo no-hitter pitcher Jose' Arredondo at the visiting team hotel over in Cleveland in 2009.

TX: Nolan Ryan many times in Arlington and Alvin, TX.
George W. Bush x 2 at the last game at Arlington Stadium (1993).
Sparky Lyle and Fergie Jenkins in the bar at the Marriott after the last game at Arlington. Former MLB pitcher and scout Red Murff in Alvin, TX. Murff was the scout that signed Nolan Ryan to his 1st ML contract.
Reggie Jackson at the airport in Dallas boarding my American Airlines flight.

WI: Ryan 2nd no-hit catcher Art Kusnyer in the new Brewers stadium in the 1st game ever, which was an exhibition game between the Brewers and the CWS just before the regular season. Kusnyer signed and inscribed 2 items for me. MLB Commish Bud Selig in his office on the day that the new stadium opened- a ball that he signed and inscribed with the date.

UT: Several players in a Salt Lake City Bees game that I attended in the 1990's.

Extra Credit:
Canada (Toronto): Andres Galarraga on my ticket stub at a game between Montreal and Toronto on Canada Day around 2002.

[jcmtiger]

Most auto I got in Michigan. Tiger Woods signed a baseball for me in Las Vegas NV, Pete Rose in California.

[bjerome]

I am only going to name the most notable signature I have gotten in each state.
Washington - Edgar Martinez
California - Hunter Pence
Arizona - Coco Crisp
Nevada - Pete Rose
Colorado - Woody Williams
North Dakota - Jack Morris
Nebraska - Alex Verdugo
Oklahoma - Frank Viola
Texas - Marwin Gonzalez
Missouri - Keith Hernandez
Iowa - Bob Feller
Minnesota - Barry Bonds/Mike Trout
Wisconsin - Chipper Jones
Illinois - Corbin Burnes
Michigan - Jim Kaat
Ohio- Francisco Lindor
Pennsylvania - Don Mattingly
New York - Matt Harvey
Massachusetts - Jim Rice
Maryland - Tampa Bay Rays players 2012
DC - Nick Hundley
Kentucky - Wander Franco
Georgia - Brian Jordan
Florida - Giancarlo Stanton

[butchie_t]

California - San Jose Giants stadium. Steve Decker and Royce Clayton were on the CAL League A team at that time.

Colorado - Colorado Springs Sky Sox stadium Rockies AAA PCL team

The majority of my autographs came in Colorado. We had season tix from 93 to 2K. Pretty much every player and coach that came to the Sky Sox, I got autographs of. Yes, even Todd Helton. And a handful of game used bats. Jason Bates, Jay Gainer, Trenidad Hubbard come to mind.

And as many of the opposing teams that would sign, and they did. players and coaches. Todd Dunn, Billy Wagner. Rick Dempsey, Russ Nixon….and more.
I even got a Todd Dunn game used bat.

I have ~4k of player and coach autos in the PCL.

[bbcard1]

A little different answer: My goal is to pass baseball in every state with my son. We're halfway there.

[Wrightfan85]

New York: Born and raised. Most of my IP autos are from here.

New Jersey: At least once at a Trenton Thunder game. Got Melky Cabrera.

Florida: Orlando Rays before a game. Shane Victorino is the one that stands out.

Believe that's it oddly enough. I know I went to Camden Yards but don't think I got any autos there.

[scooter729]

My most out of the way autograph was when I was visiting a friend in London around 1995, and stumbled upon a book signing event with Sir Alec Guinness. Thought that was a cool one, being a big Star Wars fan at the time...

[steve B]

Unsurprisingly since I don't collect them much, few places.

Massachusetts- shows, a game in Pittsfield (Bob Feller) The Bruins wives carnival, a big box hardware store opening(Bobby Orr, who was kinda cranky and I think only there because he was a part owner)

Washington DC. - Brooks Robinson at a SI hospitality suite in 76 plus two football players.


What's funny is that Dad may have gotten autographs in more states, and he didn't collect much either. But he did bring back the autograph panels from the SI hospitality suites from other conventions at least twice, and at the local stadium in CT growing up.

[Topps206]

I can now add Pennsylvania to the list of states I’ve gotten an autograph in. I’m here for the Yankees/Pirates game tonight and met Manny Sanguillen at his barbecue stand. He inked his 1981 Topps for me.

[jcmtiger]

Late on this but, many from Michigan, 25 or more, since sold. California Pete Rose and Las Vegas Tiger Woods.

[Topps206]

Tennessee is now the 10th state I've gotten an autograph in, going to the Music City Collectibles Show today, getting Jose Canseco and Horace Grant on SI covers, pictures in the SI thread.

[Michael B]

I have been thinking about this thread for quite a while. Since it has jumped back up the list I thought I would contribute.

Maine - Maine Phillies, Richmond Braves (Justice, Gant etc), plus one other team I do not recall

New Hampshire - 1984 Pittsburgh Pirates when they visited Nashua affiliate. Canadian and U.S. women's ice hockey players

Massachusetts - 15+ years in person all four major sports, 20 years Basketball HOF Inductions, many retired players from local teams - Orr, Havlicek, Bucyk, etc. Many Olympians. Hundreds of musicians - The Who, Rod Stewart, Elton, Bowie, Zappa, Bee Gees, Grateful Dead, Lionel Ritchie, Ramones, Cheap Trick, Santana, Miles Davis, Genesis, Ted Nugent, Boston, Blondie, Beach Boys, Allman Brothers, Aerosmith etc, etc. Actors/Actresses - Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, Robin Williams, Stockard Channing, Cher, Bette Midler, Don Johnson. Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. Carter signed photos I took of him at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library dedication which is on the campus of my alma mater. Astronauts John Glenn, Wally Schirra. Authors Edward Albee, Joseph Heller, Arthur Miller, Robert Penn Warren.

Rhode Island - 1996 U.S. women's basketball team (Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards etc.), 1998 U.S. women's ice hockey gold medalists. Musicians - Blue Oyster Cult, Rick Derringer, Bad Company, Dead Kennedys (at the Station Nightclub in Warwick site of the fire), Better Than Ezra.

Connecticut - 2002 U.S. women's ice hockey team. Jacque Jones, Chad Allen - visiting the New Britain Red Sox. Musicians - Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits), Elvin Bishop, Graham Parker, Frank Zappa.

New York - 25 years Boxing HOF inductions, Frank Robinson, Stan Musial, Muhammad Ali. Women's Olympic ice hockey players - U.S., Canada, Germany, Sweden, Russia. 1997 U.S. Olympic ski trials - Picabo Street etc. Tony Randall and Eartha Kitt walking down the street in NYC.

New Jersey - Bob Hayes, Spencer Haywood, former Boston Celtics player from the 1940's whose name escapes me. Musicians - Graham Parker, Martha Davis (Motels), Marky Ramone, Yvonne Elliman, Smithereens, Dennis Dunaway & Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper/Billion Dollar Babies), Starz. Actresses P.J. Soles (Stripes, Rock n Roll High School), Ellen Foley (Night Court, also singer on 'Bat Out of Hell")

Pennsylvania - St Louis Cardinals players circa 1985 at their team hotel while I was in Philly for another event.

Maryland - No athletes. Musicians - Turtles, Lovin' Spoonful, Al Stewart, David Johansen, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Living Colour, The Tubes.

Washington, D.C - Curly Neal (Globetrotters), Sandra Day O'Connor, Chuck Yeager, a few astronauts, Norman Mailer, Billy Dee Williams. Musicians - Earth Wind and Fire, Paul Weller (The Jam), Sylvain Sylvain (NY Dolls), Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys), Kenny Loggins, Steve Smith (Journey), Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, George Duke, Billy Cox (Hendrix Band of Gypsies), Aretha Franklin, Hugh Masekela, Juliana Hatfield, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Rose Royce, Gloria Estefan, Martha Wash (C+C Music Factory, Black Box, Weather Girls -"It's Raining Men").

Virginia - no athletes. Musicians - Helen Reddy, Nils Lofgren, America, Randy Newman, Ian McLagan (Faces), Tommy Ramone, UFO, Derringer, Neil Innes, ELP (all three), Yes (almost every member), Robin Trower, X, Steve Hackett, Stanley Clark, Chick Corea, Jason Bonham, and others.

South Carolina - Jars of Clay (Christian band). I shot one of their shows in Florence. My friend Herb Barten, 1948 Olympian, at his house.

Georgia - many athletes appearing at the SGMA (Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association) "Supershow" 1992-2000 - Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Jimmy Connors, Larry Holmes, Ron Gant, Milt Plum. Many Olympians.

Florida - Derek Jeter and others for the "Supershow" when it was there for 3 years in Orlando (2004-2006).

Louisiana - no athletes. Musicians - James Burton (Elvis's guitar player, solo intro on "Suzi Q"), Al DiMeola, Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson's lead guitar on BAD Tour), Nokie Edwards (Ventures), Albert Lee, Junior Brown.

Ohio - Oscar Robertson

Illinois - Mia Hamm, Dick Fosbury, Bob Beamon, several jockeys

Minnesota - Multiple U.S. Hockey HOFers including 1980 team when they were inducted

Nevada - All at "Supershow" when it moved there from Atlanta (2001-2003). Lynn Swann, Pete Rose, Barry Sanders, Dominik Hasek, Gale Sayers, Bob Lilly, Misty May and Kerry Walsh - Olympic Beach Volleyball. Olympic softball players.

California - Dick Fosbury, John Naber and other Olympians in Long Beach.

Out of the U.S.

Canada - New York Mets and one other team in Montreal: Hernandez, Gooden, Strawberry etc. 1984 NHL Draft most of the first round picks: Kirk Muller, Petr Svoboda, Al Iafrate and some retired players.

Mexico - Sammy Hagar near his club in Cabo San Lucas, Michael Anthony (Van Halen) with Hagar for a concert at his club.

Australia - Bart Connor, Matt Biondi, Algerian Boxing team, Netherlands water polo team, Mongolian athletes plus others at 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Cathy Freeman at a book signing in Brisbane in 2003

Sweden - about 15 Olympic medalists in Gothenbörg

Switzerland - several International Olympic Committee members in Lausanne

Slovakia - about a dozen Olympic medalists in Bratislava including tennis player Miloslav Mecir.

Poland - about 40 Olympians over two trips to Warsaw including the father of former NBA player Marcin Gortat. Janusz Gortat won bronze medals in boxing in 1972 and 1976. He lost to Leon Spinks in the semifinals in 1976.

Many of the times you get an autograph it is nothing more than a quick interaction. I have had hundreds if not thousands of those. A few that really stick out even 25 plus years later:

Reggie Jackson - Coming back to the hotel after a game at Fenway. He ignores everyone and sees me with my 3x5 black and white photos I took of him at a game. He tells me to jump on the elevator with him while he signs my photos. I have one other great story with him, but this one will do for now. I was very lucky with him in person 4 for 4 during and after his career.

Ron Gant - He was at the sporting goods convention in Atlanta to appear at one of the booths he had a sponsorship deal with but not to sign autographs. I recognized him and asked him to sign and he said he was not there for that. I mentioned I saw him play in the minors in Maine. He said 'The place where the mosquitos are the size of birds! I'll sign for you then.'

Robert Palmer - He was walking into the Lowell (MA) Auditorium for sound check. I was there with a few other people. He asked me to step inside so he could sign my rock book and a Power Station picture sleeve and photo.

Graham Parker - He played a show at "The Record Collector" a record store in Bordentown, N.J. The store tells the musicians to bring records and merchandise to sell after the show. They stand behind the counter to sign. He saw me with my 10 or so GP solo and GP and the Rumour vinyl albums. He points to me and says 'Vinyl. I always sign that first."

[Hankphenom]

Mostly sober, a few otherwise. (Sorry, I had to do it.)

[butchie_t]

Maryland in the 70s. I got Mike Bass (he was playing catch with his son in a park in Rockville). Brad Davis, he came to a rec league baseball event in Rockville. I still have them both!

California - San Jose Giants stadium 88-89 (Royce Clayton and Steve Decker, Rod Beck, a bunch of A ball Giants players.)

Colorado/Louisiana - Sky Sox Stadium in Colo Spgs and Zephyr Stadium for a AAA-All Star game. That was between 93 - 99.

And I have a boat load (no tons here, I deal in boat loads), of PCL players, coaches, and managers autographs during that timeframe. (Over 3k of signatures.)

Butch

[packs]

New York, Florida and Arizona. Spring Training trips with my dad when I was younger were always incredible.