Who is your best In Person Autograph from?

[indyreds]

Thank you all for sharing your stories with us. It sometimes helps to remember why we enjoy collecting autographs so much. They can be reminders of moments that we were able to share with celebrities either in person or on the television. The fun sometimes can even be with those whom you spend time with while trying to get autographs. It is always fun when sports fans can get together and chat about who is the best or the game they watched. It is even more fun when you can get the atheletes perspective. Another fun story of an autograph for you is Drew Henson. He had been playing for the Columbus Clippers a Yankees AAA baseball team in a game in Indianapolis. I went outback to get autographs after the ballgame and Drew was drafted by the Houston Texans of the NFL that day! When he came out of the stadium with his agent I asked him to sign. While he was signing my cards I asked him what he thought about being a Texan. He had a simple response. He stated "I am a baseball player!" It seems so funny that the guy who split time at Michigan with Tom Brady would have wasted so many chances at the NFL for baseball. It does go to show that he might have been right though. I did not even know that he was a Lions player till he had a few snaps last season. From what we have seen in the NFL Drew your heart is still in baseball! Pick the bat back up and show us you are a baseball player. It is awesome to see a guy have to make the choice between two sports at the highest level when most of us have to make that choice as a kid.

[ajwest92]

My best experience was with Sparky Anderson in early 2000.

Sparky was in town for the Lehman Catholic's (the private school here in town) annual dinner/fundraiser. He was the keynote speaker that evening. I was working at the time the weekend third shift at Waffle House...typical Saturday night, prepping food, cooking, preparing the store for the bar rush around midnight, and thinking about the Super Bowl party the following day. (more about the party later.)

At 11:30, as I was just done stocking the shelves, Sparky came in the front door. I was ready to exclaim "Sparky!!!" before he winked and gave me the "Shhh" sign. He sat in the high counter and ordered a quick meal of waffles, sausage and coffee. I cooked him food, had it served to him and went to the backroom.

I had to sit down for a minute and take a deep breath...I served countless of customers, from regulars, one-and-onlys, drunks and punks, famous and infamous. But the man who managed the Big Red Machine...Pete, Johnny, Joe, Tony, Griffey, the list goes on...is here. I didn't have anything for him to sign, so I folded a sheet of paper into fourths and torn a piece for him to sign after he got finished eating.

Now, the store was empty but for our employees (me and four other coworkers), three regular customers (who were talking politics as usual) and Sparky. No one, AND I MEAN NO ONE, bothered him. After he pushed the plate away, I went and took his plates and asked how everything was. He commented on the great food and thanked me for keeping my cool when I saw him. We shook hands, talked baseball (what else?) and even told a few jokes.

Before he went a paid for his meal, I got the slip of paper out for him to sign and asked for his autograph. He obliged. He then proceeded to pay and left for the evening. Not one other person--employee, customer, etc.--asked for his sig. I had my best night in years...until the Super Bowl party the next night.

At the party, my coworkers were bragging about Sparky showing up last night. The upper managers came up to me and asked if I got his autograph...I said yes. They asked if he signed his ticket...uh, no. Unknownst to me--again as a 3rd shifter I'm left literally in the dark into policy--if a known celebrity shows up at a Waffle House in our Franchisee's region, we are to have him/her sign the ticket and he gets the meal gratis. I took such a ribbing the entire night I couldn't even watch the game in peace.

BTW, I still have the autograph. It's with a 8x10 of Sparky I bought that following week. Now I just have to get around to matting and framing it...

Alex

[BigDaddy132]

Terrell Davis. Nicest guy and finally gave us Bronco fans the championship we dreamed of..

[bigdogs3118]

arod at all star fan fest in 06

[dicekmvp]

No my best but since I waited in below freezing weather for 4 hours to get it, I will got with Ian Kinsler

[redbird8]

mine was albert pujols

[deeakay]

Hands down Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun!

January 13th, 2008 Milwaukee Home Builders Expo.
I took my 8 year old with me. He had his '08 Brewers Team ball to get signed and I had a Rawlings Brewers Mini Helmet and a brand new GOLD, FINE POINT paint pen. We got there very early with advanced admission tickets. We were about 30th in-line and waited for about 3 hours.
OK, he's early to the signing table, everything's in-hand and we're moving ready to go. I prime the paint pen, scribble on my plastic checkbook cover and anticipating getting a priceless FINE POINT, GOLD paint signature from the Hebrew Hammer. My son goes 1st.
Braun greets my son really kindly and asks him something then says, "whoa, you got a lot autographs on here... let me find a spot." We pointed to a spot and he signs it and says something else to my son like, "alright, there ya go buddy." And my son asks for him to add "#8" and he was totally cool with that and took the ball back and added, and give it back with another kind word.
My turn, sorta got my hand TOTALLY full with jackets, bags with stuff for son to stay busy for the long wait, plus the free hand-outs he gathered from the the home show. I easily handed Ryan the pen and helmet. I look away and readjust the load I carrying and look back with anticipation to see a 1-of-a-kind Gold Braun auto on a Shiny Navy Brewers helmet and Ryan says, "ah man, sorry. The pen is broken or something..." I look down and gold paint is running down and pooling on the brim of the helmet.
OK, this is getting long winded. Long story short, the table jockey told me I couldn't get something else signed, "besides your son already got something signed and I need to keep the line moving." Ryan says, "here, here is photo." He grabs 3x4 black and white photo of him and scribbles the quickest sig ever. Feeling totally sick and defeated, I gathered my thoughts and went back up the table and asked the dude if I could get my ball signed real quick, I had been there for 4 hours, etc. and he shuts me down and again. I make I contact with Ryan and got this look on my face like "I can't fleak'n believe this".
Then Ryan, knowing the guy is being a d-bag, says, "Hey, I'll get ya at the end." That was the beginning of Braun's Clutch performances! Ha.
I didn't want to wait another 1.5 hrs so I talked to an usher of the line and she ended up getting permission to take my ball up to the table instead me waiting and Braun sweetspoted my brand new ROMLB with inscribed with "#8", only bad part, the lady usher didn't give Ryan my pen so it was with Black Sharpie.
I ended up cleaning off the gold paint with acetone and getting the helmet resigned at the Brewers Winter Warm Up appearance the NEXT DAY and he was just as nice to me and my other boys. He remember me and the helmet incident and says, "Here, how's that look?" The silver sharpie turned out perfect.

[deeakay]

I gotta continue and add this other appearance we met Braun at, back in June of this past year.

Despite the hustle and bustle of an appearnce Braun has always greeted me and my boys. Look at the photo I attached from an appearance this past July at a local car dealer ship with the radio crew Braun did a small weekly spot with. In the photo, that's Ryan talking to my wife and "blessing" (LOL) our youngest son Joey at a 3rd appearance we met him at. So everytime we've met Ryan he's the best, it's not just a one time occurrance.

At that appearance his contract with Mikita restricted him from signing anything but a Radio Morning Show Glossy Promo Photo (that turned away so many ppl from staying and waiting for an autograph or photo). And he was signing with Black Sharpie on a dark location of the photo. I donated my 2 Silver Sharpies to change that.
Then when it was my turn, I asked for the world.
After the 'hellos', I asked, "Will you please sign with Black on the White portion of the photo down here (pointing to the location) and inscribe it or add "SUPERSTAR" like your at-bat into music?"
Taken by surprise he replies, "Yeah, sure. No problem."
After he signed the photo, I put up my fist to get some and he gave me some (a "pound dog").
Check out the scan of the "Superstar" auto - the sweet part of the white portion (though not seen in the scan) is that there is a faint image of Miller - so it's not just flat white.
Someday, I'll do a cut auto and matt it with a really nice photo (hopefully of him with the Brewers and the World Series trophy!)

We went through the remaining line again, and though hosts said no photos WITH him (only photos OF him, to keep things moving fast), we stated we didn't want any more autos and we just wanted 1 photo. Everyone was cool with that. That photo is in SCF profile.

Photo1, Braun "blessing" our youngest
Photo2, Braun greeting our 2 oldest boys
Photo3, Braun signing my "Superstar" auto (yeah, that's the radio chick in the background - probably thought I was nuts asking for the inscription)
Scan4, of typical auto being given out (bad resolution)
Scan5, scan of my "Superstar" auto!

[deeakay]

Braun is a cool cat. Even at Miller Park - look at this Youtube video of Braun signing at the Player Parking Lot at Miller Park after a game, following the release of the '08 All Star Game voting results:

[Redman5006]

Mine was Joey Devine of the Braves at the time. I was at a minor league game and before the game started he asked me to come back after the game was over. I figured he was just trying to get rid of me. Anyway, after the game he had a small crowd of people around him and I was in the back. He saw me and asked me to throw him my ball, he signed it and tossed it back to me. I was impressed that he made a point get my ball signed, very nice guy.