Walker066 2016 IP graphing

[walker066]

I'm a little late this week, but here it goes:

Spring training experience:
https://www.sportscardforum.com/threa...ing-experience

April 11th Carolina Mudcats vs Wilmington Blue Rocks-
This is my home park (live like 10-15 minutes away) and very easy to graph. So I had my eye on this game because Dansby Swanson was playing for the Mudcats. I get there about 20 minutes before the gates open and to my surprise, there is already 20+ graphers waiting. They open up the gates and everyone runs near the dugout. Well the Mudcats were still practicing on the field. I thought this is easy, I can leave around the 5th inning. Well as they get done, Dansby starts signing on the other side of the dugout and most run over there. I decided to not move because he needed to go by us after that. I start talking to other graphers I know and we were all shocked by how many were there. Well Dansby runs by us and says he'll do it later. Then he comes out and says he has to run. I figure at this point, I'm going to need to stay the whole game. Well after the game, about 20+ people (some waiting all game and new graphers) go near the dugout. Dansby looks at everyone and says "one per." Luckily for me, I was only after a ROMLB.

Success 1/1 Dansby Swanson ROMLB.

[walker066]

5/5/16 Myrtle Beach Pelicans vs Wilmington Blue Rocks

I have noticed the past couple times that more and more graphers are showing up. While it's still easy to get autos, you have to get a spot much earlier than before.

Ian Happ- ROMLB personalized (ugh)
Gleybor Torres- ROMLB. He came out and said after the game to the 20 graphers. A couple of us decided to go where they warm up and Torres came over and signed a couple. Then he starts to run away and I ask him if he'd do one more. Luckily, we came back to sign a couple. I'm glad I didn't have to wait since it was getting cold.

[walker066]

6/12/16 Salem Red Sox vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks

I'm mad at myself because I passed on Benintendi in Spring Training because I thought I'd get him this weekend. Oh well. With the Red Sox still having some top prospects with Salem I went to the last game of the series. There was more graphers than typicaly, but it being a Sunday and Moncada I wasn't overly surprised. Got there a little early but soon realized that the Blue Rocks were hosting a candy drop from a helicopter. Luck for me they really weren't graphing.

My main targets were Devers, Dubon, and Ball. I already got Moncada twice, so not a big deal. I talked to a local grapher who said the team had been tough all weekend. The players come out and the top guys blow by everyone. I ended up getting Longhi ROMLB. So after everyone came out and moved to stretch, most of us moved over where they would sign. They blow by us again, but I call Devers and he comes over and signs a ball for one kid and leaves, damn!

I wait the entire game (along with all the graphers) and I get Ball and Dubon ROMLB. Devers blows by us. To my surprise Moncada comes down the line and signs for just about everyone. I happen to get another ROMLB signed by Moncada. Well as I'm standing there a father and young son (8-10 yo) come down and go to the back of the line where Moncada had just left. A guy tells them you shouldn't use a sharpie on a ball and gives him a blue ball point. So the father runs a section to get Moncada, but he was already heading down the tunnel. The young boy was bummed and the father tells him it's ok. As they were leaving the section and I was behind them, I pulled out the ball I got signed by Moncada and gave it to the kid. The kid tried to give me a ball back, but I told him to keep it. I told them I had already got him before and I saw they didn't get him. They thank me as well as the grapher who gave them the ballpoint pen. He tells me that was a nice gesture and I said it would mean more to him than me.

With everything going on in this crazy world, I hope I made someones day.

ROMLB:
Longhi
Ball
Dubon

[adiddle]

Well done as not to many people would do that but you just made a young boy very happy and maybe a future grapher who will remember that and maybe return the favor to someone down the road. Again well done

[Pedroia15TheBest]

Classy move man, very cool thing to do. I have seen my fair share of for profit graphers recently trying to get top dollar for Moncada, and it is really cool to see someone be selfless and make someones day. It will come back to you when you least expect it!

[arfmax]

Yes, that was a very cool thing to do. I have given a card to a kid for them to get autographed if they didn't have anything, but never a signed ball, that's really a great gesture.

[walker066]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses. I may never see them again, but hopefully it was a lasting impression.

[walker066]

8/1/16 Salem Red Sox vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks

Today was gloomy so the graphers and attendance was very minimum. I went trying to get Devers, Kopech, and Danny Mars. I was the first person near the tunnel, so I was in a great spot. Trey Ball and Kopech were in the bullpen and started to walk towards us. Ball signed (I already got him earlier in the season), but Kopech said he had to go work out. So we wait until the players come out and Devers was first player and started to sign for everyone! I got him on a ROMLB. Then Danny Mars came out. He's not a top prospect, but the starting LF and a decent all around player. I found out two weeks ago that my older sister taught him in middle school and she went to see him a few weeks ago play against the Frederick Keys. They ended up catching up after that game and taking pictures with my nieces. So I called him over and told him who I was and we had a couple minute conversation. Really great guy! So the game is about to start and another grapher points out that Kopech is charting. So we go over there with a few others and he signs for everyone! Decent night for me!

ROMLB:
Devers
Kopech
Mars

[Go Sox]

Nice stuff. Wish I could get to see Salem sometime.