Best Autographs You Ever Got

When I was seven years old (1963), I wrote Johnny Pesky a letter congratulating him on being named the Red Sox manager and wishing him good luck. About three months later, much to my surprise an envelope comes from Fenway Park. Yup, Pesky sent a letter thanking me for my good wishes, with his signature at the end.

Fast-forward about 22 years to an old-timers game. Pesky was one of the participants. I was in the media by then, and I went up to him and told him how I had written him when he took over the Red Sox. He jumped in, "Gee, I hope I wrote you back!" When I told him how much his letter meant to me as a little kid, he couldn't have been nicer. It made me a bigger fan of his, and I'm glad he got to see the Red Sox win the Series in 2004.

 

Ripken's my favorite for many reasons, but this is one of them.

I never saw a player sign more autographs, on so many different nights, for as long as humanly possible, as Ripken. Home or away, 1981, '91 or 2001, he would end batting practice by moving down the stands behind third base, signing away. And this was before every single game. He couldn't get to everybody, and he couldn't do it forever, but he always seemed to try. He always made the effort.

 

Gordie Howe, on some press notes. Because he was Gordie Howe. A reporter friend of mine said, "Hey, it's Gordie Howe." He didn't get an autograph. There was no slippery slope. I've been in the business 22 years since then, and no relapses.

Then again, I haven't talked to Gordie Howe lately.

 

He talks about you all the time...

 

Got Gunther Gebel Williams' autograph, of Ringling Brother circus fame, right before he retired.

 

Fixed.

 

An autographed program by Baby Jay and a signed ticket by Wu-Shock are probably my two best. Seriously.

 

i don't know if i'd drive downtown if it were raining to get his autograph. i hate windshield wipers.

 

i don't know if ya'all have noticed or not, but dave kindred is a god to me. i'd love to add that guy to my willies, micks and dukes. hell, i'd frame dave's sig and put it on the wall next to my monster litho signed by all three ny center fielders.

 

I will just say this. While I have a few autographs that are in the living room.

A Jimmy Johnson signed football and a Lee Roy Selmon signed football.

I really don't crave things for athletes to sign. I prefer to tell this story in its stead.

Tracy McGrady knows who I am. And he acknowledges me for the fact he was kind of a prick when I went to high school with him.

 

Um, okay. Seriously, I could wake up and walk in the kitchen to find Baby Jay and Wu-Shock cooking breakfast in the nude, and I still wouldn't have the faintest idea who they are.

 

Baby Jay is the smaller of the two Jayhawk mascots; Wu-Shock is Wichita State's mascot.