Meeting famous athletes

[MSOrange]

I thought it might be interesting to tell about our encounters with famous athletes - either good or bad. My favorite baseball player growing up was Reggie Jackson. I got some Yankees #44 pajamas for my birthday when I was 4 or 5, and well, that's all it took to be a lifelong diehard fan of Reggie.

So back when I lived in Georgia when I was probably in middle school or early high school, I saw Reggie was going to be signing at a card store in Lithonia, GA, which was about 20-25 minutes from where we lived. I knew I couldn't pass up that opportunity, so I talked my Dad into taking me. By that point, I had collected all of his major release cards for his entire career (Topps, Fleer, Donruss) and had them all set up in protective cases on some shelves in my room. My mom said we should put them in a binder and take them when we go. I was really just going to be happy to just have a minute with Reggie and doubted he would take the time to care about all my cards. As much as I love Reggie, I'll fully admit his mood can seem to run hot and cold when it comes to dealing with the public from the stories I have heard.

So we went to the store and I was probably about 5th in line. I got to the front and Reggie couldn't have been nicer. He took the time to look through my entire binder with me and talk about various cards and seasons for a few minutes and then signed two cards and a photograph for me. Now some of that may have been just him being nice to the kid in the wheelchair, but all that mattered to me was I got to meet my baseball hero and it couldn't have been a better experience.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Glad you shared that. When I was 12 years old I tried getting Rod Carew's autograph and he refused. He's been dead to me ever since. But seriously, I've probably met 30 or more professional athletes and famous people in social settings and they have always come off as regular people. My wife and I had a nice conversation with Dick Vitale and his wife for a half hour as we sat at the next table to them in South Beach. We also met Luis Gonzalez in a casino in Vegas and we talked to him for about 20 minutes and we were the ones who broke up the conversation otherwise he would probably still be talking. We also had a nice 20 minute conversation with Michael Douglas in Bermuda. He couldn't have been more cordial.

 

[Briancuse]

I thought it might be interesting to tell about our encounters with famous athletes - either good or bad. My favorite baseball player growing up was Reggie Jackson. I got some Yankees #44 pajamas for my birthday when I was 4 or 5, and well, that's all it took to be a lifelong diehard fan of Reggie.

So back when I lived in Georgia when I was probably in middle school or early high school, I saw Reggie was going to be signing at an card store in Lithonia, GA, which was about 20-25 minutes from where we lived. I knew I couldn't pass up that opportunity, so I talked my Dad into taking me. By that point, I had collected all of his major release cards for his entire career (Topps, Fleer, Donruss) and had them all set up in protective cases on some shelves in my room. My mom said we should put them in a binder and take them when we go. I was really just going to be happy to just have a minute with Reggie and doubted he would take the time to care about all my cards. As much as I love Reggie, I'll fully admit his mood can seem to run hot and cold when it comes to dealing with the public from the stories I have heard.

So we went to the store and I was probably about 5th in line. I got to the front and Reggie couldn't have been nicer. He took the time to look through my entire binder with me and talk about various cards and seasons for a few minutes and then signed two cards and a photograph for me. Now some of that may have been just him being nice to the kid in the wheelchair, but all that mattered to me was I got to meet my baseball hero and it couldn't have been a better experience.

I am glad he was nice to you, from everything you hear, Reggie is a first class jerk.

 

[OrangeDW]

Big names that stood out as friendlier and more engaging than most: Daryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Eric Davis, David Cone

Most I've met have been fine.

Pr$ck: Kevin Brown. That was no act. He was a straight up jerk. Eddie Murray too.

 

[two3zone]

Had a friend who played for he Astros and I went to see him when they played the Pirates, when Randy Johnson was a hired gun for a half year. Well Bagwell sat with us when we had coffee when my friend called him over to introduce us, amazing guy, Biggo came through later, same. Randy Johnson starts walking by and I asked if he was cool and would come over, my friend says "he's a ing dick".

Coolest athlete I ever met was Gary Carter. He lived near me when I lived in North Palm Beach and would see him around, he was at Costco one day and had to say something so I walked up to him and started a conversation. Had a literal 45 minute conversation about baseball, he was doing a signing earlier at the store and had his HOF ring in and just handed it over to me and let me try it on. Legit the coolest and kindest man I've ever spoken to. It broke my heart when he passed.

 

[OrangeDW]

Had a friend who played for he Astros and I went to see him when they played the Pirates, when Randy Johnson was a hired gun for a half year. Well Bagwell sat with us when we had coffee when my friend called him over to introduce us, amazing guy, Biggo came through later, same. Randy Johnson starts walking by and I asked if he was cool and would come over, my friend says "he's a dick".

Coolest athlete I ever met was Gary Carter. He lived near me when I lived in North Palm Beach and would see him around, he was at Costco one day and had to say something so I walked up to him and started a conversation. Had a literal 45 minute conversation about baseball, he was doing a signing earlier at the store and had his HOF ring in and just handed it over to me and let me try it on. Legit the coolest and kindest man I've ever spoken to. It broke my heart when he passed.

Can't believe I forgot Gary Carter! I met him as well, and he was very friendly.

 

[MSOrange]

Big names that stood out as friendlier and more engaging than most: Daryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Eric Davis, David Cone

Most I've met have been fine.

Pr$ck: Kevin Brown. That was no act. He was a straight up jerk. Eddie Murray too.

When I was a kid, my uncle and aunt took my brother and I to an Orioles game. We had 4 or 5 guys sign for us as they were walking into the stadium. But Eddie Murray didn't sign for anyone and from talking to other fans, that was typical. I know he and Cal were the two guys who got bothered the most and it probably got old, but Cal seemed to never have a problem with it.

 

[Bayside44]

Not at that level, my son played on the same little league team as Jonathan Papelbon's kid. Pap was actually a super nice guy, and we figured he was had all wrong - then he tried to kill Bryce Harper...

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

When I was a kid, my uncle and aunt took my brother and I to an Orioles game. We had 4 or 5 guys sign for us as they were walking into the stadium. But Eddie Murray didn't sign for anyone and from talking to other fans, that was typical. I know he and Cal were the two guys who got bothered the most and it probably got old, but Cal seemed to never have a problem with it.

Murray was almost an introvert. Very uncomfortable with strangers. Also, very untrusting. Probably cost him an MVP.
Watch Cal's HOF speech to get a true sense of Murray.

 

[Cowtown]

Had a friend who played for he Astros and I went to see him when they played the Pirates, when Randy Johnson was a hired gun for a half year. Well Bagwell sat with us when we had coffee when my friend called him over to introduce us, amazing guy, Biggo came through later, same. Randy Johnson starts walking by and I asked if he was cool and would come over, my friend says "he's a dick".

Coolest athlete I ever met was Gary Carter. He lived near me when I lived in North Palm Beach and would see him around, he was at Costco one day and had to say something so I walked up to him and started a conversation. Had a literal 45 minute conversation about baseball, he was doing a signing earlier at the store and had his HOF ring in and just handed it over to me and let me try it on. Legit the coolest and kindest man I've ever spoken to. It broke my heart when he passed.

I've never met any famous athletes, so it's fun to read these. Please tell me Craig Biggio was a nice guy. I loved him like my own son - well, a son I never met, haha!

And the one famous person I really do want to meet is Jim Boeheim. Maybe one day ...

 

[Cowtown]

Can't believe I forgot Gary Carter! I met him as well, and he was very friendly.

The entire city of Montreal loved him dearly, even though he wasn't French, and that's saying something! Including my Mother in law. If you ever said anything bad about him she would come after you with sharp objects in her hands and malice in her heart.

 

[kirbivore]

met tommy lasorda while working security on HOF induction weekend. Super nice guy, even for a lifelong Dodger

 

[two3zone]

I've never met any famous athletes, so it's fun to read these. Please tell me Craig Biggio was a nice guy. I loved him like my own son - well, a son I never met, haha!

And the one famous person I really do want to meet is Jim Boeheim. Maybe one day ...

Yes, Biggio and Bagwell 100% class and very kind. Was like sitting down and chatting with friends you've known forever.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Does Billy Celuck count? If so, then yeah.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

met tommy lasorda while working security on HOF induction weekend. Super nice guy, even for a lifelong Dodger

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I've met a handful of famous athletes but by far the nicest was Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. I met him at an autograph signing in Atlanta back in the 90's. I arrived late after work and he was by himself eating a sandwich. I apologized for interrupting his meal and he was more than gracious. He actually offered me half and said that he couldn't eat it all because he had to stay in playing shape. He was approximately 70 at the time. I told him that he was my father's favorite player. We talked about both losing our fathers early. I lived for awhile in Central Illinois and he grew up on a farm in Illinois. The Utica Blue Sox were a farm club of the Phillies but he said that he never played for them, but that friends of his had. We must have talked for a half hour. It was so great to meet my dad's hero and for him to be not only a Hall of Fame pitcher, but a Hall of Fame person. My idol growing up was Johnny Bench, and I had heard from my aunt who met him that he couldn't have been more of a jerk.

On a side note, my sister met Robin Roberts (the broadcaster) in Nevis last year and said that she couldn't have been nicer either!

 

[Toga]

Keith Hernandez. He spit at me.

 

[KaiserUEO]

ive got a ton, but the gift that keeps on giving is David Cone.

played pool with him 1x in a super crowded bar on the UES, he was cool as hell. he asked me where was a good spot to play that wasn't as crowded. told him my official local pub was down in the 60s called O'Flanagans and in the back they have a table that sits in a separate room so you don't bother anyone. he showed up a few weeks later when I was there and we played. he stopped in often after that, not really to see me but to just play. if you ever listen to a telecast now, 1x or 2x a year he says something like...'everyone is heading for the exits, time to go to O'Flanagans!'

and I just chuckle knowing I created that.

 

[Tobias Funke]

I worked at Foxboro then Gillette stadiums from 1998-2003. I met a lot of Patriots players as well as musical acts during that time.

Two best interactions are as follows..

Tom Brady numerous times in his rookie year stopped by on his way to practice to say hi and just shoot the breeze. Didn't really know who he was when we met him, he just introduced himself as Tom and you could tell he was a QB for obvious reasons. He always seemed to be on his own. A few years later and on his way to his second Super Bowl trophy we walked by who was now the great Tom Brady and he stopped me and asked if i was still on track to graduate from college and what my plans were in the future. Really impacted me that he had a great memory,m but appeared genuine when asking.

Pete Carrol got word I was playing in my divisions Super Bowl in high school, invited me to his office and gave me some times for a good 20 minutes. Really cool guy, and he was just doing a favor for someone who i worked with that asked him to reach out. after that day i got into a regular schedule of delivering a box of Peanut M & M's once every two weeks to him until he got canned.

 

[CanadianSU]

Jean beliveau ! Classiest guy I've ever met.

 

[CanadianSU]

Wayne Gretzky also a down to earth person.

 

[Shawn91111]

I have met a fair share of athletes and celebs working in Hotels in my 20's in South Florida. Some are really nice, friendly (John Elway, Marino) some are not so much (David Boston, Mo Vaughn). I always had a fight with my room service coworker who always mentioned how he tried to get Donnie Baseball's autograph at spring training one year, and was adamant Mattingly whipped the baseball back at his head and told him to F off.

 

[Briancuse]

I've never met any famous athletes, so it's fun to read these. Please tell me Craig Biggio was a nice guy. I loved him like my own son - well, a son I never met, haha!

And the one famous person I really do want to meet is Jim Boeheim. Maybe one day ...

I have a list of 5 people I would give anything to meet, Jb is number 2.

 

[orangefog]

I have a list of 5 people I would give anything to meet, Jb is number 2.

Wait, JB is number 2 on your list, or are those two separate statements?

 

[Briancuse]

Wait, JB is number 2 on your list, or are those two separate statements?

Well Larry David is number one.