"Where did you get this bat!!??"

[emann]

So, I'm very new to getting my GU items signed by the players. I've always wanted to do this as it gives some sort of instant authentication and is more interesting to own to me than a signed photo or ball. (... and most of what I collect is from the 80's generation of players anyway, well before MLB holos... LOL)

I've brought two bats to signings this month and gotten the same reaction from the players; "this was my bat... but how did you get it?"

Neither of them have been "angry" about it, George Foster was one of the two and was actually very nice, saying "it was a good bat, but it's got a crack, see?" (then pointing out the crack to me). He talked with me a little more, looked it over fondly and even wrote "game used" on it for me.

But it still left me feeling a bit odd. I'm just wondering how other collectors feel when you get something signed (or show to a player). I'd prefer not to get a "this was stolen from my locker, you theif!!!!"* at some point from one of my favorite players, but feel it might be unavoidable given the fact none of us really know where some of the GU items come from...

Thoughts?

* I read the thread about Kirk Gibson going ballistic over his batting helmet.

[cjclong]

The first game used bat I ever got was a Rafael Palmeiro Louisville Slugger with a tape job. He was signing autographs as I went through the line. When I got to him and handed him the bat everything stopped while he held it up and inspected it. It seemed like a couple of minutes. It was obvious he recognized it. He asked me where I got it. I told him on ebay and thought , Lord I hope it wasn't stolen out of his locker. He signed it and then the line moved on. But from his reaction I knew I really did have one of his game used bats.

[sox83cubs84]

One bad encounter I had was in the 1990s with the late Dave Ricketts, then a Cardinals coach. I showed him a late 1980s gamer of his at Wrigley Field and his response was a loud "How the hell did you get that?", followed by an almost immediate "Never mind, you probably stole the G** D*** thing!" After that, I wanted to flip that jersey as quickly as possible. His tone was not discreet, either...everyone within 30 or so feet heard him.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[emann]

"How the hell did you get that?", followed by an almost immediate "Never mind, you probably stole the G** D*** thing!" After that, I wanted to flip that jersey as quickly as possible. His tone was not discreet, either...everyone within 30 or so feet heard him.

Yikes, that's what I want to avoid... Did it slow you down from getting GU stuff signed in person?

[godwulf]

I've been told that many players routinely "tip" the batboys and clubhouse guys with bats and other equipment, and that this has been going on for a long time. They also give their bats to other players, either as souvenirs or to use, and many bats, when a player leaves a team, get left behind and used by somebody else or even sent down to the minors.

Every once in a while, you hear about a player who jealously guards all of his game-used or -worn stuff, but the vast majority of them don't seem to do that. I can't imagine why most players would be unduly surprised or upset because one of those items ended up in a fan/collector's hands...and, in fact, in all the time I've been collecting and getting bats signed, I've only ever been asked the question a few times: both times I had Chris Young sign a bat for me, he asked where I'd gotten it, but not in an angry way, just curious...and then, there was the incident with Randy Johnson and the 2001 World Series bat, which I've related a couple of times. He was obviously pissed, but then, Randy usually is, about something.

[sox83cubs84]

Yikes, that's what I want to avoid... Did it slow you down from getting GU stuff signed in person?

Not really...I just felt it was a case of "consider the source". The other surprising thing is the number of Cardinals fans/collectors I have told the story to who can't (or won't) believe that Ricketts cursed at me. :eek: Apparently, he was quite the stand-up guy for the home fans. Still doesn't change my opinion of him, though.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[Yankwood]

Graig Nettles asking me about a bat at a signing,"Where the f--- did you get this"? When I told him I got it from a clubhouse guy in Detroit where he cracked it he said, "Yeah, and how the f--- did he steal it from the clubhouse"? All of this was said loudly in front of small children. I told him "If you don't want to sign it, then don't". He said, "Did you pay your 10 bucks". That's how long ago this show was. I said I did so he signed it gruffly and rolled it across the table to me. I wanted to bash his head with it. Instead, I sold it to the first person who wanted it. He went from one of my favorite Yankees to someone I dispised.

[W_EISENHUTH]

I've had nothing but good luck getting game used items signed but I've heard the horror stories. Since when do the payers buy their own bats/jerseys, hats, gloves, etc. and why should they give a hoot if a fan collects discarded items or those sold by their own ball club at fan conventions/team garage sales? Perhaps you should have asked Nettles how much he paid for the bat!

[sox83cubs84]

Graig Nettles asking me about a bat at a signing,"Where the f--- did you get this"? When I told him I got it from a clubhouse guy in Detroit where he cracked it he said, "Yeah, and how the f--- did he steal it from the clubhouse"? All of this was said loudly in front of small children. I told him "If you don't want to sign it, then don't". He said, "Did you pay your 10 bucks". That's how long ago this show was. I said I did so he signed it gruffly and rolled it across the table to me. I wanted to bash his head with it. Instead, I sold it to the first person who wanted it. He went from one of my favorite Yankees to someone I dispised.

Back in the 1980s, many collectors believed that Nettles was so upset about his bats getting out because he was alleged to be corking them. He had run-ins with other bat collectors during his playing days, as well.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[012562]

I think that possibly getting questioned about an item comes with the territory. Rarely do I try to get any game used items signed. However, a few reactions that come to mind:

a. Ned Yost Brewers cracked bat while he was still playing, after a spring training game in Sun City, AZ, inspected a bat and told me that if it was not cracked (he had cracked it that day), he would have taken it back. He did sign it.
b. Dave Chalk, two Angels cracked bats, way back in 1976, at a personal appearance at a McDonald's restaurant in Orange, CA, and no other fans were there, he rolled the bats over on the table and found the small cracks, and also told me that if the bats were not cracked, he would have taken them back. He also signed both of them.
c. Eduardo Perez, game used Angels rookie jersey, I asked him to sign it in the neck the next year at spring training in Tempe, AZ, he gladly signed it and wrote the year in the collar, and then said "make sure you hold onto this, it is going to be worth a lot of money someday." The funny thing is that both my friend and I could tell he was serious when he said it.

On Nettles, I had a friend working in the visiting clubhouse and he could NEVER get a cracked bat through many seasons. Finally, he did get an unused, uncracked bat, but from my view, I agree that Graig must have watched his game used stuff closely. I never tried to have Graig sign the bat. Another quick and funny Nettles story that has nothing to do with game used. Tommy John had a golf tourney during the winter when he was on the Yankees that Nettles attended. At one of the tees, they had a basket of red apples for the players to pick up and eat. Nettles walks up, picks up an apple, and says "what's this supposed to represent, the Big Apple?" He took a bite, and said "well there goes a million maggots!"

Tom Duino

[redoctober]

So, I'm very new to getting my GU items signed by the players. I've always wanted to do this as it gives some sort of instant authentication and is more interesting to own to me than a signed photo or ball. (... and most of what I collect is from the 80's generation of players anyway, well before MLB holos... LOL)

I've brought two bats to signings this month and gotten the same reaction from the players; "this was my bat... but how did you get it?"

Neither of them have been "angry" about it, George Foster was one of the two and was actually very nice, saying "it was a good bat, but it's got a crack, see?" (then pointing out the crack to me). He talked with me a little more, looked it over fondly and even wrote "game used" on it for me.

But it still left me feeling a bit odd. I'm just wondering how other collectors feel when you get something signed (or show to a player). I'd prefer not to get a "this was stolen from my locker, you theif!!!!"* at some point from one of my favorite players, but feel it might be unavoidable given the fact none of us really know where some of the GU items come from...

Thoughts?

* I read the thread about Kirk Gibson going ballistic over his batting helmet.


George Foster had a very similar reaction for me when signing a gamer... I remember that he kept saying to anyone in earshot "this is my bat... he's got my bat!" It was all very playful on his part though.

[xpress34]

I've had nothing but good luck getting game used items signed but I've heard the horror stories. Since when do the payers buy their own bats/jerseys, hats, gloves, etc. and why should they give a hoot if a fan collects discarded items or those sold by their own ball club at fan conventions/team garage sales? Perhaps you should have asked Nettles how much he paid for the bat!

EXACTLY!!! Talking to Clint Barmes during his Rookie Year with the Rockies, Clint has told me if I ever wanted a GU jersey, he would get me one but I would have to pay whatever the team charged him for it which at the time was about $200 per jersey. He was very cool about it and if my financial situation was so bad at the time, I would have one now!

Players forget that the TEAM supplies pretty much EVERYTHING they use...

Now, for a few good stories for me on getting GU items signed...

Matt Holliday and his 2000 ST Jersey (his 1st MLB Spring Training and his 1st 'Big League' Jersey)... I bought the jersey with Rockies LOA in 2002... when Matt came up in 2004 I took the jersey to to Coors Field and as Matt ran out he kept looking back at it and finally told me to stick around while he worked out. When he came over, he asked, "Where the hell did you get that?" I told him and he said he didn't ever think he'd see the jersey again (he was #84 at ST 2000 - pretty far down the pecking order). He thought it was cool and graciously signed it and has been awesome for me ever since.

I picked up one of Seth Smith's GU 2007 WS hats from the Rockies before 2008 ST and took it to Tucson with me. When I presented it to Seth to sign along with the Rockies LOA, he signed it and inscribed it Gam eUsed and then asked how I had obtained it. When I told him it was purchased directly from the Rockeis through their Dug Out Stores he laughed and said he always wondered what happened to thats tuff at the end of the season - he said last game of the season, you undress and head to the showers - you come back and all of your uniform stuff is gone. He thought they just cleaned it and sent it to the minors!

All the best -

Chris

[David]

Chris, I read your Seth Smith story and thought he said when he came back from the shower and saw his clothes gone, he thought HE was sent to the minors.

[italianchulo]

I have an old Willie Randolph bat the one with the funny handle. I got it signed by him at the Yankee Fan Festival many years ago. I was a young kid. He is one of my favorite players and he handled the situation like a the great guy that he his. He asked me how did I get the bat, and he even took it and did a few practice swings n told me he loved that style bat or something like that and said wow i havent seen one like that in years. He took his time with me to talk for a little. Hes a really classy guy and a great experience for me.

[jshortt]

Great stories so far. I've really only had one bad experience, and everything else has been either funny or really nice. We'll start with the bad.

If anybody has dealt with Joey Votto, then you know he can be a bit...ummm...prickly. The first game bat I got of his (when he was still in AAA), I took to Louisville in hopes of getting it signed. When I asked if he had time to please sign my bat, he motioned me over and took the bat. He looked me up and down, looked at the bat from every conceivable angle, and then said "Where did you get this?" I was floored, but politely showed him the crack in the handle and explained that I got it on Ebay from a seller based out of NC. He asked me how much I paid for it, signed it grudgingly, handed it back to me, and stormed off. I felt so badly about the whole thing that I stuck around after the game and offered to give it back to him, as well as get the seller's contact info to him. At that point his tune changed a little and he said "No that's o.k. You can keep it, but thanks for offering."

I have had several hilarious jaw on the floor moments with Jeff Keppinger, but those are in a whole other category. The three best experiences other than the ones with Kepp were with Michael Tucker (my 1st game jersey), Mike Cameron, and Dusty Baker. Tucker was amazed that I had one of his Reds gamers, and actually yelled at the ballpark security guys to leave me alone because I was with him, when they tried to make me go to my seat. He talked to me a bit about it, asked how I came across it, signed it beautifully, and thanked me for being a fan.

Mike Cameron was thrilled to see an old Reds LVS that I came across, and actually asked if I minded if he looked at it. He looked it over, talked with me about it and how long it had been since he'd seen one, then took a few practice cuts with it before signing it, complete with a '44' instead of the '25' he wears now.

I presented Dusty with one of his bats and his face lit up. He asked me where I'd gotten it, and after levelling it a few times, confirmed it was his and gave me a total rundown of the history of that particular model (it happened to be Ron Cey's personal cut). He signed it, and you could tell he was genuinely touched and pleased to see something like that.

-Josh

[godwulf]

It's always great when one of the older players seems to really get a kick out of seeing one of their old gamers. In my experience, the older Cooper bats seem to evoke a lot of nostalgia. I remember Steve Finley standing up from the signing table to take some cuts with one of his old Coopers, probably from his early days in Baltimore, and waxing nostalgic about how great they were. Damon Berryhill was managing in the Arizona Fall League a couple of years ago, and he took the old Cooper I had asked him to sign and showed it to some of his coaches and players, talking about what a great bat it was.

[soxbats]

Tom, I am still holding out hope that you will release some of the great (obscure) bats in your collection so that I can complete mine. Heise told me that he is keeping his bats (understandably) for his grandkids! Of course I joke, but I still need about 18 sox to complete my run.

I am trying to get a bat from each guy who played for the sox from 1960 to the present, non pitcher. I have never really tried to get them autographed because I could never get them done. However, when the 67 and 75 dick Gordon reunion shows were held in the last several years, I bundled the bats together in a large military duffel and hauled the bats to the show. The 67 sox were amazed. As I started to pull some of the obscure bats out the autograph line stopped. Petrocelli and tartabull took their bats and swung them, confirming they were genuine. Lynn looked at two bats I had from his rookie season, confirmed they were his and said that he always wondered what happened to these bats. My wife deadpanned that they end up in our house. Cargo announced that his bat was corked to everyone on line. George Scott walked over and asked if I had one of his bats. The most appreciative guys were the older obscure guys who were genuinely happy to see their old lumber. Luckily no one asked if they could have their bat, that would have been tough. (mark Macon did that to me on a gu jersey once)

I have always f

[10thMan]

I`ve shown several Bats to Tony Gwynn Sr. The one BP Bat he signed he asked where I got it & how much I paid. The first thing he did was look at the Knob/Brl writing. I`ve also shown him a Bat (of his) that was not used by Him. He signed it & asked sternly that I not sell it as his. I still have it. He`s been nice to me. I`ve bought a few more since this Pic.
Sean

[redoctober]

I`ve shown several Bats to Tony Gwynn Sr. The one BP Bat he signed he asked where I got it & how much I paid. The first thing he did was look at the Knob/Brl writing. I`ve also shown him a Bat (of his) that was not used by Him. He signed it & asked sternly that I not sell it as his. I still have it. He`s been nice to me. I`ve bought a few more since this Pic.
Sean


May I ask... which one in the picture did he not use????

[TwinLakesPark]

I like digging up some of these old posts, 4 years later...

I had an encounter with Steve Sax in either 92 or 93. I had purchased one of his bats through an auction (before ebay when you bid via fax and telephone). After a game, I was in the players parking lot and approached him with the bat to sign. He started grilling me about where and how I got the bat. After appeasing him, he seemed quite interested in the idea of his stuff being in an auction, although he gave me a weird look when I told him I paid $65!

[ironmanfan]

The only story I have that even comes close to this was back in 2011 (at a paid signing) I had Brady Anderson sign a 1989 Orioles GU LVS bat that I had acquired via a club employee (who is now deceased) & the first thing he said when he saw it was "You had to have stolen this out of my locker, because I never would have given this good a piece of lumber away!" When I told him who it originated it from, he just shook his head & signed it.....Fortunately, this took place in the back room prior to him going out to the public area, but I was still somewhat embarrassed by it all.

[toddhead]

When I presented Garin Cecchini with his USA 18U jersey his face lit up. He held it up, looked it over, and said he had heard they had sold them without even washing them. He then asked if he could take it back into the clubhouse to show Sean Coyle who was on the team with him. He came back out and told us he had his picture taken with it and then we talked for about two minutes on where he should sign it. After he signed it we talked about the team and the other players who were on it... Harper, Machado, etc...

[cfern023]

Sorry to dredge up an old post- but I had wanted to see some Gwynn Gmers.

Didn't happen to me personally, but I've heard about Hanley Ramirez being a **** to collectors.

The story I've heard most- from multiple people with the team and fans of the team was once at a season ticket holder event, when presented with a bat to sign that came from the charity foundation he refused.

Only after someone from the team pleading to sign for the fan, did he......

"Hanley Ramirez- not for sale"

Well it read really "H2R Not for sale" but you get the idea.

He always seemed like a prick to me- this didn't surprise me much the first time I heard it.

[cfern023]

Figured I'd add-

Much different experiences with Giancarlo Stanton- such a cool dude. He looks over what I've shown and gotten signed by him- and seems really interested in what's attached to it- game photos and personal photos I took of him usin the stuff.

Coolest things I've gotten signed was a bat I photographed him breaking myself, and a helmet.

[Mark17]

I went to a Roger Maris Memorial golf tournament in Fargo a few years ago and had a very nice visit with Rich Rollins and Bernie Allen. They have been lifelong friends since breaking in with the Twins in 1962, and two of the nicest guys you'd ever be able to meet. I had gamers for each of them to sign.

When I handed Rich is bat, he looked it over and asked where I got it. I told him some memorabilia dealer from California, but he didn't seem to care too much, he was just fascinated by the bat. I asked him about the sanded-down barrel end, if that was something he used to do.

Bernie Allen laughed at that and said, "This guy had a workshop to work on his bats!" And then Rich proceeded to tell me how he'd doctor his bats, by using a bottle cap to score the barrel, then pour resin on it to make the hitting surface harder, and so on. In the middle of him saying all this, he paused and said, "Of course this was all illegal..." I asked him about the model - D89, and he remembered using them. He also explained that he didn't have a contract with H&B and that's why his name was in block letter.

About a year earlier, I had mailed Bernie a different one of his gamers to sign, which he had done for me. I reminded him of that, and thanked him again, and asked if he'd sign this other one too, which he did. Then he talked baseball for awhile, about how the first time he played with Aurelio Rodriguez he was so impressed with his throwing arm. The ball got down there fast, and accurate, which gave him plenty of time to make the play at second and get out of harm's way. Then he said, "That was the worst trade in baseball, ever... who was that guy...?" And I replied "McLain." And Bernie said, oh, that's right, and he went into what a miserable deal it was, trading a 20 game winner (Coleman) for a 20 game loser who was also a jerk, and throwing in a great left side of the infield too (Rodriguez and Brinkman.)

Anyway, both Rich and Bernie were delighted to see their bats, and even happier that fans still remember and care about their playing days. Rich had mentioned that he had been given a gamer at one of his All Star games, by a guy who's in the Hall of Fame, but that Rich has no intention of selling it. Anyway, after I got home I wrote a letter to Rich, thanking him again (I had caught Bernie as I was leaving the tourney to say goodbye and give him thanks) and to suggest he prepare a Letter of Authenticity for that bat, with his firsthand story of how he got it. I also suggested he make an audio tape or CD with some of his reminiscenses, including the story of the bat, as a sort of audio LOA, as well as a fascinating history to pass down through his family over the years and generations. He wrote me back, a very nice handwritten letter, telling me he enjoyed our visit, hoped to see me again at the golf tourney, and thanking ME for showing him the D89.

[stasman]

I have a set of A J Pierzynski's White Sox game used chest protector and shin guards. When I asked him to sign them he asked " where did I get them?" I told him off EBay and he seemed upset, but did sign all 3 pieces "game used".