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  1. #1
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    Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Forum Readers-

    Yankwood made a post about his terrible experience with Nettles which has me thinking.........

    WHAT'S YOUR WORST EXPEREINCE WITH AN ATLETE RELATED TO GAME USED EQUIPMENT?

    It may relate to you trying to get an item autographed, asking a player if he remembers using your item, etc.

    Personally, I had an experience back in the mid 1990's with Kirk Gibson that I'll never forget.

    While living in Seattle at the time, I went to the Mariners/Tigers game in the old Kingdome. I had Gibson’s mid 1980's Tigers game worn helmet with me in hopes of having him sign it. Upon entering the Dome during the Tigers BP, I spotted Gibson near the first base line. When I called him over, I asked him to sign his helmet. He asked where I got it, and I explained it was obtained from a friend in Detroit and provided the name (this person used to drive a limo and in exchange for $$$, Gibson would pilfer game used equipment). I said it was from "our mutual friend XXX". Gibson then became upset, and said “XXXX is no FxxxIN' friend, he's and acquaintance" and walked down towards the dugout. I then positioned my self behind the dugout, and when he came out with his bat for BP, I again asked if he could sign it. He looked up, and screamed, "Where the FxxK did you get the helmet?" I again told him from our friend in Detroit. At this point, quite a few of the Tigers heard this confrontation and gathered around the dugout to hear this exchange. Gibson continued and said, "That Mother FuXXXr was stolen.....is it cracked?.....is cracked????". I told hi it was not, and he continued, "......I would have never have given away an uncracked helmet. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what......I'm going to watch where you sit tonight and if I break my helmet, I'm comin up there and getting yours". I told him it was not stolen, and I would swap him even up for the BP jersey he was wearing. Likewise, I told him that he used to pilfer a lot of game used equipment in exchange for limo service and at this point he began to walk towards the camera pit on the left side of the dugout and climb into the stands, all the while screaming at me "FucX you you mother FXXXXr". As he took his final step into the stands and in my direction, coach Dick Trasuski grabbed him and screamed "You don't talk to fans like that". Then Gibson broke loose, and walked into the outfield.

    Needless to say, Kingdome security and the Seattle Police came down to take a report and get my thoughts on the incident.

    Following this incident, I immediately sold the helmet (unautographed!) and never, to this day, forgot my encounter with the great Kirk Gibson.

    Howard Wolf
    hblkakewolf@patmedia.net


  2. #2
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Wow, Howard...I don't think anyone will top that one!
    That's quite a story. Someone must have pissed in Kirk's cornflakes that day.

    Mike

  3. #3
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    I tried to buy a "game used" jersey from Andy Groom from his days as a bucs, he tried to tell me that his CHARITY AUTHENTIC jersey was game worn, then he admitted it wasn't and gave a full refund, nice guy otherwise though.

    Howard, if you would have gottent that incident on video, that helmet would have gone for twice the money...

  4. #4
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Thanks for sharing that story...for whatever it is worth I will always think of that when I heard his name...what a jerk.

    Bill

  5. #5
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Forum Readers-
    Here's a little more positive experience with a batting helmet at the Kingdome........

    Back in 1993, I took my 1991 game worn Chris Haney batting helmet to the Royals game (he was traded to the Royals) in hopes of meeting pitcher Haney and getting him to auto. this gem. Although not a huge name, the helmet was his rookie gamer from Montreal. It had the rare Desert Storm sticker on back (Canadian version, no less!) and HANEY on the bill. When he walked onto the field during pre-games, I asked him if he could autograph it. He gave me a look similar to a deer in headlights and asked me hand it to him to take a look. When I handed it to him, he asked how I got it. when I explained it was purchased from a sports memorabilia dealer who purchased it directly from the Expos, he chimed up and said it was amazing that this type of thing is for sale to the general public, and said he wished he had it for his own collection. I immediately asked if he wanted it, and he said he did. As such, he asked me how much I wanted for it. I said make me a trade offer. After a little going back and forth, Chris thanked me for the helmet and I in turn, thanked him for his Mizuno glove, full name embroidered.

    Next up......the story of Steve Carlton and his refusal to sign his 1986 Phillies green St. Patrick's hat for me.......

    Howard Wolf
    hblakewolf@patmedia.net

  6. #6
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    My worst experience I really can not blame the athlete but it was his friend/bodyguard. It happened at the 1989 All Star game in Anaheim, CA. The team hotel where the players stayed was the Anaheim Hilton and the place was a zoo with autograph hounds so I assumed they would shuttle the players in and out via a side enterance and i was correct. So myself I was around 22 years old at the time, a mother and her son and daughter, and about three high school guys all had the same idea, a total of only 7 people. Quite a difference to the hundreds waiting inside the lobby.

    First a limo pulled up and out came Orel Hershiser who ignored us and just entered via the side door. Next came a group of three individuals: Pedro Guerrero, Ozzie Smith, and Pedro's bodyguard/friend. Pedro and his friend stopped to talk to some girls in a convertible and Ozzie came over and signed for everyone, a really nice guy! How I know that the guy with Pedro was his bodyguard is one of the high school guys asked Ozzie who was with Pedro and he told us.

    When the bodyguard saw we were waiting he walked over to our group and said "Pedro ain't signing sh*t, Pedro ain't signing sh*t" and I was offended he would walk up to a group which included kids and say such profanity. So I spoke up and said "hey watch your language there are kids here." He then said he did not care and repeated his earlier profanities. Then I replied "So I guess this is where Pedro gets his great reputation as a great guy". I was very upset and trust me this guy was about three times my size and could crush me very easily. So he turns on me and says "What did you say?" and I held my ground and repeated my comment at this time the bodyguard replied as he was face to face with me "He makes more money then you do" and turned away.

    Then Pedro walked by and no one in our group even looked at him. I then apologized on Pedro's behalf to the mother of the children and we all could not believe that this employee of Pedros would be so rude to fans.

    I know that this is not a story about an athlete directly but they should still be responsible for the people they hire not to drop profanities around little kids.

  7. #7
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Well this isn't exactly what you asked for but I'll chime in anyway. I've been lucky enough to meet all of my favorite thletes nd I had nothing but positive experiences.

    I met Jose Canseco at my local gym. He was really cool. He acted like a regular guy. No attitude. This was pre steroid scandaland no we didn't talk about steroids even though we were at a gym. We talked about cell phones.

    Mike Tyson actually sat next to me at the movies. Nice guy, very quiet.

    Bernie Kosar was the best. I met him at Cleveland Browns training camp. Most of the players barely signed after the long practice. Kosar on the other hand stayed and signed for ever person who waited for him. It was a lot of people. He actually signed two things for me and made people move out of the way so he could sign for me since I was wearing his jersey. That was one of the coolest things that ever happened to me. He's always been a hero of mine since I was a kid.

    Tito Ortiz was cool guy. I didn't get to talk to him for very long because there were a lot of people trying to meet him. He appreciated me because I was wearing my Punishment Athletics t-shirt.

    Magic Johnson seemed nice but there were so many people around I didn't get to talk to him.

    I've met a bunch of other athletes but these guys are my favorites at their respective sports.

    -Jason M

  8. #8
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Here is a funny experience when I look back on it. It must have been around 1990 and my buddy was dating a Los Angeles Rams cheerleader so the cheerleaders would go where the players were after the games and we would meet her there. On this day I was at Peppers a Mexican restaurant in Garden Grove, Ca and was at the bar ordering beers for our group of friends when I did not notice a gentleman sit down next to me at the bar. As I picked up the order and turned I spilt his beer right into his lap, yes an entire glass of beer in his lap. I apologized and offered to buy him a new beer. He declined. I offered again. He declined. After the third offer he said "just get out of here" so I quickly returned to my group. The guy was Kevin Greene who was quite nice considering that I just dropped a beer in his lap.

  9. #9
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    I had a real good experience at a tri-star show back a few years ago..

    it was a rare Tom Brady public appearance (possibly his last that Im aware of) in NJ. This was in the summer of 2003 (post 2001 SB pre 2003 SB)

    So outside of New England he was a good leading young QB..in New England he was Larry Bird with a helmet..

    Anyway... He had just arrived around 11am flyin in from Cali from the QB challenge..you could tell he was tired as h3ll.. he looked like he had about 3 hours sleep...

    He spoke to each person for at least 2 minutes (that doesnt sound long...but it is)..

    Real stand up guy..and the best Qb in the league

  10. #10
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    Re: Your Worst Experience Dealing With An Athlete

    Mookie Wilson is one of Mets all time good guys and one of my all time favorites too so this is not a knock on him presonally.

    I presented Mookie one of his game used Louisville sluggers which is stamped William "Mookie" Wilson which is the signature he signed with HB and asked him if he would sign it as such. He politely declined and told me he has not signed his name like that in years. I was disappointed as I thought it would have been unique to have his autograph exactly like the stamped signature but respect his policy.

    Definitely does not fall under a "worst experience" though.

    David

 

 

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