Anyone ever "receive an offer" from a player for their G/U equipment?

[33bird]

1. I sent a mid -70's Twins jersey gamer of Harmon Killebrew to a show to have him sign it "game used". I got an email after the signing saying that Harmon didn't want to sign it because he wanted it back. The agent gave Harmon my number and sent my jersey back unsigned. He said Harmon would call me within the next 2 weeks and wanted to work out a deal. I waited and waited, but he never called. I didn't care if we worked out a deal or not, it would have been cool to talk to the Killer.
2. Chris Smith who has many of his game used items in the Reds Museum had Cesar Geronimo sign his game used 1976 Bicentennial bat at a show. Bat has real nice use and Cesar told him that he remembered that bat. When Chris asked him how? Cesar replied by the big Red bat rack steak that ran down the barrel of the bat. Chris didn't tell me if Cesar wanted the bat back, but I thought it was cool that he remembered the bat from 20-30 years ago. I have that bat now.
3. Pete Rose came to my dad's sports museum opening in Medford, Oregon in 1985. We hung out with him a lot. It was during my Junior year of high school basketball and we had a game that night. My dad was telling Pete how I was the best player in the state and Pete said I'll be there tonight to watch ya. He never showed. He said the next day that it would have caused too much of a ruckus if he showed up. Anyway, it would have been cool to tell people that Pete Rose came to see me play a game in high school.
Greg

[soxbats]

One of my GU collection focuses is jerseys, sneakers and shorts from Temple University Basketball players either in college or the pros (I have about 30). I had a great Mark Macon GU Nuggets jersey that I got for around $100. He was hired as a Temple asst coach and I brought the jersey to a "chalk talk" for season ticket holders for him to sign.

I approached him afterward and he held up the jersey and said he had been looking for one for years, that he was collecting these and that the NBA would not (or could not) even give him a reproduction. He announced this in from of about 20 onlookers waiting to speak with him. I should have asked him for a trade, but instead I just gave it to him. I guess I just felt like it was his and if I was in his position I would hope someone would give it back.

Of course my motives were not entirely pure, I asked him to help me get access to Temple basketball jerseys. These do not come into the market and I have been trying for years to find a source.

Macon never returned my calls or letters and I never got anything in return for my good deed. Further, I have been unable to find any Macon jerseys on the market so it has become a gaping hole in my collection to boot. OUCH

[TNTtoys]

This thought came to mind after 3 events --

1. an email conversation regarding possibilities of approaching ballplayers to make a trade.

2. recollection of the events around my buying a jersey last year. It was a 1982 baby blue Texas Rangers jersey issued to Ron Darling. Had Darling not been traded to the Mets prior to making his first start in the majors, this would have been his rookie jersey. Certainly an odd find, not a game used jersey, but nevertheless a rare collectible. Anyway, the guy who sold it to me told me that he brought it to Ron for a signature, and Ron told him that he would love to have the jersey. The guy politely declined, Ron signed the jersey, and some 15 years later it made its way into my collection.

3. tossing around a wacky scenario in my head. A few weeks ago, I met Bill Robinson at a signing. While he signed a ball for me, I struck up a conversation with him where I told him that I had in my collection his game worn alternate black Pirates jersey from their 1979 championship season. He seemed taken back by this but at the same time I could see that this made him hppy/proud -- as a collector, I could basically looked to add any player's item to my collection, but I chose his.
Now, reality turns to fantasy, and I could imagine the conversation taking a twist and Bill turning around to ask me if he could have the jersey -- and similar to Howard's story, I offer him a swap for one of his Mets jerseys from their championship season...which would mean far more to me... doesn't sound so far fetched the more I play it in my head, and the more I read here...

[hblakewolf]

1. I sent a mid -70's Twins jersey gamer of Harmon Killebrew to a show to have him sign it "game used". I got an email after the signing saying that Harmon didn't want to sign it because he wanted it back. The agent gave Harmon my number and sent my jersey back unsigned. He said Harmon would call me within the next 2 weeks and wanted to work out a deal. I waited and waited, but he never called. I didn't care if we worked out a deal or not, it would have been cool to talk to the Killer.
2. Chris Smith who has many of his game used items in the Reds Museum had Cesar Geronimo sign his game used 1976 Bicentennial bat at a show. Bat has real nice use and Cesar told him that he remembered that bat. When Chris asked him how? Cesar replied by the big Red bat rack steak that ran down the barrel of the bat. Chris didn't tell me if Cesar wanted the bat back, but I thought it was cool that he remembered the bat from 20-30 years ago. I have that bat now.
3. Pete Rose came to my dad's sports museum opening in Medford, Oregon in 1985. We hung out with him a lot. It was during my Junior year of high school basketball and we had a game that night. My dad was telling Pete how I was the best player in the state and Pete said I'll be there tonight to watch ya. He never showed. He said the next day that it would have caused too much of a ruckus if he showed up. Anyway, it would have been cool to tell people that Pete Rose came to see me play a game in high school.
Greg

Greg-

I visited this museum back in 1987. It was a converted bank, correct? I also believe there is a very sad ending to this, correct?

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[33bird]

Yea, that's the place Howard. That was my father's. He had about everything: Babe Ruth complete uniform, Players rings, team trophies, tons of gamers, 3 Honus Wagner T206 cards, etc. I think he charged a dollar a person to come view it all. It really was amazing. This was mid-80's before everyone starting going crazy collecting the stuff. He did a lot of business with Rose. He had Rose's Hickcock belt and many of his bats, rings, etc. In two of Rose's books-Hustle and the Rose/Giamatti book it talks of their business dealings for a couple of pages. It all ended ugly in 1987 when Dennis Walker was found dead in a Vegas hotel. Foul play was what the FBI determined. All his stuff disappeared. It's a long story. My father was doing some shady things with some shady people unfortunately. My mom and his 5 sons had to move to Nevada to live with my Mom's parents. He left us with nothing. For my graduation in 87 he had given me a Michael Jordan rookie home jersey. BUT, we had to sell it two years later to pay bills. Sold it for 2,000! If nothing else he left us with the sports collecting bug and all of his sons are doing really well: College professor, Lawyer, High School teacher and coach, and two big time insurance guys. That's the story in a nut shell.
Greg

[dcrules01]

Guys great stories I have none to add ecept when I went to get my Mitchell & Ness Dykstra signed a few weeks ago he complimented me on the jersey as in his words bitching .I told him how it was an honor to meet him because he was my favorite player growing up.We had about a 10 minute conversation.We shook and he gladly posed for a photo.

[GrndSlm]

I once showed Tony Perez one of his Rookie H&B bats and he freaked out. He looked at it, swang it and signed it on the barrell. Then he looked at me and asked if he could buy it for his family. I automatically said yes and told him that I originally paid 750 for it and that I would let it go for the same price. Eventhough $ 750 is a good deal for a rookie 1965 H&B bat......He said no and left it alone. I guess only us collector buy items for there memories !!!!

Juan Iglesias
GrndSlm@aol.com

[beavisrules]

Last year, I got a message about one of the Notre Dame game worn jerseys I had listed on ebay. It was a former player, who asked how I got his jersey, and wanted to buy it back. I went to return the message only to discover another ebay ID had already bought the jersey for the buy-it-now. So now I am trying to figure out how to handle the situation, because I want to get the jersey back to the player, but now have another ebayer who has not only bought it, but also already paid via paypal. Fortunately, the ebay buyer turned out the be the player's dad who also saw the jersey and bought it for his son before anyone else could get it. So the jersey is back in his possession now. That's the only time I've had that happen, but pretty cool story with a happy ending.

[indyred]

I think some player's either have no clue or play dumb on game used stuff. With checks they are cashing, I'm always amazed when they try to get stuff for next to nothing.

rose14.....let us know how it goes with Vlad. It seems he knows the market on stuff. Seems he has friends or something that move stuff of his on ebay. IE his pink bat was already on the market from 2007. I'd want his game used jersey in return (really would ask for sweet new red alternate) and a nice used bat.

[EricDavis44fan]

Hello everyone, first time poster here.

I am a huge Eric Davis collector. During the past year I have been given the chance to meet him on several occassions. I have his Orioles batting helmet and had him sign it. When I handed it to him, he perked up and examined the helmet closely then asked where I got it. He told me it was the helmet he wore when he came back from cancer. He said he had actually tried to find it. He signed it then asked if I ever decided to sell to let him know. I don't know how he knew it was that very helmet, but he was very interested in it. He has signed my game worn jersey's and a game worn hat since then. He gave me tips on certain things to look for in determining if it was really his gear and spoke of the many fakes out there. The good news is, every piece I have showed him has passed his inspections! Interestingly enough, Eric himself is a collector of game worn NBA jersey's.

Dave