12 Days of a Cleveland Christmas: Day 3
Written By: Rick | Category: 12 days of Christmas | Comments: 113
Congratulations are in order to Dingo J who was randomly selected to receive the pair of Indians tickets for yesterday’s contest! Dingo’s foul ball story was a painful one. Thanks to all for sharing those stories, they were great.
The giveaway rolls on. Today we have a three part prize. How would you like a Riddell mini-helmet from the Browns, Buckeyes and Indians? (Yes, they make baseball ones too!) The winner of today’s contest will get one of each. They are great on display in your sports viewing room, or for getting autographs. As always, here’s the skinny-
Each weekday from now until Tuesday the 22nd we will be giving away a great Cleveland sports prize pack. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the daily prize post answering the question of the day. It’s that simple. Look for the posts at noon.
- You may only enter once each day. You are free to comment on each other’s answers, however.
- The winner will be chosen at random from the qualifying entries. Winners will be notified the following day by email (make sure the email address you registered to comment with is a real one!) You must be at least 18 years old to win, and only one winner per household during this giveaway please.
-Entries must be made before Midnight EST to qualify.
Last year I made everyone give their answer in exactly 64 words, (last Cleveland title) but this year I’m going to be a bit more lenient. As long as you actually answer the question, it doesn’t matter how many words you use.
Today’s prize- The mini-helmet triple pack! (Don’t worry, no actual Buckeyes or Indians were harmed in the making of these helmets.)
Today’s question- I want to hear an autograph story, or tell us about a time you met or saw a Cleveland athlete out and about in the city.
Author: Rick
Rick is a co-founder and editor of WFNY. His love of Cleveland sports is surpassed only by his faith and love of his family. Follow him on Twitter- @rickwfny.Rick has written 887 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
spring training back in the 90′s. Jim Thome stayed out for almost an hour after a game to sign for fans. Thats when he became my favorite player. Still a class act in my opinion.
Well I might as well start this one off seeing that I’ve most likely got the most recent story.
Just to make it easier I’ll link to the story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/wjw-shaq-twitter-scavenger-hunt-txt,0,2453016.story
Back in the early 80′s my dad took me to Browns training camp in Berea. Some of the “old timers” happened to be there that day. I got autographs from Don Cockcroft and few others I don’t remember. For some reason despite getting Brian Sipe and Mike Pruitt’s autographs, Dino Hall’s stands out in my mind. Go figure.
Magical.
I work for a company that does custom printing on sport related promotional items (you know those orange vinyl Taco Bell balls you push little kids out of the way to catch at Cavs games? Yup, we printed that). Earlier this year, I was told to go move my car in the parking lot because a trailer had caught fire. After moving my car to safety, I returned to the scene of the great blaze, only to find Larry Nance! It was his trailer that had caught fire, as he was coming to pick up a large order of vinyl basketballs for a charity event he was hosting. I ran inside and grabbed a ball for him to sign, and when the firemen and policemen saw, they all asked if they could have one too. So I ran back inside and grabbed a box of balls, and as his trailer is going up in flames, Nance (my favorite Cav from growing up, by the way) is signing autographs for everyone in the parking lot.
One of my favorite Cleveland sports stars has to be Travis Prentice. I ran in to him at Walmart on brookpark & Tiedeman back in his rookie year with the Browns. Nice as could be. We talked Browns, mostly, and a little about his college days. I was so impressed by the way he wasn’t jaded about being in the NFL. Maybe it was because he was a rookie, but he talked to me like we were old friends. He didn’t try to rush me along, or make an excuse to leave. Travis Prentice is a class act in my book.
(I asked Robbie Alomar for an autograph after an Indians game, he told me to go fornicate with myself. I should have spit on him.)
My brother almost got ran-over by Albert Belle down in Winterhaven trying to get his autograph… totally my brother’s fault but Albert still gave him one. Maybe he’s not so bad after all, or maybe he is.
I was sitting ten rows from the basketball court at the Schottenstein Center waiting for the game to start between the Buckeyes and Northwestern, when all of a sudden, a guy is standing right next to me. I was oblivious at the time, and didn’t notice that people were staring. The guy goes to his seat about five rows in front of me, when I finally realize…it’s Jim Thome…my lifelong hero. Growing up 20 minutes from Thurman Munson Stadium, I hade idolized him since Canton/Akron Indians days…finally after some prodding from my buddy and his dad, I went down and “asked” for his autograph. I had so much in my mind that I wanted to say, thanking him for the type of athlete he has been, etc. but only muttered, “can you sign this” like an idiot. He of course smiled, signed it, and shook my hand…all with the dumb look on my face!! I’ll never forget that day, especially how I was at a complete loss for words.
I used to work for the Indians and was down in Winter Haven in ’08, the year after we lost to the Sox in the ALCS. Well it was media day and we were helping get everything organized, players were getting their pictures taken etc. ESPN was there too and wanted to do profiles and video segments with all of our high profile players like Grady, CC, Victor, Jhonny, etc. Cliff Lee (at that point fighting for the 5th spot in the rotation) walked into the room (and I had the list of players who needed to go in there with me) and I told him he wasn’t needed in that room. He proceeded to say. “Oh, only the good players get to go in there?” And so I laughed and just said, You said it buddy. Then he proceeded to go on and win 22 games.
Whoa! Nullster’s a celebrity! But why is linked thru the chicago tribune, and not a cleveland affiliatte? Weird.
(and Nullster should not be eligible for this prize. He was on TV. That’s enough exposure
)
I googled it and didn’t realize they had put it up on the Trib so I read that one and added it here (plus the Fox article/video sucks comparatively).
I was 11 or 12, making my yearly trip to Cleveland after we moved to Va. Went to a Tribe game at Jakobs Field. They won an awesome game, and we waited around by the player parking lot yelling at everyone to come give us an autograph, only to be snubbed by every player. Just when we were going to give up, here comes this awesome all black Hummer, not the new shitty ones, the old school, military grade hummers, which to an 11 year old, is a giant vehicle. Out steps Jim Thome, whom was my favorite player at the time, and he proceeds to walk down the Fence and sign every single autograph of all of us there. I still have the baseball he signed for me today. I had only been to Jakes a few times, but this was the only Cleveland autograph I have ever gotten.
met cliff lee at a giant eagle in the area…went up to him and asked for an autograph…he gave it to me…and i processed to joke with him to which he did not find it humerous…there was no line for his autograph so all i said was “do you mind if i get back in line to get another autograph? i see the line is super huge so i dont want to burden anyone”…he was not pleased and say “real funny there have been a good amount of people come through here for autographs”…i replied “most of which old ladies doing some grocery shopping who have no idea who you are?”
i was asked to leave the store…this was before he was any good but he could have had a little more sense of humor…either way…got the autograph and had a good time…thanks for the contest guys!!
Has to be my aunt shaming Cory Snyder and Pat Tabler into signing autographs for me during batting practice by shouting at them “you guys aren’t good enough to deny a kid an autograph!”
This also works for the heckling story yesterday. And yes, they did reluctantly come over and sign.
haha… thats a cool story null.
When I was little I got a Kenny Lofton autograph. I dont really remember it but my dad insists Kenny was a jerk, he’s still my favorite Indian though and it’s the only Cleveland player’s autograph I have to this day.
Me and Thome have/had the same barber out in Bainbridge. I was just in getting a cut and who comes through? Big Jim. Now I left balls there for over 3 years waiting to get an autograph and was just about to give up when I finally got lucky. I don’t know if he still owns his house in Barrington anymore, so I’m not sure if he still goes. But, I got the signature!
Somewhere between the ’95-’97 Tribe seasons, I was at the corner of Carnegie and 9th waiting for the light to change and a sports car pulls up to the light. The window is rolled down and someone notices that it is Kenny Lofton driving the car. A super drunk guy stumbles over to talk to him and ends up spilling a large cup full of roasted pumpkin seeds in Kenny’s lap. Well, Kenny roars a hugely loud f-bomb at the guy which freaks him out and he takes off. Kenny then gets out of his car and easily runs him down and get a cop to cuff the guy.
This is when I truly realized that A) Kenny Lofton was insanely fast in his prime B) Should never be messed with under any circumstances.
AJ Hawk is my favorite buckeye ever, and one day my mom called me from work at Polaris Mall and told me that he was there signing autographs. Naturally I ran out the door and got over there as fast as I could. I stood in line for probably an hour or so shaking and trying to think about what I would say to him when I got up there. When I actually did get up to the front all I could muster out was a squeaky “Hi!” and handed him the picture I wanted him to sign. He probably thought I was an idiot haha
when i was 2 or 3 i was in the process of being potty trained. the day i went to glold circle to meet hershal walker i went with the big boy underwear. not good. i pissed myself sitting on hershals leg posing for a picture. (i heard he is trying out for mma currently at like age 50) thats my story.
I also was the Cavs “ballboy” for a game which I won through Finish Line competition my mom entered me in. I got my picture taken with and an autographed ball from Vitaly Potapenko… it’s somewhere hiding in the back of one of my closets at home currently.
Nullster, save some for the rest of us lol
When the baseball all-star game was at the jake I was 10 years old and had first row tickets right on first base for the home-run derby. Knowing this beforehand I bought a official MLB baseball to try and get autographs. When we sat down I realized this was a great decision. Within minutes I noticed Ozzie Smith was sitting 7 seats over. He was great and signed a couple balls for me and my family. Throughout the course of the day several all-stars walked right past me and each time I threw my hand in the air waving the baseball begging for an autograph. Greg Maddox and Moises Alou were kind enough to stop and sign a couple balls. When Roger Clemens walked by with his 2 younger sons I immediately jumped up and pleaded for an autograph. He stopped, looked at me, gave a nasty smirk, laughed, and just kept walking. I knew right there and then he was what we think he is.
The best autograph story from that day was by far Barry Bonds. at the end of the row near the opposing dugout I saw Bonds messing around with a group of reporters, all with memorabilia that they wanted to get autographed. Bonds was laughing and refusing to sign anything for anyone. I ran right under all of the adults and got right up next to bonds and put the ball in the air. He looked at me, grabbed the ball, held it up for everyone to see, signed it, laughed to himself, and went on with toying with the other adults. Not only was I shocked that he actually signed my ball, but I was also pleased that he used me to stick it to all the reporters that were pestering him. A classic Bonds move that I will never forget.
I met Michael Dyson (nee Jackson), Browns WR, at a game in Atlanta back in 93. We were roaming around the underground shopping mall the night before the game and my buddy spotted him in a record store. I hate asking for autographs so I just introduced myself and wished him good luck. He thanked us for making the drive down from CLE to root them on. Cool guy.
Browns lost that game, btw.
//cool story bro
I grew up in Alaska, so to see the Tribe play, I had to travel to Seattle to check them out. When I was 14, my father and I waited outside the hotel that the Indians were staying at in hopes to get autographs from some of my baseball idols. Richie Sexson, who is from there, walks out the hotel with his parents and I yell, “Hey Richie, can I get your autograph?” Before he could answer, his mom says “no Richie, lets get out of here”. He then turned to her and gave her the worst “stink eye” that I have ever seen, and then called me over. I still have that ball and no matter what anyone says about his poor stats after leaving the tribe, he became one of my favorite players that day. Anyone willing to piss of their mom to sign an autograph for a pimple-faced 14 year old is cool in my book.
Though not an athlete story, this is definitely a Cleveland sports figure story:
I’m a senior at Valparaiso University. Every year for Spring Break, I have gone to Florida with friends for Spring Training. The first two years were spent in Winter Haven. Spring Break 2008 was at the same time as the Horizon League basketball tournament. After the Tribe game, I went to Beef O Brady’s with my friends to watch the Cleveland State/Valparaiso conference semifinal. I sat down at the bar next to a guy in a blue windbreaker. 10 minutes into the first half I recognized a voice coming from near me in the bar. I looked at the guy sitting next to me, it was Tom Hamilton. We spent the next 90 minutes watching the game, drinking beer, and talking about college basketball.
On my first birthday my dad had to work. He had to go downtown for court, and when he was there he saw Ozzie Newsome. My dad decided that a great birthday present would be an autograph from Ozzie. So he got me a note that wished be a happy 1st birthday. Still have it today.
Also, when I was about 11 the Red Sox were in town, and I went over my aunt’s house and was quite shocked to see Nomar Garciaparra standing in the kitchen. I ended up getting a picture with him. This was when Nomar was one of the elite players in the league still.
In grade school one of our assignments was to write a celebrity a letter asking for correspondance and an autograph. Obviously, I wrote to the Boz and got a signed black and white photo and a sweet hand band. let’s just say as a 6th grader, it…was…wait for it…awesome!
I also have a second quick story.
Several years back I was a process server for an Akron law firm. This kind of job meant that I spent ALOT of time at the courthouse and saw all kinds of wonderful people on a daily basis. One day, however, I noticed a giant entourage of people pushing their way through the crowd to the second floor courtrooms. In the middle was none other than Lebron James. He was being sued by some local Akron guy who had supposedly signed a contract to do an early biography of James and Lebron had backed out of it. Anyway, Lebron actually ended up in the waiting room for the same Judge I was waiting on to sign some papers. As he looked in a pretty foul mood (unsurprising given the circumstances) and was surronded by some pretty imposing guardlike people, all I said was “Hey, I’m a huge long-time Cavs fan, sorry to hear about all you are going through.” To which he responded a very eloquent “Thanks.”
haha, nullster wins.. hands down.
when i was 12 i was on vacation in florida with my family and made it a point to buy a mlb hat of cities i visited… so about 10 minutes after i buy a marlins hat at the airport, in walks mr. bob feller. i think my dad and i were the only ones to recognize him, we got his autograph and for some reason i decided to apologize to him for buying a florida hat, haha.
also, after college i waited tables at a restaurant in chagrin falls that was frequented every new years eve by jim thome… the man tips UNBELIEVABLY well and is one of the nicest people you will ever meet (this was long after his days in cleveland)
who tips BAD you might ask? none other than former chagrin resident terry robiskie. to be fair, his wife would pay half the time, and she more than make up for his bad ways. both really nice though.
It was right after Rasheed Wallace guaranteed victory in the 2006 playoffs against the Cavs. I’m walking into Tower City by the Hard Rock Cafe and he’s walking toward the elevators. I didn’t say anything to him, but shot him a look. He gave me a nod. In retrospect, I should’ve taken out his knee Tonya Harding style. We could’ve won that series!
Oh, and I used to work at the pharmacy where the Cavs filled their scripts. I saw Carlos Boozer a lot. Nothing exciting ever happened, but I did sell a lot of beer to Jim Paxson.
When I was in my early teens I saw David Justice at a Starbucks. I went up to him while he was in line. Asked for his autograph, he said no and told me to wait outside and wait for him and he would sign then. So I waited outside all excited and he comes out and tells me I was rude for asking in a store and he still wasn’t going to sign. Thanks David.
@5haun: Was Boozer filling Rx’s for “doctor prescribed testosterone” or for “legal human growth hormone” Just wondering.
I saw Joe Jurevicius in Dick’s in Beachwood. I don’t particularly care for autographs, plus he was with his family, so I didn’t ask. I did shake his hand and tell him “good season” which he was happy to do. Classy guy.
I was cooking at the restaurant Yours Truly in Hudson, OH and Craig Ehlo and Mark Price came in together to grab something to eat. So, I got meet them and cook up some delicious food for them too!!
I know the contest is only one entry but i couldn’t leave out this gem from my freshman year of college in Boston. I was out to lunch with my aunt and as we were returning to our car a brand new black Maserati pulls into the lot. When the drivers side door opens its Sebastian Telfair. He was going to the barber but was nice enough to talk for about 10 minutes beforehand. We talked basketball and he explained how dysfunctional the Celtics were (just lost like 15 in a row) and he signed an autograph for me. When we parted I gave him props for what he did to the rapper Fabolous – great story if you don’t remember (http://tiny.cc/y6y2j). Anyway he looked back and had the biggest smile on his face after that. Gotta love the NBA
A couple years back my family and I were at the Winking Lizard getting some dinner and drinks before walking over to an Indians game on a beautiful July night. As I’m devouring some hot wings, I see an enormous shadow out of my peripheral vision. I look up and low and behold it’s Big Z walking on past us, his head nearly skimming the ceiling. After a couple of “Hey was that?” and “That was Z!”‘s, we confirmed it was Z. Z planted himself at the corner of the bar and proceeded to slam, by my count, at least 6 shots. After some encouraging my dad got my younger sisters to approach Z with a napkin and a pen. Z, always the class act, signed the autographs and even posed for a picture with the girls. After a couple more shots, Z made his way past our table again and left, presumably for the Tribe game, and responded to our “ZEEEEEE” chant with a nod and a finger in the air.
Two words: Albert Belle…my favorite player as a child (before he tried to run over kids on halloween). When I was about 7 my dad took me to a car dealership where AB was signing autographs and we waited 4 1/2 hrs to get his autograph on a baseball and a baseball card..the fact that this was in november, needless to say, we froze. While it is sad that he couldnt have more seasons like his 50-52 season…but its still one of my favorite memories from my youth.
Sorry tinyurl didnt work. heres the link
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/2448/memo-to-nba-players-be-good
The only time I went to an autograph session was when my dad took me to a card show where my favorite Indians player was signing stuff. I remember being nervous in the car the entire way over clutching my cards, a baseball with his name/number printed on it, and a photo purchased for an ungodly amount from the Team Shop. I’m fairly confident I also had on my jersey shirt with his name and number to drive home the point that little chubby Mike was his biggest fan.
Once we got there I ended up deciding on him signing the ball, and being too scared to talk to him, despite my dad poking me in the back the whole time and telling me to say something, despite him being very friendly and willing to sign anything. I still have that ball in a plastic case to save it for my kids.
Of course, the odds of my kids knowing who the heck Brian Giles was is completely irrelevant to the story. Also, they won’t understand why I curse Ricardo Rincon for no reason.
Yes- the Indians sold Brian Giles jersey shirts. I was just as shocked at the time as you probably are now.
@ S-Dub: I don’t know. I was working the front check out, but if he was I’m pretty sure the pharmacist would’ve leaked that to the press after he stabbed us in the back.
I was in a mall with my Dad and saw Cory Snyder. He was a really good guy and signed an autograph on a piece of scrap paper my Dad had in his pocket. Still have it after all these years. Very cool.
Funniest autograph story involved Mark Langston. I was at a Padre game with my firend. We bought outfield tickets but snuck down to the good seats later in the game, no one went to Padres game at Jack Murphy Stadium (or Qualcomm – can’t remeber when the name changed) at that time. Anyway, we look over and Mark Langston is in the stands sitting next to family and friends. He was with the Padres at that time but was out for the year rehabbing an injury (it was late in his career). My friend was a huge Angel fan and remebered Langston in his prime – so we decided to try to get his autograph. My friend had him sign the Angels hat he was wearing (yes my firend was THAT GUY who wears a hat for a team not playing). I wanted his autograph too but had nothing for him to sign. Then I realized I had just finished my chocolate malt and the wooden spoon it came with was no longer needed. So, I handed Mr. Langston the spoon and asked for his autograph. He looked at me and asked which end I ate from. I pointed to the wet end. He smiled, signed the dry end of the spoon and handed it back to me. I shook his hand and thanked him. It was by far the coolest meeting I ever had with a pro athelete and he could not have been a better guy. If the tables were turned I don’t think I would have been that cool. I will aways have a great deal of respect for the man.
I used to work in a retail store in Columbus that had a section of ‘Clearance’ merchandise. We had some notable customers like Ron Stokes (nice guy) and a lot of OSU players (Scoonie Penn, Chris Gamble and Ryan Miller)and other guys like Hank Aaron (super nice). Anyway our favorite was always Curtis Enis’ mom. First because she started every transaction by saying she was Curtis Enis’ mom and also because she would come in and bee line for the clearance rack, pick out a bunch of reduced merchandise and then haggle about wanting an additional discount because of who her son was. I loved it because few people get to experience of arguing over $20 shoes with the parents of multi-millionaires.
So one day Mr. Curtis Enis himself comes into the store with his mom. By this time he was largely considered a bust. He, like his mom, shopped the clearance racks and came up with a bunch of crap, made sure I knew who he was and proceeded to be a jerk and argue over every item. At the end, out of left field, he asked if I or the cashier wanted an autograph or anything. We both shrugged and said no. Sometimes it’s the autograph you don’t get.
Just saw Steve Carlton signing this weekend in Philadelphia. I don’t know what his issues with the media were, but he seemed to be one of the friendliest, most pleasant people you could ever hope to meet. Maybe retirement mellows some of these guys. Surprisingly, Lefty signs right-handed.
When I was a teenager I was at Beachwood Mall with my sister picking out a birthday gift for my mom. I saw a guy walk past me wearing a leather jacket and a giant gold chain with a “33″ on it. Going through the roster I realized that was Leroy Hoard. Now I’m not a big Leroy fan or anything but he had a huge year in 91 and I went up to him and said congrats on the big year, hope you kick butt this year and then asked for his autograph. He looked at me and said “Sorry kid, I don’t have time to give you an autograph” and then kept walking. One thing I remember aside from that comment was that a guy who overheard our interaction just said “typical Michigan (expletive)”.
Now that I think about it I can’t remember if it was KiJuan Carter or Curtis Enis. I’m not sure if that makes the story better or worse.
i saw bobby sura at a fine drinking establish on w.6th once many years ago. upon seeing him, i immediately realized 2 things: 1) bob sura is WIDE (a big dude) and 2) im about as tall as bob sura (im about 6 feet 1 and a half).
In Spring Training in 97, I saw Alan Embree pull out of the Winter Haven facility in his car. He had the window down, so we walked up to his car and asked for his autograph. He was gracious enough to give us the autograph, then drove off. I found this odd because the Indians were set to play an exhibition game at Winter Haven in just an hour or so. I soon learned that Embree had just been traded along with Kenny Lofton to the Braves. So I got Embree’s autograph as he was heading to his new team right after he must have found out.
Late in the 1995 season, pitcher Mark Clark was signing autographs for the kids (including, ahem, some grown kids) behind the fence around the players parking lot. He was so nice about it and so patient and friendly. I always rooted for him after than. A class guy.
Oh another fun story about autographs that has nothing to do with Cleveland:
I was in Las Vegas over this Thanksgiving … and we went out on Black Friday in the afternoon to the Forum shops. I saw Pete Rose at a sports memorabilia shop with no one in line to want him to sign things. I don’t know if I’ve seen a sadder thing in awhile, but that was up there. He did bring it upon himself however.
I saw Z in Legacy Village and I asked him to sign the back of my receipt from my restaurant and he laughed and said something like “You sure I’m not signing the check for you?” I laughed too and was sort of scared because he is huge.
When I was like 13, my father came home with a silver Coors Light football signed by a bunch of Browns players (no clue where or how he got it). With trembling hands and eyes wide open in anticipation, I slowly turned the ball over closely examining each signature. I made my way to one signature in particular, longer than most, I slowly deciphered the name, my breath caught in my throat. For so long I had searched, now I finally possessed it. Pio Sagapolutele autograph. The ball made it about a week before ending up in the utility sports bin in the garage.
A few years back I saw Z pumping gas in Avon Lake. Really gave me that athletes are people too perspective, which was cool when I met Dana White walking down the street in Philly a few months ago. I just walked up to him and was like, “Hey man, Really enjoy watching the fights. Hope tonight goes well for you.” (There was a fight in Philly that night) He looked me in the eye and says something to the extent of, “Thanks man. It’s nice to recieve compliments and not just be hounded like I’m some kind of autograph signing spectacle.” We chatted for a few minutes about the city and then went on our separate ways like too old friends. Was pretty cool. People were giving me a look like who is this guy? Is he famous? How does he know Dana White? Should I know who this guy is?
*two
My favorite autograph was from “hard hittin’” Mark Whiten. After batting practice he was near the fence – we were yelling at him asking for an autograph and he wouldnt turn around. I threw my ballcap down towards him and he caught it without looking. He asked if we had a pen, and we threw down a sharpie. He signed it and tossed the hat back up but I never saw that sharpie again….
So, I was in college and on spring break a bunch of friends and I decided to visit Orlando for the week. One night we had heard about this great night club (can’t remember the name for the life of me) so we went. We walk in, grab a drink and about an hour after we arrived I spot Omar Vizquel walking through the club at 1am. No body guards, no entourage, no women, just himself. Now growing up in Cleveland there have never been that many Omar’s around and I always enjoyed sharing a first name with such a fun and great baseball player so I was super excited to see him in person. I run over to him before he walks out of the club, and proceed to tell him how I am huge Indians fan, etc. Of course I have to bring up that we share our first names like a star stuck idiot. He was very nice but kept it short. We shook hands and he walked out the door. Made my night, which is saying a lot on spring break.
Sandy Alomar Jr. after a game in the 90′s, signed autographs for my brothers and I. Total class act. Glad to have him back.
YEars ago I was sitting in church at The Chapel in Akron. I looked over a few seats and saw Mark Price. After service he signed an autograph for me.
Summit Omar! We’ve missed you…
About 2 years after the Cavs drafted Z, he bought a house in town. I had a buddy that worked at the local grocery store so weekend nights when there was nothing to do we’d go hit up the GC waiting for him to get off work, and about once a week at 10 or 11 at night we’d always see this gigantic white guy lumbering through the isles. Of course Z hadn’t really played too much because of his ankle injuries so we didn’t really know who he was, untill someone finally asked him. He was nice enough and told us he was on the Cavs and we talked to him for a bit, but I just couldn’t get over how short his wife is compared to him. It looks like he’s walking a little kid around. 7’3″ is HUGE.
Not so much of a Cleveland sports figure, or autograph story, but this should still count for sticking up for the Browns…I went to college at Miami (OH), where I was a freshman during Roethlisberger’s Senior Year. Needless to say I was a big fan, until he was drafted by the Stillers. Anyway, about two years later my buddy and I came walking out of the B-Dubs on campus, and spotted Big Ben walking towards the hotel next door. Promptly, my buddy yells out, “Hey Ben, F you!” As we broke into a chant of “Here we go Brownies, Here we go…” He didn’t seem to be amused. We thought it was hysterical.
I’ve never gotten anything autographed, nor have I ever met a player out in the city. I did, however, see a Browns ’99 jersey autographed by Jim Brown, Otto Graham, and Tim Couch at an antique mall and thought “I wish Couch’s autograph wasn’t on this thing.” I almost bought it anyway.
I have never met a Cleveland athlete. I once got Doc Severinson’s autograph though…
I had an opportunity to get an autograph from former Buckeye Mike Vrabel. I waited in line for a while, and right before it was my turn, a handicapped child came up with his parents. We all let them cut in front of us so that the kid could meet Vrabel. I thought he would say some nice things, sign the kids shirt and let that be that. Turns out Vrabel is way nicer than I would have imagined. He talked with the kid and their family for a while. He joked, listened and shared tons of stories with the kid. When he finally signed the stuff the family brought up, he was holding back tears. it was great to see an athlete give a damn about the people who respect and look up to him. Very cool moment.
About 4 years ago, I ran into Jim Brown outside a hotel bar in Syracuse. I went up to him and said “Mr. Brown, I’ve been a huge Browns fan all my life and I had to take the chance to meet you.” He shook my hand, said “Thanks” and that was that. I was simultaneously thrilled and scared!
OSU – you should have told david justice that it was rude to punch halle berry in the face
The Cavs used to have a team function down in my hometown each year. They held it to support the community and raise money through an auction. One year, my Dad won an autographed official game jersey of Mark Price for me (I was five at the time). It is still my most prized sports possession, and will always remain that. Not to mention that it is on the awesome retro jersey they sported the other night.
Back in ’03 I went to a Cavs/Bulls game the day after Christmas with my friends. We headed down after the game to the lower level to see if we could see anyone. Sure enough down on the floor we saw Ron Harper and Charles Oakley standing talking. The Oak Tree then proceeded to head up the aisle to get to the main level (we made a dash over to aisle to get his autograph, and were met by a very stern security guard who said “Sorry boys” to which Mr. Oakley responded, “Sir let them through.” Needless to say I still have the treasured (priceless) autograph.
I met Dick Schafrath at his canoe livery, which is in Ohio somewhere south of Akron and north of Columbus – good family.
I saw Z in Whole Foods in Cleveland; he was just grocery shopping.
Before I gave a hoot about the Cavs (this was almost 35 years ago – about an age where I still thought my dad could whup anyone anywhere), a whole bunch of them signed a cast I had on my leg.
This is pretty boring, but like half of the city of Cleveland, I got Bob Feller’s autograph when I was 7, and I got autographs from some Indians legends like Casey Blake, Jake Westbrook, Coco Crisp, and a couple others before a game once. I did get to shake CC Sabathia’s hand on Fan Appreciation Day one year, and I attended Omar y Amigos back in the day.
@ Rick, Glad to know I was missed. Though I have been here as always faithfully reading!
2nd entry that doesn’t count:
The best autograph stories involve my grandmother. To paint the picture, she is a 5 foot 74 year old woman from France. She was a Chief Probation Officer from age 50-72 and can cuss like a sailor so not your typical grandma. ClemJax can confirm this. She goes every year to Indians Spring Training. The year after the Indians acquire Andy Marte, he is refusing to give autographs and she starts swearing at him in Spanish. The look on his face was priceless! She successfully shamed him into signing her baseball and no one else’s.
The only autographs that I ever really got were from the old Lumberjacks. I have 3 hats filled with autographs including Martin ST. Louis and Patrick Lalime. I also have Buzz on there a few times. I used to have jerseys that had a few on them, but i dont know if I still have those.
Back in the heyday of the Indians, I was 10 years old and flying to Florida from Cleveland. To my surprise, when I got on the plane, Sandy Alomar Jr. and John Hart were sitting in 1st class. After my mom got me enough courage, I went up to them and talked for a few minutes. They couldn’t have been nicer and signed my Indians hat that I happened to have at the time.
I didn’t get his autrograph, but when I played T-Ball we had a camp with the then Canton-Akron AA Indians. Manny Ramirez ran the hitting station. We were hitting against the short fence along the third base line, and Manny told us that hitting over the fence wasn’t a home run, it was an out. Also, Damien Jackson gave me a bat.
I know this story doesn’t have a snowballs chance to win, but I felt like sharing. My niece married a former Buckeye, and as you would expect his groomsmen were all Buckeye players. I thought it was really cool that some of the big name players that I watched play, that were now in the NFL, were walking my mom and my wife down the aisle to our seats. Now I was informed by my brother (father of the bride) that this event was not the time or place for pictures or autographs, so I abided by his rules. Turns out as the night went on, I was the ONLY one to abide by his rules! Everyone in my family has pics and autographs but me!
Remember, it is completely a random drawing not a writing contest. We love reading the stories, but a great story has no better chance of winning than a boring one.
It has a lot better chance of us thinking you are awesome however.
@Summit Omar- if you don’t comment how are we to know you are still around…
I remember getting Joel Skinner’s autograph on a rainy evening in Pittsfield, MA, when he was the manager for the Watertown Indians. I must have been about 12 or so at the time. I still have the card he signed. He was really cool and asked me how long I’d been an Indians fan and how I kid from MA could be an Indians fan at all.
In 1987 Ernest Byner and Kevin Mack came to Fremont, OH for a fundrasier. I was 5 at the time and both preceded sign my Ozzie jersey (which I still have) plus got my picture in the paper with them. That Christmas I got starting line-ups of both of them.
Then a short time later, Mack got busted for drugs and I preceded to burn everything of his existence (aside from the jersey)
Just saw Brady Quinn out at Bar Symon in Avon Lake a few days before he torched Detroit. My favorite autograph memories are from the old Indians Fan Club Wahoo Winterfest. I still have a picture of myself in the Plain Dealer getting Charles Nagy’s autograph.
Early 90′s in the old ball park when I was like 11 or 12. We got to the stadium early and got to hang by the dugout asking for autographs. Ended up getting Lofton, Baerga, Fermin, Nagy and a couple others I can’t remember now on the brim of my hat. Only autographs I’ve ever personally gotten till this day.
I met Omar Vizquel when I was about 10 years old, so this was about 6 or so years ago. My Dad and I were up at The Jake pretty early before game time and we were walking towards my Mom’s building to meet up with her.
So we’re standing in the plaza (in between that parking garage and the Jake waiting for the crosswalk and Omar comes up waiting for the walk sign. My Dad says “Hey thats Omar!” I was a really shy little kid at that point, and Omar says hi and gives me a high five. He then put me on his shoulders while we’re waiting for the light and talks to me for a few minutes.
He is a class act guy and I will always remember this moment. I mean what other athlete would put you on his shoulders?
My autograph story is going to be the story of a non-autograph. My dad used to manage a grocery store and we’d get free tickets from people like Pepsi, really awesome seats. Twice I sat in the dugout louges, once in the one right beside the Indians’ dugout, separated only by the glass. I spent the in between innings trying to get the guys on the bench that day to sign my ball. (This was 2001) I managed Sabathia, Juan Gonzalez, Robbie Alomar, Ellis Burks and Einar Diaz. A pretty decent haul considering most were concentrating on the game.
The one that got away was Bartolo Colon. He stayed perched on the steps no more than 4 feet from me, in clear visual and audible range. I cried, “Bartolo, Bartolo!” but he never so much as looked in my direction. I tried at least 3-4 different times. He would even watch as I tossed the ball over for others, never moving a muscle. So when he was traded the next year, all I could see was his cold, fat face denying my autograph.
Growing up, Cory Snyder was my favorite player (Still have the “Gunsmoke” poster!). He was at the original Indians Team Shop at the Galleria on E. 9th and I just HAD to go meet him… my mom knew how much it would mean to me so she took me down there. I had him autograph a couple cards including the one with him and Cecil Fielder on it. I just remember being so happy to get to meet him and I was very nervous. I used to clip every newspaper article about him and still have the scrapbook and the autographs today.
I’ve never cared for autographs but have run into a number of Cleveland sports figures:
Very late one night at a gas station at 271 in Beachwood, I was filling up and looked over at the only person probably awake in Beachwood at the time who was also filling up, and it was Clay Matthews…I said “Good luck Clay” and he said “Thanks Buddy.”
Hanford Dixon and Johnny Davis the “B1 Bomber” used to frequent now and then the driving range in Mayfield Village where I worked as a young teen…really nice guys…sometimes I’d hit balls with them.
Ran into Brad Daugherty at a restaurant in Beachwood…very cool person.
I was a waiter and a party of Browns came in…must’ve been 10-12 of them. This was either the first year back 1999 or maybe it was 2000. I think they were all Defensive players if I remember correctly…anyway they were a bunch of uneducated obnoxious pricks and it made me sad because I love the Browns so much.
In 1982, my father took me to a card show that featured the one and only “Super” Joe Charboneau. I was around 8 years old at the time, but my father goes on to tell me some of the stories pertaining to the escapades of the man. To see the look on his face when I asked him if he could teach me how to open a beer bottle with my eye socket – PRICELESS!
I have a 2007 NBA finals ball that i bought right after they lost the series. I got Daniel Gibson and Shannon Brown to sign it at Robeks for a promotion. At a game last year, i got Pavlovich and Danny Ferry to sign it. Last year i got Varejao to sign it as well. But the best auotgraph ive gotten on it yet came at this years home Mavs game. I was near the floor about an hour before the game, and i brought my ball hoping to get Drew Gooden to sign it. He came onto the floor to practice before the game, and after about 15 minutes goes back towards the locker rooms where all the fans are that look for autographs. I held out the ball and he just stared at it… and i swear he just whispered “lemme see that ball”, i gave it to him, he signed it, and i got to get a picture with him. Very cool moment.
I run into Pronk everywhere. Any by everywhere, I really mean everywhere: the gym, the grocery store, the doctor’s office. This past summer he was with his wife and friends celebrating his wife’s birthday at Danny Boys. I’m pretty sure no one in the restaurant knew who he was. I am the last person to swoon over an athlete, but I think he is deserving of getting some props when in public. So when he walked by my table on the way back from the loo, I gave him the rock. Subtle, but recognizing.
I once shared a plane with Mike Hargrove when I was flying into Cleveland from Denver. My father and I were trying to figure out if it was him or not, then he scratched his head. His AL championship ring glittered in the light and we knew. It was pretty cool, but the day was ruined because that was the day that the Browns lost to the Steelers in the playoffs in dramatic fashion.
A couple of years ago, I got Eric Metcalf’s autograph at a Browns Backers party. I was so excited because he was one of my favorite players of all time – “Metcalf up the middle!” was a common expression in my house. I had an old football card of his and he happily autographed it. I told him how much I enjoyed watching him play and asked if he would be willing to take a picture with me as well. He stood up and put his arm around me like we were old friends and smiled as my friend took the picture. It is on dsiplay in my living room and at work.
On another note, I attended a Clippers pre-season party and got lots of players’ autographs, including LaPorta’s. About 3/4 of the players are now starting for the Cleveland Indians…
@Ken – Just read your story. Mike Vrabel is a great guy when it comes to kids (not saying he’s not a great guy overall). I met him at a Make A Wish benefit where I was volunteering.
Got Kenny Lofton’s autograph once in a restaurant in Atlanta when I was there on business.
I went to an Indians game with my best friend and his grandparents many years ago (when the team was still winning back to back games). We waited around the players’ parking lot for a while after the game with no luck. But just as our last hopes almost slipped away, out comes Charles Nagy to sign a few. As we got out hats signed, he began to head to his car. My friends grandmother yelled out to him, “Sign one more for grandma.” Nagy turned back and signed one more for grandma–truly a player for the fans.
In the summer of 1993, my Dad brought me and my brother out to Akron for a Canton-Akron Indians game. He had seen this kid Manny Ramirez and was just in awe at his swing. He said I HAD to see our next great power hitter before any of my friends even knew about him.
So, we make the drive and watch in awe as Ramirez puts on an incredible hitting display, going 4/5 with a HR and 5 RBIs with that sweet, beautiful swing.
After the game, we wait around forever as most players jet straight to their cars. Then, out saunters Manny and a couple of us plead with him to stop over. He smiles and waves us off…acting like he’s going to just walk to his car before jogging over and signing something for everyone (the whole 15-20 of us that were still waiting, so it’s not like it was a mob).
The best part was that after he finished signing, he told us there would be an unofficial HR-derby during batting practice the next day and to get there early if we wanted to grab a couple souvenier balls past the outfield wall (which we went to and they did).
That day sealed him in as my favorite Indian of the 90′s (not that his hitting heroics hurt either).
My autograph story goes back to when i was 13 or so in the Cleveland airport waiting for my dad to turn in a rent a car. We’re waiting in the parking garage when Mick Foley (professional wrestling’s Mankind) comes walking up. The polite young man that i am just casually walks up to him and says “Mr. Foley, Mr. Foley, may i please have your autograph?”
…..Thing looked like a bunch of squiggly lines in all honesty.
“that i am”
Edit: that i was. not quite 13 anymore haha. Although i’d still consider myself polite at age 21.
A good friend of mine from college once told me she shared an elevator with Zydrunas Ilgauskas. When I asked her how she knew it was him, she responded, “I’m pretty sure he’s the only seven foot tall Lithuanian in Cleveland.”
ozzie newsome signed my alabama sweatshirt in erie pa. ROLL TIDE!
When I was 14 I was throwing a nerf football back and forth with my friends down a quiet suburban Cleveland street when a BMW came zipping down the street doing 80 mph. My friend had already thrown the ball but it was too late. It skimmed off the top of the convertable roof. The car screetched to a stop and out walked Shawn Kemp, recent Cavs signing. He walked up to my 5’2″ friend, put his arm on this shoulder and said “don’t ever f___ing do that again, you don’t know you you f___ing with.” Then he drove off at 80 mph down a 25 zone….omen for what was to become of his career in Cleveland.
I once saw mathew perry at an airport.
So many good stories here…much better than mine. I was just happy to have the opportunity when a kid to (1) meet Kenny Lofton and get his autograph on a baseball card and then (2) stand there in his presence listening to him talk about just everyday things with a friend of his at the game and one of the coaches (it was pre-game and not too crowded yet, just a few of us standing around them).
2002, I’m in school in DC. The Indians were in Baltimore for a 3 game set in May. My girlfriend and I made a last second decision to stay overnight and see 2 games, so I went to priceline and put in a $50 bid for whatever hotel would have us, we weren’t picky. Somehow we wound up at the Renaissance, a 4 star hotel.
We went to the game, and I was hoping for autographs afterward, but no luck. Do you remember those photoballs that had a players name, number and picture on them? I only had one, and it was for Travis Fryman, my all-time favorite player. We went back to the hotel to change and go out to the bars.
As we left the hotel, I froze and my jaw must have dropped a bit, because Fryman and Charles Nagy were casually walking in (the stadium was only a short walk from the hotel) Turns out, the team was also staying at the Renaissance, and I had no idea. I could only get out to my my girlfriend “that’s…travis…fryman”, and she took the lead, told him I had the photoball, and could he please sign it. Only problem was that the ball was up in the room. He told us he’d be in the hotel restaurant the next morning for breakfast and I could meet him there. I did and he was such a class act, nobody better. He signed the ball, was friendly and genuine. It’s good when your baseball heroes are decent people too. He signed the ball with what I had, a regular pen, and it faded. But last year, I made it to a Mahoning Scrappers game with the ball and a sharpie, and he re-signed it over his previous signature (no, he did not remember me, sadly).
Of course, this was the Indians hotel on checkout day, so when I went downstairs to the lobby, I might as well have been in the locker room. To make a long and very exciting story shorter, the following players were nice and signed for me and the couple other people there who were strict autograph hounds and had pictures and sharpies at the ready.
Nice guys- CC, Bartolo, Thome, Shuey, Rincon, Einar Diaz, Coco, Victor, Tom Hamilton and Lawton (I wasn’t sure if it was Lawton or not, so I had my girlfriend go up and simply as “are you matt lawton?” and she got that auto).
Jerks- Vizquel, Finley and #1 a$$hole Bob Wickman, who was just sitting in a chair, doing absolutely nothing and I approached him nicely, to which he gruffly said “not now, kid”.
And the following year, also in Baltimore but not staying overnight, we went to ESPNZone after the game, and I found myself Duck Pin Bowling next to Ben Broussard. Half the team was there, and I chatted and got some autographs from a few of the nicer, more approachable guys like Hafner, Broussard, Blake and Brian Anderson.
I shared this one here in April last year, and a Google search for “Hi, I’m Jim Thome” brought it right up. Still my favorite interaction-with-Cleveland-sports-figure story, although heckling Omar! a week after his autobiography came out while he was warming up at the Oakland Coliseum is a close second.
Some time in (I believe) 1990, my family was in line at a ticket counter in Hopkins. No idea where we were going. I was thirteen at the time. In front of us — in the coach line — is a somewhat muscular guy with a bat bag with Chief Wahoo on it. My dad (who, like all of us here I’m sure, taught me my love for the game) decides to strike up a conversation with this guy: “So, you hoping to play for the Tribe?” The guy turns around, noticed my dad, breaks into a big grin and sticks out his hand. “Hi, I’m Jim Thome — yeah, I’m with their farm team in [I think] Kinston” They talked amicably for the next five minutes or so, until it was his turn to talk to a ticket agent. Of course, being thirteen, I was mortified at my dad’s brazenness, and spent the entire conversation pretending I was invisible. Besides, who was this guy, right? Some nobody in class-A ball.
My dad started telling this story to anyone who would listen. Thought this Jim Thome guy had to be one of the nicest people in sports. When Thome got called up to the majors, my dad was practically living vicariously through him.
During a meeting for young Ohio leaders, Our keynote speaker was Archie Griffith. After his speech, he sat down with a stack of pictures at one of those long, WWE style tables. Well, the lined formed and I wasn’t close to getting near the front. So instead I walked around to Archie’s side of the table. An organizer of the event told me I had to wait in line for an autograph. I told him I didn’t want an autograph, grabbed a chair and sat next to Archie. He was polite and talked to me for about 45 minutes while signing autographs for everyone in line.
Driving by some of the Lakewood bars a few years back, me and a couple buddies rounded a corner and almost ran over someone walking down the middle of the street. The car came to a screeching halt, but the 7’3″ bald Lithuanian lumbering down the road didn’t even seem to notice. We all immdeiately rolled down the windows and a let out a resounding “zzzeeeeeeeee.” The only response from the big man was to clumsily throw an arm up in the air, and get back on his way to wherever he was going. He NEVER looked back.
Win one this year and the sticks are going in the rafters. GO CAVS.
Back in the day when they used to have the Ohio Cup game in Columbus right before the start of the season, I had seats near the bullpen and so I went over to check out who was warming up. To my glee I saw one Greg Swindell, my favorite player when I was growing up (I’m not sure why exactly). So I handed him down my hat and he signed it, even though he was no longer an Indian, but a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
I wore it every day after that, until I nearly lost it while riding on a boat in Florida. It flew off my head and ended up in the water. Thankfully someone came up behind us and swooped it up otherwise it would have been lost forever.
Until 1988, I was never much of a Cleveland Fan; at least until winter of that year. My family and I had just arrived in Florida for Christmas vacation, and I wasn’t really paying too much attention. As my dad guided my family through the airport, he suddenly told me to go up to the man he was pointing at and ask for his autograph. As I looked around I saw a mountain of muscle, who could easily crush me with little more than a look. My dad kept insisting that the man wouldn’t hurt me, and that I needed to go over to him before he left. Gathering up my courage, I walked over to him and shakily asked for his autograph. Little did I know, I had just gotten the autograph of one of the best Browns CBs in history; Frank Minnifield. He came over to where my family was and talked to us for a few minutes before leaving. My only regret is that I took the autograph to school after Christmas break to show it off, and someone stole it. But that day, and my dad versing me in Cleveland sports after it, is something I will never forget.
The last autograph I got was Sam Clancy’s. I think it was his. It wasn’t very legible. The Parma firefighters, including my dad, played the Browns in a game of hoops at Pleasant Valley Middle School in Cleveland, approximately 1983 or so. I have never understood the autograph thing. I did chat with Bob Feller in ’99 before he did a few hours signing for folks at a Red Cross Blood drive. He had a reputation for being a red-ass but was very nice this day. He is the Ted Williams of pitchers, look at his stats to see what they’d be like without WWII.
Sometime in the late 90′s I went to Tower City with one of my friends. We didn’t know it, but the Jazz was in town to play the Cavaliers. As luck would have it, we were walking through the food court and Karl Malone was sitting with a teammate eating lunch. It was pretty cool.
Not Cleveland related, but it’s why I became an Indians fan, so it’s relevant.
When I was maybe 10, I went to a Reds game with my parents for my birthday. My favorite players was Barry Larkin. As we lined the player tunnel under Riverfront Stadium to wave to our favorites after the game, we joined many other eager young faces pressing to meet their heros. To a man, the Reds came out, smiled at fans, shook hands, and gave away precious autographs. Every member I knew came out. Except Larkin.
Some 15 minutes later, desperate to meet my icon, I was still hanging around with a few other young die hards. Then, he appeared. I smiled, waved, shouted, desperate to attain even the faint acknowledgment of my existence from the superstar.
Larkin’s expressionless face scanned the crowd, gave the slightest hint of a sneer, and remained cold while his valet opened the doors to his yellow Porsche. He dipped a leg in, looked back at the crowd (and I swore straight at me), shook he head, and closed the tinted-windowed door.
I was crushed.
From that point forward, I’ve been an Indians fan, and I’m happy to report the Wahoos of Carnegie and Ontario, despite their fall heartbreaks, have been far kinder to me as a fan (and more successful) since.
After one Tribe game at the Jake back in the 90s we were all outside the player’s parking lot, trying to get autographs. Bartolo Colon was one of the guys signing that night, just going right down the line of people at the fence. He stopped just before he got to us, but then my Mom called out to him in Spanish, asking him to come back and sign one for my little brother. He didn’t hesitate for even a moment and came back to sign just that one more.
When I was young the late 80′s browns use to play a pick up basketball game at the local high school. I use to stand in line to get autographs from the players. At the time I was to young to realize how cool it was… but this helped form my love for Clevenad sports
My brother and I ran out of beer early one night and stopped at a local Giant Eagle. In the parking lot I saw a nice Escalade. I jokingly said it must be a altheltes knowing the neighborhood we were in. At the check out line a saw a guy the looked somewhat familair. As it turns out the Escalade belonged to our favorite shortstop turned 3rd baseman Jhonny Perlta.
To Ken Barrett-
It’s always great to know that there are good Buckeyes out there. Thanks for getting Vrabel, Kirk, Aj Hawk, Nugents and Gonzoles autographs for me.
Love your bro!
I attended a Tribe Press Tour stop in Columbus when I was in college back in ’98, and Sandy Alomar was by far the best player on the tour. He was fresh off his amazing year in ’97 when he was named All-Star game MVP at Jacobs Field. I knew Sandy would be in attendance, so I purchased an authentic American League All-Star game ball with the Jacobs Field logo for the occasion. I was a bit nervous about it all night. Not about asking for his autograph, but just the fact that the autograph line was for kids ages 13 and under! I figured, I was 19, that was close enough!!! Hey, I was still in my teens at least. Sandy didn’t even look at me funny, and signed it with “MVP” just as I requested. By far my best autograph. Thanks Sandy!
When I was in 4th or 5th grade at Taft Elementary in Lakewood, a dad came to the school playground with his kid(s). It happened to be when our class was at recess. One of the kids recognized him. It was Mike Baab, the Browns center. All the kids rushed him for autographs. Poor guy. I got his name scribbled on a scrap of paper that has long since vanished.