Time to hear more of your encounters with sports celebrities. Couple of my more memorables -

Saw Bill Virdon and his son-in-law, Orlando Merced, a few weeks ago at a Missouri Sports Hall of Fame event in Springfield, Missouri. Had lots to ask Virdon about Yankee days, and Pirates stuff, but Merced was a very quiet and content family guy, loading up his wife and kids in a brand new Hummer, and zooming away soon after the event.

I once carded Chiefs and Seahawks lineman Dan Saleamua at a bar, and he asked me to hold his ID while he went lookng for a friend inside the bar. I don't know what he was listed at in the football programs, but he was only about 5'9" standing next to me, and every bit of 300 + lb.

And yours.....
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01-07-03, 06:07 PM
Jelp01
None, other than to ask Bobby Valentine for his autograph when I was a 10 year old kid, and Valentine was tearing up the PCL for Spokane that particular year.

Also, asking for Rico Carty and Don Stanhouse's autographs in 1973, when the Texas Rangers came to Spokane for an exhibition game.

And one other time, while also at a Spokane Indians game against Hawaii, Hawaii pitchers Larry Hardy and Frank Linzy, while sitting in the bullpen, asked me if I'd let them look at my program. Of course I said yes.
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09-15-02, 01:18 PM
niccincoogol
Brushes with celebs, revisited
Again with the celebrity run-ins.

Tell another story about your brushes with greatness.

Ex. - recently discovered that baseball writer extraordinaire Bill James has a kid at my son's grade school. And my wife graduated a year behind Brad Pitt at Kickapoo High School in Springfield, MO.

Your encounters?........
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AndrBarron
I work in a tall building on Broadway in mid-town Manhattan. In this building there's a magazine company that owns almost every magazine you've ever picked up. So I'm used to used seeing famous people. The magazine "George" used to be a couple of floors down from me. I would see JFK Jr. just about every other day. One year after his death the magazine closed down. To name a few famous people...
Tom Hanks, Scottie Pippen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cindy Crawford, Mike Richter, all of N'Sync, Bill Gates. There's plenty more. Also, for the wrestling fans, down the street from this building is "The World" formerly named "WWF New York" It's a cool place to meet wrestlers/celebs. I have met Shane and Stephanie McMahon, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Kevin Nash, Paul "The Big Show" Whyte, and a couple of others. As I was walking to my train two weeks ago, I passed by NBC studios to save time. Out front of the 50th street entrance was Steve Van Zandt(Sopranos) signing autographs. I met George Steinbrenner in the Mickey Mantle Suite at The Stadium too, but that's another story.

09-16-02, 05:00 PM
BobLaz
Nic--

I've met COUNTLESS professional athletes..but a unique meeting comes to mind during the early 80's...

I had an interview with NBC Sports in NYC--in mid-town Manhattan..and after I was done, I was waiting in the lobby and who comes walking by? The best running back in college football, Herschel Walker from Georgia..An INCREDIBLE physical specimen at the time--and he took the time to say hello and exchange pleasantries---a really TERRIFIC guy....

cool

09-16-02, 07:35 PM
Jelp01
Well, gee, I met Bobby Valentine, Rico Carty, and Don Stanhouse while asking for their autographs as a kid---does that count? confused

09-17-02, 07:17 PM
Kirby Lynn
I saw Florence Henderson (the Brady Bunch mom) at the Portland airport.

I met, chatted, got autographs, etc., with Jamie Moyer, John Halama, and Jeff Nelson at the charity event I attended this summer. Really, really, really nice guys.

I met Ryan Franklin when he pitched on a rehabilitation assignment with the Everett AquaSox. We talked for a while before the game. Sue, you would like him. smile

Bobby Doerr is a friend of my aunt's. He lives right outside of Eugene, too. I haven't met him yet, but he's definitely someone that I would like to talk to.

09-18-02, 04:52 AM
BobLaz
Nic..

I was on my way to a Yankee game during the 80's--going down the Merrit Parkway in Connecticut...and was passed by a beautiful new blue Datsun 280Z..Me and a friend gave the thumbs up sign to the driver--happened to be Paul Newman--who took the next exit to his home in Westport.....

cool

09-18-02, 08:21 AM
Koz
I have met many sports celebrities over the years. I had a blast in Cooperstown during Induction weekend this year. I am not an autograph “hound” but I do have many autographs.
I am completely respectful and courteous to the ball players. I hang out in a couple of locations on Leather Stocking Golf Course. I know the course very well; I have played it about a dozen times. I love chatting with the players about golf.

Before the Hall Of Fame game this year I went to TJ’s restaurant to grab a bite to eat. (On Main Street, just across the street from Doubleday Field) The only table available was very small and way in the back, by the kitchen doors. I was by myself; I did not care where I sat. Just after I ordered my meal and beer Whitey Ford came over and was looking at the memorabilia on the walls. (He just finished an autograph session outside) I asked him if I could buy him a beer. He said sure and sat down at my table. I have met Mr. Ford twice before. He knows my aunt. Mr. Ford used to be a member of a country club on Long Island that my aunt is a manager at. He has not seen her for about six years. We talked for just under an hour. I told him my aunt had just recently been operated on for breast cancer. I also told him about the family members (and other people)I have lost during the year. He told me about some of his family losses. We also talked about September 11th.

When he was leaving he asked if I had anything I would like signed. I politely told him no thank you. I already have a special ball my aunt gave me about ten years ago autographed by him. I told him by his sitting down and talking with me is worth far more to me than any autograph possibly could. We shook hands; he pulled he to him and gave me a big hug and thanked me.

As I was paying the bill at the register the waitress came up to me and handed me a photograph. A Whitey Ford autographed photo that said “Mike, thanks for the conversation and beers, Whitey Ford”

Mr. Ford is a wonderful compassionate man.

09-18-02, 06:11 PM
BobLaz
Koz--

Great story--

Too bad that Whitey is in the minority--of athletes who were great ON the field--and off...

That is something I'm sure you will never forget.....Thanks for sharing...

cool

09-18-02, 11:43 PM
niccincoogol
Just learned my Uncle was the "dressing room man" at old Municipal Stadium for the Kansas City A's from '56 - 65. He told me a million stories in about 30 minutes about meeting Minnie Minosa, Billy Martin, Moose Skowron, Satchel Paige (when he pitched 3 innings for the A's in '65 at age 59), Mick, Ted, etc. etc. Man I'm jealous.....

Also for those SEATTLE MARINERS fans out there (know of a few that chime into this site) - John Mayberry Jr. was just drafted by the Mariners out of my old high school in Kansas City ---Rockhurst. He is in fact the son of the old KC Royal slugger, and is supposed to be a young freak....we'll see.....

09-19-02, 06:21 AM
Jelp01
That's good news about Junior Mayberry. I know the Mariners were going to try to get him and it looks like they did. It would be great if he is anything as good as what is said about him. Just so he doesn't turn into another head case like another Junior that Seattle once had...... roll eyes

09-24-02, 10:38 PM
MsSueM
Koz, that was a very nice post.
AndrBarron, spill your Steinbrenner story, please. smile
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As for my brushes with greatness,
I haven't had any here in mid-town Visalia!!! big grin
The closest I've come to meeting a "famous" person is meeting a "famous" person's relative!

I once met Steve Perry's father and his stepmom. Steve Perry (lead singer of Journey) grew up nearby in Hanford, CA. His father was nice and you could tell he was very proud of his son's success, as he should be!

When I was around 20 and working at JCPenney's roll eyes roll eyes big grin, I met an older man who told me he was Pete Rozelle's cousin! A co-worker told me a customer was asking for me...I went over to where he was, thinking he needed help, but he just wanted to chat about Rozelle and other assorted topics!
Mind you, Sue, the Sports Enthusiast, only had a vague idea of who Pete Rozelle was, but I listened to him as he told me about Pete and the other members of their family that were also in sports administration jobs.
He was a nice enough man; I just couldn't figure out why he wanted to talk to ME about Pete Rozelle!
After that, my co-workers told me he came back 2 or 3 times looking for me, armed with a camera...he told them he wanted to take my picture and send it to his nephew in Chicago, who also had some kind of sports job. I was never working at the times he showed up, so I guess I missed my chance to marry into the Rozelle clan!

Those are my two pathetic, boring brushes with "relative" greatness!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed, 12-29-06 02:49 P

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,