whats the best thing in your collection

[coke609]

As to my day at Dodgertown:


Ralph Branca was the most jovial person there.

He was telling anyone that would listen that:

"My autograph is worth at least 2 Duke Snider's"



Growing up I lived in an area of Brooklyn where some of the Dodgers lived. One day a friend and I decided that we would go autograph hunting. We were looking for Carl Erskin's house when we met this kid and asked if he knew where he lived.
To my amazement he went to this house, opened the door and yelled "Hey Dad these kids want your autograph"


P S He gave us both an autograph.

[Lofunzo]

Great story.

[wrveres]

As to my day at Dodgertown:
Ralph Branca was the most jovial person there.
He was telling anyone that would listen that:
"My autograph is worth at least 2 Duke Snider's"

This whole hread is such a cool read... Kinda teary eyed.

[Arlo]

Agreed - terrific story, coke!

One of my favorite autographs also involves Ralph Branca. After asking him to sign an index card before an old-timers game a while ago, I wound up sitting next to his wife in the stands and spent a wonderful afternoon talking with her (and occasionally paying attention to the action on the field). When the game was winding down, I asked her to sign the card as well. Her reaction: "But I'll spoil your autograph!"

No, Mrs. Branca, you didn't.

[ericmc83]

I'd have to say the best thing in my collection is a 1952 Yankees signed baseball.

[Sox FANatic001]

its not of a baseball guy, but mines a card of nate archibald that he signed when he came to a local store. it was pretty cool

[Sox FANatic001]

also something else that io think is pretty cool is a stub to game 3 of the alcs (this year) where zimm charged pedro and the guys got into a fight in the bullpen

[Pablo975]

I've got a ton of goodies, but my two faves are my framed photo of myself and Dale Murphy in the Philly airport during the playoffs in '93. I was traveling home from my Air Force stint in Saudi Arabia and met my childhood hero at the ticket desk. Heckuva welcome home huh? Murph was a 100% class act.

The other is my autographed bat that Sean Burroughs cracked during a AA game. I was doing PA, and got the bat after the game. Two years later, the Padres come to town for an exhibition and Burroughs remembered me, chatted, and signed the bat for me.

And my 88 Donruss Gregg Jefferies card.....love that one for the lesson it taught me!

[Chiefscards]

My favs would have to be my baseballs autographed by Don Larsen, Feller, F Robinson, B Williams, B Gibson to name a few. And 3 Derrick Thomas autos in my collection.

Many players still sign through the mail. I've had a lot of success writing to players at Spring Traing the last couple years. It's a great time to get rookie's to sign also. Some of the better players that I've gotten this way are Vlad, Prior, Pujols, Schilling to name a few. I've also had a lot of luck with HOF and older baseball and football players. Getting the addresses can be tough sometimes but it's worth it for the price of a couple stamps.[/list]

[LBJackal]

Wow too bad on got in late on this one. Those are some cool stories. Mine don't seem like much now

I got my picture taken with Robbie Alomar in 1995, when I got to sit with the Jays in the dugout during Boston's BP. I got everybody's autograph, got to talk with everybody, and the coolest guy there was Lance Parrish.

Other than that, I've met Carlos Delgado a few times (Once at the mall, twice at SkyDome). And for the Canadians out there, I sat beside Darren Dutchyshen at the Jays game.

My favourite sports moment has to be meeting my favourite basketball player, Felipe Lopez (Not the guy for the Reds, the guy that Paul Pierce ended his career with a knee-on-knee collision in last year's preseason). I'm friends with a friend of Felipe's from the Dominican Republic, and got to talk to Felipe indirectly through the guy I know in the Dominican (Carlos). I have 3 of his Jersey's, and wore one to the game (his St. John's #13 college jersey - kinda confusing because Mark Jackson for the Raptors at the time also went to St. John's and wore #13).

Long story short, I talked to Felipe for a bit and got him to sign the jersey, and got a couple pictures, which are posted on his website Felipe13.com - maybe I should be getting royalties for my excellent photography