Has anyone had a good encounter with a pro baseball player?

Question

I have met and chatted with several and they have all been terriffic experiences for me. Anyone ever met a rude baseball player? Tell me about it.

Terrific story Perry L.

Some great stories here, and I thought mine were good. I wish I coulg give you all points, but I cannot I am afraid. If I couldn't contact you personally, Thank you for the answers. Have a good day all.

Answer 1

I grew up in L.A. and during the 1981 strike some of the Dodgers (Garvey, Cey, Yeager, Anderson and Lopes) started showing up at the local community college (Pierce) to work out.

My friends and I stood around and watched for the first couple of days...then we wanted our field back since this is where we played daily pickup games or over-the-line...so we challenged them to a game of over-the-line which they had never heard of. Since it was four on four we played with two infielders and two outfielders and they kicked our *** several times. So to make it better we mixed teams...OMG when those guys started playing on opposite teams the competition really heated up...what a blast. Anyway we ended up playing for a couple of weeks with them everyday...it eventually turned into pickup games with full teams.

I like to think we helped keep those boys sharp during the strike...and of course they went on to win the world series..although I never got my ring.

Answer 2

Great question. I have two:

During spring training one year, I stopped to see the Twins and Pirates in Bradenton. They don't have an enclosed clubhouse (or at least they didn't back then), so the players had to walk through crowds to get to the bus. I asked Rick Aguilera for an autograph, told him I thought he threw well that day and spoke with him briefly about his inning on the mound. It wasn't so much that he was incredibly nice and took the time to talk to me as it was being able to converse with him intelligently about baseball. I've always loved the game and I know if I had been given a better chance I could have fit in on a pro team somewhere.

The second encounter was when I was in Bakersfield, CA on business. One of the guys working at the law firm worked security for the Bakersfield Dodgers (single A?), so he got me into the game, I watched, no big deal. Afterwards we're hanging out outside of the stadium and I asked what we were doing. He said, "Waiting for the guys to come out so we can talk about where we're going." Now, this is single A, so it's not even close to the majors...not a big deal at all. We met them at some bar somewhere and I swear my beer wouldn't get halfway to empty and they would buy me another one. I had the best time drinking and talking baseball with those guys that night, even if I was sick on the plane ride home the next morning.

Answer 3

I've had a couple of really good experiences with Hall of Famers. Some years ago I had season tickets to the BAkersfield Dodgers and at the time Sandy Koufax was the Dodgers minor league roving pitching instructor. I politely asked my hero for an autograph, which he graciously gave to me. He not only signed my program and a ball, he introduced me to Tommy Davis and Paul Popovich who were watching the game with Sandy. I chatted with 3 former Dodgers, at a B'Dodgers game...what a rush!!!

I also met Don Sutton and shared an elevator with him for about 15 floors. I have yet to actually meet a rude major leaguer. Not too many rude minor leaguers either...I've had season tickets for two different minor league teams and met dozens of players, all of them take the time to acknowledge the fans...

Answer 4

I'm sure there are rude ball players out there but I've never met one. I went to see the Rangers one year and was sitting in the front row...gave Mickey Tettleton the thumbs up sign and he waved back and winked at me in a friendly way. That was his 3rd from last game and he hit a home run that night. I don't know why I always remember that one but I do.

Answer 5

I've met many and they all were good encounters(yes, even Barry Bonds). Even the ones who didn't have time politely begged off from whatever was being requested from them.

Athletes are like other people. The vast majority of them are very nice, well mannered folks. Just like anywhere though you have a few human rectums that make a bad name for all of the others.

Answer 6

I've only had good so far. My boyfriend and also an employee of mine were pro baseballers in America for 5 years and they're pretty normal people. Maybe back in the day they had tickets on themselves, but they seem as if they'd just be happy to have made it there.

Answer 7

Most of the baseball players I've run into gave me their autographs except Jack Clark (he played for the Giants in the late 70's, Cards in the 80's) , I don't think he ever did.

Answer 8

when I lived in Rogers Park, nw of Loyola Lakeshore campus in Chicago, the guy down the hall from me, whom i am going to confer with as person-pleasant John, became a John Marshall regulation college pupil who were on a specialist crew for a pair seasons. person-pleasant John desirous to go away the experts to change right into a criminal specialist. No, we did not get alongside. AT one element we actual fought one yet another contained in the hallway. Hilarious now, yet i'm no longer quite happy with that second. He became one of those top wing spoiled *** son of a Marielita.

Answer 9

while living in atlanta in the mid '90's, i was shopping one evening at publix supermarkets in 1995. it was november, not long after the braves had won the world series, and i noticed a large group of kids near the magazine rack. when i walked over, i saw chipper jones holding one little boy on his knee and signing autographs for all. he signed a sports illustrated for me and we chatted for probobly 5-10 minutes, very cordial and professional. say what you want about the braves or chipper, but on that night, almost 11 years ago, he sent a lot of kids home happy, including this kid, and i'm 33. by the way, i framed his autograph and it adorns my wall of sports memoribilia, much to my wife's dismay!

Answer 10

This may not qualify for you because it's minor league, but that is still pro.

I took my 7-year-old son to see the D'Backs Class A affiliate, and he bought a deck of their cards. Every player he asked to autograph their card did, and a couple were really especially kind to him and took time to talk to him.

It was great.