Meeting Ballplayers...

[mhuber92211]

The thread on meeting Todd Walker got me wondering who else has met other ball players?

 

Since I work in the hotel business I have had the pleasure of meeting several players. I used to work at a Marriott hotel in LA where the visiting NBA (and WBNA) teams who were playing the Lakers would stay (the old Jazz teams were always the best).

 

Also before the draft, Michael Olowandkandi stayed with us for nearly 3 weeks (never had any money!)

 

While working at Caesar's Tahoe we sponsored the 4th of July celeb golf tournament and all the Celebs stayed at the hotel. After the golf was over Pete Rose had a limo going to the Reno airport. He come down to the lobby an hour early and I got to chat with him for awhile. Great baseball conversation.

 

Just 2 days ago I had a fun experience. I now work at an Indian Casino (Pechanga, look us up!) and Mike Gallego happened to pull into Valet. I talked to him for a little bit. He was surprised I knew who he was and I told him that back in the day I had a long conversation with my friends on how he would have made a great player for the Cubs but instead he went to the hated Yankees. He laughed and said that he would have rather played in Chicago. Nice guy.

 

So who have you all met?

[wekse]

nobody

[CuseCubFan69]

Honus Wagner....he signed his card for me.

[Blizzau]

The thread on meeting Todd Walker got me wondering who else has met other ball players?

 

So who have you all met?

 

During the Dodgers recent trip to Denver for a series against the Rockies, I met a couple of pitchers (newbies from the D.R. - I can't even remember their names) while working in a retail store downtown. I noticed a funny looking ID with what looked like the Dodgers logo and tons of cash in this guy's wallet as he was paying for his shirt.

 

I had to ask if he played for the Dodgers, but quietly enough so that my co-workers couldn't hear me. He responded in Spanish, and I immediately launched into a 5-minute conversation with the two pitchers, wished them luck in their game against the Rockies.

 

Afterwards, I let me co-workers know who they were, and everyone was insanely jealous that I got to meet them, and of the fact that they all had no idea what was going on despite the extensive conversation about baseball that the pitchers and I had!

 

It made my day.

[treebird]

i know paul reuschel

[Fred Hornkohl]

i know paul reuschel

 

Isn't he from your part of the world ?

[imb]

i know mickey tettleton

[moorecg]

i know paul reuschel

He used to coach my high school basketball team :D

[B]

I met Todd Walker and AGonz last year in Houston. Me and my friend were in the SONY store in the Houston Galleria when they walked in. I went up to him and asked if he was Todd Walker, and talked to him for a few minutes. He seemed to be a really nice guy.

[moorecg]

Down here in the STL I've met:

Edmonds: not nice

Isringhausen: not nice at all

Ray King: Ok

Kline: good guy

LaRussa: Much nicer than I expected...talked baseball for a while...as I parted he jokingly said "Hope your team has a shitty season"...I returned the favor

Jockety: Not as nice.

[mul21]

I had shoulder surgery a couple of years ago and my doc and physical therapist both happened to work for the Cardinals. I got to meet Mike Matheny and I also got to play catch with Lance Painter. Both were rehabbing at the same place I was. Not the most famous of guys but it was still pretty cool to play catch with a major league pitcher.

[Andy]

When I went to the Brewers series at Wrigley in June, me and my two best friends got in a running joke with a Brewers lefthander named Crawford who wore 56...I can't find his first name on any Web sites so he was probably a career minor leaguer or something. Anyway, we went to all three games of the series and before the first one we bet him ten dollars that he would get into the game. He said he wouldn't and he didn't. The next day my friend tried to pay him but he of course didn't take it and then said again he wouldn't play. He had fun with most of our bleacher section before all three games and just seemed like a very genuine guy who loved being a major leaguer.

[daske17]

I used to live in the same building as Corey Patterson, Matt Clement, Dusty Baker, Michael Barrett and Latroy Hawkins.

 

Clement loved talking with the doorman. Corey actually helped me move in (okay, he pushed the elevator button while my hands were full. . . but I was moving in at the time!)

[Andy]

I forgot to mention that one of my friends interned at ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago this summer. He says he met Len Kasper and Bob Brenly. He said Len was about the nicest guy you will ever meet and that Bob was surprisingly shy.

[adamb0719]

I met most of the Notre Dame teams from 88-96 at various times. Most notably would be Chris Zorich, the Rocket, Bettis, Mirer, Brooks, and Todd Lyght. I actually had a pretty decent conversation with Zorich.

 

I met Rasheed Wallace and Bonsi Wells at a restaraunt I used to work at.

Bonsi is pretty rude. Wallace didn't hardly talk.

 

My old roommates best friend plays in the NFL so I know him, but he is not by any means a big name.

 

I have played on a few soccer teams with Jamar Beasley back in High School.

 

Does anyone ever feel like they are too old to be asking for autographs when they see people? I never ask because I feel stupid and always wish I had later.

[TB_11]

Down here in the STL I've met:

Edmonds: not nice

Isringhausen: not nice at all

Ray King: Ok

Kline: good guy

LaRussa: Much nicer than I expected...talked baseball for a while...as I parted he jokingly said "Hope your team has a shitty season"...I returned the favor

Jockety: Not as nice.

 

You obviously didn't comment on his numerous Sportscenter diving catches.

[illiniguy]

I have met Steve Sax, Carlos Beltran, and Dontrelle Willis. Willis was at a card show, but he seemed like a great guy. He wasn't supposed to personalize balls or take pictures for everyone, but he did anyways. Plus he smiled the whole time, I know he was getting paid, but you would be surprised how many of those guys still act like boobs.

[Buford T Justice]

I didn't meet him but my old man went fishing with Fergie Jenkins..

[TomAZZ]

I didn't meet him but my old man went fishing with Fergie Jenkins..

 

I met Fergie Jenkins in Cooperstown this summer,,,super nice guy

[Buford T Justice]

Yeah my dad said he was really nice..My mom got a signed photo..I didn't get jack.

[Fred Hornkohl]

I met Fergie Jenkins and got his autograph back around 1968 when he was still playing for the CUBS. Great guy !!

[Buford T Justice]

Here's an obscure player that I'm related to some how through my dad Lou Skizas aka The Nervous Greek..

[TomAZZ]

Yeah my dad said he was really nice..My mom got a signed photo..I didn't get jack.

 

I got an autographed mini-baseball bat and a picture taken with him

[barrettismyidol]

Interesting stories everyone, keep them coming!

[LoneStarCubFan]

I got yelled at by a future Hall of Famer because I asked for an autograph.

 

Does that count?