Thurman Thomas Autograph - ESPN The Weekend 2010

Autograph: Thurman Thomas

Date: 2/28/2010

Location: Hollywood Studios, Disney World, Orlando, FL

Event: ESPN The Weekend

Thurman Thomas signed autographs near the Nike golf swing station set up during at ESPN The Weekend. I did not prepare to get any autographs from NFL players so all I had was the small pad of paper Dick's Sporting Goods handed out for free. Thurman signed a lot of autographs and was very kind. I got creative and found a cheap football card and picture frame and created a low cost way to display the autograph. I have a number of other autographs on pads of paper of lesser known people. Basically, I never pass up an autograph even if the only thing they can sign is a scrap of paper. There is always a way to show it off.

If any of you have any other ideas for creative ways to display autographs you got on pieces of paper please share. 

Al Leiter Autograph - Yankees vs Astros spring training - March 2005

Autograph: Al Leiter

Date: March 20, 2005

Location: Legends Field, Tampa, FL

Event: Yankees Spring Training Game vs Houston Astros.

Legends Field (now Steinbrenner Field) is one of the least fan friendly spring training fields I've been to in terms of access to the players. In the game itself, there is almost no spots to 'gather' in hopes of getting autographs. Outside the stadium you can get close to the practice field but there are 12' fences all the way around the practice fields. There are two spots in the fence where they cut open about 6' wide an 1' high of fence, just enough to stick your arm though. That, to me, seemed like the only spot to get an autograph. When players went between fields they were completely protected. There were no paths to catch players walking in and out anywhere.

Anyway, Al Leiter was one of the few Yankees fans that cared to take time to sign autographs. I managed to get my arm in there and he signed my ball. Most of the Yankee players refused to even acknowledger the crowd of fans watching. I've been to Yankee games in the Bronx as well and it seem to me the Yankees are the least fan accessible of all the teams I have seen. It is like they are protecting the president.