I know a local proprietor of a sports memorabilia store.
Anyways, at some point during this past season some young guys were collecting autographs of our son's teammates (including our son) on a base outside the locker room.
Since the CWS, I've seen the base for sale on ebay. Kind of bugged me a little...taking advantage of college athletes who get nothing in return...but it happens and 'oh well' I thought.
Now this guy sends me (personally) an advertisement for the base and tells me I ?might? be interested in buying this base from him for $295 "since it was my son's last season."
WHOA!
I just fired a pretty darn pointed and nasty email at him. (BTW, I have baseballs and a bat and probably some other things all signed by the team...for free of course...a bunch of nice kids. ).
What do you think of this situation?
---------------------- Go Monarchs!
Posts: 3599 | Location: California | Registered: June 22, 2003
I think that is pretty said, I am sure he will most likely sell your email that you sent him in response when ED makes it big.
When the guys were signing autographs in Omaha, I was wondering how many of these would be on EBay and in sports shops. I was thinking to tell the guys to try to sign things only for the small kids that where there vs those guys who look like they would go out and sell the pictures, bats, and balls they were signing.
Posts: 870 | Location: CA | Registered: March 12, 2003
I think he was a jerk and I would agree 100% with sending a 'special' message to him. What gall !!!
Did you have any quick comebacks for him refering to the memorabilia you already head and offer him one of those signed baseballs for $300?
I keep wondering if I will keep getting surprised by things people will do ... and I keep getting surprised.
Mary Ann * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 [8/21/08]
Posts: 3937 | Location: Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight ... | Registered: January 02, 2003
My opinion: What this sports memorabilia store owner is doing is sad. What is he thinking? But people do crazy things these days, and things seem to be getting crazier than ever. I would have blasted him too!!
Posts: 158 | Location: somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: February 27, 2007
I am aware of some pro athletes that will only sign autographs for kids in an attempt to combat the memorability industry adults from exploiting their names. Apparently, some industry adults have hired kids to get the signatures so there does not seem to be a foolproof way to prevent exploitation. Other athletes have a one-item-per-person sign policy and are often reluctant to sign items that appear to have further resale value. In other words, for kids that seem to legitimately want the autograph (i.e., sign this piece of paper, sign my old beat up ball glove) they have no problem signing, for those that seem like it is a business, they sometimes refuse to sign. Sometimes, people who have hired children to gather signatures, try and discredit the athlete publicly if they deny the child an autograph. Sometimes it is a no-win situation for the athlete. Some athletes have become jaded, refuse to sign anything, and their public reputation often suffers because of it.
Who is exploiting who ? If you buy your $75 seat, spring for an overpriced snack or two, all in support of the millionaire players, how dare you expect to take home a momento. Unless of course you purchase it off the player's website. Please...be thankful someone wants your autograph.
Posts: 287 | Location: Upstate NY | Registered: January 27, 2006
JBB, remember that you always want to take the high road when dealing with someone. Instead of getting to the point and saying what you might want to tell him, you might just want to say "Go thee forth, and procreate thyself." Isn't that a little more elegant way of saying the same thing?
Posts: 1211 | Location: California | Registered: January 10, 2004
Justbaseball, Story sounds familiar. We passed on the base signed by all the players though.
As far as purchasing anything signed without authentication, let the buyer beware.
This is an interesting story, son got a packet of cards in the mail (about a dozen) asking for signatures because he was a "fan". One was signed the rest returned. Other requests from youngsters were signed and sent back. The player has to determine his priorities as well in determing what he will or will not sign. Signing at the ballpark is a lot different than mail requests with a dozen cards included.
One will often find a signed unauthenticated card (or other memorabilia)on ebay usually signed at spring training. The place is loaded with autograph seekers, and not because they want them for their own private collection.
Posts: 10452 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Son has a friend who is kinda obsessed with autographs. There is a website that hooks these people up from all over. They will come to an agreement about what who to get, number to get, etc and then go to the games. You get to keep an agreed upon number and send the rest back. We just go for the game. Son's friend is 13.
Plus his mom copyrights all the photos she takes at local games - that practice began in middle school.
To each their own.
Posts: 363 | Location: north carolina | Registered: January 08, 2007
I think it was great how the fans came to the practices and after the games in Omaha looking for autographs and pictures.
There were hundreds of fans who looked like they were just that and as the week continued, more and more showed up. It was fun watching the kids go from player to player looking for autographs and after the championship games; many of the kids were also looking for souvenirs like batting gloves and hats (some just taking them).
When Fresno got back home there was a parade and reception at the baseball field with thousands of fans in attendance, after which there was a huge autograph session for a set period of time.
It was sad to see many of the fans turned away not getting autographs due to some adults pushing their way into the front of the line, some of which obviously were going to sell them for their profit.
Every year, the team does a meet and greet day at a local mall, it will be pretty interesting to see what the turnout will be this year.
Posts: 870 | Location: CA | Registered: March 12, 2003
I would be so upset. We had four Aflac guys on our team this past Fall. I asked each one for a card and a signed baseball. I could never sell these as they we given as gifts plus the sentimental value is far greater than the money. The are sitting up in my office.
One day I saw a kid ask one of them for an autograph on his baseball. The first thing the kid said when we walked away was "I wonder how much I get get for the ball on eBay." The thing was the player wrote the kid's name on the ball. Can't sell it now!
What can you do? Money get the best of people sometimes.
Posts: 66 | Location: SoCal | Registered: April 01, 2005
I can certainly understand being upset, but constructively, what can one do?
It is not illegal or unethical to ask someone for an autograph. Once the autograph has been obtained, it is not illegal or unethical to sell it. Perhaps the beef is them trying to sell it back to the parent of a player. If the signatures were obtained in a nefarious way, I would be livid as well. Who is the market for some item like this? I am guessing the best market is someone associated with the team. I doubt there is a market anywhere else frankly.
I'll make up an innocent hypothetical here for conversation sake. Maybe that base was auctioned off for charity or other purpose and the new owner just now happens to be the memorability guy. Is it a crime that he is now trying to resell it?
What can an athlete do (other than get upset) if they want to try and prevent this:
1) Refuse to sign (can hurt public persona) 2) Limit signings to kids (some adults will use kids for their businesses however) 3) Use common sense when signing (if it smells and walks like a duck, then don't sign) 4) Sign everything as life is too short to worry about people who abuse the system 5) Do the best you can to try and satisfy the public and let the hard feelings go.
An additional observation, for whatever it might be worth. I remember seeing folks at MWL and FSL games who would hang around the dugouts before and after games, as well as Spring Training, with a sheet/sheets of paper on a clipboard. They would try and get guys to sign them. Most would refuse and that led me to ask my son about it. Our son learned to never sign a blank piece of paper. He would sign cards, baseballs, bats, etc. But he would not sign a blank sheet. The reason as was ID theft. Some players have signed a blank paper and later find their signature being forged Some of it was reportedly traced back to the signing on blank sheets from which the signature could be used. So, there can be more to this than even the insult of being asked to purchase items your son has autographed.
'You don't have to be a great player to play in the major leagues, you've got to be a good one every day.'
Posts: 2011 | Location: ca | Registered: February 11, 2003
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