MEETING REGGIE JACKSON IN PERSON MAY BE YOUR MOST UNPLEASANT AUTOGRAPH EXPERIENCE EVEN WHEN PAYING !!!

Hello baseball fans...I am doing this quick blog about Reggie Jackson (Mr.October)...I felt compelled to do this as his autograph is quite desirable and will cost ruffly $100 in person with inscriptions for an extra fee...Have any of you guys ever met him in person ?....well I have on several occasions...Reggie Jackson was my child hood Idol like many other kids growing up in NYC in the 70's and 80's...as a collector going to meet Reggie Jackson for the first time in 2001 I could not wait....I am finally going to meet my hero...the man I had posters of on my wall not to mention the man that was on those orange "Reggie Bar" chocolate candy bars my mom would pack in my lunch as a child...as a collector this could quite possibly the greatest experience of all time....meeting your child hero wouldn't you think ?...It was quite the opposite...my uncle told me before I met him how unfriendly he was and really bashed him...I did not believe him...not my hero I thought...I went to the show...which I also got David Cone, Whitey Ford, David Wells and Don Mattingly's autographs which by far was a much better experience....every one of them was friendly as could be smiling...shaking hands...and taking pictures...hell even Whitey was kicking back some Budwiser's having a great time....they were simply the best...they appreciated you going to meet them...NOT REGGIE !!! when it came time to meet Reggie I was nervous to say the least...Reggie Jackson is now 5 feet away from me....he had it set up where you tell his guys what and where you wanted the autograph on your item and what inscription you wanted...I wanted Reggie Jackson on the sweet spot of my ball with a Mr.October insc. I give them my paid ticket and they relayed him the message....at first he signed my ball...no inscription...I saw that he didn't add the inscription before giving it back...and I told him to PLEASE add Mr.October as I payed for it which seams to have gotten him agitated...as he was signing it I asked him can we PLEASE take a picture which he also didn't want to do as he took the picture with me not even looking at the camera....then to add insult to injury he ROLLED the ball back to me across the table smudging the entire thing !!!!!!!! I could not believe this had just happened to me...my child hood hero...all those memories and the respect just thrown away in a matter of seconds....I WAS SO MAD...THE ONLY REASON I WENT TO THAT SHOW WAS TO MEET REGGIE AND THIS WHAT I GET !!!!!...I got him several times after that since i could not display that mess with my other prized possessions he was just as bitter and just not friendly what so ever...he even cursed out a friend of mine as well trying to get his auto....hes simply a miserable guy...even when paying for it....and getting him for free....GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!...Hes really puts the attitude up 10 fold...fans beware....if you ever had good or bad experiences with MR.OCTOBER please post a comment and share....its a shame but hey....it is what it is...

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Comment by Steve Zarelli on August 1, 2011 at 7:03am: I've met Reggie 2 or 3 times at card shows. I must have caught him on good days, because he was okay. Not friendly, mind you, but decent and not rude.

Although, he is well known for being difficult and rude. Maybe because I was expecting it to be so unpleasant, my expectations were set low. lol

One time, I had him add his name to my 1978 Yankee's ball. Ron Guidry was already on the sweet spot. Reggie looked the ball over - there was plenty of room left for other signatures - and Reggie squeezed his signature in the sweet spot below Guidry. LOL Thankfully, it actually looked okay and didn't ruin it.

Comment by CEE GEE on August 1, 2011 at 11:12am: wow dude...please post a pic of that on here I would love to see it...I should have set my expectations lower from the warning from my uncle....I saw him walking down 6th avenue about 4 years latter sitting out side the job site I was on...I recognized him instantly and didn't say a word...another guy did notice him and he was like "mr. october...mr.october" trying to get his attention and he didn't even turn around or acknowledge him this had happened right in front of me and I told him don't bother...he might just turn around and spit on you....the fan was like what do you mean...I told him to catch up to him and ask for an auto...he didn't believe me....I wish I could have seen the look on Reggies face....I also saw another fan ask him to take a picture with him in Manhattan as well and he told that fan...ok..."but don't touch me...or my back"...wow really ?...so sick

Comment by Steve Zarelli on August 1, 2011 at 11:25am: saw another fan ask him to take a picture with him in Manhattan as well and he told that fan...ok..."but don't touch me...or my back"...wow really ?...so sick

I have heard this before as well. I suspect he may be a germaphobe.

In his defense, it would kinda gross me out too if strangers came up to me all day wanting to shake my hand and touch me. I'd definately carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer! LOL

Comment by Mike P on August 1, 2011 at 11:55am: Great read. About Reggie: Every athlete should treat fans with even more respect than the fans do for him/her. In my opinion, an athlete should go to the fans and sign and not vice versa. We pay for their paychecks and make their career worth-while by attending games and buying their sports products. We were at the parade when the Yanks won in 2009. there was a bunch of sanitation workers outside the barricades due to the fact it was a ticker tape parade and they needed to keep the street clean. Well anyway, the workers were cheering and shouting with respect and admiration for Reggie to wave at him and all Reggie did was lift his arm up and rest his head on the side of the window in his car. Not even a mere wave or a fake smile. Terrible.

Comment by Steve Zarelli on August 2, 2011 at 7:29am: One time, I had him add his name to my 1978 Yankee's ball. Ron Guidry was already on the sweet spot. Reggie looked the ball over - there was plenty of room left for other signatures - and Reggie squeezed his signature in the sweet spot below Guidry. LOL Thankfully, it actually looked okay and didn't ruin it.

Here we go:

Comment by Josh Board on August 2, 2011 at 8:28am: Best Reggie Jackson story ever -- this local sports writer in San Diego retired. And he talked about all the athletes that were big jerks. That would consist of about 5 different guys, one being Jackson. He went to talk to Jackson, who the night before got to sing with a band like the Supremes. He overheard Jackson say that was a childhood dream come true the previous night. So this reporter asks Jackson if he can get a quote on what it was like to sing with the Supremes (it wasn't the Supremes, but another huge band like that). Jackson looked at this guy and said "You want a quote?" He then took the microphone, placed it at his butt, and farted. He handed the microphone back and walked away.

The guy sounds like a real jerk. And if anybody else pays -- feel free to get the item corrected. Say "Hey...the ball got smudged, can you sign again?" If you pay, all bets are off. You can stand there as long as it takes.

I drove to LA to meet Lou Reed at a record store. They said you can have 3 items signed with the purchase of the new CD. My friend got a guitar signed (smart). I had a few albums signed. Well, the new CD -- a 2 CD set, so it was $25 or something -- he had used a black sharpie because the guy before me had a white guitar. Well, with 25 pens of all colors in front of him, I felt it would be rude to tell him WHAT COLOR to use, so I got a black sharpie, over a black CD cover. You can't even read the signature.

I learned a lesson. If you pay, feel free to say what kind of pen, where to sign, or "Hey...it got smudged. Can we do another one?"

Comment by CEE GEE on August 2, 2011 at 8:50am: @ Mr.Zipper I have to say that piece looks quite nice with Jackson and Guidry on the Sweet Spot...It was a d***** bag move for sure but it looks good know doubt...

Comment by CEE GEE on August 2, 2011 at 9:14am: @Josh Board...thats a great story for sure....hes a real piece of work...as far as the smudged auto I have learned my lesson....that never happened again at any show...

BUT...as far as ink colors and markers...pens etc. go I will add......BRING YOUR OWN WHEN GETTING SOMETHING SIGNED...I have also learned my lesson on that...its not rude at all...its your item and it should look good...a couple of months back I got Whitey Ford...Jose Canseco...John Montefusco....and Mike Pagliarulo added to one of my prized possessions my Yankees seat back chair as you can see in the photo in the above blog as Reggie was the first to bless my chair with my marker of course as this was signed in Manhattan outside a talk radio show he attended...I have got many other autos on the chair since with my own marker...The show was the first time I got other Yankees added to chair with there markers provided...not a good idea i might add...after those guys signed numerous autos the markers where somewhat weak and the autos were not as dark...not even as dark as the Reggie which was my first auto on the chair as you can see Jackson's auto on the piece in the picture....I will always use my own markers from now on on my chair...Whitey Ford was the most expensive auto that day and it came out so so...but I still love it...since then I got many more autos affixed to my chair and there all nice and dark...but then again its a lesson learned....i still love it regardless

Comment by CEE GEE on August 2, 2011 at 9:21am: There's the comparison in the inks...I still love this chair even though the inks a little lighter...all the autos will never have that same dark look anyway as it seems the last couple of years some autos faded slightly and were done with several different markers...

Comment by Steve Zarelli on August 2, 2011 at 9:38am: Great looking item! I get a little nervous with an item that is plastic... always a concern the signature does not truly permeate the surface and it will eventually fade away.

I have a signed plastic pick guard that faded a bit even though it was not in the light.

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