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When Pens let you down!

You are lucky enough to meet your idols or at least get a friend who works at a venue to ask your heroes to sign something. You've brought along a great item and you're armed with pens/ permanent marker. And when you get the piece back, the damn pen has ceased or bled, basically mucked up that precious signing.

I had the pleasure of getting Cheap Trick to sign my copy of 'Budokan' I had waited years for them to play in Ireland and then they come...and I get the item signed and the silver pen smudges on all the signings wrecking that lovely Tom Petersen sig and Rick Nielsen's black marker is running out! Damn!

What was your worst in person pen disaster?? I'd love to know...

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Comment by william on March 6, 2014 at 1:21pm: I know I have a lot of inperson autographs on albums.

One of my favorites is a guy from Three Dog Night but he was in a hurry and I am not sure whom he was>? o well maybe you guys here can help my out if i can locate it.

OH I almost forgot two Very Impotant People "The Nelson Twins" Matthew and Gunner Nelson

they sighned two of their dad albums on the back I also have an autograph on a book page from My very close personal friend Little Joe Cook (Peanuts)

Comment by Brian on March 7, 2014 at 6:30pm: I went to a Johnny Winter signing at a record store last year. He would sign whatever you had as long as your purchased the new CD. Great deal! So I brought 2 LPs from home and I cringed when he started signing with a red Sharpie...on the very dark cd and lp covers. Luckily the other LP I brought has a white cover...this photo taken with a flash makes it look 10x better than it really does. In normal lighting you can't really see the signature.

Comment by Tom Schwartz on March 11, 2014 at 5:56pm: Equally annoying is when you're all prepared with a great pen that wouldn't let you down and the signer uses a crummy pen from the person before you to sign. My most notable one was Roger Clemens. I had a brand new blue sharpie ready to go and he used somebody's dry, smushed black one to sign. This was almost 20 years ago and I still kind of frown when I look at it lol.

Comment by Gary P on April 6, 2014 at 12:07pm: I have had a few bad pen issues. One was with Deion Sanders signing a Falcons mini helmet. The silver paint pen failed on the "D" so it was barely visible. The attempt to correct makes it look fake/stupid. Sometimes you're better served leaving it as is.

Bob Gibson signed a jersey w/ a silver sharpie rather than a paint pen and it's barely visible on the red numbering. He was surprised I wanted him to use silver, but I guess that's because he was using a different pen than I expected. Silver paint should've looked sharp on cardinal red.

My last story revolved around my request for Reggie Jackson to sign an A's jersey w/ a black sharpie but he grabbed a silver paint pen. I realized the error after he wrote, "Mr October". Mr. Jackson was apologetic and owned up to his mistake. To make amends, he signed and added every inscription imaginable for no extra charge. That was cool of him to do so, but it still looks weird having Mr October in silver and the rest in black. He also added Mr October a second time underneath the number. I like the story more than I like the actual jersey. Reggie Jackson was a stand up guy and that I won't forget.