The Quest has got me thinking, when, where and with whom did this all begin? I can trace my autograph lineage back to one man and one exact day. The only problem, I don’t remember it. I know when and where because he signed a program from that day, that’s all. Since I found this autograph I have been trying to remember the day but I think I am just making things up in my head and really have no clue what happened.
What I do know is that on October 22, 1988, my autograph collecting began. I came away from a little league baseball awards banquet with a personalized Paul Blair autograph on the program. I wasn’t even on a team, I was the bat boy for my brothers championship team. One problem Mr. Blair, my name is Kirk, not Curt. A slight oversight I know, and just one of many to haunt me every day of my life thus far.
I had forgotten about this autograph for years. Expecting it to have met a horrific fate like so many other objects, unlucky enough to have been caught in my room. I recently came across this piece as my father was clearing, some junk from my childhood home, coincidentally right as I was starting to collect O’s auto’s again. It proudly sits in an autograph binder, reminding me that my name will always be misheard.
Upon further review, I am not entirely sure it says "To Curt" like I had always believed. I think it says "Go Curt" and was his polite way of getting rid of me. Or maybe trying to pump up an eight year-old, either one.
I would like to hear about anybodys first autograph. I’m interested to see/hear/read how you all got hooked.
Kirk: I was there and do remember parts of it. I remember that Paul Blair wasn't super nice; he wasn't mean or anything, just kind of ambivalent. Not sure how he ended up speaking the Damascus Fire Hall. He was probably pissed off about that.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, it might have been my first autograph, too. Not sure. But I remember bringing a huge bag of stuff for Blair to sign. A glove, balls, trophies -- just a ridiculous amount of stuff. All I know i got signed was the same program as you, though I don't know where it is now.
As an aside, Kristian, my son, had his first autograph experience this summer and he can probably top most people for their "first." His cousins wanted to go to a Red Sox/Orioles game so we got tickets in the right field bleachers and got there early for autographs outside the stadium.
After a few minutes waiting, who pulls up in a town car? John Smoltz. He was mobbed, but he signed for about 15 minutes, and Kristian slid his tiny body to the front and got an autograph on a baseball. His cousins also got autographs, and then they added Hideki Okajima later on.
My personal highlight was catching a batting practice home run with Kristian on my shoulders, and not dropping him in the process.
Lol... great story. I'll have to get back to you on my first time. Off the top of my head it was Will Clark in the 80's, but I could be mistaken.
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