This is really a stretch on the autograph part but a memory I have to share. I was able to experience one of the coolest things in my life today.
Being a season ticket holder for the Twins, I was offered the opportunity to arrive at the ballpark before the gates opened this morning and have a photo taken with Frank Viola and the 1987 World Championship trophy. Frankie V was one of my favorite players on that 87 team so I thought it would be neat to do. We got to the ballpark about a half hour before the gates opened and got to the Metropolitan Club where Frank and the trophy awaited. There was nobody in line so we went right up and Cami got a photo with her little Poloroid like camera of her and Frank and the trophy. Then the other three of us went up and got our picture. There was nobody in line behind us so I asked Frank to show Caden his change up grip. This started one of the coolest experiences I have had related to baseball. Frank said “So you want me to give up the trade secrets huh?” and smiled. He asked if we had a baseball so I quickly grabbed one and gave it to him. He asked Caden to show him his 2 seam and 4 seam fastballs and then his change up grip. Frank had an amazing change up back in the day so to hear about throwing a change up from a “master” was neat. While Caden’s grip was right, his finger placement on the laces was not so Frank told him where to place his fingers on the laces as well as which finger to apply pressure when he threw it. He told him that when he practices throwing the change up, he should do a crow hop because it helps with the follow through and the chance up is all about the follow through. By this time there were a couple people behind us so we moved along.
We sat in the Metro Club and ordered some food. While there, Cami noticed that there was not a line and she wanted to get her Poloroid photo signed so she went back to him and he commented “Did we just take this photo?” and signed it. Cami was pumped. On the way out, Frank went out of his way to tell Caden good luck.
That was absolutely awesome and is giving me goosebumps recollecting the moment while I type this. Frank was so cool and took the time.
We got to our seats and since it was Military Appreciation Day, the Twins rolled out the big flag and there was even a flyover by a couple helicopters. The Twins lost but that is just a small footnote to this amazing day.
Category: Cami
30 Years Down The Road
Back in October 1987, I was just starting my senior year of high school and the Twins did something they had never done and that was win a World Series. I have a lot of great memories of that fall and most of them are related to the Twins.
Fast forward thirty years to today when the Twins honored the 1987 team with an on field ceremony. Before the game though, Cami and I had some autographs to get!
Fan HQ had a signing with over twenty players from that 1987 team and I had some items that needed some ink (or Sharpie). I purchased the tickets at the door of the event and got in line. The line was long and hot but rewarding at the end. While waiting in line, they announced that people with one or two players could go in and get their items signed. While I was not moving, I thought it would be easier on me for when I did get in there to have less items to dig out and mess around with so I had Cami take a couple items and get them signed so I would put them away. The first thing she did was went to Tony Oliva and got a couple older magazines signed. I asked how Tony was and she said “He was classic Tony”. That meant friendly and happy. (Side note: Tony O is one of her favorites of the old timers and has a few interactions with him and he has been awesome each time.) Once she brought those back to me I gave her a large photo of Randy Bush’s slide in game 2 of the 1987 World Series that I already had signed by Dan Gladden. Randy signed it and Cami came back to wait with me. All that was left was a couple Sports Illustrateds and a baseball. Our turn finally came up and we started with Roy Smalley. Roy signed one of the SIs and said that “Jeff still tells me how my hand is blocking his face on that photo!”. Then it was over to Sal Butera. Sal signed both issues and I told Cami that Sal is Drew Butera’s dad. Her eyes lit up when she made the connection. Sal had on his champion ring and showed it to Cami and said “Drew’s is much bigger!” Then I hopped in line for Dan Gladden while Cami took the magazine to Mark Davidson. She said he was really nice and polite. We waited in Gladden’s line and when we got up to him he signed the SI and looked at Cami and said “You are too young to have seen this” and that “you missed a good time!” I gave Cami the SI and she got in line for Steve Lombardozzi. Steve greeted her with “Hi cutie!” so she thought that was just awesome. Then it was to Tim Laudner’s line. Tim, or rather the back of his head, is featured in the bottom right corner of the cover. Tim commented about having hair back then to Cami and then said “You know, I have hair on my dresser that I forgot at home today. I usually wear it on Sundays.” she laughed and he said “I am just kidding” and gave her knuckles. She thought that was neat. Then we went to Jeff Reardon’s line. Jeff signed the cover and commented that “That was the only time Roy ever touched my face and it happened to be on the cover!” This completed both Sports Illustrated magazines and all that was left was a 1987 World Series baseball and Frank Viola. We got right up to him and he signed the ball under the World Series logo with “87 WS MVP” and Cami and I packed everything up and high fived each other for a job well done!
We had an hour or so to kill before our next event so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to Target Field. One of the things I signed up for in my Sweet Spot Rewards was to be a part of autograph signing events. Cami and I went to our event which had Brandon Kintzler, Eduardo Escobar, and Jose Berrios. Cami had a photo for each person and when she got to Kintzler, she congratulated him on being an all star. He signed her photo with “2017 A S” and signed my Topps Now Road to Opening Day card commenting “There is a card of me with the Twins!” Next up was Escobar. Eduardo signed Cami’s photo and a pair of cards for me. My cards were from Topps Series 2 this year. Then Berrios signed Cami’s photo and my Topps Now card from May 18th. We had tickets to the Twins game tonight but it was so hot that we decided to go home so I could shower and change clothes rather than staying at the ballpark. We did just that and got back to watch the pregame ceremony honoring the 1987 team. The Twins won the game and after the final out Cami looked at me, high fived me, and said “Today was pretty successful dad!” Yes, Cami, it sure was. Thanks for letting me tag along.
A Royally Fun Weekend!
Today was an awesome day. After Caden and his teammates played in their tournament, three families from his team decided to drive down to Kansas City to see the Twins play the Royals.
The morning started with all three families going to the Negro Leagues Museum. From there, Cayden H and I decided to head to the ballpark to see if we can get some autographs before the game. We got to Kauffman Stadium around 11am or so and were the second and third people there to wait for autographs. I have never done in person autograph seeking this way but it was fun. The players can really only enter in three places and two of those are easily accessed by fans. We waited about an hour or so and the players and coaches started trickling in. The first player I got was Lorenzo Cain. He showed up on his own and I got him to sign a baseball at location A. Location A seemed to be the place to be where players who took cabs showed up and B is where the buses showed up to drop the players off. A little while later some coaches showed up. Eddie Guardado stopped to sign for someone and I said “Everyday Eddie! I watched you close out many games at the Metrodome!” He looked at me and smiled and said “Cool man!” and put his hand out to shake my hand. That was pretty cool.
There were a number of players that came by that I did not have anything for, like Eddie, but was just enjoying being so close to the players.
Jason Vargas, the Royals’ starting pitcher for the night, showed up at point A and was pretty cool to stop to sign for people. I got a baseball signed by him.
Around 2pm the first Twins bus showed up at location B. I was able to get Phil Hughes to sign his Topps Now Road to Opening Day card. Just after the bus showed up, the other two families showed up and dropped off lunch and Cami. The rest went to one of the family’s hotel to go swimming. Cami was really excited to be there. Shortly after she arrived, Byron Buxton showed up at location A and I got a 2017 Gypsy Queen card signed. Cami got her 2016 Topps Heritage “Twin Terrors” card that featured Buxton and Miguel Sano signed. We were pretty excited to add Buxton to our collections but the day was just starting!
Shortly after that Miguel Sano got dropped off at location A and he signed one per person who was there. I got my Topps Now Road to Opening Day card signed and Cami got her “Twin Terrors” card signed. She has a beautifully signed card by Buxton and Sano! The second team bus showed up around 3:30pm and that carried most of the players. I saw Cory Provus get off the bus and I said hi to him. He stopped and came over and I introduced myself to him as the person he was signing the Call Balls for and thanked him personally. We shook hands and he told me that it was a really neat idea and asked how many I had. I thanked him again and he entered. The only player to stop and sign out of the second bus was Brian Dozier. Dozier signed a 2017 Gypsy Queen card for me and a card for Cami. She was on Cloud Nine she was so excited as Dozier is probably her favorite Twin player. That was pretty much it outside. I purchased early admission tickets for the three of us and we were able to enter the park about an hour before everyone else. Cami went to the Royals side above the dugout while Cayden and I went to just above the Twins dugout at location C. While there I was able to get Eduardo Escobar on the 2017 Topps Twins team card. He signed it real small over himself which is awesome so I can now get others on it too. Eduardo also tossed Cayden and I each a baseball and I saw him give a kid his batting gloves he used for batting practice. While on the other side, Cami got a ball tossed to her too as well as having Ned Yost stop to sign and she got a ball signed by her.
I was expecting a fun game with Ervin Santana facing Jason Vargas but Ervin had an early throwing error to second base which opened the floodgates and the Twins got smoked. There were a couple fun Royals fans sitting around us so they enjoyed friendly banter about the game.
It was a lot of fun and I really look forward to the next time I get to KC for a game now that I know where to go for autographs!
Florida in Nebraska
As part of Caden’s baseball tournament, we were able to attend a game for the College World Series and the game the team went to was Game 1 of the final series which had the University of Florida vs LSU. I brought one baseball there hoping to get a particular player to sign it and watched him from the moment I walked in until I found success.
Alex Faedo was the 16th player chosen in the MLB draft a couple weeks earlier and he played for Florida. Cami, Cayden H, and I walked to be above the tunnel over the Gators’ dugout waiting for him to come in from the field. When he did, we asked him to sign but he kept on going. Cayden H then went to the LSU side to try to get a player from that team he wanted. Cami and I followed Alex to the bullpen and tried to get him there. He signed for someone but we were too late for him and just missed him. We then stood by the railing out front of the bullpen and after the pitchers warmed up, he came over when Cami asked him to and signed her program and a baseball for me. It was awesome. He even posed for a picture with Cami. I wish Alex much success and good health in his career.