Chipper Jones Twitter War with Spurned Autograph Seeker

It’s never a good feeling when one of your favorite baseball players refuses to sign an autograph for you. I had it happen plenty through my younger days. Gary Sheffield completely ignored me, Frank Robinson gave me a flat out “no,” and Brian Giles drove by the fans outside PNC Park all week long during my trip to Pittsburgh over a decade ago. Professional athletes are not obligated to sign autographs and it absolutely sucks.

Chipper Jones, an idol of many kids growing up in the 1990s, apparently spurned an autograph seeker back in the late 1990s. I don’t doubt that it happened and I’m sure it did ruin the young fan’s day. During this time the Atlanta Braves were a very good team. Usually when teams are winning there are a lot more fans wanting their autographs and not even can get one. Worse than this excuse, their heads inflate and they don’t feel the need to please the fans.

By Djh57 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Since I wasn’t there I can only assume the former Larry Wayne fan is legitimate based on my own experiences. Twice I attempted to get autographs from the Braves outside of Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia around the same time period. The first opportunity nobody signed and I only remember a few of the players waving (as if that’s what anyone wanted). The second time around included the Sheffield shuffle (that’s what I call the way he swiftly entered the stadium as if no one was around). A few players did sign including Javy Lopez, Rafael Furcal, and Tim Spooneybarger. Jones was never even spotted as it would have been a madhouse to get his ‘graph.

The way Jones responded to this bitter fan upsets me a little bit because he’s supposed to be the role model here. I’m sure a whole army of 1990s kids will agree Jones never signed for them either.

The next time Jones gets called up it’s probably best he has a sense of humor about it and not sink down to the fan’s level. I’d also like to see his grammar improve. Then again, that’s too much to ask for a guy nickname Chipper, isn’t it?

The Excitement of Looking Through Your Old Autographed Baseball Cards

Until I created this website and decided to include pictures of my autographed baseball card collection I had not gone through it in a few years. Around 2008-2009 was the last time I collected anything so the box they are in remained dormant.

I have only very little interest in adding to the collection. I think once you are a collector you always are. There’s a certain challenge, similar to a creative drive, which people who get obsessive about a collection have within them. Looking through my autographed baseball cards gives me a slight interest in sending out letters again. I only stop because I know how I get with anything. It will become a new obsession and I really should focus on more important things than asking people younger than me to sign miniature pictures of themselves.

Like looking through the high school yearbook, scanning over my collection of autographed baseball cards brings back a lot of memories. And like that cute girl a page across from you in the yearbook that no matter how hard you try you cannot remember, I continue to find cards in my collection I don’t remember getting.

I let out an expletive when I saw two autographed cards from Mike Napoli staring at me. I understand he’s not great, but I had no clue it was in there. At the time he was going by Michael Napoli. I had apparently obtained him through a letter to the Arizona Fall League long before he was bearded and winning the World Series.

I had a similar reaction when I saw a Bert Campaneris autographed card stacked among ones I remembered having a little better. Likely, I added this from a purchase at a card show. At the time I was unfamiliar with Campaneris. My dad probably bought it and felt the same way about him as I will in 20 years about Napoli.

Even authentic autographs in my collection that I received in packs now have a great sentimental value you to me because of how much more I know about the history of baseball. When I pulled a Johnny Callison autographed card years ago I didn’t think much of it. After a few years of listening to Philadelphia Sports Radio, I understand how meaningful the autograph actually is.

Lesser names like Jayson Nix even get me a little excited because forgetting about them makes me wonder who else could be mixed in there. I obtained Nix at the 2002 South Atlantic League All-Star Game in Lakewood, New Jersey along with others, most notably David Wright. Unlike Nix, I very much remember Wright.

I consider this far different from simple nostalgia. A big rush from autograph collecting was the feeling that you accomplished something. You gather up your baseball cards, you head to the stadium, and then go back home to see how many have ink on them. It was a challenge and seeing all of these successes years later reminds me I was not wasting my time. Going to a baseball game was always about more than who won or lost the game. It was also about who was willing to sign before and after.

My collection doesn’t compare to the greatest on the planet, but I do think overall it’s pretty impressive. Everything from Derek Jeter down to any player I have in my collection to never get beyond Single A, it all adds up to something unique and different from the rest.

Each autographed card I own has some history. Some were as simple as handing over a few bucks while others involved chasing a player down in the rain. They are a time capsule to a simpler time in life before taxes, bills, and women. They remind me how much one little hobby can give you: the adventure, the feeling of success, the bragging rights, etc.

An autographed baseball card tells a history. For some of us though, it’s a lot deeper than anyone can ever see.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Earl Weaver

Hall of Fame Manager Earl Weaver was best known for his hatred of umpires and stubbornness whenever they totally missed a call. When I met him at a charity baseball game and got his autograph, Weaver didn’t kick any dirt on me. I credit this to only having two baseball cards for him to sign.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Jeff Nettles

The son of Graig Nettles, one of the most well-known players for the Somerset Patriots over the years is Jeff Nettles. For those unfamiliar or too lazy to use Google, the Somerset Patriots are an independent league team in New Jersey. Nettles spent several years there and was very popular. He also seemed like a swell guy.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Graig Nettles

Quite possibly the only man in existence to spell his first name the way he does, Graig Nettles was the third baseman for the New York Yankees for most of the 1970s and into the 1980s. Nettles hit 390 home runs in his career, which is a bit surprising considering nobody really considers him a power hitter. The large number may be thanks to his 22 year career and ability to stay healthy. This autographed baseball card was given to me by my dad partly because it’s most likely something he wishes he had when he was younger.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Pablo Ozuna

One of the first autographs I managed to get in part of the Baseball America series was Pablo Ozuna. At the time, he was playing in Double-A for the Portland Sea Dogs. I could be wrong. This was half my life ago. Ozuna’s major league career was spent primarily as a bench player. But in my collections he’s…still a bench player.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: David Ortiz

Looking at the baseball card I had him sign, it’s hard to imagine David Ortiz was ever that thin. When I met him he was already massive and towered over my teenage from. Ortiz was still with the Minnesota Twins, however, our encounter occurred during a rehab stint with the New Britain Rock Cats. I got lucky catching him as Ortiz went in the opposite direction from the team bus. My guess is he drove his own car to the stadium. I’m even luckier because usually players don’t rehab on the road. I had no clue he would become the Hall of Fame player he has so I wasn’t too nervous meeting him the time.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Michael Warner

Michael Warner was a fan-favorite with the Somerset Patriots for a few years in the Independent League. He was, however, one of the toughest players to get to sign autographs. Eventually I did manage to get him to sign this one baseball card I had of him. If I remember correctly, it was the only time I ever saw him without a frown on his face. Rather, it was more of an emotionless state he was in.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Brandon Webb

Pitcher Brandon Webb was well on his way to becoming one of baseball’s best in a long time until a shoulder injury stopped his career dead in its tracks. A Cy Young Award followed up with two seasons of second place finishes before it was all over, Webb’s biggest mistake may have been signing this card for me through the mail. At least, that’s where I think I got this. Either way, Webb remains one pitcher many baseball fans wish we could have seen another decade from.

The Story Behind the ‘Graph: Johnny Callison

At the time when I pulled this authenticated autograph of Johnny Callison I was not familiar at all with him and dismissed it as a loss. Now though, much more familiar with baseball history and particularly about the Philadelphia Phillies, I’m very happy to have it. Of course, he’s in a New York Yankees’ uniform in the card so not everything is perfect.