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a kennedy

(29,462 posts)
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:12 PM Sep 2019

Ok.....what's your claim to fame with a sports figure??

Last edited Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:46 PM - Edit history (1)

I’ve got two......got Mike Holmgren’s autograph on a Harley Davidson T shirt.....and I did change the Badgers football coach’s dipper one time. My husband and I we’re on the Packer’s Harley Davidson ride around the Green Bay Area with Super Bowl coach Mike Holmgren. When we came to one of the stops of the ride, I got in line to get Mike’s autograph, which I did. Paul Chryst and his family lived 6 doors down from my family. My sister was the regular Chryst’s baby sitter, and one time she was unable to do the job, so I was available, and during my night of babysitting the Chryst’s, I had to change Paul’s dipper.

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Ok.....what's your claim to fame with a sports figure?? (Original Post) a kennedy Sep 2019 OP
I played golf with Jack Nicklaus. TruckFump Sep 2019 #1
I went to his high school. unblock Sep 2019 #12
Dallas Green coached my Babe Ruth team randr Sep 2019 #2
I love Bill Walton....... a kennedy Sep 2019 #5
I rode in an elevator bmbmd Sep 2019 #3
I rode in an elevator with Arnold Schwarzenegger a few times. luvs2sing Sep 2019 #6
Ha ha.....so body building is a sport eh?? a kennedy Sep 2019 #8
Apparently.. luvs2sing Sep 2019 #11
I knew several Bengals players.. luvs2sing Sep 2019 #4
Ok, I'm intrigued. Dagstead Bumwood Sep 2019 #62
Late 70s folks.. luvs2sing Sep 2019 #63
I went to see the movie about Jackie Robinson. wasupaloopa Sep 2019 #7
Good for you for making his day...... a kennedy Sep 2019 #9
I bought bowling trophies for my junior league from Don Mincher. House of Roberts Sep 2019 #10
Speaking of Bowling ProfessorGAC Sep 2019 #60
We never missed watching the PBA finals on Saturdays. House of Roberts Sep 2019 #61
He Was A Superb Golfer, Too ProfessorGAC Sep 2019 #67
My husband has the best claim to fame. luvs2sing Sep 2019 #13
This is so sad......being murdered. a kennedy Sep 2019 #15
my ex had one- he went to high school w mopinko Sep 2019 #14
Played in a couple of pick-up safeinOhio Sep 2019 #16
Um, does it count that Joe Namath tried to pick me up at the airport... Guilded Lilly Sep 2019 #17
and he's married to my almost favorite female tennis player.... a kennedy Sep 2019 #18
I do wonder about their kids-- dawg day Sep 2019 #36
I've read that Jaden (their son) prefers baseball (heh). Guilded Lilly Sep 2019 #40
Sigh. These kids. dawg day Sep 2019 #43
Russ Hodges signed my Jack Purcell tennis shoe at a little league game Brother Buzz Sep 2019 #19
and sorry can you explain who Russ Hodges is......i don't know him. a kennedy Sep 2019 #20
Baseball Hall of Fame Sportscaster for the Giants, first in NY then in SF Brother Buzz Sep 2019 #21
I knocked out Joe Frazier SCantiGOP Sep 2019 #22
I remember that! OilemFirchen Sep 2019 #24
Not mine, but my mom's. OilemFirchen Sep 2019 #23
Larry the Legend! dawg day Sep 2019 #35
Met Kerri Strug, gymnast at a Target store in Tucson early 2000s, just said Hi and congrats Baked Potato Sep 2019 #25
Grampa Munster. Heheh.. sprinkleeninow Sep 2019 #42
I taught Drew Gooden, Gilbert Brown, and Dana Stubblefield. nt tblue37 Sep 2019 #26
Taught them what? dawg day Sep 2019 #34
Brown & Stubblefield: three classes of English. The third class was "Introduction to Poetry." tblue37 Sep 2019 #49
1991 Trailblazers.. Permanut Sep 2019 #27
Mickey Mantle signed base ball pangaia Sep 2019 #28
I played junior high sports against John Elway. He wasn't a threat at all in football, but was the brewens Sep 2019 #29
LOL. Too bad for MLB dawg day Sep 2019 #33
One thing was that we didn't have baseball until the 9th grade. Elway was playing on his brewens Sep 2019 #52
Lou Piniella back in the 70's. He took a longish look my way. 😍 sprinkleeninow Sep 2019 #30
They all count (heh)! Guilded Lilly Sep 2019 #41
The Big O (Oscar Robertson) ate dinner with me-- dawg day Sep 2019 #31
I shook hands with Jessie Owens, RGinNJ Sep 2019 #32
I worked for the team Dr for the Tulsa Drillers and took care of Sammy Sosa a few times. Runningdawg Sep 2019 #37
My first wife went out with Paul Hornung- Packers running back redstateblues Sep 2019 #38
My favourite ballerina came into a store where i worked. I was too shy to say applegrove Sep 2019 #39
Basketball great Bill Russell FuzzyRabbit Sep 2019 #44
As a young teen, Sensei George Harris 9th Dan yonder Sep 2019 #45
My granddad was best friends with Hugh Bedient. Buzz cook Sep 2019 #46
Dinner w/David Robinson & neighbor of Jack Clark Justitia Sep 2019 #47
Larry Bird mowed the grass @ a bank my husband worked at. Justitia Sep 2019 #48
I was working in Omaha, kozar Sep 2019 #50
The Golden Jet Cartoonist Sep 2019 #51
Harry Caray snowybirdie Sep 2019 #53
Autographs from the entire "Big Red Machine" in the 70's including Pete Rose underpants Sep 2019 #54
My grandmother was a cousin of Anita Aldrich nitpicker Sep 2019 #55
My sister dated Jim Jensen - a third string QB for the Dolphins. Scurrilous Sep 2019 #56
Worked with Nate Thurmond, Ronnie Lott, Auggie Sep 2019 #57
Chris Dishman came to the pool at my grandma's apartment complex growing up. JonLP24 Sep 2019 #58
A Few ProfessorGAC Sep 2019 #59
Being a huge Miami Hurricanes fan... twogunsid Sep 2019 #64
That IS why I love ya Sid..... a kennedy Sep 2019 #65
I taught several athletes while I was a grad student at the University of Georgia GaYellowDawg Sep 2019 #66

TruckFump

(5,812 posts)
1. I played golf with Jack Nicklaus.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:15 PM
Sep 2019

We are both from Ohio and when we were young kiddos, before he was famous and before I never was, we played in a junior golf tournament.

unblock

(51,974 posts)
12. I went to his high school.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:56 PM
Sep 2019

Years later though.

Grew up across the street from his personal assistant.

bmbmd

(3,088 posts)
3. I rode in an elevator
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:17 PM
Sep 2019

with Martina Navritilova. Also with Grant Teaff. Also with Noah Wylie. So elevators are my big deal.

luvs2sing

(2,220 posts)
6. I rode in an elevator with Arnold Schwarzenegger a few times.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:28 PM
Sep 2019

In the late 70s, when he was just the Austrian body builder guy. He was friends with a guy who worked on my floor and would stop by if he was in town. It wasn’t unusual to see him around. Someone told me they started the big bodybuilding competition together during those days.

luvs2sing

(2,220 posts)
4. I knew several Bengals players..
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:25 PM
Sep 2019

in the 70s through a friend who played for them. And I can’t remember the guy’s name, but a friend’s cousin was a pitcher for the Cubs in the 80s. I met him after his career was over at my friend’s annual Halloween party.

Dagstead Bumwood

(3,524 posts)
62. Ok, I'm intrigued.
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 07:22 PM
Sep 2019

For obvious reasons. Who amongst the Bengals did you know? I once met Kenny Anderson when he was opening a Menard's store, nicest guy ithe world.

I once was close to Paul Newman at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was Carburation Day and I was in waking through Gasoline Alley, and he and Rick Mears appeared. Shook Ric's hand, but Paul turned to talk to someone. Probably best that I didn't talk to him, I would have been all Chris Farley with him.

[link:|

luvs2sing

(2,220 posts)
63. Late 70s folks..
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 08:12 PM
Sep 2019

Pete Johnson, Chris Bahr, Marvin Cobb, a few others I’m not recalling now. Yeah, Ken Anderson was a really nice guy. It was a different world back then.

I’ve managed to meet a lot of fairly famous people, especially people in music through my husband, because I have the ability to not act like I’m star struck. I once had a wonderful, long conversation with Vince Gill without even knowing who he was. Heck of a nice guy!

I did go a little fangirl when I met Connie Smith, who has been my favorite country singer since I was five. And I declined a chance to meet Rosanne Cash after a show because I was so moved by the show that I knew I’d sob all over her.

 

wasupaloopa

(4,516 posts)
7. I went to see the movie about Jackie Robinson.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:31 PM
Sep 2019

While waiting at the refreshment stand I started a conversation with a tall thin guy next to me.

I said “ you look like a baseball player.” He said he played professional baseball in the past. I asked what team and he said Cincinnati.

I told him I was from Dayton and was a Reds fan most of my life. He said I would not know who he was. I asked him what was his name and he said Bill Bonham.

I told him I remember seeing him pitch in Cincinnati.

I made his day. He got a big smile on his face.

House of Roberts

(5,120 posts)
10. I bought bowling trophies for my junior league from Don Mincher.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:43 PM
Sep 2019

He was a first baseman for the Oakland A's in 1972 and had the World Series trophy in a special display at his trophy shop.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
60. Speaking of Bowling
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 07:25 AM
Sep 2019

PBA Hall of Famer Jim Stefanich drilled my first bowling ball.
Many years later, I played golf with he and his wife Pam at the course I played at a few times. His wife was the younger sister of a guy I bowled against in tournaments in HS

House of Roberts

(5,120 posts)
61. We never missed watching the PBA finals on Saturdays.
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 09:14 AM
Sep 2019

The PBA held a tour stop here in Huntsville in the summer of 1968, and I was waiting for Stefanich to arrive from the airport, to get his autograph. I got it between his car and the front door of the bowling center, followed him inside, and watched him warm up for the pro-am, and bowl a 267 in the first game. I was 11 and it was the most awesome thing I ever saw in person at a bowling event.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
67. He Was A Superb Golfer, Too
Sun Sep 22, 2019, 06:35 AM
Sep 2019

Played a couple years on Sr tour.
The course where I first broke 70 was where he held the course record at 9 under!

luvs2sing

(2,220 posts)
13. My husband has the best claim to fame.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:56 PM
Sep 2019

His mother was a court reporter in Cleveland, and her best work friend was the wife of Luke Easter. The Easter’s spent a lot of time with my husband’s family so he got to know Luke well. My husband has a baseball from one of the All-Star games that Luke gave him, autographed by Joe DiMaggio among others. Luke was murdered in a robbery in 1979, but his children attended my mother-in-law’s funeral in 2014.

mopinko

(69,804 posts)
14. my ex had one- he went to high school w
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:58 PM
Sep 2019

isaiah thomas. had his autograph on his graduation program.

also, the 2 of us were at the last night at comisky park. we had a bunch of fireworks shell fragments.

Guilded Lilly

(5,591 posts)
17. Um, does it count that Joe Namath tried to pick me up at the airport...
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 10:53 PM
Sep 2019

while I was waiting for my big brother to meet my flight-or is that way too common an occurrence .

If so, how about André Agassi helping me pick out a tee-shirt for my then 4 year old daughter from the Sonesta Beach Resort gift shop during the 1990 Key Biscayne (then the Lipton International) tournament?

(My family crossed paths with Agassi for several years while we followed the non-Grand Slam tennis circuit and he was always a complete and total gentleman and very kind to my young son and daughter)

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
36. I do wonder about their kids--
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:40 AM
Sep 2019

If genetics control, these ought to be the greatest tennis players ever.

Of course, they'll probably all rebel and become French horn players.

OilemFirchen

(7,143 posts)
23. Not mine, but my mom's.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 11:36 PM
Sep 2019

After they retired, my mom and late stepfather included in their travels an annual trip to French Lick, Indiana. One year, while bowling, they met Larry Bird and ended up spending the rest of the day with him. After that, until they were unable to travel, they would let him know when they were planning a trip there and he would always arrange to get together with them.

As for me, I went to high school with Edwin Moses.

Baked Potato

(7,733 posts)
25. Met Kerri Strug, gymnast at a Target store in Tucson early 2000s, just said Hi and congrats
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:06 AM
Sep 2019

Talked to Al Lewis, Grandpa Munster, at a Phoenix baseball card show 2000ish. He was sitting by himself behind the Convention Center smoking a cigar. I said Hi and thanks for all the laughs. He said have a good day and take it easy.

sprinkleeninow

(20,133 posts)
42. Grampa Munster. Heheh..
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 01:40 AM
Sep 2019

On a plane to LA with John Ritter. Smiled as he passed by to take his seat. 😍

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
34. Taught them what?
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:37 AM
Sep 2019

I hope you'll say, "Ball control" and not "history of the French Revolution". <G>

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
49. Brown & Stubblefield: three classes of English. The third class was "Introduction to Poetry."
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 04:42 AM
Sep 2019

Gooden: just "Introduction to Poetry."

Permanut

(5,436 posts)
27. 1991 Trailblazers..
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:13 AM
Sep 2019

Wayne Cooper, Jerome Kersey, Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth got on my elevator at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, on the way to visit the kids. I'm 6 foot 2, and that was the first and last time I was the shortest person on the elevator.

brewens

(13,393 posts)
29. I played junior high sports against John Elway. He wasn't a threat at all in football, but was the
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:18 AM
Sep 2019

guy you had to hold under 20 points in basketball if you hoped to win.

brewens

(13,393 posts)
52. One thing was that we didn't have baseball until the 9th grade. Elway was playing on his
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 05:40 AM
Sep 2019

high school varsity team so we didn't play against him. Our jr high was a three year school as was our high school. His high school was a four year school. They could put freshmen on our high school team but they never did. We had a couple wrestlers with the high school team at times though.

He was a pretty good QB I think, but that didn't matter against us. We had a freakish junior high football team and he didn't stand a chance.

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
31. The Big O (Oscar Robertson) ate dinner with me--
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:33 AM
Sep 2019

Okay, it was a big awards dinner, and there were 200 others. But he gave me his autograph and listened patiently as I listed a few of his great accomplishments. (A fan here.

That's about it. Oh, Larry Bird bumped into me once at a Pacers game. He really does always look grumpy, in case anyone thought he actually was hiding a warm congenial nature. (But he did apologize.)

applegrove

(118,011 posts)
39. My favourite ballerina came into a store where i worked. I was too shy to say
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 12:53 AM
Sep 2019

anything. I always go blank with anxiety around famous people amongst others.

FuzzyRabbit

(1,958 posts)
44. Basketball great Bill Russell
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 01:52 AM
Sep 2019

and I went to an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum many years ago.

Well, we didn't go together, but I noticed that he was in line behind me as we walked past the paintings. The exhibit was paintings by Jacob Lawrence. Lawrence was considered to be one of America's best artists and one of my favorite artists.

yonder

(9,631 posts)
45. As a young teen, Sensei George Harris 9th Dan
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 02:03 AM
Sep 2019

Last edited Thu Sep 19, 2019, 01:09 PM - Edit history (1)

was my Judo instructor. This would've been about 1968. He was a member of the 1964 US Olympic Judo team which was the first year Judo became an Olympic sport. I think former Democrat but switched Republican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was on that team also.

For anyone that asks who?, Sensei Harris was a soft-spoken, kind, gentle giant who deservedly earned much respect, both on and off the mat. I'm glad to have known him those many years ago.

For Sensei Harris, you helped shape my life:

Justitia

(9,316 posts)
47. Dinner w/David Robinson & neighbor of Jack Clark
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 03:21 AM
Sep 2019

Had dinner in a private home with David Robinson, we had a mutual friend. I watched him eat an insane amount of lasagna.
Baseball player Jack Clark was my neighbor & our sons were good friends.

kozar

(2,029 posts)
50. I was working in Omaha,
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 04:58 AM
Sep 2019

at the time and went out for a couple drinks after work to a place called Bob Gibson's. was 330 or so in afternoon,very quiet and lo and behold HOF pitcher Bob Gibson sat down with us and bought our drinks. I got to try on his WS ring!


Koz

Cartoonist

(7,297 posts)
51. The Golden Jet
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 05:12 AM
Sep 2019

As a kid, I stood in line to get Bobby Hull's autograph on a 8x10 glossy. I had a very brief conversation with him about curved blades on hockey sticks.

snowybirdie

(5,190 posts)
53. Harry Caray
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 07:05 AM
Sep 2019

called me to apologize for keeping hubby out all night bar hopping. And to not worry, he was sleeping at his place!

underpants

(182,271 posts)
54. Autographs from the entire "Big Red Machine" in the 70's including Pete Rose
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 07:07 AM
Sep 2019

I had, at one point, several sets of autographs from pretty much all the Cincinnati Reds players. I don't know if we knew someone or if we just knew where to go but I remember on several occasions standing in a parking garage and all of them coming out of the elevator. Morgan Concepcion Griffey Foster and yes Pete Rose. Bench was rare because he probably was still in the ice tub or meeting with Sparky. At least 4 sets of signatures from some array of them.

They were all really gracious. I remember maybe 20 people - kids and parents - who would wait on this one level of a parking garage. Seeing Pete Rose, to me, was like being in the presence of God as a 5-7 year old.

We left Ohio in 1975 and we moved a lot. I ended up throwing the signatures away somewhere along the way. They were just memories to me and there really wasn't a market for them or they weren't a "thing" so

nitpicker

(7,153 posts)
55. My grandmother was a cousin of Anita Aldrich
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 07:39 AM
Sep 2019
https://honorsandawards.iu.edu/search-awards/honoree.shtml?honoreeID=4593

https://nursing.indiana.edu/about/news-events/newsletters/bloomington/2018-winter/remembering-dr-anita-aldrich.html

(a leading physical educator of the day at Indiana University)

((who might be spinning in her grave about all the desk fries and couch potatoes letting their fingers doing the walking...))

Scurrilous

(38,687 posts)
56. My sister dated Jim Jensen - a third string QB for the Dolphins.
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 09:25 AM
Sep 2019

Jerry Glanville and some of his players and coaches asked for a ride on our boat when we pulled up to the Omni in downtown Miami for more beer (they were in town for a game). Took them around Biscayne Bay. He then sent us a box of Houston Oiler swag.

I used to see Don Shula at church sometimes. He went every day. I went sometimes.

Auggie

(31,060 posts)
57. Worked with Nate Thurmond, Ronnie Lott,
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 01:28 PM
Sep 2019

and Franklin Muili (former majority owner of the Golden State Warriors). Also with Harris Barton and Keena Turner (49ers), and Chris Mullen (Warriors).

A variety of advertising projects — TV and print. Lots of fun.

On edit: Forgot I once sold a Coke to Evonne Goolagong Cawley.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
58. Chris Dishman came to the pool at my grandma's apartment complex growing up.
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 12:07 AM
Sep 2019

If no one knows who he is he was a lineman for Nebraska and Arizona Cardinals.

Outside of that I got autographs from the 19997 Cardinals team.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
59. A Few
Fri Sep 20, 2019, 07:20 AM
Sep 2019

Got Ernie Banks' autograph on 2 occasions when I was a kid. Neither time was at the ballpark. I still have those baseballs.

Even better for me; my dad was a loyal Buick guy, but was mad at the local dealer, so we drove to Harvey IL to Bauer Buick.
While there, I saw a salesman's picture, and was flummoxed. Told dad "There's a sales guy here named Billy Williams, and he looks just Billy from the Cubs" (Billy was my fave player for nearly my whole youth)
Dad told me that was Billy. But he wasn't there
When we went back the next week, Billy was there and had volunteered to entertain me while my parents did all the paperwork. He sat me at his desk and talked baseball with me for around 20 minutes. Signed a picture of himself in uniform. Unfortunately, that pic got lost somewhere in parents' house. They're both long dead, so no finding it now.

Last one, was I bumped into BJ Armstrong at the China Club. Just said hi, and thanks for his contributions to a great team. He invited wife & I to his VIP table for a couple drinks. Extremely pleasant guy, as was his wife (might have been fiancée at the time)

twogunsid

(1,606 posts)
64. Being a huge Miami Hurricanes fan...
Sat Sep 21, 2019, 02:28 PM
Sep 2019

...I've met and talked with Jimmy Johnson, Michael Irvin, Gino Torreta, Benny Blades and many more. Also, I known several horse trainers that would be considered famous in both the Harness and Flat racing games.

GaYellowDawg

(4,443 posts)
66. I taught several athletes while I was a grad student at the University of Georgia
Sun Sep 22, 2019, 02:01 AM
Sep 2019

One was a first-round NFL draft pick and is currently a commentator on ESPN. Another student was an Olympic gold medalist. I also met Boomer Esiason and Anthony Munoz when I was a hotel front desk clerk. They were in town for a charity golf tournament. Munoz was great. Esiason was a prick. I also literally ran into Garrison Hearst (UGA and 49ers RB) at a Georgia spring football game. He bounced right off of me (I weighed about 330 at the time). Never seen someone look so surprised.

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