My HOF Induction Weekend

[ElToro75]

Just got back from my annual pilgrimage to Cooperstown, and hear are a few highlights

Added to my HOF autographed ball collection, missed Musial as he was ill and didn't make the trip (He's the oldest living HOF player I don't have). It's great to be able to see them sign and interact with some of them. Most are very nice and none are rude. Willie Mays has a reputation for it, but when I got his autograph a few years back he was very nice and even had a sense of humor. He signs for the guy infront of me and he asks for a certificate of authenticity. Willie looks at him and says "What, you don't think I"m Willie Mays?" then chuckles. He even let me shoot video of him signing for me (they don't allow photos b/c of his eyes).

Saw Hank Aaron while he was getting his escorted/guided tour of the Hall. He wasn't signing at all, but it was pretty cool to finally see him up close. My friend was at the elevator when Hank got off and he really got to see him up close.

Small crowd this year, smallest in recent memory, which was nice b/c I didn't go into the Hall last year since it was extremely crowded for Cal & Tony.

My buddy and I won more beer then we could drink at pool Saturday night. We ended up giving out beers to people we were talking with. :beerchug1:

And for the highlight of my weekend...Cal Ripken signing my Orioles jersey before he made his trip into the Hall Saturday night! Every Saturday night of Induction Weekend the HOF'ers all take a private tour of the hall (I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one) and they announce each member as they walk in.

Most just wave to the crowd and walk in but typical Cal, he stops to sign autographs. The crowd is loving it and chanting for him. He works his way around the crowd making sure he hits each major part of the crowd lined up in a wide U.

He starts walking right towards me and since I'm in the front of the crowd with my Orioles away jersey (no name on the back thankfully) he stops right in front of me. My friend hands me his sharpie and Cal signs right above the O in the Orioles logo! I ask him to sign my friends O's hat and he does that as well. He signed a few more autographs and finally walked into the Hall. What a class act! He probably ended up signing for about 60+ lucky fans.

If you read this board Cal, thank you.

[hoosiers]

I am still in a great mood from going to Cooperstown this weekend as well. Since I had a ball signed by eight HoFers last year, I've had the bug to add more. We went again this weekend since it appeared it would not be well attended and since the older, high quality HoFers like Feller, Berra and Whitey Ford would be there.

I took the family and we spent Friday in Saratoga Springs, NY. It's a nice, well-kept town that was celebrating the opening of racing season at the Saratoga track - called "Hats Off" weekend, I believe. We caught a few races and the kids liked watching the horses. The center of town has a beautiful park with one of the oldest man-made carousels around. There were live bands playing for free outside. Very nice.

We spent Sunday about 45 minutes from Cooperstown at Howe Caverns - an underground cave site similar to Luray Caverns in Virginia. We also visited a nearby Iroquis Indian museum and, finally, to complete the kids' only request when I asked if they would go to Cooperstown again, went to play miniature golf. There was also go-cart racing which the kids loved also.

The main event for me was Saturday was in Cooperstown. The crowd was so little that there were no streets closed off. In fact, there may not have been more than 1,000-2,000 autograph seekers. I do not believe I ever saw more than 250 people at the Tunnifcliff in where most HoFers sign and I do not believe I saw more than 100 people at any other signing venue at a time.

Among the highlights ....

- adding five HoFs to last year's ball.

- having my daughter ask for a picture and extra autograph from Joe Morgan - who agreed.

- talking with Bob Feller at the end of the day. He had signed at two other venues and was available most of the day so there was no line when we got to him. He was very nice posing for pictures, shaking hands, just enjoying the day. He was great.

- showing Whitey Ford a ticket stub to a minor league game that he signed for me in 1993 and I carry in my wallet. I thought he would laugh at it, but then he took it out of my hand, said the autograph was fading and that it needed to be replaced by a better signature - so he signed it again.

- going in to see Wille Mays. I paid more last year for his signature, but since potential high $ HoFers like Aaron and Ripken were not signing and since Musial was not around, I paid for Willie Mays for the second year in a row. Getting in to see Willie is part of a controlled process. He has about five or six handlers and they only let one autograph seeker in at a time to see him. He does take a good 10-15 seconds to make sure he provides a quality autograph, but there are no photographs and the aptmosphere is much more business-like than with other HoFers - who are generally very friendly and accomodating. I took my oldest daughter, soon to be 8, and my two year old son with me. Well, Willie signed the ball I gave him and he saw my two year old son and held out his hand across the desk to shake it. I guess Willie did not realize Ari had a ball in his hands because Ari jumped up and slammed the ball into Willie's hand. Willie took the ball, straightened up, and provide another signature on my son's ball free of charge as I was given two CoAs on the way out. It was a tremendous gesture.

I do not expect the family to go back next year so I may have to take a break for a year or two, but there is no such thing as a bad trip to Cooperstown - I've been three times now and it is a magical place.

[ElToro75]

Cool deal, sounds like you had quite a memorable experience as well. I definitely agree that there is no such thing as a bad trip there.

I may have to pick your brain about some of the non-baseball related things later down the road.

Two for one Willie Mays, you lucky dog!!! Again, goes to show that he's not as bad as some make him out to be.

I added 6 HOF'er to my autograph collection, and now have 9 of the top 10 living HOF players and 20+ HOF signatures total now.

Bummer you can't make next year, Rickey will make for an interesting ceremony next year.

[cindyluvsbrady]

Just got back from my annual pilgrimage to Cooperstown, and hear are a few highlights

Added to my HOF autographed ball collection, missed Musial as he was ill and didn't make the trip (He's the oldest living HOF player I don't have). It's great to be able to see them sign and interact with some of them. Most are very nice and none are rude. Willie Mays has a reputation for it, but when I got his autograph a few years back he was very nice and even had a sense of humor. He signs for the guy infront of me and he asks for a certificate of authenticity. Willie looks at him and says "What, you don't think I"m Willie Mays?" then chuckles. He even let me shoot video of him signing for me (they don't allow photos b/c of his eyes).

Saw Hank Aaron while he was getting his escorted/guided tour of the Hall. He wasn't signing at all, but it was pretty cool to finally see him up close. My friend was at the elevator when Hank got off and he really got to see him up close.

Small crowd this year, smallest in recent memory, which was nice b/c I didn't go into the Hall last year since it was extremely crowded for Cal & Tony.

My buddy and I won more beer then we could drink at pool Saturday night. We ended up giving out beers to people we were talking with. :beerchug1:

And for the highlight of my weekend...Cal Ripken signing my Orioles jersey before he made his trip into the Hall Saturday night! Every Saturday night of Induction Weekend the HOF'ers all take a private tour of the hall (I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one) and they announce each member as they walk in.

Most just wave to the crowd and walk in but typical Cal, he stops to sign autographs. The crowd is loving it and chanting for him. He works his way around the crowd making sure he hits each major part of the crowd lined up in a wide U.

He starts walking right towards me and since I'm in the front of the crowd with my Orioles away jersey (no name on the back thankfully) he stops right in front of me. My friend hands me his sharpie and Cal signs right above the O in the Orioles logo! I ask him to sign my friends O's hat and he does that as well. He signed a few more autographs and finally walked into the Hall. What a class act! He probably ended up signing for about 60+ lucky fans.

If you read this board Cal, thank you.

WOW!!! you are VERY lucky to get all the CAL autographs!

I love Cooperstown and I loved seeing CAL get in last year!:clap3: