Saturday, May 31, 2014

Brian Carpenter

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Brian signed a 1993 Classic Best card #129.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=carpen002bri

Friday, May 30, 2014

John Kruk

I met him at Carpenter Complex, the Philadelphia Phillies spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida.

John signed the back of the September 1992 issue of Beckett Baseball Card Monthly.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/krukjo01.shtml

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Wes Chamberlain

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, while he was on a rehab assignment.

Wes signed a 1993 Upper Deck card #267.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chambwe01.shtml

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Ron Ollison

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994.

Ron signed a 1992 Fleer Pro Cards card #2064.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=olliso001ron

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Brian Rupp

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Brian signed a 1994 Fleer Excel card #274.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=rupp--001bri

Monday, May 26, 2014

Sean Lowe

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Sean signed a 1993 Classic Best card #244.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lowese01.shtml

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Kirk Bullinger

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Kirk signed a 1994 Fleer Excel card #262.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bulliki01.shtml

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Jose Velez

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Jose signed a 1991 Classic Best card #208.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=velez-001jos

Friday, May 23, 2014

Ice Cube

On June 6, 2013, The Kings of the Mic Tour (LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul) performed at The Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The weather was absolutely horrible on this day with heavy rain and strong winds. That didn't stop me from arriving at the theater at 11am that morning (completely soaked), hoping I'd get the chance to meet the artists as they showed up for sound checks.
At around 12:30, shortly after the weather had cleared up, I saw Ice Cube's tour bus park in front of the Hilton Hotel across the street from the theater. I walked over there hoping to see if he was on there. The driver came off first and I asked him if Cube was on board, he just smiled and said, "naw." I didn't really believe him, so I hung around in that general area just in case. About 15 minutes later Cube emerged from the bus and headed toward the hotel. I caught up with him and asked him to sign my CD. He was really cool. I even got to tell him how much I enjoyed his appearances on my favorite radio show, The Ron & Fez Show, which he immediately recognized and said he enjoyed doing.
Unfortunately, my picture opportunity with Cube didn't turn out so well. The guy he asked to take our pic really couldn't figure out how to use my phone. It took multiple times. At one point Cube grabbed my phone and showed him how to do it. This picture is the result. I'm not complaining, this was one of my all-time favorite celebrity meetings, so the "bad" picture just adds another memory to this memorable day.

Ice Cube signed the front cover of the Kill at Will CD.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Basil Shabazz

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Basil signed a 1994 Upper Deck Minor League card #244.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=shabaz001bas

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Mike Busby

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Petersburg Cardinals came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Mike signed a 1994 Fleer Excel card #263.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/busbymi01.shtml

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Dominic DeSantis

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994.

Dominic signed a 1993 Fleer Pro Cards card #2678.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=desant001dom

Monday, May 19, 2014

Wayne Gomes

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994.

Wayne signed a 1993 Classic Four Sport Draft Picks card #264.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gomeswa01.shtml

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Alan Burke

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994.

Alan signed a 1994 Fleer Excel card #244.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=burke-001ala

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Kraig Hawkins

I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Kraig signed a 1994 Fleer Excel card #104.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=hawkin002lar

Friday, May 16, 2014

Doc Gooden

I met him at a free autograph signing at Sports Unlimited in Largo, Florida.

Doc signed an 8x10 photo.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goodedw01.shtml

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Luis Brito

I met him at a Minor League Clearwater Phillies game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994.

Luis signed a 1992 Fleer Pro Cards card #2061.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=brito-001lui

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Derek Jeter


I met him at a Minor League game at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the Tampa Yankees came to play the Clearwater Phillies.

Derek signed a 1994 Upper Deck Minor League card #185.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeterde01.shtml

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Lonell Roberts

I met him at a Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays game at Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin, Florida in 1994.

Lonell signed a 1991 Classic Best card #99.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=robert001lon

Monday, May 12, 2014

Jose Silva

I met him at a Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays game at Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin, Florida in 1994.

Jose signed a 1994 Upper Deck Minor League card #50.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/silvajo01.shtml

Sunday, May 11, 2014

D.J. Boston


I met him at a Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays game at Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin, Florida in 1994.

Just a few weeks prior I had gotten his brother, Daryl's autograph at the same stadium.

D.J. signed a 1994 Upper Deck Minor League card #120.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=boston001don

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Ralph "Rocket" Wheeler


I met him at a Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays game at Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin, Florida in 1994, when he was the hitting coach for the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Rocket signed a 1990 CMC card #676.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=wheele001ral

Friday, May 9, 2014

Mike Awesome

I met him before an ECW show at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 27, 2000.

Mike signed a page out of an issue of World of Wrestling magazine.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Ray Lankford

During the final week of the 1994 spring training season, I won a radio contest on The Ron & Ron Show. The prize was a round trip flight to Cincinnati, Ohio to see the opening game of the 1994 baseball season between the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds.
The cool thing about seeing the Cardinals play was that I had just seen them 2 days prior in a spring training game, so as I was collecting autographs, I was telling them that I would be in Cincinnati to see them again.
Ironically, the hotel I was staying in was directly across the street from where the Cardinals were staying. It was great wandering around and having Cardinals players recognizing me and congratulating me on winning the radio contest.
Tom Urbani, a pitcher for the Cardinals, offered me his complimentary tickets in case the tickets I won weren't good enough. I ended up taking him up on his offer as the seats I had were in centerfield, his were behind home plate.
I wasn't planning on getting any autographs but there were still some players I had never gotten. The hotel had a gift shop and was selling Cardinals team sets, so I bought one along with a new Sharpie.
I met Ray outside the hotel.

Ray signed a 1993 Topps card #386.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lankfra01.shtml

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Jose Oquendo

During the final week of the 1994 spring training season, I won a radio contest on The Ron & Ron Show. The prize was a round trip flight to Cincinnati, Ohio to see the opening game of the 1994 baseball season between the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds.
The cool thing about seeing the Cardinals play was that I had just seen them 2 days prior in a spring training game, so as I was collecting autographs, I was telling them that I would be in Cincinnati to see them again.
Ironically, the hotel I was staying in was directly across the street from where the Cardinals were staying. It was great wandering around and having Cardinals players recognizing me and congratulating me on winning the radio contest.
Tom Urbani, a pitcher for the Cardinals, offered me his complimentary tickets in case the tickets I won weren't good enough. I ended up taking him up on his offer as the seats I had were in centerfield, his were behind home plate.
I wasn't planning on getting any autographs but there were still some players I had never gotten. The hotel had a gift shop and was selling Cardinals team sets, so I bought one along with a new Sharpie.
I met Jose in the lobby of the hotel.

Jose signed a 1993 Topps card #535.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oquenjo01.shtml

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Geronimo Peña

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Louis Cardinals came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Geronimo signed a 1992 Topps Stadium Club card #466.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/penage01.shtml

Monday, May 5, 2014

Gerald Perry

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Louis Cardinals came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Gerald signed a 1992 Topps Stadium Club card #338.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perryge01.shtml

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Joe Torre

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Louis Cardinals, whom he was managing, came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Joe signed a 1993 Ted Williams card #93.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/torrejo01.shtml

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Rheal Cormier

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Louis Cardinals came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Rheal signed a 1992 Topps Stadium Club card #506.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cormirh01.shtml

Friday, May 2, 2014

Ozzie Smith

I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, when the St. Louis Cardinals came to play the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training game.

Ozzie signed the cover of the February 1992 issue of Beckett Baseball Card Monthly.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithoz01.shtml

Thursday, May 1, 2014

John Cerutti


I met him at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater, Florida in 1994, as he was heading to the broadcast booth to call a spring training game between the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies.

John signed a 1990 Upper Deck card #116.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cerutjo01.shtml