OT: Your one piece of prized sports memorabilia

[Jaydumo20]

Pretty recent one but I'm quite fond of my piece of Gampel mini court

That is such a great piece. I wish I had that. Can I have that?

 

[Jaydumo20]

My most-important-to-me "piece" of memorabilia is a memory of an experience, not a physical object.

Gotta go into the Wayback Machine... (Long story, btw)

It starts with my having watched Jason Kidd play in-person MANY times at his high school (St. Joe's, Alameda, CA), including his very first game as a freshman. For that game, a few people going in had heard about this freshman who was supposed to be fantastic, but the real draw was Calvin Byrd, a 6'5" All-American senior who had signed with Villanova. He was the subject of all the talk as we went in... Jason was ALL the talk leaving the game!

I saw some 70 Jason games in person over the next 4 seasons, the last two of which tiny St. Joe's won the Division 1 State Championship. During that time, I had talked to him a little bit here and there, but not much...

So he went on to Cal-Berzerkeley, where he starred for two seasons before he entered the NBA Draft, where he was grabbed by Dallas.

That December, I moved to Portland, and happened to see that Dallas was coming to play the Blazers in just a couple of weeks. I went to Ticketmaster and luckily landed a ticket on the baseline, just four rows up.

So, I decided to do what the autograph seekers do, showing up at the back entrance WAY early. While waiting for the door to open, a bunch of kids with programs, pens, etc. showed up... They looked at me (age 37 at the time, and without anything to sign), and one asked, "What are YOU doing here, old man?".

I told the gang that I had watched Jason play tons of times at his high school and just wanted to say hi to him, congratulate for making the League, etc.

Of course, the kids didn't believe me, laughed in my face... I insisted, said I'd even talked to him a little...

One of the kids asked, "Okay, you think he'll know you?"

I answered, "Maybe, maybe not. It's been a couple years and he's met a lot of people since I talked to him."

This back and forth went on until the doors opened... Everyone rushed to the corner of the floor where the players leave the locker room, and I joined them.

Eventually, the players started coming out, Jason being the obvious center of the autograph hounds, all reaching out and trying to get J's attention and sign their goodies. Jason shuffled along, signing without saying much, hardly looking at what he was signing.

Finally Jason got to where I was. I just stuck my hand out for a shake, and said, "Hey, how you liking the bigtime!?"

Jason saw my hand, heard my voice... He looked up, and with a look of surprise, blurted out, "Hey! What are YOU doing here?"

I told him I had just moved, ran across a ticket, and came to see him play... We exchanged some small talk for like 2 or 3 minutes before he said, Okay, I gotta go get ready," and jogged to the bench.


Okay, that was the set-up, now HERE is the memory!

I turned and started back into the main arena... and there were all these kids with eyes VERY vide and obvious shock on their faces!

I think one said something to the effect of "Man! You REALLY know Jason Kidd!! OMG!!"

I could have pushed the front kid lightly in the chest and watched 'em all fall like bowling pins (I didn't).

Anyway, to me that sort of memory beats ANY autograph or pic...

That's a pretty cool thing to happen. Good story

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I’m not a “stuff” guy, but I caught a puck during the UConn men’s hockey season circa 2005ish. Its got the game-used scuff marks and everything.

 

[Travelman6]

Don't collect a heck of a lot but I caught not one but two foul balls once in a minor league game, somewhere up in the attic. Lost an autographed Travis Knight jersey years ago.

 

[WillB4]

Pic of left field facade I took in September before the redo, piece of championship floor, Joe DiMaggio autograph and ticket stub from Righetti no hitter

 

[IllinoisHuskie]

Autographed Hank Aaron baseball

 

[willie99]

Maris 61
Ray Ray signed poster
Jim Calhoun Bobblehead from the 90's
The coasters I bought on this site in 2023
A poster with all the mascots going back to the sock puppet
Jonathan cutting down the net bobblehead from 2023
Dual Waterford Crystal Championship Basketballs from 2014

 

[Jaydumo20]

Maris 61
Ray Ray signed poster
Jim Calhoun Bobblehead from the 90's
The coasters I bought on this site in 2023
A poster with all the mascots going back to the sock puppet
Jonathan cutting down the net bobblehead from 2023
Dual Waterford Crystal Championship Basketballs from 2014

Do you have a picture of that poster you can post?

 

[AidanFan20]

Talk of this stuff makes me think of a sportsbar I ran across in the Palm Springs area... Two things there stood out. One was a huge picture of Candlestick Park in SF, left field stands... Looked strange, only a few dozen people there, and they were all looking around rather than at the field. Then I saw the plaque on the frame. "Candlestick Park, Oct. 17, 1989, 5:04 pm". Yup, right after the Loma Prieta earthquake.

The other was a piece of the old Fenway Park Green Monster, from when the wall was rebuilt years ago. Looks like it had been restored, or maybe it was fake, now that I think of it... They even left a glove there so that pictures could be taken as you pretend to catch a fly ball in front of it. Like I said, maybe that's fake, but the Candlestick photo is definitely NOT.

 

[Omahabound]

Great thread

 

[Viet Vet]

I have a Christmas card signed by Digger Phelps. I played on the first college team he coached (Penn Frosh 1966-1967). Even after he left Penn and Fordham to coach at Notre Dame he sent Christmas cards to all his former players, including his Penn freshman squads.

It’s been 57 years since I played for him, and I’ll always cherish his gracious gesture.

 

[willie99]

Do you have a picture of that poster you can post?

Sure, tomorrow when I'm in the office

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Autographed Hank Aaron baseball

Was going to say that also. I met him at a Steiner Sports event in Port Chester a long time ago and got a signed ball. His hand pretty much engulfed mine when we shook hands.

 

[78AlwaysHappy]

It might be a fraudulent item, but I have a signed basketball from Syracuse’s second National Championship.

 

[nomar]

It might be a fraudulent item, but I have a signed basketball from Syracuse’s second National Championship.

You have a signed basketball from the 1926 Helms Trophy winners? Wow it’s really hard to get a Whitey McWhiterson sig.

 

[ryan214]

Decided to go with a few of my more unique/odd pieces. My Jim Calhoun Holiday Buck and a chocolate lollipop from the Geno Auriemma roast.

 

[Burt]

A home run leaders bat signed by Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, a Mickey Mantle signed lithograph, a Dan Marino signed football and an 11x14 Michael Jordan action shot auto....too hard to choose one

 

[SoFla Steve]

I don't keep a lot of this kind of stuff. In fact, a few years ago I threw out a bunch of those spiral bound UConn yearbooks. I guess I regret doing that but they did take up a lot of room. I bought one every year.

I still have my Gampel opening night stuff including the free poster. Being there for Gampel game no. 1 was special.

 

[willie99]

Do you have a picture of that poster you can post?

 

[willie99]

^^^^^

Tough for me to get a good picture without reflections on a bright day

 

[Jaydumo20]

^^^^^

Tough for me to get a good picture without reflections on a bright day

Love it!

 

[Calhoun's Court]

My 1999 National Championship Locker Room hat signed by Jim Calhoun at the Travelers Pro- AM day(in 1999).
To me it is priceless.

 

[dvegas]

Only thing that comes close is ticket stub from the game, stub from BET 1996 final a distant 3rd...

 

[Jaydumo20]

Only thing that comes close is ticket stub from the game, stub from BET 1996 final a distant 3rd... View attachment 100738

That's pretty kick ass

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I've got a few that totally rock, and narrowing them to only one is impossible.

So here's two. First, bats signed by Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski, and Ted Williams. Red Sox left field for 50 years.

And this one, a Charlestown Chiefs jersey signed by the Hansen's.

Bonus item: the hockey stick above is game-used and signed by Bobby Orr.