Selling your own son's autograph to you?!?!

Interested in what
- His ad to you?
- Your nasty response to him?

Think about it

Either.

I think that is pretty said, I am sure he will most likely sell your email that you sent him in response when ED makes it big.

When the guys were signing autographs in Omaha, I was wondering how many of these would be on EBay and in sports shops. I was thinking to tell the guys to try to sign things only for the small kids that where there vs those guys who look like they would go out and sell the pictures, bats, and balls they were signing.

JBB ..

I think he was a jerk and I would agree 100% with sending a 'special' message to him. What gall !!!

Did you have any quick comebacks for him refering to the memorabilia you already head and offer him one of those signed baseballs for $300?

I keep wondering if I will keep getting surprised by things people will do ... and I keep getting surprised.

My opinion: What this sports memorabilia store owner is doing is sad. What is he thinking? But people do crazy things these days, and things seem to be getting crazier than ever. I would have blasted him too!!

Don't pay more than $250.

I am aware of some pro athletes that will only sign autographs for kids in an attempt to combat the memorability industry adults from exploiting their names. Apparently, some industry adults have hired kids to get the signatures so there does not seem to be a foolproof way to prevent exploitation. Other athletes have a one-item-per-person sign policy and are often reluctant to sign items that appear to have further resale value. In other words, for kids that seem to legitimately want the autograph (i.e., sign this piece of paper, sign my old beat up ball glove) they have no problem signing, for those that seem like it is a business, they sometimes refuse to sign. Sometimes, people who have hired children to gather signatures, try and discredit the athlete publicly if they deny the child an autograph. Sometimes it is a no-win situation for the athlete. Some athletes have become jaded, refuse to sign anything, and their public reputation often suffers because of it.

Who is exploiting who ? If you buy your $75 seat, spring for an overpriced snack or two, all in support of the millionaire players, how dare you expect to take home a momento. Unless of course you purchase it off the player's website. Please...be thankful someone wants your autograph.

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At least you have provenance for the base...

Wait until the autograph starts showing up on stuff you know he DIDN't sign...

...and they want to sell you that one...

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JBB, remember that you always want to take the high road when dealing with someone. Instead of getting to the point and saying what you might want to tell him, you might just want to say "Go thee forth, and procreate thyself." Isn't that a little more elegant way of saying the same thing?

Justbaseball,
Story sounds familiar. We passed on the base signed by all the players though.

As far as purchasing anything signed without authentication, let the buyer beware.

This is an interesting story, son got a packet of cards in the mail (about a dozen) asking for signatures because he was a "fan". One was signed the rest returned. Other requests from youngsters were signed and sent back. The player has to determine his priorities as well in determing what he will or will not sign. Signing at the ballpark is a lot different than mail requests with a dozen cards included.

One will often find a signed unauthenticated card (or other memorabilia)on ebay usually signed at spring training. The place is loaded with autograph seekers, and not because they want them for their own private collection.

Midlo Son actually got beseiged (along with all the other players) by little kids on the sideline after the 2007 Aflac game.

A week later, there were several autographed cards on E-Bay.

I guess it's nice they think it might be worth something! But it seems like a lame way to make money. A lot of work to get $10 here and there.

Son has a friend who is kinda obsessed with autographs. There is a website that hooks these people up from all over. They will come to an agreement about what who to get, number to get, etc and then go to the games. You get to keep an agreed upon number and send the rest back. We just go for the game. Son's friend is 13.

Plus his mom copyrights all the photos she takes at local games - that practice began in middle school.

To each their own.

I think it was great how the fans came to the practices and after the games in Omaha looking for autographs and pictures.

There were hundreds of fans who looked like they were just that and as the week continued, more and more showed up. It was fun watching the kids go from player to player looking for autographs and after the championship games; many of the kids were also looking for souvenirs like batting gloves and hats (some just taking them).

When Fresno got back home there was a parade and reception at the baseball field with thousands of fans in attendance, after which there was a huge autograph session for a set period of time.

It was sad to see many of the fans turned away not getting autographs due to some adults pushing their way into the front of the line, some of which obviously were going to sell them for their profit.

Every year, the team does a meet and greet day at a local mall, it will be pretty interesting to see what the turnout will be this year.

to each his own,i guess. i tell my son ,be happy that someone wants it. when you see it on e-bay you'll have a new hobby.

Justbaseball,

I would be so upset. We had four Aflac guys on our team this past Fall. I asked each one for a card and a signed baseball. I could never sell these as they we given as gifts plus the sentimental value is far greater than the money. The are sitting up in my office.

One day I saw a kid ask one of them for an autograph on his baseball. The first thing the kid said when we walked away was "I wonder how much I get get for the ball on eBay." The thing was the player wrote the kid's name on the ball. Can't sell it now!

What can you do? Money get the best of people sometimes.

i would be upset if they tried to sell my sons autograph to ME.

I can certainly understand being upset, but constructively, what can one do?

It is not illegal or unethical to ask someone for an autograph. Once the autograph has been obtained, it is not illegal or unethical to sell it. Perhaps the beef is them trying to sell it back to the parent of a player. If the signatures were obtained in a nefarious way, I would be livid as well. Who is the market for some item like this? I am guessing the best market is someone associated with the team. I doubt there is a market anywhere else frankly.

I'll make up an innocent hypothetical here for conversation sake. Maybe that base was auctioned off for charity or other purpose and the new owner just now happens to be the memorability guy. Is it a crime that he is now trying to resell it?

What can an athlete do (other than get upset) if they want to try and prevent this:

1) Refuse to sign (can hurt public persona)
2) Limit signings to kids (some adults will use kids for their businesses however)
3) Use common sense when signing (if it smells and walks like a duck, then don't sign)
4) Sign everything as life is too short to worry about people who abuse the system
5) Do the best you can to try and satisfy the public and let the hard feelings go.

Any other ideas?

An additional observation, for whatever it might be worth.
I remember seeing folks at MWL and FSL games who would hang around the dugouts before and after games, as well as Spring Training, with a sheet/sheets of paper on a clipboard. They would try and get guys to sign them.
Most would refuse and that led me to ask my son about it.
Our son learned to never sign a blank piece of paper. He would sign cards, baseballs, bats, etc. But he would not sign a blank sheet. The reason as was ID theft. Some players have signed a blank paper and later find their signature being forged Some of it was reportedly traced back to the signing on blank sheets from which the signature could be used.
So, there can be more to this than even the insult of being asked to purchase items your son has autographed.

I think many who sign autographs actually sign with different or illegible signatures to prevent forgeries.

IFD is correct, players are warned not to sign blank pieces of paper, and many will personalize autographs on purpose.
I recently saw that Khalil Greene's Clemson pants were on sale on ebay.
You learn to go with the flow. The guys know who is out for the autograph for a keepsake and others to make $$ off of them.
I understand where JBB is coming from.

I'll never understand the need to have an autograph that was given to someone else.


Now, I must confess that I did buy a card (not signed) of my son on ebay. I wasn't sure where else to find it since it was a promotional item. He said he wasn't given any. I thought it was a nice looking card.

On ebay the day after the Aflac game there was a ton of everything that was handed out at the game besides the three cards given to each fan. They are still offering these ducks for sale.
Some players autographed batting gloves and other paraphernalia which was soon for sale. It was quite an eyeopener.

MD, a few of those collectors got lucky and hit it big. I saw Tim Beckham's card and a couple others sell for over $100. There is a Beckham card right now at the "buy it now" discounted price of $499. If you want the whole set, apparently cobbled together through numerous individual purchases, you can get it for only $2K. I kinda like the promo cards better.

I'm curious, what items would you buy if your kid was featured on it?

I think they offered some whole sets of cards as drawing prizes at the Aflac game, so someone could've gotten one there. Also I think there was a silent auction at the dinner the night before.

Isn't it kind of weird that you have to buy your own kids bb card on ebay. That he wasn't given any - who did AFLAC give them to as promotional items? Seems like the player should have at least been give one or two for the scrapbook. Why did they go straight to ebay and who do you think sent them there?

Next, I was at a home tour last spring. Very lavish homes were open to tour for charity.

One home had the most awesome sports themed game room. Signed Jerseys, balls, gloves, clubs, photos, everything you can think of. Very impressive and a really fun room, no doubt Big Fun takes place there.

Upon a closer look, it was obvious that everything as a fake.

Say it was a Joe Montana Jersey , it was signed something like "For Cameron"

"All the best,
Joe" Never said Montana.

Balls that were signed you could not make out the signature, but might have #2 with a scribble on a ball that had Yankees on it.

You get the picture. It was all made up to create an illusion of a Memorbilia room.
Not one thing offered authentication.

What do you make of this? Ok as a room design, or a no-no?

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
I think they offered some whole sets of cards as drawing prizes at the Aflac game, so someone could've gotten one there. Also I think there was a silent auction at the dinner the night before.

Oh, man. If they did have a drawing, I hope they didn't call my number for the whole set. I missed that one. My #2 son hovered and paced and checked the bid list many times the night of the auction to ensure he won the un-cut sheets of signed cards. Of course, all that money went to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.

iheart, that might be OK for a room design. But, I sure wouldn't put stuff up there that was autographed for someone else. Nor would I have displayed anything of value where the public is rambling through as in the case you cited.

Regarding the cards, he was given 100-150 of the original ones which he signed and gave out at the game and afterwards. I don't know about the promo item, though. When I initially asked him about it, he thought it may have been a fake. He didn't know anything about it. Another parent told me they were promised last fall and were slow to finally arrive. I think that guy got some from the promotion company. Son may have eventualy received some, but I didn't bring it up with him again.

I had to buy some of sons cards on ebay... the best autographs I have are the mothers day cards... which he always signed his full name and baseball #..... ....

quote:

Originally posted by iheartbb:
Isn't it kind of weird that you have to buy your own kids bb card on ebay. That he wasn't given any - who did AFLAC give them to as promotional items? Seems like the player should have at least been give one or two for the scrapbook. Why did they go straight to ebay and who do you think sent them there?

Actually AFLAC did give each player a box of 100 of their own cards. The players traded cards with each other so each could have a signed card as a keepsake.

On the autograph topic, I was surprised how many people sent mail to our house after the event asking for signed AFLAC cards. Some had very compelling hand written notes saying how much it would mean to them to have an autographed baseball card... the skeptic in me was asking myself, what kid cares about an 18 year old high school baseball player that hadn't even been drafted yet? (and what kid sends a self addressed stamped envelope )

Oh well, in the scope of things, I guess worse things could happen. Asking for a kids autograph is a heck of a lot better than someone asking for his fingerprints

Maybe a wad of his used chewing gum?

It could be authenticated through dental records.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
Maybe a wad of his used chewing gum?

Sadly...

...was outbid on Ebay in my attempt to purchase Tiger Woods used apple core from the recent US Open...

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