Look what I found in the closet.

[mookydooky]

I don't know if you can make out the signature from the bad photo, but it's one of only 2 autographed baseballs I have. I got this one in 1991 at a baseball card show where he was appearing. He signed it in front of me. That basically means I don't have a certificate of authenticity, but believe me, it's genuine.

EDIT: My memory seems to be going haywire. I checked my calendar and I went to the card show in '89.

[Staz]

OK, Whose signature is it?

[LutaWicasa]

Originally Posted by Staz

OK, Whose signature is it?

That's "Mr. Coffee"..........Joltin' Joe

[Daniel ~]

So Mooky's showing us his treasures! That must have been one heck of a day for you back in 89! ":O}

[mookydooky]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

So Mooky's showing us his treasures! That must have been one heck of a day for you back in 89! ":O}

It was a very good day. It was during the springtime and the weather was very nice in Atlantic City. Joe kind of smudged the first ball I gave him and he was very nice and offered to do it over. That's why his signature is so clean on this particular ball and right on the sweet spot.

Much later on, Joe must have been short on cash and the memorabilia craze was in full swing. I hear in the late 90's, getting him to sign a ball cost something like $200.

I've always been as baseball fan. When I was a kid, my grandfather used to tell me stories of when he used to be on his college team, one of the first in Korea. It didn't help that my dad was also a baseball fan. He used to take my brother and me to Cubs games in Wrigley Field when we were kids. Lately, my mother is even into it. She lives in Atlanta and goes out to Turner Field whenever she can get her sisters to go with her. My favorite movies are all about baseball; The Natural, Pride of the Yankees, Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, I even like Major League and Mr. Baseball. Naturally, my older son is also beginning to develop a fondness for baseball. He actually sat through a sitting of Major League. I occasionally take him out to a batting cage, and he loves it. He's small, but he can whack the ball. Probably better than his old man.

[Daniel ~]

All favorite movies of mine as well. Me,... I'm just a big fan of family traditions kept alive in the hearts of each generation. Something increasingly harder to do in the modern world. Well done Mooky!

[Southern Man]

One you forgot to mention and one of my Favs. is "A League of Their Own". What a cast. And a great look at a moment in history when all of the men were off at war. Geena Davis is such a Babe !!!!

Cast & Role

Tom Hanks - Jimmy Dugan
Geena Davis - Dottie Hinson
Lori Petty - Kit Keller
Madonna - Mae Mordabito
Rosie O'Donnell - Doris Murphy
Megan Cavanagh - Marla Hooch
Tracy Reiner - Betty Horn
Bitty Schram - Evelyn Gardner

Crew & Credit

Penny Marshall - Director
Elliot Abbott - Producer
Robert Greenhut - Producer
Miroslav Ondricek - Director of Photography
Penny Marshall - Executive Producer

[Critical Bill]

That was a good movie

[Staz]

I used to get to go to all the Tuesday night home games when growing up. On Tuesday night home games it would cost $5 to take the bus to Candlestick Park, an outfield seat, and the bus ride back home. Those were good times. Especially when the Giants were hosting the Dodgers. It was always packed for a Giants Dodgers game, and the bus ride home was either a blast or very somber depending on the outcome.

I always dreamed of catching a Willie McCovey HR. Never did though. The old man caught a Vida Blue HR once (wel lunged for it and came out of the pile with it, as it hit an empty section of bleachers). We waited after the game and got it signed. We missed the bus and had to take a cab home. I wonder if my step dad still has that ball.