Another one for me was Wade Boggs. It was September 2nd, 1981 and it was the last day of the International League season. Not a lot of people were in the ballpark that early at Silver Stadium even though it was a really nice day.
As I mentioned in the first post, the visiting clubhouse was down the first base line and underneath the stands. I'm standing near the dugout on the first base side just waiting for someone to come out. The only people out on the field were groundskeepers*. I was just about to leave to get myself a cold one - yep, a Coke with plenty of ice. But then I saw a ballplayer walking slowly in my direction. It was Boggs, the 1981 International League batting champion.
Well, young Y4L put his Red Sox hating ways on pause and asked Wade Boggs for an autograph. I got it and we ended up talking for about ten minutes before he had to get ready for the game. It was a pleasure. And then fifteen years later he rode on a horse to celebrate the Yankees 1996 championship. Every time the YES network shows that clip it reminds me of the time back in Silver Stadium when I got his autograph.
Other people that I got were Ken Boyer and Frank Robinson, both former players who managed the Triple A Red Wings.
* One time I even got the head groundscrew man to sign my book because when I was a little kid I thought he was the one who owned all the baseballs and I kept on asking him for one.