Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?

[_Sir_Charles_]

Yep. Grade A player, Grade A jerk.

[cumberlandreds]

We're on the same page bounty. Early on, mine was Bench as well (for the Reds). But after meeting him at the ASG in Houston, he went down a whole bunch of notches for me. Politely asking him for an autograph "Mr Bench, could I please have your autograph?"...the response was "get the hell away from me kid." Broke my heart. I still appreciate him as a player and I still "like" him, but he's below just about every one of the great 8 on my list now.

That's the reason I have never really had any desire to meet him. Too many stories out there about him being a jerk to the fans when he doesn't need to be that way. I still like him as a ballplayer and Rose to for that matter. But neither are very good people for different reasons.

[OC_Red]

That's the reason I have never really had any desire to meet him. Too many stories out there about him being a jerk to the fans when he doesn't need to be that way. I still like him as a ballplayer and Rose to for that matter. But neither are very good people for different reasons.

If you haven't yet, follow Bench on twitter. It's good for a laugh now and then.

I'm pretty sure he drunk tweets occasionally. Either that, or he has no idea how to use a smartphone. I suppose that's just as likely now that I think about it...

[_Sir_Charles_]

That's the reason I have never really had any desire to meet him. Too many stories out there about him being a jerk to the fans when he doesn't need to be that way. I still like him as a ballplayer and Rose to for that matter. But neither are very good people for different reasons.

FWIW...I've met Rose on well over a half dozen occasions...and he's always been a great guy in person.

[OC_Red]

After the 16 inning meat grinder that was last night's game, this thread needs a bump.

[RedsBaron]

FWIW...I've met Rose on well over a half dozen occasions...and he's always been a great guy in person.

Rose and Bench seem to be so different as personalities. Both men are far from perfect of course, but Rose seems to be a much more outgoing person whereas Bench is more introspective. As a kid going to Crosley Field in the late 1960s I always found Rose to be more likely to sign autographs before a game, although both did sign for me in 1969.

[Always Red]

Rose always wanted to be loved, Bench is a more private person, and mostly wanted to be left alone and not bothered.

I've heard all the stories about Bench, and I do believe them. I had a chance at a private fundraiser a few years ago to talk with Bench for a few minutes with two friends, and he could not have been more charming. He calmly answered all of our stupid, fawning questions (we are all 50-55 and grew up watching him play) and learned that in his estimation, Wayne Simpson threw harder than anyone else he caught, among other things.

I realized later what the difference was- first, he was there to do just that, it was his job for the evening, if you will, and secondly, it was a no autograph session- there was no one asking him to sign anything. Ballplayers HATE when they sign for adults (for free) who turn around and flip that signature to make a buck.

[RedsBaron]

Ballplayers HATE when they sign for adults (for free) who turn around and flip that signature to make a buck.

I have always suspected that. My guess is that a lot of players may not mind to sign autogrpahs, maybe even for an adult, if they believe the autograph means something to the recipient and is something the recipient wants to keep, whereas the thought the recipient merely wants the signature to flip it for a buck without the player getting a cut drives some of them nuts.
I have asked for few celebrity autographs over the last several decades but when I have I have asked that it be personalized, because (1) it means more to me that way and (2) I hope the signer realizes that it makes it less likely to be flipped.

[Big Klu]

When I was 11, I was in an advanced English class in fifth grade. One of our assignments was to write to a famous person, and ask him some questions about his or her job, and also to ask for some sort of information (like a booklet, pamphlet, or photo) that we could share with the class. It was a small class, and there were only two boys--myself and one other guy. I decided to write to Johnny Bench, and the other guy wrote to Earle Bruce, who had just completed his second year as head coach at Ohio State. About a week later, the other kid got a big envelope from OSU with a program, an OSU course catalog, an autographed picture, and a hand-written letter from Coach Bruce answering all his questions, and thanking him for his interest in Ohio State. I got nothing. About six weeks later, I got an envelope from the Reds. I received a form letter in which my name had been written in ink in the salutation. The letter mentioned Bench's awards and accomplishments (which I already knew about, and which answered none of my questions), and was signed with a stamp of Johnny Bench's signature. I also received a blank postcard with a 5x7 black-and-white portrait-type photo of Johnny Bench from 1972, also stamped with Bench's signature. (This was in 1981.) Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

[westofyou]

When I was 11, I was in an advanced English class in fifth grade. One of our assignments was to write to a famous person, and ask him some questions about his or her job, and also to ask for some sort of information (like a booklet, pamphlet, or photo) that we could share with the class. It was a small class, and there were only two boys--myself and one other guy. I decided to write to Johnny Bench, and the other guy wrote to Earle Bruce, who had just completed his second year as head coach at Ohio State. About a week later, the other kid got a big envelope from OSU with a program, an OSU course catalog, an autographed picture, and a hand-written letter from Coach Bruce answering all his questions, and thanking him for his interest in Ohio State. I got nothing. About six weeks later, I got an envelope from the Reds. I received a form letter in which my name had been written in ink in the salutation. The letter mentioned Bench's awards and accomplishments (which I already knew about, and which answered none of my questions), and was signed with a stamp of Johnny Bench's signature. I also received a blank postcard with a 5x7 black-and-white portrait-type photo of Johnny Bench from 1972, also stamped with Bench's signature. (This was in 1981.) Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

That's sad... maybe this will make you feel better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKKQLJWcwBs

[bob jones]

I loved Bob Thurman, Brooks Lawrence and Dutch Dotterer!!

[tommycash]

Pete Rose was my first. Then it was Eric Davis and Bo Jackson. Eric because he was my favorite Red, but Bo was the man. I can't tell you how many card shows I went to as a little kid, just looking for anything Bo Jackson. I even watched the cartoon with Bo Jackson, Wayne Gretsky, and Jordan every Saturday.

[HokieRed]

I loved Bob Thurman, Brooks Lawrence and Dutch Dotterer!!

Me too, and I'd add George Crowe and Smoky Burgess from that era to my list.

[bob jones]

Jerry Lynch was a great pinch hitter as was Pete Whisenant