Autographs

I noticed a thread going on in the Classic forum, Thought I would cross pollinate the idea.

Who's autographs do you have in your collection?

My favorite is an issue of Top Gear magazine where they profiled the 2008 X-Games. I got Travis to sign it (he was a huge picture on the article title page listed as MR. X), and I got ACP to sign the picture of his car going endo at the big jump, he was a good sport about it too.)

I also have several ALMS drivers, many IRL drivers, and a Gone in 60 Seconds movie poster signed by the cast.

My favorite of the ALMS drivers is Alan McNish...The diminutive Scot is a winner in my book.

Mr. Tony Kanaan, actually have a bunch of TK gear like ear buds, etc. The company my brother is a PM for is a minor sponsor of TK's team and a few years back his entire group got invited to Indy to hang out with TK and the gang in the pits. I've got some cool behind the scenes photos.

Got a limited edition print signed by Richard Petty, but thinking of getting rid of it (his anti-women in motorsports schtick kinda ticked me off).

Harry Gant signed a t-shirt of mine back when he was still racing.

Not racing related, but my personal favorite autograph is from Gordon Jump. Ran into him at a Sears store, had no idea he was going to be there signing autographs. I loved WKRP when I was a kid. He was a real nice guy in person.

maroon92 wrote: I noticed a thread going on in the Classic forum, Thought I would cross pollinate the idea. Who's autographs do you have in your collection? My favorite is an issue of Top Gear magazine where they profiled the 2008 X-Games. I got Travis to sign it (he was a huge picture on the article title page listed as MR. X), and I got ACP to sign the picture of his car going endo at the big jump, he was a good sport about it too.) I also have several ALMS drivers, many IRL drivers, and a Gone in 60 Seconds movie poster signed by the cast. My favorite of the ALMS drivers is Alan McNish...The diminutive Scot is a winner in my book.

I have self autographed a pair of underwear while trying to put an XR4Ti into a fence at a certain snowy rallycross.

In reply to John Brown:

Your real name is Skid Marx?

Rob Blake, Jason Cullimore, and Dwayne Roloson were on the ice (getting in a little pre-training camp shinny) before my summer hockey playoff game a few years ago. I lifted my son over the glass, and put him on the players bench where he hung out, and got all their autographs.

When I was an SCCA Corner Worker, we had a tradition of getting drivers to sign the back of our uniform shirts, and we'd then have embroidery done to make them permanent. I had most of the Trans-Am/GTP drivers of the 80s and 90s on a couple of them, but they've wondered off over the years (along with a photo of Lyn St.James kissing me on the cheek!)

Yeah, I'm stupid.

Pretty much all Ford folks. List includes Carroll Shelby, Bob Bondurant, Dale Jarret, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, John Force, Ashley Force. The NASCAR circus comes to town next week and I've got a chance to get Roush's sig. Hopefully when NHRA comes to town, I can get Connie Kalitta and possibly Bob Glidden.

I have never been an autograph collector. I have met many people that I would have gotten one if i did though.

Not a collector, but I have a few from sports. Bobby Hull a few times, Ron Santo a few times.

No automotive or racing related autographs.

John J. Dunphy and Hugh Lynn Cacey are the only autographs that I posess, only John's was written for me.

My pilots logbook has:

Joe Engle X-15, Space Shuttle STS-2

Gunther Rahl Luftwaffe fight pilot

Charles McGee Tuskegee Airman

Rich Grahm SR-71 pilot

Hal Weekly B-17 pilot

Tex Hill Flying Tiger

Richard Cole Co-pilot Doolittle Raider

It wasn't so much the acquisition of autographs, as it was to meet the men that are as close to heroes to me as anyone has ever gotten. Some of those men are no longer with us.

Not motorsport related, but I'm sure you all could relate.

I was 11 or so, and in an W-T-C tire shop on Sunrise highway in my home town, Bellmore, on Long island. I was sitting, waiting for my dad, who was getting tires for his 4-6-8 (that worked!) Eldo. Across from me was this old man, I saw him talking with people, etc. Once my dad came back to sit and wait with me, the old man came over and said something along the lines of "Do you know who I am?"

That part sounds pretty corny, but he turned out to be Francis Gabreski, The 5th best American ace in World War II, Also Ace during Korea (one of 7 to be Ace in two wars) and the highest ranked Ace alive at the time. Hell, a few miles east of that spot was the airport named after him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Gabreski

He had copys of an old black and white picture of his airplane, and he signed one for me. I still have it today.

To me, theres few who won't seem full of themselves just walk up and say "Do you know who I am?", especially none from our age, But he was one that could, I got a feeling he's earned the right...

I never got sports autographs... Great, you can hit a ball... Modern racers, too.

Old LeMans/GP drivers, sure.

Not much on autographs, but I once took a wiz next to Alex Zanardi in the head at Mid-Ohio.

Motorsports related: Phil Hill and Dan Gurney, Carroll Shelby book...some other posters that are still rolled up in tubes that I have no space to frame.

Destrade and Conine bat from the first season of the Marlins, Steve Thomas signed tool apron from Home Depot...and a complete VHS set of the Billy Jack movies signed by the man himself.

Don't really collect autographs (kinda feel like they should be able to focus on their job), but my son did get Schumi's autograph at a kart race last year. Neither he or I expected Schumi to sign his hat, so we both kinda stood there dumbfounded. My camera hanging around my neck and I forgot to take a picture! DOH!

-Rob

I've got a genuine Wally Dallenbach Rookie NASCAR postcard with the Keystone Light car. It was the first time my wife went to the Daytona 500, and Wally was so nice, pictures and everything. Then he gets on the track and all you hear is $^%*##@ over the radio. He was "Wally G.D. Dallenbach" in my house since then.

We did a Toyota motorsports show with our car along with the CART boys at the time,so I have the event poster with the sigs of Juan Montoya, Alan McNish, Alex Baron, and a few others whose names escape me at the moment.

A team photo signed by the entire C6.R GT1 set of drivers from 2006. Papis, Fellows, O'Connell, Gavin, Beretta and Magnussen.

I have Scott O'Grady's autograph (the fighter pilot who got shot down in the Gulf War and was rescued after being a POW). I got to meet him and listen to his stories when I was in the Civil Air Patrol.

I got Bob Hoover's autograph at Sun-N-Fun in Lakeland one year. He had just gotten done flying a routine, was covered in sweat, and I recognized him (as a little kid). He sat down and signed my book with a smile. Cool guy.

I have a bunch of drag racers and rally drivers and sprint car (the dirt ones with wings, not the infamous skittles in a toilet bowl ones) drivers as well.

My mother lives by Chuck Yeager, and I'd love to get his autograph to go next to Bob Hoover's.

I have a couple hundred or so. I live just a few miles from Michigan Intl. Speedway, and take a lot of photos at the track, so there are a lot of opportunities to get some nice 8 x 10's , books, or vintage programs autographed. Even better than the autograph, you get the opportunity to take a few minutes to speak with your heroes.

For example, on one IRL weekend I got Rick Mears, Gordon Johncock, Bobby Unser, Al Unser Sr., Johnny Rutherford, and AJ Foyt. I am a big Indy 500 fan, so a lot of others besides the ones I mentioned like Lloyd Ruby, Jaanet Guthrie, Lynn St James,Helio, Hornish, Franchitti, Danica, Weldon, Lazier, Marco, Mario, Dixon, Kanaan etc.

Ford had an awesome event at Greenfield Village in 2001 to celebrate their 100th anniversary in racing. At that one event I got different racing books in my collection signed by Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Carroll Shelby, Jackie Stewart, Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, and the Wood Brothers.

As far as NASCAR goes, most of the all time greats like Richard Petty, Rex White, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliott, Ken Schrader, Tony Stewart, and many of the other current drivers as well. I got to meet Richard Petty one time at an airport when we were on the same flight and the plane was delayed; spoke with him and his wife for 20 minutes or so.

Then dozens of retired and active short track sprint and stock cars stars as well. I actually don't really go out of my way to get autographs at the track ; if there is an opportunity to get one of my favorites at an appearance or something, I will take something cool with me, but I'm not out there trying to chase them down like many fans I see at MIS.

On my helmet: Mario, Michael, John Andretti, Andy Lally, Butch Leitzinger, Andy Wallace, Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela, Alan McNish, Rob Dyson, Marino Franchitti, Dario Franchitti, James Weaver, Boris Said, and some others... i need to see...

Maurice "The Rocket" Richard

Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard

Jean Beliveau

Guy Lafleur

Gordie Howe

Alex Delvecchio

Johnny Bower

Marcel Dionne

Bobby Hull

Bob Nystrom

George Chuvalo

Scott Pruett

A.J. Foyt

Bobby Allison

Davey Allison

Robby Gordon

Greg Moore

Alex Tagliani

Rick Mears

Jaques Villeneuve Sr.

Paul Gentilozzi

Not a bad combo of hockey, boxing and motorsport !!!

Warren

bootsy collins
colin winkelman (R.I.P)
Tony Hawk

P71 wrote: I have Scott O'Grady's autograph (the fighter pilot who got shot down in the Gulf War and was rescued after being a POW). I got to meet him and listen to his stories when I was in the Civil Air Patrol. I got Bob Hoover's autograph at Sun-N-Fun in Lakeland one year. He had just gotten done flying a routine, was covered in sweat, and I recognized him (as a little kid). He sat down and signed my book with a smile. Cool guy. I have a bunch of drag racers and rally drivers and sprint car (the dirt ones with wings, not the infamous skittles in a toilet bowl ones) drivers as well. My mother lives by Chuck Yeager, and I'd love to get his autograph to go next to Bob Hoover's.

Scott O' Grady was shot down over Kosovo, and never a POW...unless he was shot down twice and I missed it.

I don't collect autographs anymore, but I used to. My favorite one is Alan Kulwicki, but I also have Richard Petty, Mark Martin, and Ernie Irvan. I mailed Dale Sr. a card to sign once, and got it back with a sticker on it that said "Unauthorized and illegal merchandise"--seriously--and a note saying Dale wouldn't sign that brand of card.

I also have a few baseball ones like Nolan Ryan, Kirk Gibson, Brett Saberhagen and Steve Sax.