Athlete you've met

[zoneranger]

Who's the most famous athlete you've ever met,not at the game, but off the field? I once met Grant Jackson, (who was a relief pitcher for the Pirates at the time and ended up being the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 1979 World Series) while I was a gas station attendant... not too long after I got out of high school. (For you younger guys, this is when places hired gas attendants, who pumped gas, checked oil and tires, and washed the car's windshield ) He was a super nice guy.

[Lee.]

Thomas Steen, former captain of the Winnipeg Jets, is a part-owner in my employers' parent company...he's in the offices about three times a year, he always pops his head in to say hi  Helluva nice guy.

I met Bobby Hull when I was about 4 through the Junior Jets Booster Club...don't remember much...thinking back though, that's pretty close to meeting Royalty in Winnipeg...

Not an athlete, but I sat around and shot the :censored: with Aaron Barrett, lead singer & guitarist with Reel Big Fish when they played here in July '03.  We talked about guitars, music in general...and I asked him how he felt about having the venue downgraded from a 700+ capacity club to one just under 300... "Do Canadians not believe in advertising budgets?"

[CrookedThumb]

I go to a lot of Bucs autograph signings, but those probably don't count. About two summers ago, I went to Brad Johnson's football camp, and I actually had a few nice chats with him.

Also, my cousin (in-law) is former Pittsburgh Penguin, Kevin Stevens.

[Puckguy14]

I ran into Jeff Friesen (former Shark and current NJ Devil) at a grocery store which is halfway between the Shark Tank and San Jose State (where I was going to school at the time)

[habsfannova]

I will if you promise not to laugh.

John Kordic.

I saw him in Cape Breton when the OIlers were still there. Nice as all get out, wrists were frekin' huge. I was always a fan, of course until his sad passing.

[Thad]

when i was little and at a card show i saw joe namath, nice guy, bama man, besides his drinking problem, hes a pretty good guy

[sc49erfan15]

Once, after a Carolina Panthers Fan Day thingy (which is ironic because I despise the Panthers), I had got the autographs of a few Panthers players, including Fred Lane. After that, we stopped at an Exxon, lo and behold, there's Glen Rice and Bobby Phills buying gas. I got Rice and Phills to sign my paper with the Panthers autos on it, and somewhere I have that piece of Panthers stationery with the signatures of now-passed Lane and Phills. I find that interesting...

[slapshot]

I've seen a few here and there, mostly at hockey games.

Saw Bobby Orr just sitting in the stands. Only a few people approached him, most people just let him sit there quietly.

Kind of met Bill Lee at a card show, but he was busy talking to another guy.

As a kid, my roommate once beat up former Nashville Predators captain Tom Fitzgerald.

At Lowell LockMonsters hockey games, many former players are in the stands as scouts for other teams...Randy LaDouceur was there tonight.

[NJTank]

Ive met Rickey Hendersona nd got his autograph at a Newark Bears game.

In Fenruary 2002 the day Mets tickets went on sale I met and got the autographs of Keith Hernandez, Len Dykstra, and the late Tug McGraw.

My biggest names though came in October of 1998 as part of the College TV Production class I went to the opening of the Yogi Berra Musuem. I didnt get close to Yogi but I held a portable light on the late Larry Doby, and said a few words with the late Ted Williams.

[jkrdevil]

Back in 1994 I meet Ken Daneyko and he introduced me to Mark Messier. Unfortunatly being the little kid I was I refused to shake his hand because he had just beat my Devils. Worst thing I have ever done. Other than those to I have met a few Devils, when I was about that age my mom would let me miss school so I could go down to South Mountin (the Devils practice facility) and watch them pratcice. I got a few sticks signed and almost got one from Larry Robinson once.

[paynomind]

September 29, 2003 I was in Philips Arena for a season-ticket holders' Meet The Team event. We had snacks, sat around in the seats, and they brought all the players and coaches out, intros, etc. Then, they dismissed the players and in groups of about 5 or 6, they sat at tables around the arena.

The ice was covered in carpet, but the boards were up. At a table in the very center fo the ice, sat about seven players, including; Shawn McEachern, Slava Kozlov,   ... and Dan Snyder.

I said hello to, and got autogrpahs from, all but 6 Thrashers that night, on my yellow practice jersey. After that night, it hangs in my home office and a suit hanger, untouched.

I noticed something about three or four of the players i spoke with, is that they really looked at you. JP Viger, Pasi Nurminen, one or two others. But what really stuck me that night was how Dan Snyder seemed to be having as much fun as the fans. How he really appreciated us being there. He was one fo the few who didn't say, "Here you go." He said, "Thanks."

2 1/2 hours after we left Philips Arena, Heatly crashed his Ferrari, injuring Dan Syder. He later died.

My friend and I made a sign that says "Get Snyder On The Cup" that is put up every single home game. Damn the Packers and their "destiny."  If things were right in this world, Dan Snyder's name would get on the cup this year.

[Joshawaggie]

I met Goldberg  

[Stampman]

Various members of the Calgary Stampeders lived in the neighbourhood I grew up in--but most of you probably wouldn't know the names.

I've also met former NHLer Morris Lukowich and his brother Ed who won the World Curling championship.

If wrestling counts--I've met various members of the Hart family, and Bad News Allen (or Brown--depending on where you know him from) and Chris Benoit.

[Phil]

I met Teemu Selanne at the airport two years after he broke the rookie scoring record. Got an autograph on my card of him on Jokerit of the Finnish league.

Met a bunch of Bombers, most notably 2002 CFL Most Outstanding Player Milt Stegall, who happens to be a super nice guy.

[Stampman]

Most of the CFL players I've met over the years--whether they were still playing, or retired, are among the nicest people I've ever met--and many, many, if not most of them are involved in their communities.

[CrookedThumb]

I forgot to add something.  When I was eight, I went to a Harlem Globetrotter's game.  My parents kept talking about this one basketball player, Meadowlark Lemon, who at first I haven't heard of.  I sat right next to one of the tunnels.  Before the game I had some cotton candy, and it got all over my face.  An older gentleman came out of the tunnel and was joking with me and pointing out all of the cotton candy that was on my face.  Then it was time to introduce the players.  The last person the PA intorduced was Mr. Lemon. When he ran onto the court, I was just blown away.  That was the guy who was joking around with me before the game.

[Roger Clemente]

Last year at the World Juniors here in Sydney, I met all the junior players who played for team USA including Patrick O'Sullivan, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Eric Nystrom, Ryan Whitney and Ryan Kesler.  I even got to stand at the entrance to the ice and punch fists with them as they went out onto the ice.

During the same week, my friend met Bobby Nystrom at the local supermarket buying food.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[zer0dotcom]

This topic seems kinda familiar.

I met Joe Newendyk (I can never ever spell his name right!) after teh Stars won the Cup in 99. I was only up front for a sec to get an autography, and I waited in line forever, but I wished him luck and he said thanks and it ment alot, which was pretty cool.

A year before that, my family went to the Maple Leafs open house at MLG, I met Ken Dryen (who knew my old man from years ago, defenetly cool) and pat Quinn, who in person is a giant of a man in person (or maybe I was just smaller when i met him...both were very friendly and i left a great impression on me

[Evan]

Well once I did meet Micheal King of the Milwaukee Wave (if your from here you'll know what im talking about). I actually meet him at a wedding reseption about 4 years ago. My dads friend was getting married and he was the Milwaukee Wave announcer for a while and i guess him and King where friends. It was pretty interesting talking to Micheal outside of a sports environment I mean out of all places a wedding isn't where I was expecting to meet him. Hes a cool guy though and has an awsome accent   .

[winters in buffalo]

Wasn't this a topic a few months ago?

Anyway, I've met a few pros, mostly through my old job. I got to talk with Dan Marino at a lunch we hosted a few years ago. Really nice guy.

I once set up a celebrity go-kart race with Terry Labonte. Met him breifly, but really didn't talk at all.

Last year, I was at a charity bowling event with the Buffalo Bills Alumni. Actually got to bowl 3 games with current & ex-Bills. Most notable were Pat Williams, Jim Kelly and Steve Tasker. Williams was a riot, and Tasker talked my ear off.

Other's I've met include Danny Gare, Don Luce (I know his wife), Joe DeLamielleure, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Fred Smerlas. A few others that I can't remember right now.

The most famous person I've ever met wasn't an athlete; it was Hillary Clinton.