Finally met Chipper

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 09:30 AM

Yesterday was a pretty big day for me and collecting. Even though I have been less active in the hobby lately, I did finally meet one of my childhood heroes and my only PC guy- Chipper Jones.

Chipper made an appearance on Saturday and Sunday at the Buckmasters Hunting Expo with the Major League Bowhunter booth in Montgomery, AL. I was not aware until I saw people posting pictures on Facebook from Saturday night, so I made plans to be there on Sunday.

When we (My parents, who are also huge fans, and myself) made it to his booth, there were about 30 people in line to get his autograph. I had taken: a Majestic jersey, a 2012 Chipper retirement baseball, and my favorite childhood card (2001 Topps Fusion Bowmans Best Refractor). I was assuming that each person could have one item signed, but when we made it to the line we saw that the rules were if you bought an item from their booth, Chipper would sign THREE ITEMS PER PERSON. Luckily, my dad brought a bat that we had some of the Braves sign at Spring Training in 2004, I was wearing a Braves hat, and we could have him sign the items we bought from his booth.

I bought a hat, my parents bought a couple of shirts and we got our 9 items signed and had a short conversation with chipper and got a couple of pictures. We told him a short story of when I chased his car on the street behind Turner Field when I was around 5, he laughed and was just overall cool to us. He was very nice and it was a great experience for me and my parents.

Here are some pics of the main items I got for my PC:

Majestic Chipper Jersey

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2012 Retirement Ball

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Chipper Jones Official Bat (He even numbered the knob, which was cool of him).

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Topps Fusion Bowman's

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Braves hat and double dime hat

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And a picture with my favorite player

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texmcpherson · 08-21-2017, 09:36 AM

Seems like a really cool guy, one of my favorites growing up. Still get a kick of when he rescued Freeman on the interstate on his four wheeler. Congrats!

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmcpherson

Seems like a really cool guy, one of my favorites growing up. Still get a kick of when he rescued Freeman on the interstate on his four wheeler. Congrats!

Haha! Same here! My favorite bobblehead is my "Chipper rescues Freddie!"

Skipscards · 08-21-2017, 09:41 AM

Great story. Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

poppincurbs · 08-21-2017, 09:44 AM

Thats awesome, always cool when you meet someone you've looked up to and they are actually down to earth and nice lol.

enyouartist · 08-21-2017, 09:44 AM

Very cool! Love that he inscribed his number on the bat, too. Next stop, Hall Of Fame!

BTW, I have Chipper's final game used base from his final home series ever. It has his retirement logo and is photomatched to Chipper standing on it and it's MLB authenticated. I also picked up a couple of game used baseballs from his final home game if you want them.

okumeister · 08-21-2017, 09:45 AM

Congratulations to meeting your favorite player!
And thanks for sharing such a cool story.

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipscards

Great story. Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppincurbs

Thats awesome, always cool when you meet someone you've looked up to and they are actually down to earth and nice lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by okumeister

Congratulations to meeting your favorite player!
And thanks for sharing such a cool story.

Thanks guys, it was awesome.

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enyouartist

Very cool! Love that he inscribed his number on the bat, too. Next stop, Hall Of Fame!

BTW, I have Chipper's final game used base from his final home series ever. It has his retirement logo and is photomatched to Chipper standing on it and it's MLB authenticated. I also picked up a couple of game used baseballs from his final home game if you want them.

I would love to have those pieces, but I would imagine they are pretty far out of allowance my wife gives me

WSCards5 · 08-21-2017, 10:21 AM

I have had the chance to meet chipper a couple times now and every single time he has been awesome to everyone. I don't know If you had heard since you are a big chipper fan that he played here in Wichita Kansas a couple weeks ago in a collegiate tourney.

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSCards5

I have had the chance to meet chipper a couple times now and every single time he has been awesome to everyone. I don't know If you had heard since you are a big chipper fan that he played here in Wichita Kansas a couple weeks ago in a collegiate tourney.

I did not know that, but that is awesome!

Wish I could have seen that. I was hoping he would be at the Braves alumni weekend, but he wasn't on the list, so I didn't go. lol

slaughterica · 08-21-2017, 11:43 AM

That is awesome! That Topps Fusion card looks sweet with his sig on it!

Hail2TheVictors · 08-21-2017, 12:00 PM

This is really cool, thanks for sharing. Sure you won't forget this anytime soon.

enyouartist · 08-21-2017, 12:03 PM

On a side note, if you ever want to quit dipping (saw the Skoal tin next to the hat), check out Jake's Mint Chew. It's packs and tastes just like the real thing, even has a nice sting to it. Only difference is that it is made from mint leaves and it's non hazardous to your health. Try it. I dipped for 20 years and it helped me quit: http://www.jakesmintchew.com

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enyouartist

On a side note, if you ever want to quit dipping (saw the Skoal tin next to the hat), check out Jake's Mint Chew. It's packs and tastes just like the real thing, even has a nice sting to it. Only difference is that it is made from mint leaves and it's non hazardous to your health. Try it. I dipped for 20 years and it helped me quit: http://www.jakesmintchew.com

That's very thoughtful! But I actually don't dip, it's my dad's can. The funny thing about that dip can is actually signed by Chipper

We ran out of items for him to sign and we thought that'd be funny!

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slaughterica

That is awesome! That Topps Fusion card looks sweet with his sig on it!

I thought so too, it's making a hard push for my new favorite auto!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hail2TheVictors

This is really cool, thanks for sharing. Sure you won't forget this anytime soon.

I know that's true, thanks for checking it out!

TimBuckTwo · 08-21-2017, 01:34 PM

Wow super cool !

Isn't it great to find out about something like this signing happening unbeknownst to you and then scoring !!

220sports · 08-21-2017, 01:52 PM

Dude is a SUPER class act. Signed over 100 cards for me back when I was a batboy. He and Jeter, two awesome guys.

hornedfrog1985 · 08-21-2017, 01:54 PM

He brushed his teeth

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimBuckTwo

Wow super cool !

Isn't it great to find out about something like this signing happening unbeknownst to you and then scoring !!

Yeah! It's crazy I'm always googling "Chipper Jones autograph signing" and stuff like that. I just got super lucky!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220sports

Dude is a SUPER class act. Signed over 100 cards for me back when I was a batboy. He and Jeter, two awesome guys.

Wow, that's AWESOME!

Hunter · 08-21-2017, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornedfrog1985

He brushed his teeth

And quit dipping apparently!

Peties Army · 08-21-2017, 02:05 PM

My friend is a big Braves fan, thus he loves chipper, and I always say "Most overrated player in MLB history" to get him all worked up.

So I say big deal? Chipper who?*

*Cool story, congrats

Stech36 · 08-21-2017, 02:25 PM

The best item in my collection is a game used autographed bat of Chipper Jones I had him sign at the fan fest years ago. Wish I had a picture of it, but it's tucked away in my parents safe

kyle1707 · 08-21-2017, 02:31 PM

He has a large fan base...

But IMO he is one of the most under rated players of a generation...

Not sure if it was because of the PED era or what

But he is like 1 of 20 players in the history of baseball

With 450 hrs 2500 hits 300 avg 400 obp

He should get 90-93% on first ballot HOF if these voters have any clue about baseball

whitesoxfan3579 · 08-21-2017, 05:10 PM

This is an AMAZING story. It's positive experiences such as this one (also, Mouschi meeting Canseco comes to mind) that only help to solidify my love and appreciation of the game and the hobby at large.

I've always been a fan of Chipper and I ended up picking up a bunch of his low-end rookie cards after re-entering the hobby in 2014. I stepped up my "collecting dollars" the last several years by picking up rare 90s inserts, along with a very nice raw desert shield RC card. I wish he had cards in a few of my favorite insert sets (i.e. 1992 Donruss Elite, 1993 Donruss Elite Dominaters, and 1993 Finest Refractors - obviously too soon to be included).

Ultimately, I appreciate Chipper's game more now than I ever did when I was a teenager collecting mainly Frank Thomas cards. Hopefully he will be elected in the first ballot and I will have another chance to see it happen in Cooperstown.

Thanks for sharing a very cool story!

08-21-2017, 09:30 AM	#1
Hunter Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Alabama and Georgia Posts: 1,257 Chipper_slabs	Finally met Chipper Yesterday was a pretty big day for me and collecting. Even though I have been less active in the hobby lately, I did finally meet one of my childhood heroes and my only PC guy- Chipper Jones. Chipper made an appearance on Saturday and Sunday at the Buckmasters Hunting Expo with the Major League Bowhunter booth in Montgomery, AL. I was not aware until I saw people posting pictures on Facebook from Saturday night, so I made plans to be there on Sunday. When we (My parents, who are also huge fans, and myself) made it to his booth, there were about 30 people in line to get his autograph. I had taken: a Majestic jersey, a 2012 Chipper retirement baseball, and my favorite childhood card (2001 Topps Fusion Bowmans Best Refractor). I was assuming that each person could have one item signed, but when we made it to the line we saw that the rules were if you bought an item from their booth, Chipper would sign THREE ITEMS PER PERSON. Luckily, my dad brought a bat that we had some of the Braves sign at Spring Training in 2004, I was wearing a Braves hat, and we could have him sign the items we bought from his booth. I bought a hat, my parents bought a couple of shirts and we got our 9 items signed and had a short conversation with chipper and got a couple of pictures. We told him a short story of when I chased his car on the street behind Turner Field when I was around 5, he laughed and was just overall cool to us. He was very nice and it was a great experience for me and my parents. Here are some pics of the main items I got for my PC: Majestic Chipper Jersey 2012 Retirement Ball Chipper Jones Official Bat (He even numbered the knob, which was cool of him). Topps Fusion Bowman's Braves hat and double dime hat And a picture with my favorite player __________________ Instagram: Chipper_slabs

08-21-2017, 09:36 AM	#2
texmcpherson Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 15,948 texmcpherson	Seems like a really cool guy, one of my favorites growing up. Still get a kick of when he rescued Freeman on the interstate on his four wheeler. Congrats! __________________ *You can’t triple stamp a double stamp.*

08-21-2017, 09:41 AM	#4
Skipscards Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: In Tribute To The Great Ryno Posts: 30,021 jlankf2 jmp4	Great story. Congrats! Thanks for sharing. __________________ Go Royals!! #RoyalsIn2015 <---It Happened!! #TEAMZinck Sometimes it is astounding that we are able to persist in a world so full of morons.

08-21-2017, 09:44 AM	#5
poppincurbs Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 3,758	Thats awesome, always cool when you meet someone you've looked up to and they are actually down to earth and nice lol. __________________ PC: Don Mattingly Prizm Golds /10

08-21-2017, 09:45 AM	#7
okumeister Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 11,440	Congratulations to meeting your favorite player! And thanks for sharing such a cool story. __________________ Mainly collecting Topps Now Collecting following players : Ichiro, Christian Yelich, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto

08-21-2017, 09:44 AM	#6
enyouartist Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 3,735	Very cool! Love that he inscribed his number on the bat, too. Next stop, Hall Of Fame! BTW, I have Chipper's final game used base from his final home series ever. It has his retirement logo and is photomatched to Chipper standing on it and it's MLB authenticated. I also picked up a couple of game used baseballs from his final home game if you want them.

08-21-2017, 10:21 AM	#10
WSCards5 Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Andover.KS Posts: 10,383 HoffpauirFan5	I have had the chance to meet chipper a couple times now and every single time he has been awesome to everyone. I don't know If you had heard since you are a big chipper fan that he played here in Wichita Kansas a couple weeks ago in a collegiate tourney. __________________ https://www.flickr.com/gp/152348734@N05/80r1gd Buying Top Bowman Chrome Autos & Unripped RIP Cards

08-21-2017, 11:43 AM	#12
slaughterica Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: brooklyn Posts: 1,663	That is awesome! That Topps Fusion card looks sweet with his sig on it! __________________ 1. Always looking for interesting boxing cards. 2. Looking for rc PSA/DNA cards of NFL/MLB HOFers. 3. Main PC at the moment is STERLING SHEPARD.

08-21-2017, 12:00 PM	#13
Hail2TheVictors Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,480	This is really cool, thanks for sharing. Sure you won't forget this anytime soon.

08-21-2017, 12:03 PM	#14
enyouartist Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 3,735	On a side note, if you ever want to quit dipping (saw the Skoal tin next to the hat), check out Jake's Mint Chew. It's packs and tastes just like the real thing, even has a nice sting to it. Only difference is that it is made from mint leaves and it's non hazardous to your health. Try it. I dipped for 20 years and it helped me quit: http://www.jakesmintchew.com

08-21-2017, 01:34 PM	#17
TimBuckTwo Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 10,068	Wow super cool ! Isn't it great to find out about something like this signing happening unbeknownst to you and then scoring !!

08-21-2017, 01:52 PM	#18
220sports Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 2,341 220sports	Dude is a SUPER class act. Signed over 100 cards for me back when I was a batboy. He and Jeter, two awesome guys. __________________ I like Lego's and Baseball Cards! The tough decision is which hobby gets to spend the extra money!

08-21-2017, 01:54 PM	#19
hornedfrog1985 Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 3,067	He brushed his teeth

08-21-2017, 02:05 PM	#22
Peties Army Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: St. Louis Posts: 19,452 buddywilshire2003	My friend is a big Braves fan, thus he loves chipper, and I always say "Most overrated player in MLB history" to get him all worked up. So I say big deal? Chipper who?* *Cool story, congrats __________________ Comment of the day “How many bees are killed by mowing?”- Boo

08-21-2017, 02:25 PM	#23
Stech36 Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Westminster, MD Posts: 9,540 Stech36	The best item in my collection is a game used autographed bat of Chipper Jones I had him sign at the fan fest years ago. Wish I had a picture of it, but it's tucked away in my parents safe

08-21-2017, 02:31 PM	#24
kyle1707 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 20,410	He has a large fan base... But IMO he is one of the most under rated players of a generation... Not sure if it was because of the PED era or what But he is like 1 of 20 players in the history of baseball With 450 hrs 2500 hits 300 avg 400 obp He should get 90-93% on first ballot HOF if these voters have any clue about baseball

08-21-2017, 05:10 PM	#25
whitesoxfan3579 Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 2,007 alaa6385-53jvwf	This is an AMAZING story. It's positive experiences such as this one (also, Mouschi meeting Canseco comes to mind) that only help to solidify my love and appreciation of the game and the hobby at large. I've always been a fan of Chipper and I ended up picking up a bunch of his low-end rookie cards after re-entering the hobby in 2014. I stepped up my "collecting dollars" the last several years by picking up rare 90s inserts, along with a very nice raw desert shield RC card. I wish he had cards in a few of my favorite insert sets (i.e. 1992 Donruss Elite, 1993 Donruss Elite Dominaters, and 1993 Finest Refractors - obviously too soon to be included). Ultimately, I appreciate Chipper's game more now than I ever did when I was a teenager collecting mainly Frank Thomas cards. Hopefully he will be elected in the first ballot and I will have another chance to see it happen in Cooperstown. Thanks for sharing a very cool story!