Featured autograph - Gary Carter

I don't have recollections of Gary Carter as an active player except from highlights of the 1986 World Series replayed from time to time and maybe through random baseball cards I've had through the last 20 years - I was fortunate to get his autograph in-person several times through golf tournaments, when he managed an independent league team in his hometown of Fullerton, California and the last time at the 2010 All-Star Fan Fest.

Pictured is an 8x10 sheet of paper with the 2010 All-Star Game logo - he wouldn't sign anything else at the 2010 All-Star Fan Fest and this was sore topic for one obnoxious dude with a video camera and a YouTube account.

However to Carter's credit, he also signed a tract card with his personal testimony as well as taking a picture with me - after his signing session ended, he held an impromptu signing session for those willing to pay him $25 'under the table.'

A story I'll probably always remember is trying to get autographs at a particular golf tournament down in Rancho Santa Fe California one year - it was raining and wasn't ideal weather for scoring autographs.

However, since my friend was driving and we were not local to the area, we kind of hung out for a while - we were barely able to stop Carter and his driver in a golf cart; he signed a baseball for me, but smirked and tossed the ball nonchalantly up in the air.

I had to grab the ball real fast and do a little balancing act with my feet - so the ball wouldn't fall into the wet ground.

R.I.P. Mr. Carter 1954-2012