2006 Upper Deck, Matt Belisle

#576 Matt Belisle

Here is a card that I got signed at Kauffman Stadium in 2010. I went to The K that day for the 1985 World Series softball game and I got there before the gates opened in the hopes that I could get some autos from the old-timers when they arrived at the park. Unfortunately, all of the old-timers arrived in a bus and didn't sign at all outside of the park. But, I did get lucky enough to get a few of the Rockies players when they arrived and Matt was nice enough to sign both cards that I had of him.

I took a couple of friends with me that day and one was a really good friend that is never able to get out to the ballpark. He had always heard of my autographing exploits and was looking forward to see me in action. So, we got to the main gate and he pulled up a seat on one of the limestone blocks outside of the park and opened a beer. Minutes later, a cab pulled up and it was time for me to get to work.

One of the things I hate about 'graphing outside of the park is identifying the players without their uniform on. It is hard enough to do it when they are warming up in jackets and it is a whole different ballgame when they are in their street clothes.

Anyways, a guy got out of the cab and I had no clue who he was. Luckily, there was a nice crowd outside of the park that day and someone pointed out that the guy was Joe Beimel. So I walked up to him as he was signing some things and I handed him my cards to sign. He took one look at them and handed them back to me and said "that's not me". I didn't have any cards of Joe and, in the heat of the moment, I got Joe Beimel and Matt Belisle mixed up and I handed him my Belisle cards.

To this day, whenever I am around my friend and the conversation turns to baseball or autographs, he always pulls out the story of the first time he saw me try to get an autograph. It is a little embarrassing for me, but he sure gets a good chuckle out of it.