A very self-controlled guy, Joe was pretty chary about giving out autographs after he retired, and even as a player he wasn't one of the big signers. Part of this was the already common aspect of viewing signed objects as potential dollar signs when he was playing, and I understand he resented that a little; then later Joe himself had an idea about how much he was worth as an icon, and didn't care to be a commodity on anyone else's terms but his own, which he was quite famous for exploiting. I was lucky enough to meet him during spring training in Scottsdale as a little kid in the 1960's, and way more lucky than just that: he signed my Seattle Pilots model Little League bat, something he hardly ever did. And Joe didn't charge a penny.
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The Communist!
A very self-controlled guy, Joe was pretty chary about giving out autographs after he retired, and even as a player he wasn't one of the big signers. Part of this was the already common aspect of viewing signed objects as potential dollar signs when he was playing, and I understand he resented that a little; then later Joe himself had an idea about how much he was worth as an icon, and didn't care to be a commodity on anyone else's terms but his own, which he was quite famous for exploiting. I was lucky enough to meet him during spring training in Scottsdale as a little kid in the 1960's, and way more lucky than just that: he signed my Seattle Pilots model Little League bat, something he hardly ever did. And Joe didn't charge a penny.
Marilyn cost him plenty.
He paid that gladly, in money, and in years off his life.
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