Randy Johnson – PaulHadsall.com

“Pinstripe Pandemonium” Recap

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Paul

The view from my front door early Saturday morning (Photo credit: Paul Hadsall) — The view from my front door early Saturday morning *(Photo credit: Paul Hadsall)*

When I woke up Saturday morning, I didn’t think I was going to MAB Celebrity Services’ “Pinstripe Pandemonium” show.

As it turned out, the snow and rain was all but over. My friend Bart said he had no trouble getting to me, and the roads were clear from my place to the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights and both Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson had arrived in town on Friday.

In fact, we were there an hour and a half before Pedro was due to start signing autographs. We checked out the vendors’ tables – I found a couple of relatively inexpensive signed baseball cards for my collection, Bart bought a box of 2014 Bowman Draft cards.

Baseball cards signed by Dave Duncan and Joe Torre, along with a plastic souvenir mini-helmet given away at the show.

We hung out in the lobby area outside of the hotel restaurant for a little while, and saw Johnson come down for breakfast. When you see “6-10” written on the back of a baseball card, you know that Randy Johnson is tall – but it didn’t hit home until I saw him in person. Continue reading ““Pinstripe Pandemonium” Recap” →

Autographs, Uncategorized

Autograph show features new Hall of Famers, 2000 World Series champs

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Paul

This October will be the 15th anniversary of the New York Mets’ last World Series appearance… but not surprisingly, the folks at MAB Celebrity Services are only interested in the winners of the 2000 World Series.

Next weekend, they’ll hold “Pinstripe Pandemonium,” a celebration of the 2000 New York Yankees World Championship team. The show will also feature appearances by other Yankee “legends” and three of the four newly-elected baseball Hall of Famers.

Fans will have the opportunity to meet and get autographs from former Mets Pedro Martinez ($159+), Doc Gooden ($35), Doc Medich ($20+), Rick Cerone ($30), Paul Gibson ($25), Mike Stanton ($25+) and Shane Spencer ($20).

I don’t expect to get anything signed at the show – I already have all of the ex-Mets and cannot even think about paying the $199 fee to have Randy Johnson sign an 8×10 photo – but I plan to tag along with my friend who wants to see Martinez and Johnson. Maybe I’ll find an inexpensive card or two to add to my Mets autograph collection while I’m there.

Pinstripe Pandemonium will be held at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands in Hasbrouck Heights on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, including the full guest list and prices, visit mab-celebrity.com.

Are you planning to attend the autograph show?

Baseball, Uncategorized

Congratulations, Pedro Martinez & the other 2015 Hall of Famers

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Paul

The Baseball Writers Association of America elected four new members to baseball’s Hall of Fame this year, including one former New York Met.

Signed Pedro Martinez 2008 Topps Heritage card from my collection

While Pedro Martinez will be remembered by most for his achievements with the Boston Red Sox, my strongest memory comes from one of about a dozen games I went to at Shea Stadium in 2005.

While we were settling in to watch the start of the game, Pedro quickly retired the first two Arizona Diamondbacks batters. Then, with Luis Gonzalez at the plate, all of the sprinklers on the infield suddenly turned on!

Many pitchers would have let something like that throw them off of their routine. Not Pedro. On the Diamondvision board, you could see Pedro smiling and laughing about the ridiculous situation. While the other players left the field during the delay, Pedro stayed out there. Once order was restored, he struck out Gonzalez and went on to pitch eight innings of one-run ball as the Mets won 6-1.

After the game, Pedro told reporters, “Water is a blessing, I believe. So I got wet.”

I hope the Mets invite Pedro Martinez out to Citi Field sometime this summer to honor him and give fans one more chance to applaud.

Continue reading “Congratulations, Pedro Martinez & the other 2015 Hall of Famers” →

Autographs, Uncategorized

MAB’s “Pitcher’s Gem” autograph show is this weekend

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Paul

Tom Seaver's 2010 Topps-206 card — Tom Seaver's 2010 Topps 206 card

MAB Celebrity Services’s “A Pitcher’s Gem” autograph show is this weekend. After it was originally announced, the promoter ended up changing the location of the show. It will now be held at the Fairfield Crowne Plaza, 690 Route 46 East in Fairfield, N.J.

On Saturday, New York Mets legend Tom Seaver and future Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson headline a slate of guests who have thrown no-hitters or won Cy Young Awards. Whitey Ford, David Cone and David Wells lead another group of accomplished former pitchers on Sunday.

Several of the guests have interesting restrictions about what they will or won’t sign.

It will cost $79 to get Wells to sign a flat item, but leave your baseball cards, Sports Illustrated magazines and New York Yankees photos home – he won’t sign them.
In addition to the $69-$99 autograph fee, it will cost an extra $25 for an inscription from Seaver. However, he won’t sign “The Franchise” or “Tom Terrific.”