Have you ever met a famous person?

[mandi]

Oh, I have another good one.

We used to live in Valley Ranch, TX. There is/was a 7-11 right next to the Cowboys Sports Cafe. I must have met every Dallas Cowboy. I had a PO Box right next to "Moose" Johnston. I played a couple of flag football games against Rodger Staubach, Pete Dawkins showed up once.

[Champagne taste beer budget]

1982 vintage, a friend and I were out at a little dive bar that featured ladies which dance with fewer and fewer clothes as they go, they were setting up lights and cameras and such, turns out they were filming some footage for a movie called "The Minnesota Connection", Rosie Greer was one of the stars, we were asked to be extras, had to walk from point "A" to point "B" on cue holding a drink and watching the stage. Met Rosie, got his autograph on the back of a paycheck stub which I still have somewhere. Have always meant to rent the movie, if it's even out there, see if we made the final cut or not.

Went to high school with Brad Kominsk, he went right from high school to play baseball for Atlanta, last I heard he was a batting or fielding coach for some major league team.

I see Chip Loehmiller, ex Super Bowl winning Washington Redskins place kicker on a regular basis, he lives close by, we do his service work, he also does our snow plowing in the winter for the shop.

For you fishing fans out there, I've been to the homes of Al Linder, Steve Quinn, and Gary Roach for beers or dinner, met the rest of the Linders, had Steve to my house to fish and have a couple beers, and had pictures of a live bass I'd caught published in In-Fisherman magazine and as one of the monthly fish on their In-Fisherman calanders. I also got to go into the In-Fish offices, hook up my camera to their strobes and take pictures for myself of my fish as it swam around in their 2,000 (?) gallon tank. In fact, Steve and I happened to get paired together for a Pro/Am a few years back when we both fished in the same club, ended up taking 4th place out of 100+ boats.

Met Michele Kwan, Paul Newman, Cindy Crawford, Tom Cruise, and I forget who else around here at the grocery store, gas station, what have you. Seems quite a few of the Hollywood type have a vacation home on one of the lakes nearby, we think they enjoy the climate, country and "Minnesota Nice" people, we don't follow em around or ask for autographs or what have you, just say Hi, Nice to meet you and let them go on their merry way. I know Michelle uses their place a lot in the summer, and Paul is here for races at BIR a few times every year.

Oh Yeah, Ted Takasaki at a Pro/Am tourny, Lee Travino in a bathroom when the Masters were at Hazelwood, (I think it was the Masters, 15 years ago), used to live two doors down from ... dang, can't remember his name, older movie star, anyway, down from his parents, met him a time or two when he was home visiting, and once, when I was maybe 6 or 7, my baby sitters BF came over with his band after practice, by the time I was 12 they were a national big name band, but seems I lost the memory of the bands name somewhere in the late 70's. Every once in a while it comes back to me late at night after several Makers and water, but not at the moment. GOT IT!!!.. Nope, not the band, but the neighbor.. lol.. Gregory Peck. At least I think that was it, that was 1980? 25 years is a lot of time. Suddenly feeling old.

[Marvel]

Jesus Christ aka Prince of Peace, Lord of lords, Rose of Sharon, Savior, Bread of Heaven....

The others aren't too important to me other than the ones I am responsible for.

[customsteve01]

Lets see,

I met Captain Kangaroo when I was a little kid. He was camping in the Davis Mountains in west Texas. Got a signed picture from him but couldnt tell you where it is now. Do any of you remember that show?

Met Earl Campbell at the Reunion Tower Restaurant in Dallas. All I really remember was Damn he had big thighs.

Partied with the band Vixen (an all girl band). They played at a bar I used to work at several times. They were really stuck on themselves. They played in a 1980 something movie Hard Bodies. Also met Huey Lewis there.

Met a few Astronauts while I was working at Ellington Field in South Houston.

Paul Teutul Sr. from Orange County Choppers

Steve

[boomac]

Ive been lucky to meet a lot of famous people and Im no kid so the list is quite long. Too many golf & baseball guys to list, (I did a few baseball card shows). Ive tried to list them in order of what it meant to me personally.

President Eisenhower: At Whitemarsh Country Club in suburban Philadelphia. Ike talked to my Dad for at least 15 minutes about the 8th Air Force and D-Day. I remember Dad had tears in his eyes after the chat.

Arnie: Same tournament as Ike Talked to Arnie on the practice range. Man he hit great in those days.

Louis Armstrong: Lambertville, NJ Music Circus. Now that I really love jazz; this meeting has become even more important. Louis had on a white shirt that was starched to the hilt and did he ever sweat!

Chris Evert: I flew into Miami one late night and noticed her mom and dad parked and waiting. I walked over to their Blazer and asked if Chris was coming in and if so, did they think she would mind if I said hello and got an autograph. No problem they said and I got nervous as heck. Chris was always my favorite. Probably my most exciting star encounter. She was great and very gracious. Cute too!

Bjorn Borg: Highlander Tennis Club, Brookfield, WI, A quick hand shake from the Sweed. A few years later he smiled for a court side picture at the Milwaukee Auditoriam during an exhibition. Nobody did it better with the old wood racquets.

Tim Gullickson: We had a mutual friend and I got one of the club pros to introduce us. Tim was actually stringing a racquet and we talked for a good half hour. He then borrowed one of my racquets to play a practice set with the club pro. After he beat the local, 6 - 0, he challenged me to a couple games. I got two points. One was a lucky net cord. The other came on a crosscourt backhand passing shot that he didnt expect. All on the great Har-Tru courts at Boca West - Boca Raton, Fl.

Rod Laver: Philadelphia International Airport. We were both waiting to be picked up outside baggage claim and we talked for 15-20 minutes. Terrific guy with a big left forearm! In those days I was into golf and regrettably, I didnt know who he was. When my mother picked me up she told me and made some sarcastic reference about my smarts.

Mickey Mantle: On several occasions. On the third, he gave me an autographed bat.

Willie Mays: Cow Palace at a BBC show. Willie would be my first pick for the all time greatest baseball team.

Roberto Clemente: Connie Mack Stadium, after a Phillys / Pirates game. I caught one of his HRs and he gladly signed the ball. I loved the guy but my brother and I used the ball to play catch. The signature is history.

Ernie Banks: Outside Wrigley Field. I yelled, "let's play two" and got a hand shake and a big smile.

Bart Starr: At a dinner party and later at a card show in Indy. Pure class.

Muhammad Ali: Super Bowl XXVI, Minneapolis, MN. At The NFL Experience". I got a hand shake and a smile from the Greatest! Surprisingly, it brought tears to my eyes,

Buffalo Bob Smith, Howdy Doody and Clarabell: Lansdale Movie Theater, Lansdale, PA. I won the second place prize and got to go on stage with the crew.

Art Fleming: At a Jeopardy taping in NYC, NY. A great guy and the better of the two Jeopardy hosts.

Jack Nicholas: Same tournament as Arnie just a quick autograph.

Lucile Ball: I sat two seats away. (4D - smoking window) on a flight from Miami to LA. She was sort of mean and demanding as heck! She was also the funniest woman Ive ever seen on TV or movies.

Joe Morello: Lambertville Music Circus Lambertville, NJ. I was less than 5 away from Joes bass drum when they did Take Five.

Eugene Wright: Same as above

Paul Desmond: Same as above

Rickey Nelson: Northwest Club Room, Detroit Metro. I was facing the tarmac and saw the reflection of him standing behind me. I turned around and said, God! Youre Ricky Nelson and he said, No sh!t. He then laughed and we had a nice conversation. It wasnt too long before his death. He should have stuck with commercial flights.

Anna Kournikova: We passed; I winked and received a forced smile. Family Circle Tennis Tournament, Hilton Head, SC. And yes indeed, shes all that! Hingis beat her in the final easily.

Pete Sampras: Hopman Tennis Academy at Saddlebrook. Hey Pete, and I got a smile as he signed autographs for the kids.

Ivan Lendl: Boca West Boca Raton, FL. They had one hard court and he was on it. We watched for over 2 hours. Pretty nice guy with a great backhand!

Jennifer Capriati: Hopman Tennis Academy at Saddlebrook. My daughter and I were having dinner at The Little Club and her dad was at the next table. We talked and when Jennifer and a friend showed up, he introduced us. Big kid!

Mario Andretti: Hatfield Speedway, Hatfield, PA. In the early days, he was always around the eastern PA ovals.

Terry Bradshaw: At a Mercury Marine Dealer Meeting in Nashville, TN. Terry said hed like to come up to Wisconsin and try some Musky fishing. I gave him my number but he never called.

Pete Rose: At the Montgomery Inn (Restaurant) in Cincinnati, OH. There are no better ribs anywhere! MHO, of course. Hey, Pete was nice to say hello.

Senator Malcolm Wallop: At a little restaurant in Buffalo, WY - I also hunted on his ranch near Big Horn, WY. Not a bad spread.

Senator Alan Simpson: On the street in Casper, WY. We chatted for 10 minutes.

Senator Hugh Scott: Republican Headquarters, Bucks County, PA. My mother worked for the old Senator.

Bob Costas: A United Flight to Chicago after a Red Soxs / Brewers double header. Bob was glad somebody noticed him and was very accommodating.

Farah Fawcett: Tennis Club near Universal Studios. We actually played a set of mixed doubles.

Telly Savalas: Bar at the Sheraton Hotel near Universal Studios in LA. Telly was great. For a while, he and I were the only two in the bar. Later, an elderly couple came in and the woman snapped a picture of Telly. He muttered, "dumb Fs", then he gave me a smile.

Kevin Kline: Tennis Club near Universal Studios. When I went on the court - he came off.

Reggie Fountain: At a Mercury Marine Dealer Meeting in Nashville, TN. The sixty something boat builder had a 20 something babe on his arm that gave weak knees to every guy in the place. Later I was at the phone bank and heard his voice. I turned around and she was within a foot. She smiled and I shook. Besides his great taste in young ladies, Reggie can use the F word like nobody Ive ever heard.

Randy Travis: At the MSP waiting for a flight to Memphis, I think. Hes just a regular guy to talk to. A short guy with a big voice.

Senator Joe Byden: My brothers graduation from the New Castle County Police Academy in Delaware. I caught the lefty politician ogling my wifes chest. I should have slapped the crap out of the dirtball.

Daryl Hall: Jammed with him, at his house near Lansdale, PA. He wouldnt know me from Adam and I wouldnt know him either but several people say it happened. I remember the session but not him and it was well before he was famous.

Mr. T: Waiting for a flight from ORD to LAX - Hed never get through security with all that gold around his neck these days. Nice guy to talk to.

[Speedball]

My parents used to live next to the three sisters of Father O'Hara of Notre Dame.

I have a copy of the book that he wrote and the sisters wrote a little something in the front with their names...Eva, Helen and Elizabeth.

Not sure how old the book is or when they gave it to my parents but it looks pretty old but is in very good shape.

I wonder if Father O'Hara was the Minister of Notre Dame college at that time?

[J.4knee]

Mrs. Merchanson (SP?) her husband was the original owner of the Dallas Cowboys. Basically it was when I was in the Navy and the Cowboys came to San Diego to play the Chargers in a preseason game. I was one of the flag bearers for the pre-game opening festivities. During the National Anthem we charged across the field revealing a 100-yard long American flag. It was just prior toe the first gulf war so the ovation we got when we opened that flag was pretty awe inspiring. A girl who worked on my ship was a "Ticket taker on the press box level and she got us seats in the luxury box where Mrs. Merchanson was. It was pretty cool because everyone there including the butler made more annually than the entire group of sailors who participated in the flag ceremony. We were treated like celebrities. They all wanted their individual time to talk to us. The only guys off the ship who got into that luxury box were a very good friend and myself. The esteemed occupants left in the middle of the third quarter and we got up to leave and were admonished to stay and enjoy the facilities They insisted. So we were left with a fully catered luxury box to enjoy the rest of the game to ourselves. There is just something about getting served by a butler who makes more in gratuities than you do in an entire year and you are treated like you were the Queens only children.

[garymd]

I was driving through the parking lot by my office in the mid-80s when a limo pulled up next to me. I looked over and not 3 feet away from me I was staring straight into the eyes of Mr. T. We both grinned at the same time before the limo finally moved on. Very strange moment. He looked to be wearing about 50 pounds of gold around his neck!

Rode the elevator at a Sheraton Hotel with Hillbilly Jim after a WWF match at the Capital Center. He told me his real name but I've forgotten. It was about 20 years ago. Strange talking to him since his real voice is as normal as yours or mine and I'd only heard him scream or use a fake hillbilly accent. We joked about it during the ride. He complained that he'd lose his voice for days after a match sometimes.

[boomac]

I forgot you met old Gus McCRae, Gary. He'd be way up on my list and I'm jealous as heck.

[fini]

I don't believe any of you without photos. C'mon, boomac, give up the Farrah photo...

[boomac]

No photo Fini but she's a petite lady and she had the whitest teeth I had ever seen. (This was 20 some years ago and not everyone had super whites.) I was hitting with the club pro, (a paid lesson) and toward the end of the hour he walks over and asks if I had time to play a quick set of mixed doubles. I said yea and a few minutes later, two ladies come over. I got the brunette, who was one of the club pros and my pro got this great lookin' blond. We were not introduced but I used to watch Charlie's Angles and I have no doubt it was her. The brunette and I won the set easily. The concierge said I might see some celebrities when she made the arrangements. Oh yea, while waiting for the taxi to take me to the club, Telly pulled up in a big black Mercedes. He remembered me from the day before and actually stopped to say hello. That was a great trip to LA and it was the last time I was there until this past march.

[IAmtnbikr]

Well, more drag racers than I can count since I raced myself and still have a busy side business building automatic race transmissions....Garlits, Muldowney, Force. Actually a friend of mine, Pete Williams, drove for Austin Coil and the gang and won an IHRA national event in nitro funny car in one of the Chi-Town Hustler cars back in about 78 or so. He sometimes has helped on Force's car in the past, and the shop he was at did work for Force, Bernstein, Walker Evans, and too many others to list. Hot Rod Fuller and Clay Millican are two pals from old Super Comp dragster racing days. Indy car driver Jimmy Kite I met one year at the PRI show as he is friends with a guy I know who used to be a wheel at a trans company, and now is at Federal Mogul. As for musicians, my second cousin is Stephen Perkins, a drummer some of you may know. When I started five and a half years ago as service admin at the RV dealership, I went with the owner to a meeting in Nashville. Had dinner at Kobe Steaks and Garth Brooks/his then wife/kids/nanny sat literally right next to me. Very nice guy, and I think he was happy we left him alone, lol. We did shake his hand and talk to him when we got up to leave. Another person from the host dealership in Nashville told me later he and his wife had seen Reba Mc and many others there at Kobe over the years. My uncle from the Seattle area just sold his headhunting firm and will keep working for the new owners for a while, and one of his candidate searches a while back was to replace Charles Moose, the police chief who ran the DC sniper deal. Said he was a very bright, passionate person. Our son shook W's hand last year when he was in Iowa City campaigning, and my mom is friends with Bunny Grassley, the sister of Charles Grassley the senator. He is an absolute genuine person, and one I would vote for no matter what party affililation he had. Met the Fearsome Foursome years ago and got their autographs too. We are friends with folks whose daughter is married to Jared DeVries, ex Iowa football player who is with the Lions. Went to his wedding, very down to earth nice guy. His pals were all there too...Casey Wiegmann, Mike Goff, and lots of other gorillas, lol. We have a photo of Jared and Casey holding our little one when she was a year old, she looks like an ant with them. Jared gave us a tiny little Lions outfit and signed it "to my youngest fan", lol.

[Woodog]

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On 6/9/2005 10:09:47 PM garymd wrote:

Rode the elevator at a Sheraton Hotel with Hillbilly Jim after a WWF match at the Capital Center. He told me his real name but I've forgotten. It was about 20 years ago. Strange talking to him since his real voice is as normal as yours or mine and I'd only heard him scream or use a fake hillbilly accent. We joked about it during the ride. He complained that he'd lose his voice for days after a match sometimes.

----------------

Hillbilly Jim does commercials for a local oil change dealership (and other businesses) here in Bowling Green, KY since he's a local guy (born here, I think, definitely lives here now).

BIG guy!

Woo

[Champagne taste beer budget]

An addition...

I think it was 1984, maybe 83, went to a send off party held by a buddy of mine for Prince before he went on his Purple Rain tour when I lived in Minneapolis. Prince was there with his entourage and many lovly ladies, he sat in one chair the whole night other than to go to the bathroom. Met him, he was pretty stand-offish, but also seemed pretty looped on something or another. Didn't even get up to go to the bathroom without a bodyguard or two following him. BIG dudes!! Especially next to Prince, who is really short, someone my wife would call a "mini-dude". (No offense to those of you that are vertically challanged.) He wasn't really a big time name yet, but that came quick enough. Unfortunatly, my buddy had a little problem with the nose candy, a couple years later he did a little too much in the bathroom at work, had a brain anurism and died on the floor.

(In proofreading this, I don't believe I've ever used the word bathroom so many times in such a short span unless discussing home building!)

[fini]

I've used a bathroom that many times in a short span last time I was in Mexico.

[Mighty Favog]

So how were Farah's doubles....er....uh....

[boomac]

Very nice and rough around the edges but she tried hard!

[fini]

Yeah, I'll never forget that Playboy spread either...

[Curmudgeon]

♦ I met Robert Plant a few years back on Tangier Island in Virginia. He was visiting because of Tangier's English heritage since he was about to play a concert in Virginia Beach ( I also saw the concert, which was a Page/Plant tour). He was very gracious, witty and posed with me for a picture. One funny thing he said was a lightning-fast comeback to a Tangier Island resident's comment about his English accent:

Local guy: It's interesting that you speak like we do.

Plant: No, you speak like we do.

♦ Also met Margo Timmins last year after one of the Cowboy Junkies concerts, she was extremely personable and autographed a CD booklet for me.

♦ My step-sister was on the Dallas cowboys cheerleader squad for four or five years (late 90's, early 2000's). She even made it into the squad's bathing suit calendar one year. I've got a bunch of memorabilia with autographs of the entire cheerleading squad from the years she was there. Being a DC cheerleader isn't easy - even the veterans have to try out every year just like the rookie do.

[jt1stcav]

Lets see...as a teen I helped my dad tune pipe organs just before the recitals, so I've met several world famous concert organists such as Diane Bish, George Wright, Thomas Murray, Frederick Swann, and Simon Preston (who also arranged all the music and conducted the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields for the motion picture "Amadaus").

During my years in the Army I went to many concerts; some backstage events, and met Stevie Nicks, Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC, and the entire band Yes while in Stuttgart, Germany! All very cool people to party with!

While employed at Walt Disney World, I've either seen or even chatted with many celebraties, including:

Micheal Eisner

Harry Holt (classic Disney animator)

M.C. Hammer

Walter Cronkite

Michael Jackson

Hillary Clinton

Morey Amsterdam (from The Dick Van Dyke Show)

Chuck Yeager

Oliver North

President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter

Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley

Hulk Hogan

Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Angela Ramos (worked with me at Disney until Jay Leno discovered her)

Mandy Patinkin (actor on "Chicago Hope"; cut out his son's silhouette)

Wynonna Judd (cut out silhouettes of her entire family)

And many sports figures/atheletes that I do not know, along with soap stars and talk show hosts from the Neatherlands and the BBC, and even a '70s Nobel Peace Prize winner for Chemistry.

While employed at Guitar Center, I had backstage passes for the band Journey, and after the concert had a Fender Strat signed by the entire band (which was auctioned off at a Guitar Center store event last year).