Video: Gary Carter at All-Star Game Fanfest
This is kind of depressing, if it all turns out to be true…
Via Barstool Sports:
Youtube description – The 2010 MLB All Star game is being held in Anaheim this year and Major League Baseball puts on an event called “Fanfest” for the public. The event costs between $25-$30 a person for admission and one of the PERKS in the advertisements is that you get the opportunity to meet some Hall Of Fame players with all autographs being FREE with your paid admission. For the most part the players were great about signing and posing for photos (Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal, etc.) Until it came time for Gary Carter. People lined up about an hour or two before he got there just to hear after he arrived that he WOULD NOT SIGN ANYTHING FOR FANS except a white piece of paper! He did however sign for SOME FANS IF THEY DONATED MONEY TO HIS CHARITY!!!! A lot of people left after waiting in line out of anger because they were selling his memorabilia (8×10 photos, baseball cards, baseballs,etc.) that people thought he would sign…especially since every other player there was doing so. The people working the event apologized and said that it wasn’t supposed to be this way and they were unaware that he was going to do something like this. A few people ALLEGEDLY over heard his agent expressing dissatisfaction that there was no profit being made…he must have meant BESIDES WHAT THE MLB ALREADY PAYS these players to show up and do this in the first place.
Check out; http://boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoughts/gary-carter-incident-at-fanfest-during-all-star-game/
The following day, he gave me a signed rookie card, a signed picture and a singed baseball… and I didnt even ask for them. He’s very good to his fans. What this video doesnt show is what his agent had likely “required” him to do.
Even in the context of the video alone, he presents himself well. Belive me, he wants nothing more than to talk baseball with his fans and provide them with whatever he can. From what he told me, he feels very fortunate to have been able to play the game and is very appreciative of his fans, especially kids of people my age.
I’ve heard conflicting things about Gary – from people who swear he asked them for $25 for his charity in order to sign something outside Shea Stadium, to people that swear he is a really good guy and willing to sign anything for anyone.
Two things that are easily lost in this incident:
1.) Carter’s agent is not well regarded in the industry. He is very successful, but not well-liked. So you may be right, in that Carter’s agent could be the reason Carter is coming off like a greedy ex-player.
2.) Secondly – and more importantly – Carter is doing this to benefit his charity. His methods may be poorly thought out, but even the “bad” stories I hear about Carter all involve Gary trying to raise money for his Gary Carter Foundation. His foundation seems to do great work.
If anyone is interested in reading more about the Gary Foundation, here’s the link – http://www.garycarter.org/
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1995/12/07/1995-12-07_babs__autographs_de-signed_t.html (Chasky turned state’s evidence in a scam case involving Darryl Strawberry… Oy vey!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/nyregion/07about.html?pagewanted=all (He pays a homeless man in SANDWICHES to ambush celebrities!!! But only when he asks for food!)
http://www.sportsgraphing.com/autograph-talk-questions/51019-evan-longoria-careful.html (Another prized client is Evan Longoria who is notorious for giving bad signatures unless you pay for more expensive items)