HAPPY 67TH BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST 16X HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, RIC FLAIR!

TODAY, THE NATURE BOY RIC FLAIR CELEBRATES HIS 67TH BIRTHDAY!  GROWING UP IN THE 80'S, RIC WAS MY FAVORITE TO WATCH!  HE COULD PERFORM IN 60/90 MINUTE MATCHES AND THEY WERE ALL QUITE ENTERTAINING!  MOREOVER, HE HAD GREAT "MIC" SKILLS FOR A WRESTLER FROM THAT ERA!  HE CERTAINLY "DRESSED" THE PART OF A CHAMPION! ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATS!   THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHAMP!!

ABOVE IS A SIGNED 1ST EDITION OF RIC'S MEMOIR, TO BE THE MAN!!

ABOVE IS THE FRONT COVER OF RIC'S MEMOIR AND A SIGNED DVD BY RIC!  BOTH WERE OBTAINED IN 2004 @ BOOK-ENDS!

ABOVE IS A PHOTO SHOT WITH THE NATURE BOY FROM 2004!!!

 

THE 27TH ANNUAL HANOVER (PA) SPORTS NIGHT HELD @ SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY SERVICES SOCIAL HALL!!!!!

LAST EVENING, MY BROTHER IN LAW AND I ATTENDED THE 27TH ANNUAL HANOVER (PA) SPORTS NIGHT!  A  SELL OUT CROWD OF 400 ATTENDEES FILLED THE S.A.V.E.S. SOCIAL HALL IN HANOVER, PA!  THE LINE UP CONSISTED OF FORMER BOSTON RED SOX PLAYER/COACH BUTCH HOBSON, BALTIMORE RAVEN RB JUSTIN FORSETT, AND THE 2015 U.S. LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONS: RED LAND (PA)!  WITH A LOT OF THE MONEY GOING TO STUDENT/ATHLETES & SCHOLARSHIPS, THERE BUDGET TO BRING IN "BIG NAME/HALL OF FAMERS" IS LIMITED!  HOWEVER, THE SHOW IS SET UP AS A BANQUET AND A "TURKEY MEAL" IS SERVED  WITH THE GUEST SPEAKING TO THE AUDIENCE!  A GREAT CONCEPT AND SPEECHES FROM THIS YEAR'S LINEUP!  AS A SIDE NOTE, FORMER PHILADELPHIA EAGLE & NOTRE DAME ALUM VICTOR ABIAMIRI ATTENDED THE EVENT!  HE WORKS FOR A SUPPLY COMPANY IN HANOVER, PA!  VICTOR ATTENDED LAST YEAR'S EVENT AS PART OF THE SPORT'S PANEL!  HE STILL LOOKS LIKE HE COULD PLAY, HOWEVER INJURIES DERAILED HIS 5 YEAR NFL CAREER!

ABOVE IS A PHOTO WITH CURRENT BALTIMORE RAVEN RB JUSTIN FORSETT!  HE GAVE A GREAT SPEECH ABOUT "LIVING IN THE SHADOWS" AND OVERCOMING ODDS AS HE STANDS ONLY 5'8''!

ABOVE IS A PHOTO WITH FORMER BOSTON RED SOX PLAYER/MANAGER BUTCH HOBSON!  HE IS CURRENTLY THE MANAGER OF THE LANCASTER (PA) BARNSTORMERS!

A PHOTO WITH NOTRE DAME ALUM AND FORMER PHILADELPHIA EAGLE VICTOR ABIAMIRI!  HE WAS A SURPRISE GUEST THAT I NABBED AS HE WORKS IN HANOVER, PA!

ABOVE IS THE MANAGER OF THE 2015 U.S. LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: RED LAND (PA) TOM PEIFER!

A PICTURE OF THE FEAST SERVED TO THE ATTENDEES AT THE 27TH ANNUAL HANOVER (PA) SPORTS NIGHT!

ABOVE ARE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS SIGNED BY THE ATTENDEES:

BUTCH HOBSON A CARD SIGNED
JUSTIN FORSETT A CARD SIGNED
THE TICKET TO THE EVENT
A PROGRAM SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING:
RED LAND LL BASEBALL TEAM
COACH TOM PEIFER
VICTOR ABIAMIRI

TODAY, THE DAYTONA 500 STARTS THE 2016 SEASON OF NASCAR!

NASACAR HALL OF FAMER BOBBY ALLISON WON THE DAYTONA 500 3 TIMES!  IN 1978, 1982, AND 1988  BOBBY TOOK THE BIG RACE IN NASCAR!  NASCAR STARTS THEIR SEASON OFF WITH THE BIGGEST RACE ON THEIR SCHEDULE!  BOBBY WAS NAMED ONE OF THE 50 GREATEST NASCAR DRIVER'S IN 1998!  MOREOVER, ALLISON WAS INDUCTED INTO THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME IN 2011!  IN 2000, BOBBY APPEARED AT THE 36TH ANNUAL YORK (PA) AREA SPORTS NIGHT!  

 ABOVE IS A SIGNED PROGRAM PAGE FROM BOBBY AND A PHOTO CARD!  BOTH ITEMS WERE SECURED FROM THE 36TH ANNUAL YORK (PA) AREA SPORTS NIGHT!

ORIOLE MANAGER BUCK SHOWALTER GIVES HIS 1ST PRESSER AS PITCHERS & CATCHERS REPORT TO SARASOTA, FLORIDA!

YESTERDAY, BALTIMORE ORIOLE PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORTED TO SPRING TRAINING IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA!  TODAY, IS THE 1ST SESSION OF SPRING TRAINING WITH PITCHERS & CATCHERS!  SEVERAL POSITION PLAYERS HAVE ALREADY REPORTED TO CAMP, EXCITED FOR A NEW SEASON AND WARM WEATHER IN FLORIDA!  WITH THE HORRID WINTER WEATHER IN PENNSYLVANIA, THIS BLOGGER IS READY FOR WARM WEATHER, BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS, AND FRESHLY CUT GREEN GRASS!  WELCOME TO THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2016 SPRING TRAINING!

BUCK SHOWALTER AND I FROM LAST MONTH'S LECTURE SERIES IN TOWSON, MD!

ABOVE IS A SIGNED BUCK SHOWALTER BOBBLE HEAD!!!

WWE HALL OF FAMER STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN SHATTERS THE GLASS AS HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE GREAT OUTDOOR SHOW IN HARRISBURG,PA!!!

WOW, WHAT A TURNOUT FOR THE 2009 WWE HALL OF FAMER STEVE AUSTIN AT THIS YEAR'S GREAT OUTDOOR SHOW IN HARRISBURG,PA!  I WOULD ESTIMATE 1,000 FANS TURNED OUT FOR THE SIGNING!  I THOUGHT THERE WAS A HUGE TURNOUT FOR ROMAN REIGNS LAST MONTH IN WASHINGTON,DC!  THIS SIGNING TOPPED THAT CROWD!  SPECIAL KUDOS GO OUT TO STONE COLD FOR SIGNING UNINTERRUPTED FOR OVER 3 HOURS!  STAFFERS ASKED HIM IF HE WAS O.K.?  HE SIGNALED THEM OFF AND CONTINUED TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AND POSE FOR PICTURES!  HE WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE SIGNING FROM 12-2 AND 4-6PM!  HE STARTED BEFORE 12 AND WAS SIGNING AFTER 3PM!  IT WAS CERTAINLY MY PLEASURE MEETING ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATS FROM THE WWE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ABOVE IS A SHOT OF THE MASSIVE CROWD TO MEET STONE CROWD!!

  STONE COLD AND I!!!  GIVING HIS STANDARD LOOK!  BECAUSE THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE CUZ.................

STONE COLD SIGNING MY ITEMS!  YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO GET 1 ITEM SIGNED!  I GOT 2!!!

ABOVE ARE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS SIGNED:

A READING BOOK PAGE SIGNED

A TOPPS WRESTLING CARD SIGNED  

A BIG SIGN PROMOTING THE STONE COLD EVENT!!

HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY WITH PRESIDENTIAL AUTOGRAPHS!

TODAY, WE CELEBRATE PRESIDENT'S DAY!  I STARTED COLLECTING PRESIDENTIAL AUTOGRAPHS WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON VISITED HIS PARK IN JACOBUS, PA!  TODAY, I PROFILE THE CURRENT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND THE PRIOR 2 PRESIDENTS!  IN 2006, I WAS ABLE TO HAVE OBAMA SIGN HIS MEMOIR, AUDACITY OF HOPE!  HE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR THEN GOVERNOR ED RENDELL AND SENATORIAL CANDIDATE, BOB CASEY IN KING OF PRUSSIA, PA!  PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON'S AUTOGRAPH WAS OBTAINED IN 2008!  CLINTON WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR HIS WIFE WITH A STOP AT DICKINSON COLLEGE IN CARLISLE, PA!  PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH BOOK PLATE WAS OBTAINED FROM HIS LIBRARY FOR THE COST OF A SELF ADDRESS ENVELOPE!

 ABOVE ARE THE FOLLOWING PRESIDENTIAL BOOKS SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING:

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON:  MY LIFE  (A 1ST EDITION COPY SIGNED)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:  THE AUDACITY OF HOP (A 1ST EDITION SIGNED)  HE INSCRIBED THE COPY: TO TODD, BEST WISHES

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:  DECISION POINTS  (A 1ST EDITION SIGNED)

FORMER WWE SUPERSTAR BOB "HARDCORE" HOLLY WRESTLES @ KEYSTONE WRESTLING IN LANCASTER,PA!!!!

TONIGHT, KEYSTONE WRESTLING HELD THEIR MONTHLY SHOW @ THE LANCASTER (PA) HOST RESORT!  THE  HEADLINER FOR THE SHOW WAS FORMER WWE SUPERSTAR BOB 'HARDCORE" HOLLY!  SEVERAL HUNDRED FANS TURNED OUT FOR THE SHOW!  HOLLY WORKED IN A TAG TEAM MATCH GAVE HIS USUAL WORK WITH STIFF CHOPS AND HIS PATENTED MOVE, THE ALABAMA SLAM!

"HARDCORE" HOLLY AND I IN LANCASTER,PA!!

A WWE TOPPS CARD SIGNED  BY "HARDCORE" HOLLY

ACTOR R. LEE ERMEY MAKES AN APPEARANCE AT THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOOR SHOW IN HARRISBURG,PA!!

R. LEE ERMEY MADE AN APPEARANCE AT THE N.R.A STAND AT THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOOR SHOW IN HARRISBURG, PA!  EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS ATTEND THE SHOW SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION!  ERMEY WAS SUPER FRIENDLY WITH THE ATTENDEES, CAUSING THE LINE TO MOVE EXTREMELY SLOW!   A STARK DIFFERENCE FROM THE CHARACTERS HE PLAYS IN MOVIES!  HOWEVER, IT WAS WORTH MEETING THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED IN THE MOVIE, FULL METAL JACKET!  ERMEY ALSO HAS DONE VOICE OVER WORK IN THE TOY STORY MOVIES & SPONGE BOB SQUAREPANTS!

ABOVE IS A PHOTO CARD GIVEN OUT TO THE ATTENDEES!  HE INSCRIBED MY NAME ALONG WITH SEMPER FI!  HE WAS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR IN THE U.S. MARINE CORP!

ABOVE R. LEE ERMEY AND I AT THE N.R.A. STAND AT THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOOR SHOW!

A SIGN TO PROMOTE THE "GUNNY'S" APPEARANCE!!

THE 52ND ANNUAL YORK (PA) AREA SPORTS NIGHT HELD @ THE HERITAGE HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER IN YORK,PA!!!

TONIGHT, I ATTENDED THE 52ND ANNUAL YORK (PA) AREA SPORTS NIGHT!  A SPARSE CROWD SHOWED UP FOR THE MEET AND GREET IN THE EVENING!  MY COUNT WAS 25 PATRONS!  THIS MADE FOR A GREET OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE SPORTS STARS AND GET A PICTURE!  NO PROBLEMS ON EITHER FRONT!  AS A SIDE NOTE, MLB HALL OF FAMER TONY PEREZ ATTENDED THE RECEPTION BEFORE THE GENERAL MEET AND GREET!  HE INSISTED ON NOT ATTENDING THE LATER EVENT!  HE DEMANDED TO BE TAKEN TO BACK TO BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT!  I GUESS $12,000, FREE AIR TICKET, AND HOTEL/FOOD  WAS NOT ENOUGH!  REFUNDS WERE GRANTED FOR TICKETS AND PHOTOS OF TONY PURCHASED!  

ABOVE IS THE COVER FOR THE 52ND ANNUAL YORK AREA SPORTS NIGHT!!

THE PAGE FOR MLB HOF TONY PEREZ!  HE WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE TO SIGN!

THE YORK REVOLUTION'S STEPHEN PENNEY IN ATTENDANCE!

PENN STATE FOOTBALL REPRESENTED WITH K SAM FICKEN AND WR MATT ZANELLATO

JAY PATERNO (THE SON OF JOE PATERNO)

BOXING HALL OF FAMER, RAY "BOOM BOOM" MANCINI SIGNED PROGRAM PAGE!
MY FAVORITE OF THE EVENING TALKING BOXING FROM THE 80'S!!

MR. COWBOY AND NFL HOF: BOB LILLY!  ANOTHER SUPER NICE MAN!!

ABOVE ARE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS SIGNED:
RAY "BOOM BOOM" MANCINI (INSCRIBED WITH HOF 2015) 8X10 PHOTO
JACK FISHER  A CARD (JACK WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THIS CARD, FROM HIS COACHING DAYS WITH THE METS)
BOB LILLY  A CARD INSCRIBED WITH CHOF 1981

A BOXING POSE WITH RAY "BOOM BOOM" MANCINI AND I!!!!!!!!!!!!
TRULY A NIGHT OF LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT!!!!!

MLB PITCHER AND ORIOLE ALUM JACK WAGNER!  HE GAVE UP TED WILLIAMS LAST HOME RUN!

MR. COWBOY, BOB LILLY AND I!  HE WAS SPORTING HIS SUPER BOWL VI RING!

JAY PATERNO AND I!

A REFLECTIVE LOOK @ YORK (PA) AREA SPORTS NIGHT!

WITH LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY FROM THE 52ND ANNUAL YORK (PA) SPORTS NIGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD TIME TO REFLECT ON THIS GREAT PROGRAM!  I STARTED ATTENDING THIS EVENT IN THE 80'S AND HAVE FOND MEMORIES!  A VIRTUAL PLETHORA OF  HALL OF FAME ATHLETES HAVE ATTENDED THE SHOWS OVER THE YEARS!  THIS YEAR'S SHOW WILL INCLUDE HALL OF FAMERS: BOB LILLY, TONY PEREZ, AND RAY "BOOM BOOM" MANCINI!  BELOW IS A SAMPLING OF THE AUTOGRAPHS I  HAVE COLLECTED THROUGH THE YEARS! 

ABOVE IS THE CURRENT COACH OF THE ARIZONA CARDINALS: BRUCE ARIANS!  HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE YORK(PA) SPORTS HALL OF FAME!

MLB HALL OF FAME PITCHER PHIL NIEKRO!

BALTIMORE COLT HALL OF FAMER, GINO MARCHETTI!

GREEN BAY PACKER HALL OF FAMER: PAUL HORNUNG!

CHICAGO BLACKHAWK HALL OF FAMER: BOBBY HULL

MLB HALL OF FAMER:  HARMON KILLEBREW

OLYMPIC GREAT & 4X MEDAL WINNER IN WRESTLING:   BRUCE BAUMGARTNER!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER:  JOHNNY MAJORS

MLB HALL OF FAMER: GEORGE KELL

MLB HALL OF FAMER: DON SUTTON

FORMER ECW STAR AXL ROTTEN DIES AT THE AGE OF 44!!

THIS PAST WEEK, THE WRESTLING WORLD LOST ANOTHER STAR: AXL ROTTEN!  AXL COMPETED IN THE ECW FROM 1993-1999!  I REMEMBER SEEING AXL ON THE LOCAL INDY SCENE  AT THE HANOVER, PA NATIONAL ARMORY IN THE EARLY 90'S!  HE WAS PLAYING AN ENGLAND/BRITISH CHARACTER WITH A LOUD MOUTH!  AXL WAS ALWAYS GOOD ON THE MIC AND WAS VERY ENTERTAINING ON THE LOCAL SCENE!  REST IN PEACE TO AXL AND HIS FAMILY!

 ABOVE IS THE PROGRAM FOR AN ECW EVENT HELD IN YORK, PA IN 1998!

ABOVE IS A PROGRAM FROM AN ECW EVENT HELD AT THE YORK EXPO CENTER IN 1998!  AXL ROTTEN AND BLUE MEANIE SIGNED THE PROGRAM FROM THE EVENT!

'HOWARD STERN SHOW' WACK PACKER 'CRACKHEAD BOB" DIES AT AGE 56!

A FRIEND BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THE PASSING OF CRACKHEAD BOB!  HE ASKED ME IF I EVER MET HIM AND I SAID YES!  IN 1998, CRACKHEAD BOB & FRED THE ELEPHANT BOY MADE A PROMOTIONAL STOP AT FAT DADDY'S IN YORK, PENNSYLVANIA!  THE STOP WAS PART OF OUR LOCAL RADIO AFFILIATE 105.7 THE X (WQXA) FM!  THIS WAS DURING HIS "TERRESTRIAL RADIO" DAYS!  HOWARD HAS BEEN ON SATELLITE RADIO FOR YEARS!  I DID TAKE PICTURES OF THE EVENT, HOWEVER I CANNOT LOCATE THEM!  THE APPEARANCE WAS QUITE THE SIGHT WITH BOB AND FRED! 

ABOVE IS A SIGNED CD FROM THE PRIVATE PARTS MOVIE, STARRING HOWARD STERN!  I GOT THE CD SIGNED BY CRACKHEAD BOB & FRED THE ELEPHANT BOY!!
 

CONGRATULATIONS TO FORMER RAVENS MICHAEL OHER & ED DICKSON (CAROLINA PANTHERS) ON ADVANCING TO SUPER BOWL 50!

WITH THE UPCOMING SUPER BOWL THIS SUNDAY, A READER REQUESTED FORMER RAVENS ON THE PANTHERS!    THERE ARE TWO FORMER RAVENS THAT I HAVE IN MY COLLECTION!  MICHAEL OHER & ED DICKSON WILL PLAY IN THEIR 2ND SUPER BOWL!  BOTH LEFT AS FREE AGENT FROM BALTIMORE AND HAVE PRODUCTIVE SEASONS IN CAROLINA!  GOOD LUCK TO THESE FORMER RAVENS AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE BIG GAME IN SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA!

 ABOVE IS ED DICKSON AND I WITH MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER!  SHE WAS NOT LOOKING IN THIS PHOTO FROM 2010!

 ABOVE ARE ITEMS SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING FORMER RAVENS:
ED DICKSON (8X10 PHOTO)
MICHAEL OHER  (A SIGNED DVD COVER)
(A SIGNED 8X10 PHOTO)

 ABOVE IS MICHAEL OHER WITH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER FROM 2010!