How to get those great autographs at Wrigley Field. You can do it and there is a way without running out onto the playing field.
By Aaron Hanania
My dad and I get to Wrigley Field early, so that gives me time to stand by the dugout and talk with some of the players. Sometimes they will sign but most of the time they won’t autograph baseballs.
You need to make sure you have at least four baseballs with you, unless you want to put the signatures all on one ball. You need a good pen, too, one in which the ink will not smudge or seep.
But the best time to get autographs is immediately after the game.
When the game is in the 9th inning, I always leave and get to the visitor exit on the east side of the ball park. It’s just off the right field exit where the visiting team players board the bus.
Not all the visiting players take the bus. Some drive on their own but others do.
I don’t go to the bus. Instead, I stop about 100 or so feet before the bus. There is a door that the visiting team comes out of and usually some of the nice players will sign. Most of them WON’T sign while getting on the bus.
If you wait off to the side of the door and go up to people who come out of it sometimes they will sign. Beware you will have to hold off ball park security who are trying to close the park.
They will say “We need you to please leave as the park is closing.” My comeback, “Sorry, I’m waiting for my grandma who is in the bathroom.” They then say “Oh, ok. When she comes out then please leave.” The trick is that my grandma isn’t even at the park, of course.
That is my special secret about getting autographs from baseball players at Wrigley Field.
It’s a shame that more players don’t stop to give autographs to the kids and that we have to be sneaky to get them. The teams should plan some means of giving autographs. They should require each player to give at least 25 autographs after each game.
They could even sell a ticket to raise money for good causes and charities, and sign after the game to those who buy the tickets.
I know some players hate to sign autographs. But they are making millions off our money, our support, our cheers and our season passes and tickets — which are expensive.
Of course, the other sure way to get a good autograph, usually from a White Sox player, which is good too, is to check out the Baseball Card King in Oak Lawn. They organize autograph sessions all the time and do a great job.
It should be required as a part of the game because it is as American as Mom, Baseball and Apple Pie.
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“I share music with my audience because music is a way for me to share my thoughts or views on a concept in a different form,” explains Aaron, who has been playing drums for more than 15 years.
"My writings take the readers to the ends of their imagination and document news and feature events in sports and everyday life."
His first album is titled "Deep Space" and was released in October of 2019.
Aaron is also a budding standup comedian who has performed several times to packed audiences around Chicagoland.
His writings include features, news and opinion commentary. His videos address issues that young students address everyday.
His website is www.Aaron411News.com and his Youtube channel is www.Aaron411.com.
Follow him on Twitter @AaronHanania