Customer Reviews

Sign This

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This was a fascinating book to read as it is a sports book about the real personalities of sports personalities. Specifically, how a collection of professional athletes behaves when asked to make paid personal appearances and autograph material. How they react to unscheduled requests for autographs is also included in the analysis. There is a top ten good guy's list:

*) Brooks Robinson
*) Harmon Killebrew
*) Lee Roy Selmon
*) Otto Graham
*) The Famous Chicken
*) Monte Irvin
*) Billy Williams
*) Muhammad Ali
*) Alan Trammell
*) Dale Murphy

They are people who always go out of their way to be polite and helpful. The only name on the list that surprised me was Ali, it appears that the loud mouth attitude that he projected was an artificial one. There is a companion top ten jerks list:

*) Willie Mays
*) Rickey Henderson
*) Errict Rhett
*) Mike Schmidt
*) Darryl Strawberry
*) Reggie Jackson
*) Joe Dimaggio
*) Pete Rose
*) Gaylord Perry
*) Denny McLain

I cannot say that there were any surprises in this list.
One hundred other sports celebrities are also ranked and there is a chapter devoted to Mickey Mantle, the most popular athlete. The author organizes sports celebrity appearances, so nearly all of the commentary is based on the author's personal experiences. It is indexed based on the athletes' name, so if you are interested in a particular figure, then this book will provide you with accurate information.

This book is a must have for anyone who spends Mondays cleaning black sharpie marker off their hands. You definately have to check out the Jerks and Good Guys lists to see if your favorite signers are there, and who you should not even try to get (unless you want to get yelled at).

I picked up this book in order to recapture something that has been lost. Having grown up in the 1950's and 60's, I think we have lost a close relationship with sports. Today players move, teams move, and everything is about money. I hoped to spend a quiet afternoon remembering the way thingsused to be. While I was not disappointed, I found so much more. I learned what my favorite (and least favorite)sports stars are doing now. I found out what they are doing now. Some built on their success while others have not been able to move on with life easily. Tom's descriptions of these stars during an autograph session was both inciteful and interesting. Another unanticipated pleasure was Tom's description of the highs and lows of the sports collectable industry. I can remember when the industry did not exist. Tom describes how and why the industry gre so fast and why it has now returned to a more subdued level. If you pick this book up, I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. For memories and new insite this book is top rate.

I'm not a sports fan in the least, but I enjoyed Sign This immensely. Tom's stories about hundreds of his experiences are placed in an editorial column format, giving you just the information you need to know and usually containing a witty side note. If you ever wanted to know how our sports heroes from the last 4 decades really act, this book is a must read.

A really great book. I bought one for my brother who has always been a sports nut. I remember him following the careers of many of the people mentioned in the book. The stories about the players were interesting and enlightening. Most of the stories about the 10 bad guys confirmed my opionion. Same for the 10 good guys. You don't really have to be interested in collecting sports memorabilia to enjoy this book. I am sure everyone will find the stories interesting and enjoyable. It is definitely a book you will want to read and share with friends. Better yet, buy two, one to keep and one to give away.

I would have to rank this book in my top 3 sports books of all time. Not only did Bunevich captivate me with his up close and personal stories of some of my favorite athletes, but he also sheds light on what makes the autograph industry what it is today. His first hand knowledge of the industry made it very enjoyable reading. This is a must have for any sports fan of any age. He talks about his encounters with some of the all time greats like Mantle, Mays and Bradshaw as well as sport icons from todays era such as McGwire, Griffey and Lemieux. You do not have to be an autograph seeker to enjoy this book. I can't stress that enough. I personally have never been into that side of any sport and found this book to be as enjoyable as any sports book I have read.

"Sign This" is a must read for any true sports fan. Unlike other books about sports personalities, Tom Bunevich cuts the fluff and tells it as it is when your heros are behind closed doors. I'm the kind of guy who needs to hear it straight from the horses mouth and in "Sign This," Bunevich seems to be the perfect horse. I don't think you could ask for a more fair and honest appraisal of sports personalities than from an author who has obviously danced with the greatest names. If you want to find out if the personality of your hero dims as the camera lights fade away - read "Sign This."

The stories are fair to all. If a guy's a jerk, Bunevich lays it on the line and says so. But in fairness, "Sign This" certainly acknowledges those stars whose personalities off the field shine as brightly as their accomplishments on the field. Find the story on Dale Murphy and see if that still happens in todays era of autograph collecting!

Bunevich also provides a great history from when autographs were just a hobby to the indusrty it is now. Check out Bunevich's first autograph guest in the mid 80's - a young New York flamethrower named Dwight Gooden - and see what an autograph ticket cost back then. You also might want to get a calculator to check what you could have saved by reading what Mickey Mantle charged for an autograph 15-20 years ago.

Raed "Sign This"- I hope Bunevich's next project will be as honest and insightful as this one!!!