In an essay in Sunday’s New York Times, a distinguished news reporter chronicled his five-city, eight-game, eight-day venture with his two sons and called out Buster Posey for not signing an autograph for his 12-year-old, concluding the moment provided a “life lesson” for how “heroes can disappoint us.”
Where do we begin?
Autograph seekers represent the best and worst of baseball. The wide-eyed youth getting a rare glimpse of his favorite player, and an autograph is the bonus. On the other hand: a parent providing false hope to his kid, shoving him to the front of the scrum, trying to get the athlete’s attention and ripping him if/when he doesn’t sign.