When the list of Winter Caravan stops came out a few days ago, I knew the one in Fort Worth at the Bryant Irvin Academy would probably be one that I'd try to attend. I called my dad and he agreed to come along with me.
Rangers personnel in attendance included lefthander Derek Holland, first baseman Mitch Moreland, third base coach Dave Anderson, and Rangers Hall of Famers Jim Sundberg and Tom Grieve. I knew the event would start at 6:30, so we decided if Dad got to my house by 5:30 we'd have time to grab a bite to eat then head over there for the Q & A and autographs. We'd gone to one of these a few years ago at the same location and did not have any problems with massive crowds or anything like that, though Dad did run into Rangers Captain in the men's room. Awkward.
However, this afternoon TR Sullivan posted on his blog that there had been some changes to the autograph procedures for these events, due to huge turnouts at the first few stops, especially those in east Texas yesterday. There would only be 300 people allowed to get autographs, and to get one you had to get a numbered voucher at the store, which would start handing them out at 4:30, two hours before the event.
I wasn't sure how many people would show up, or how many would know about the voucher thing since it just was announced a few hours before the event, but I didn't want to take any chances so I went up to the Academy by myself at 3:30 or so. I was about the 30th person in line, which formed outside in the cold. After the hour wait, they let us in, gave us each a full page piece of paper detailing the rules for getting autographs with a little number at the bottom, indicating your spot as one of the 300 allowed to get something signed.
I asked one of the guys in charge if it would be ok to leave the store after I got my pass to go get something to eat then come back, but he said he'd highly discourage that. So I stayed there and called my dad to come straight to the Academy instead of my house. When he got there, he was in time to get a pass too, and we claimed a couple of the 200 seats available. I bought a Dr Pepper and a couple of candy bars to get me through the evening since we missed our dinner plans.
I had a Derek Holland baseball card to get signed, but sadly nothing for Mitch Moreland. I've got a collection of signed Rangers cards, so I wanted to get one for Mitch to sign. I looked online for a local baseball card shop, but those are hardly in existance anymore, so that wasn't going to work. I called my buddy Nick to see if he had a Moreland card, and he said he thought he did, and that he'd try to get it to me. Later he texted me to say he'd be getting off work late and he couldn't get the card to me. Bummer. I thought about buying a Rangers baseball there at the store to get signed, but I don't collect many signed baseballs, so I decided against it. The pass said there would be something there for them to sign for us if we did not have anything we brought for them, so I assumed that would mean a black and white 3X5 card like they've done over the last few years, and I was ok if that's what I got for Moreland.
There was a table in the back set up for ESPN Radio with free stuff, so before the event started I went back there to see what they had. They told me I could have one freebie, which consisted of water bottles, key chains, stickers, and T-shirts from the Ben & Skin Show. So I happily snagged a Ben & Skin shirt. The Captain was also there, again, and while he was walking around I got him to sign one of his little baseball cards to give to Joshua. No bathroom incidents to report this time.
When 6:30 rolled around, Grieve hosted a short Q & A, then the autographs started soon thereafter. The line went row by row, and of course we'd decided to sit in the back row. By about 7:45 we had our autographs from Holland, Moreland, and Anderson, then went to the front where Sundberg and Grieve were signing as well. Instead of the 3X5's I was hoping for, there was a 8X10 color picture of the 2010 team piled on the mound after beating the Yankees in the ALCS, with a 2011 schedule on the back. So I got everybody to sign that, and Holland to sign the baseball card I had for him. I'm still a bit irked I didn't get a Moreland card, but oh well.
Next to Grieve and Sundberg at the front of the store was the actual ALCS trophy the Rangers won. I took a picture with my phone, and I'd post it here, but the computer isn't picking up my Bluetooth signal from my phone tonight, so I'll try to get it up later. We chatted with Tom for a few minutes, then headed out for burgers at Kincaid's, which thankfully is open until 9PM.
To me it looked like just about everybody that showed up got an autograph if they wanted one, so the crowd wasn't quite as overwhelming as those in east Texas, but it was still a good turnout. If you plan to go to one of these in the next couple of weeks, be sure to get there early enough to get your voucher/pass and don't plan on leaving the store once you're there. It may be different at other locations, but you never know. And if you have something you want signed, bring it in. They are only allowed to sign one item per person, per player, so don't expect to get a hat, ball, card, and bat all signed by one guy.
Overall it went really smoothly, and though dinner had to wait, it was a fun time and I look forward to going to one or two more of these. If you're thinking of going, I'd encourage you to do so.
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