Latest news with #autograph
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Property of Sophie Cunningham': How a fan got Fever star to troll a rival player with her autograph
Brady Pettigrew isn't a collector of sports cards or memorabilia. The Indiana Fever fan just wanted to have some fun with Sophie Cunningham, one of his favorite players. At a fan event in Indianapolis last weekend, Pettigrew waited in line with many others to get the star WNBA guard's autograph. When his turn came, the 39-year-old resident of nearby Anderson, Ind., placed a sports card in front of Cunningham for her to sign. Read more: Caitlin Clark pushed to ground, and does some shoving of her own, during testy win over Sun Only it wasn't a Cunningham card. It was a Jacy Sheldon card. Not only did Pettigrew want Cunningham to sign the card of one of her on-court rivals, he wanted her to place her autograph directly under a phrase his sister, Tristen Pettigrew, had inscribed on the collectible: "Property of:" Cunningham and Sheldon were involved in a dust-up during a June 17 game in Indianapolis, when Sheldon was a member of the Connecticut Sun (she was traded to the Washington Mystics last week). Late in the game, with the Fever up by 17, Sheldon made a steal and was taken down hard by Cunningham — a move many viewed as payback after Sheldon poked Indiana superstar Caitlin Clark in the eye during a play in the third quarter. Pettigrew told The Times he was "a little nervous" about how Cunningham might react to his unusual request. But at the same time, he said, he knew from following Cunningham on social media that she is "a little edgy" and has "a good sense of humor." "I was just like, if there's anybody that would do this, it would be Sophie," Pettigrew said. A video of Pettigrew's interaction with Cunningham, filmed by his sister, shows that his assumption was correct. After he places the card in front of her, Cunningham takes a second to register what she is seeing, then bursts into laughter and immediately autographs the card so it reads, "Property of: Sophie Cunningham." "She said that when she first looked at the card, she just thought it was a card of herself, you know, blond, white chick," Pettigrew said, "and so she didn't realize until she read what the inscription was, and was like, 'What?'" He added: "If I have a chance to make her laugh, that's better than just taking up some picture where she looks all pretty like everybody else does, or get a jersey signed or something,. I was like, well, if I can make her laugh, maybe I can make a tedious, boring situation for her a little more fun. And she obliged.' Cunningham can be heard in the video laughing and exclaiming, "She's the problem!" While some have assumed the comment was aimed toward Sheldon, Pettigrew said he thinks Cunningham was actually referring to her mother, Paula, who was also at the event and had encouraged Pettigrew to make the unusual request of her daughter. "If you listen really close right when the video starts, I'm walking up and I say to Sophie, 'I just want you to know I got your mom's approval for this,' and I set the card down," Pettigrew said. "And she looks at it and starts cracking up. And she's like, 'See, she's the problem.' ... I'm fairly certain based on the conversation she's actually calling her mom the problem, like laughing about the situation of her telling me to do it.' Pettigrew said he has gotten offers of up to $2,000 for the card, but it's not for sale — although he could change his mind for the right price. Read more: Caitlin Clark rookie card brings $660,000 at auction, nearly doubling previous women's record "You know, I love riding motorcycles," he said, "and so I've kind of told myself, if somebody offers me enough to buy a decent motorcycle, I couldn't say no in that case. But I definitely don't have any intention of trying to make that happen. If it naturally happens, I mean, everything's got a price.' Cunningham and Sheldon will be on the court together again Friday when the Fever hosts the Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. Pettigrew actually has other plans for the evening. However, he said, 'If Sophie hits me up and and says, 'Hey, we got courtside seats for you,' I think I could probably show up to the concert a little late,' he joked. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Five legends, one page: How Patrick Ryan secured a sports memorabilia masterpiece
Getting an autograph from just one of sports' 'GOATs' is a challenge. Now imagine securing signatures from Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and Lionel Messi – and to make it more impressive, getting them all to sign the same item. Then imagine doing it in just one year. That's exactly what super collector Patrick Ryan pulled off, creating a one-of-a-kind piece that spans a century of sports greatness. On June 29, 2024, Ryan claimed a nearly 100-year-old autograph album at auction, its prize possession a page signed by Ruth. That single purchase would spark an extraordinary quest – one that would produce one of the most remarkable pieces of sports memorabilia ever assembled. 'When I bought the Babe Ruth signed album page … it just looked kind of empty and it looked lonely,' Ryan told CNN Sports. That's when he realized he had an upcoming opportunity. Brady was scheduled to attend a Sotheby's and Fanatics sports card auction the following week. 'I said, you know what, maybe there's some ways to spruce up this Babe Ruth autograph,' Ryan said. A post shared by PSA (@psacard) Brady was the first modern legend to join Ruth's signature. Ryan brought the album page – and a gift – to the auction. 'It was a ticket to the 1981 NFC Championship game, which he famously attended to watch the Dwight Clark catch,' Ryan said. When Brady got up to leave, Ryan presented the ticket before asking for the favor. 'His eyes definitely lit up when he saw what I was having him sign.' From there, Ryan began plotting the rest. Gretzky's signature came next through mutual friends during the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago. A few months later, Messi signed during a private session with Icons, an autograph company. The final piece was Jordan. Ryan kept details private but said, 'Michael has a lot of respect for … the other guys that are on this piece of paper, and I think that's what motivated him to want to make sure it got done.' Remarkably, Ryan secured all five autographs within a year. When it came time to share the finished 'GOAT' page with the world, Ryan knew he wanted Brady to be the one to reveal it. Brady had been the first living legend to sign the page after Ruth, and his connection to the memorabilia world through his investment in trading card stores made him the perfect choice. The reveal took place at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Standing face-to-face with the seven-time Super Bowl champion, Ryan handed him the slabbed album page without explanation. Brady turned it over, took in the sight of all five autographs, and his eyes widened. A smile broke across his face as he leaned in to study it more closely. A post shared by CardVault By Tom Brady (@cardvaultbytombrady) 'To me, the fact that Tom didn't know what I was showing him really was the icing on the cake because we got a really genuine reaction from him,' Ryan said. 'For him to react the way he did was definitely special.' The moment, captured on video, quickly approached a million views online. Now authenticated by sports memorabilia experts PSA and Beckett, the page features five autographs in distinct shades of blue ink: Jordan, Ruth, Brady, Gretzky and Messi. Ryan says the item is not for sale. 'Most of the autographs were gifted to me, so that would be inappropriate to sell it,' he said. Instead, he plans to eventually place it in a museum. 'I think it will live on in a museum whenever my time here passes … so I'll be able to enjoy it for a long, long time.' In the meantime, he's open to displaying it at events or locations meaningful to the athletes. 'A few museums have reached out. … I'm more than willing to have it on display where these athletes would want it,' Ryan said. Ryan has been a collector since age 7, when he sold baseball cards by the roadside. For him, this piece is more than just ink on paper. 'The fact that I've had so many people reach out … that's been really fun,' he said. 'The whole process has been very rewarding, but I'm always looking for what's next in my journey as a collector.' Still, having five of the greatest team-sport athletes in history on one page – and seeing Brady's stunned reaction to the completed piece – gave Ryan perspective. 'It's such a unique piece. … I'm becoming very focused on making sure other pieces in my collection are directionally in that way,' Ryan said.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Five legends, one page: How Patrick Ryan secured a sports memorabilia masterpiece
Getting an autograph from just one of sports' 'GOATs' is a challenge. Now imagine securing signatures from Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and Lionel Messi – and to make it more impressive, getting them all to sign the same item. Then imagine doing it in just one year. That's exactly what super collector Patrick Ryan pulled off, creating a one-of-a-kind piece that spans a century of sports greatness. On June 29, 2024, Ryan claimed a nearly 100-year-old autograph album at auction, its prize possession a page signed by Ruth. That single purchase would spark an extraordinary quest – one that would produce one of the most remarkable pieces of sports memorabilia ever assembled. 'When I bought the Babe Ruth signed album page … it just looked kind of empty and it looked lonely,' Ryan told CNN Sports. That's when he realized he had an upcoming opportunity. Brady was scheduled to attend a Sotheby's and Fanatics sports card auction the following week. 'I said, you know what, maybe there's some ways to spruce up this Babe Ruth autograph,' Ryan said. A post shared by PSA (@psacard) Brady was the first modern legend to join Ruth's signature. Ryan brought the album page – and a gift – to the auction. 'It was a ticket to the 1981 NFC Championship game, which he famously attended to watch the Dwight Clark catch,' Ryan said. When Brady got up to leave, Ryan presented the ticket before asking for the favor. 'His eyes definitely lit up when he saw what I was having him sign.' From there, Ryan began plotting the rest. Gretzky's signature came next through mutual friends during the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago. A few months later, Messi signed during a private session with Icons, an autograph company. The final piece was Jordan. Ryan kept details private but said, 'Michael has a lot of respect for … the other guys that are on this piece of paper, and I think that's what motivated him to want to make sure it got done.' Remarkably, Ryan secured all five autographs within a year. When it came time to share the finished 'GOAT' page with the world, Ryan knew he wanted Brady to be the one to reveal it. Brady had been the first living legend to sign the page after Ruth, and his connection to the memorabilia world through his investment in trading card stores made him the perfect choice. The reveal took place at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Standing face-to-face with the seven-time Super Bowl champion, Ryan handed him the slabbed album page without explanation. Brady turned it over, took in the sight of all five autographs, and his eyes widened. A smile broke across his face as he leaned in to study it more closely. A post shared by CardVault By Tom Brady (@cardvaultbytombrady) 'To me, the fact that Tom didn't know what I was showing him really was the icing on the cake because we got a really genuine reaction from him,' Ryan said. 'For him to react the way he did was definitely special.' The moment, captured on video, quickly approached a million views online. Now authenticated by sports memorabilia experts PSA and Beckett, the page features five autographs in distinct shades of blue ink: Jordan, Ruth, Brady, Gretzky and Messi. Ryan says the item is not for sale. 'Most of the autographs were gifted to me, so that would be inappropriate to sell it,' he said. Instead, he plans to eventually place it in a museum. 'I think it will live on in a museum whenever my time here passes … so I'll be able to enjoy it for a long, long time.' In the meantime, he's open to displaying it at events or locations meaningful to the athletes. 'A few museums have reached out. … I'm more than willing to have it on display where these athletes would want it,' Ryan said. Ryan has been a collector since age 7, when he sold baseball cards by the roadside. For him, this piece is more than just ink on paper. 'The fact that I've had so many people reach out … that's been really fun,' he said. 'The whole process has been very rewarding, but I'm always looking for what's next in my journey as a collector.' Still, having five of the greatest team-sport athletes in history on one page – and seeing Brady's stunned reaction to the completed piece – gave Ryan perspective. 'It's such a unique piece. … I'm becoming very focused on making sure other pieces in my collection are directionally in that way,' Ryan said.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Five legends, one page: How Patrick Ryan secured a sports memorabilia masterpiece
Tom Brady People in sports Lionel Messi Michael JordanFacebookTweetLink Follow Getting an autograph from just one of sports' 'GOATs' is a challenge. Now imagine securing signatures from Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and Lionel Messi – and to make it more impressive, getting them all to sign the same item. Then imagine doing it in just one year. That's exactly what super collector Patrick Ryan pulled off, creating a one-of-a-kind piece that spans a century of sports greatness. On June 29, 2024, Ryan claimed a nearly 100-year-old autograph album at auction, its prize possession a page signed by Ruth. That single purchase would spark an extraordinary quest – one that would produce one of the most remarkable pieces of sports memorabilia ever assembled. 'When I bought the Babe Ruth signed album page … it just looked kind of empty and it looked lonely,' Ryan told CNN Sports. That's when he realized he had an upcoming opportunity. Brady was scheduled to attend a Sotheby's and Fanatics sports card auction the following week. 'I said, you know what, maybe there's some ways to spruce up this Babe Ruth autograph,' Ryan said. A post shared by PSA (@psacard) Brady was the first modern legend to join Ruth's signature. Ryan brought the album page – and a gift – to the auction. 'It was a ticket to the 1981 NFC Championship game, which he famously attended to watch the Dwight Clark catch,' Ryan said. When Brady got up to leave, Ryan presented the ticket before asking for the favor. 'His eyes definitely lit up when he saw what I was having him sign.' From there, Ryan began plotting the rest. Gretzky's signature came next through mutual friends during the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago. A few months later, Messi signed during a private session with Icons, an autograph company. The final piece was Jordan. Ryan kept details private but said, 'Michael has a lot of respect for … the other guys that are on this piece of paper, and I think that's what motivated him to want to make sure it got done.' Remarkably, Ryan secured all five autographs within a year. When it came time to share the finished 'GOAT' page with the world, Ryan knew he wanted Brady to be the one to reveal it. Brady had been the first living legend to sign the page after Ruth, and his connection to the memorabilia world through his investment in trading card stores made him the perfect choice. The reveal took place at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Standing face-to-face with the seven-time Super Bowl champion, Ryan handed him the slabbed album page without explanation. Brady turned it over, took in the sight of all five autographs, and his eyes widened. A smile broke across his face as he leaned in to study it more closely. A post shared by CardVault By Tom Brady (@cardvaultbytombrady) 'To me, the fact that Tom didn't know what I was showing him really was the icing on the cake because we got a really genuine reaction from him,' Ryan said. 'For him to react the way he did was definitely special.' The moment, captured on video, quickly approached a million views online. Now authenticated by sports memorabilia experts PSA and Beckett, the page features five autographs in distinct shades of blue ink: Jordan, Ruth, Brady, Gretzky and Messi. Ryan says the item is not for sale. 'Most of the autographs were gifted to me, so that would be inappropriate to sell it,' he said. Instead, he plans to eventually place it in a museum. 'I think it will live on in a museum whenever my time here passes … so I'll be able to enjoy it for a long, long time.' In the meantime, he's open to displaying it at events or locations meaningful to the athletes. 'A few museums have reached out. … I'm more than willing to have it on display where these athletes would want it,' Ryan said. Ryan has been a collector since age 7, when he sold baseball cards by the roadside. For him, this piece is more than just ink on paper. 'The fact that I've had so many people reach out … that's been really fun,' he said. 'The whole process has been very rewarding, but I'm always looking for what's next in my journey as a collector.' Still, having five of the greatest team-sport athletes in history on one page – and seeing Brady's stunned reaction to the completed piece – gave Ryan perspective. 'It's such a unique piece. … I'm becoming very focused on making sure other pieces in my collection are directionally in that way,' Ryan said.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
WWE legend cancels Comic Con appearance at short notice to deal with family emergency leaving fans devastated
WWE LEGEND Trish Stratus was forced to cancel her Comic Con appearance at the last minute, leaving fans devastated. Trish, 49, was due to appear at the event in Wales, but pulled at to deal with a family emergency. 4 4 4 The WWE Hall of Famer was due to appear at ICC Wales, Newport yesterday, but was unable to at short notice. Revealing the news to fans, Trish posted a heartfelt statement on Instagram. 'Hi everyone, it breaks my heart to share that I won't be able to attend the autograph signing in Wales this weekend," she wrote. "My mom needs me by her side right now, and with the distance involved, the travel is simply too far. "If anything were to happen, I'd be too far away to get back quickly and that's not a risk I can take at this time." Continuing, the seven-time women's champion said: "To those who bought tickets – I'm so sorry to disappoint you. I promise I will come back to Wales and we will meet another time! "I'm truly sorry to disappoint anyone, please know I never take your support for granted, and it means the world to me. "I'm aware I have several upcoming appearances scheduled on the #Trish25 Tour and as of now, those are still planned. Fans who had bought tickets were left disappointed she wouldn't be at the show, but at the same time showed their support for Trish, with one writing: "Gutted, only reason I was coming to this event but family always comes first! Sending her so much love." Another added: "Absolutely gutted is an understatement but cant be helped! Hope all is well with @trishstratuscom and hope you meet you next time." WWE fans go wild for Trish Stratus after her very revealing outfit on SmackDown return aged 49 This fan said: "We're rooting for you and your Mum, @trishstratuscom. Us UK fans will be ready and waiting for your next visit." In response to Trish having to pull out of her appearance, Comic Con posted: "Unfortunately due to personal circumstances, Trish Stratus is no longer able to attend this event. "All autograph and photographs holders will be contacted by ticker quarter tomorrow and refunds will be issued automatically. "Anyone that held tickets for the Team Bestie duo will be downgraded to a solo with Lita." Trish is a HUGE fan favorite in the world of WWE. She is credited as one of the first female wrestlers to pave the way for the famous women's revolution that led to women receiving equal bill to men. The Toronto legend is known for stealing the show when getting in the ring with likes of Lita, Jazz, Victoria and Ivory, 4
