The Most Famous Person You've Met

I shook the hand that shook Sirhan-Sirhan ........That's Rosy Greer.

I wear XL gloves and his hand engulfed mine as if it were a 3 year olds.
 
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Was passing through Banff years back and decided to play a round of golf. The started paired me up with Bill Russell and one of his former team mates. True gentlemen and Bill signed autographs a number of time during the round for folks that came up to him. After the 18th hole he pulled up to a green RollsRoyce convertable and loaded their clubs in the trunk. I was never a basketball fan growing up in Canada but figured out they were NBA players. The next day I mentioned this meeting to my golf pro. His comment was that he would have rather played with Mr Russell than Jack Nicholas.
 
I go to the Bianchi Cup every year for a week. There are lots of famous shooters there. I talk to them all week and have had dinner and drinks with several over many years time. Names like Jerry Miculek, Rob Leatham, Max Michel, Doug Koenig, Julie Golob, John Pride, Mickey Fowler, Jesse Duff, many others. I'm no one special, everyone at the match can talk to them too.
 
Louis Freeh, Director of the FBI, when I graduated from the 187th Session of the FBINA. Colin Powell when he spoke at Harvard commencement in 1993, was attached to his security team, gave us a Joint Chiefs tie bar. US Senator John O. Pastore when he handed me the award for top shooter at my police academy graduation in 1975. A bunch of senators and congressmen when I would make a yearly trip to beg for funds for a group associated with law enforcement in the early 2000s. Those office buildings are like a middle eastern bazaar.
 
Back in 2012 while vacationing in Virginia with the wife we stopped into the NRA National Museum. We were surprised upon entering the museum that the Crew from Midway's Gun Stories were filming there. We got to meet the star of the show Joe Montegna. Very nice person and a great gun guy. We talked for a little while and he posed with us for pictures. This made my wife very happy as she and I both like Criminal Minds as well.
 
The most famous person

In 1960 I met Walt Disney at Disney world. He was greeting people at the entrance.
In 1965 I Met Johnny Weissmuller at a sighing in Houston, Tx.
I was very impressed to meet both of them. Mr. Disney was very nice and friendly to everyone. Mr. Weissmuller was very imposing to meet, but also one of the friendliest people that I have had the pleasure to meet, in my lifetime, as he took the time to actually talk to me about his movie career and winning his Olympic Gold medal (although it was only for a short time).
As you can tell I was impressed by both.
As a footnote I have on two occasions met the Bud Clydesdales (also very impressive.)
 
Probably one of the best talents in CW music, Marty Stuart IMHO. We went to a concert near Pittsburgh and got to talking to a security guy. He asked us if we'd like to meet Marty. Of course we said yes, so he showed us through the kitchen to where they were having a meet and greet. He seemed to be a heck of a nice fellow.
Franco Harris. When I was a lad, a buddy and I went to a local dept. store was having a promo of some type with some of the Steelers. Franco was giving autographs and when I got my turn I had nothing for him to sign except for a folded up piece of paper which I handed to him. He unfolded it and it was a "spot sheet" which would give the weeks games and the "spot". You could pick 4, 6, or 10 games on up and if you picked correct would win a certain return on your "bet". Of course this was for entertainment purposed only. Franco opened it and looked at me and trying to look angry asked if I was trying to get Him in trouble, trying to get him sign a "gambling" slip. What did I know, I was just a kid. I hemmed and hawed while the other players looked on laughing at my discomfort. Then he looked at my picks, and the Steelers game in particular. Which he mistakenly thought I picked the Steelers to lose. Then the others started on me. "Man what do you mean Pittsburgh minus 3? We've got this!" I was sweating like a ***** in church! In the end we all laughed and I got my autograph. Wish I still had it.
Also Jack Lambert at another autograph session.
 
billdeserthills said:
I got to pick open a lock on Steven Seagal's summer house once,
does that count?
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I rode in a limo with Steven Segal for about 5 minutes. The experience was not pleasant.

GUNMIKE said:
In 1965 I Met Johnny Weissmuller at a sighing in Houston, Tx.
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I would have loved to meet him. He is one of the greatest sports athletes that ever lived. He never lost any swimming race he entered.
 
bigwheelzip said:
My former house painter in the 60's and 70's, Gino Done Paro.

1_Gino_Paint.jpg


Found out after his death that we was something of a hero in Italy for being a particularly effective Partisan fighter, working with the British in WWII.
And in Cuba, for being the only European in the fight against Batista, and saving Che Guevara's life.

Been the subject of books, movies, and songs in those countries.

I never knew anything about his past, and he never spoke of war or politics. Ya never know about people.
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I just read your first post more carefully .

He was not the only European against Batista. Fidel Castro was a Spaniard!
 
Back in the '60s, I was at a park where a bunch of rock bands were playing for free on a Sunday. Steve Miller was scheduled, but didn't show. Everyone went home except me and three other guys who were tossing around Frisbees. Eventually a van showed up, and out stepped Steve and his band. We went over and told them there was only four of us there, and they didn't need to play. Steve said, "We're going to play." And play they did. For four guys. For free. These days Steve still plays, but in 20,000 seat arenas with big bucks admission prices. For some reason, I haven't felt the need to go to those. I guess I'm spoiled.

Once, in a very crowded bar, for a few seconds I found myself wedged up against Janis Joplin. It was a pleasant experience.

The most famous person I actually know, is a former graduate student of the university department where I taught for many years. He was one of our best students. When I was in charge of our teaching assistants, he was in great demand by the faculty, because he always did an excellent job in any course to which he was assigned. He lived 100 miles from campus, and commuted in his personal airplane. One time, when travel funds were low, he and some of our faculty wanted to attend a conference in South Carolina. He offered to fly them if they'd chip in for gas. My faculty colleagues agreed, and they all went to the conference, flown by the student we know today as "Dr. Phil" McGraw.
 
Texas Star said:
I just read your first post more carefully .

He was not the only European against Batista. Fidel Castro was a Spaniard!
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He may have had dual citizenship birth rights because of his father being Spanish, but he was Cuban born.

After I posted about him, I poked around the net a bit more looking for his story and found a bunch of stuff, but almost none was in English so I could understand it.

I did see that there are still honorary annual celebrations in those countries. Found this picture from when he visited for the 40th anniversary of the revolution and Fidel hugged him.

3_Gino_Fidel.jpg


What I've read was the successful attack against Batista was launched from Mexico aboard a yacht called the Granma. 82 were aboard and landed in Cuba. Within 3 days, Batista counter attacked and killed all but 20 of the raiders, who eventually rallied and deposed Batista. A photo album of the original 82 Granma raiders has my painter in it.

Granma.jpg


Shortly after the victory, he left Cuba for NY, divorcing his Cuban wife. Maybe it didn't turn out the way he hoped, trading one dictator for another.
 
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That would be Roy Rogers.... I was an OR Tech at St Mary's Hospital in Victorville, Ca when he came through to have a couple of teeth removed.
 
Tony Curtis - when he carried my two year old daughter off the plane in San Jose.
Jacques & Philippe Cousteau - at a Cousteau Society convention/concert in Anaheim.
Chuck Yeager - at an airshow at Edwards Air Force Base.
 
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