Every year, when the Chicago Auto show comes around in February, I check the schedule of appearances to see if there are any autograph guests I would like to see. This year, when I checked a day or two into the show, I did not see any athletes I wanted to meet. On one of my days off from work later in the week, I looked over the list again. I read that Bill Walton would be making an appearance at the show on Sunday, February 21. I arranged to be off of work that day, and my family headed off to the show.
We got to the show just before the doors opened. We went right to the booth when we got in. Being the second in line, I knew we were guaranteed an autograph. We spent the time before the signing entertaining Will and chatting with other people in line. When it got close to time to start, I looked over, and Bill was walking toward us! He stopped, thanked all of us for coming out, and made sure that we called him “Bill, NOT Mr. Walton!”
When it was our turn, we moved to the table, and I asked Bill if he still had his lithograph. He said he did. I mentioned that there is a story going around that Larry Bird did not take his, and opted for the money. Bill said he didn’t believe that, and would ask him! I got my picture taken with him, and Sara asked him why Celtics was not pronounced with a “K” initial sound. He said he had never been asked that before! Sara got one of the postcards they were handing out made out to Will and our experience was over.
After quite a long break, I finally have another signature added to my litho.
Bill was great to talk to, and the fact that it was free was the icing on the cake!
