Friendly Encounters

This is weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

I have featured John Schenk a couple times before. Schenk and his Show-Me-State Signatures are sponsors of the Autograph Tales recurring feature here. Today, I am featuring John with a cool opportunity and for a great cause.
Show-Me-State Signatures has partnered up with Jack Clark and South Side Youth Ministry. This is your chance to win the Ultimate Cardinals Experience with Jack Clark. For $25, you will be eligible for a drawing on June 9, 2010, to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to a Cardinals game with Jack "the Ripper" Clark.
Jack will meet you and one guest an hour before the game at the Stadium Club for complimentary dinner and drinks. After dinner, he will escort you on the field for photos. Jack will sit with you and your guest during the game in premium Busch Stadium seating and you will have a piece of memorabilia for you an your guest. The game is scheduled for Friday June 18 versus the Oakland A's. All funds from this raffle will benefit South Side Youth Ministry.
SSYM is a non-profit group in south St. Louis City that offers faith-based activities (such as prayer nights, retreats, youth conferences, open gym nights, hikes and much more) to high school teens. This is a dynamic ministry that is improving the lives of 7th grade through college kids by fostering spiritual growth and a greater understanding of living a life of faith.
It's a great cause and how often do you get to attend a game with someone like Jack Clark?! Go on over to Show-Me-State Signatures to check it out. If you win the raffle, be sure to send over the pictures. I'd love to run them here. Good luck to all.

Keith Hernandez and John Schenk in Chicago, IL-March 2010.

Friendly Encounters

This is weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

When we last saw John Schenk, he was pictured with Glenn Brummer, former major league catcher. Schenk represents Brummer for public appearances.
Schenk's company, Show-Me-State Signatures is having a signing event this Saturday, February 6 in Marion, IL. The event is a Cardinals Public Signing, featuring six former St. Louis Cardinals.
Marty Marion, George Altman, Ken Reitz, Glenn Brummer, John Costello and Brendan Ryan will all be signing at the event. This is a nice variety of Cardinals past and present.
Despite the fact that Altman and Reitz played for my beloved Cubs, my faithful readers should know who my favorite from that group is. Ohhh I love a solid backup catcher (see my Backup Catcher Hall of Fame pieces).
If you can't make the event, you can still get signatures through mail order. You still have until February 3 to use the mail order option.
Last July, Schenk held his first private signing. Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson was a great choice for their first signing. According to Schenk, Robinson was a class act who was happy to share stories and take pictures with everyone.
Once again, I thank Schenk for sharing his pictures and stories. I encourage everyone to check out his site. I look forward to more updates from Schenk in the future.

John Schenk, Brooks Robinson and Randy Stone in St. Louis, MO-July 2009.

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series about my friends meeting celebrities.

I found out about my newest friend John Schenk while doing research for a future online piece for Global Traveler magazine. Schenk runs his own business called Show-Me-State Signatures. He organizes private and public signings of athletes. Did I mention Schenk is only 16?!
Like a lot of teenage boys, Schenk was interested in sports memorabilia. After he was burned by some forged stuff, Schenk decided to take matters into his own hands and start his own business. By working with the athlete (or his agent) directly, Schenk knows that all of his stuff is legit. His customers know it, too.
As successful as it has been, Schenk is quick to point out that this isn't all about money. He wants to give back to the community, who helped his family during his sister's kidney transplant.
Schenk met Glenn Brummer (former catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals) at Smugala's Pizza in St. Louis (MO). Smugala's was donating 20% of sales to support the Explore Transplant Team benefiting the 2009 National Kidney Foundation St. Louis Walk. Schenk brought in Brummer to sign autographs and meet all of the supporters.
Schenk now has an exclusive contract with Brummer and represents him for all events. One such event will be on Saturday, February 6, 2010, when Brummer and 5 other St. Louis Cardinals past and present will be appearing in Marion (IL) at a public signing event run by Show-Me-State Signatures.
It has been fun getting to know Schenk and learning about his business. I look forward to more news and updates from him and his events in the future.

Glenn Brummer and John Schenk in St. Louis, MO-May 2009.