|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Many visitors to this site have asked me about myself, if I have any affiliation with Mark, and why I created the site. Let me answer these questions by telling you a little about myself. My name is Brad Wackerlin. I live in Lake in the Hills, Illinois and have been a fan of the Chicago Cubs since my childhood. I spent much of my childhood playing baseball with my brothers and friends, and it has always been my favorite sport. I began collecting baseball cards when I was 8, and that hobby has followed me throughout my life. During my freshman year of college in 1990, baseball card production began rapidly expanding with new manufacturers and sets. It became impossible to collect everything, so I began collecting one card of every set. I chose to collect my favorite player, Mark Grace. To me, Mark represented all that was right with the game...a strong work ethic, solid hitting and fielding, a desire to win, and a sense of humor, and humility in a game of egos. In college at the University of Illinois, I pursued a degree in advertising. I am a professional copywriter by trade, but also have a strong background in graphic design. As the internet has evolved into a vital marketing outlet, I became more and more interested in website design. I had always wanted to create a fansite for Mark Grace, and jumped at the chance to register the domain www.markgrace.com when it became available in August of 2002. While this site is on the same level of many "official" player websites, it does not have an official affiliation with Mark Grace, his management, or Major League Baseball. In October, 2003, all the effort and time I've put into this site was repaid when, through the kindness of a stranger, I was invited to meet Mark at a private autograph signing. Jeff Thalblum, co-owner of The Dugout Sports Cards & Memorabilia Store in Paradise Valley, Arizona, saw my website and was amazed that I had never met Grace. Since he is a sports card show promoter and was having Grace as a guest signer at one of his shows, Jeff invited me to meet Mark at a private signing before the show when Grace was signing mail in items from fans. This was an amazing offer that I couldn't pass up! Meeting Mark in person was a day I'll never forget. He told me that his brother-in-law had shown him this site and that he found it "flattering." Then, in humorous self-deprecation, he asked me "Why don't you like someone good?" We talked about his two sons and my son-to-be (my wife Amy was pregnant with my son Connor at the time), his future career as a broadcaster, some events from his past, and some of the items I brought for him to sign. He autographed five items for me, including a Gold-Glove Rawlings Baseball, Disney Fielder's Glove, his high school yearbook, a ball for my future son, and a Nike Poster that he inscribed "To Brad - Thanks for the Website - Mark Grace." Here are some photos from our meeting:
It's always nerve racking meeting someone you idolize, but I'm happy to report Mark Grace exceeded my expectations. He was friendly, funny, courteous and down-to-earth. He shook my hand and posed for a picture with me. Nothing could have been better. So for all you fans who wonder if he's really a nice guy, let me be the first to say that your admiration of him is well founded. I am always interested in hearing from fellow Mark Grace fans and have made many friendships from people who have written to me after seeing my websites. Feel free to write me at brad@markgrace.com if you would like to share a story or have something I might like to add to my collection. If you enjoyed this website, you may also enjoy visiting my other sites: CapAnson.com BaseballCardStars.com |
|
|
www.MarkGrace.com is
not affiliated with Mark Grace, his management or Major League Baseball.
|
|
As
the webmaster of www.markgrace.com, I strive to provide Mark's fans
with a website that is informative and insightful. I hope you enjoy
the work I put into it. 
