Have you
been the lucky one to meet Polly? Did he reply to your mail? Did he oblige you with an autograph? Did he pose with you for a photo? What
did you say to him? And what did he say to you? Now if you are
answering in the affirmative - then what are you waiting for!!!!! Tell me about
it!!
Polly
is my angel!
(Thanks
to Dhanuja from Sri Lanka for this fan encounter)
In August
1999, my friends and I went to watch the 2nd test match between South Africa and
Srilanka, in Colombo. From the word go, my friends and I kept looking in Shaun
Pollock s direction and kept staring, giggling and taking photos, and he too was
quite amused by the chaos among us, so basically, he realised we were Shaun
Pollock fans too!!!
Anyway, as
the match went on, we kept taking more and more photos of him, and then the
lunch break was nearing, the time when I could probably get a chance to get his
autograph. So, with his photo in my hand, I popped my head across the glass wall
to the side in which they were seated, and asked Boeta Dippenaar, the one seated
closest to where I stood, if I could have Polly s autograph (who was sitting a
few seats away from Dippenaar).
Unfortunately,
Dippenaar wasn't exactly in a good mood and refused my request, TWICE, I wonder
if he even got what I was saying!!! I came back to where I was sitting,
absolutely devastated and thought Polly saw me asking for his autograph, why
didn't he just come forward and give it to me? I just felt like giving up and
going home!!!
But just a
few minutes later, during the lunch break, I just looked behind me for no
particular reason and saw a very familiar person, with a very familiar walk,
just passing behind me, for a moment I was frozen, then it struck me, Pollyyyyyy!!!
, and guess what he did? He just went and stood a few feet away, in a balcony,
just staring in the direction of the roads around the ground. A perfect chance
for me, I ran up to him and stood about 2 inches from him (WOW!!!), and got his
autograph, I was too nervous to say anything, but atleast I did it!!!
I think
that there was no reason for him to come out and just watch a few dusty roads
from the balcony unless he knew that there were quite a few people out there who
wanted his autograph, like me (since he saw me asking for it from Dipps). I know
I m being very positive about it, but I have a feeling he was just tooo sweet to
see a fan of his being refused his autograph so he came put to make up for it,
real angel he is I should say, thank God for that. So, that's my story, from the
devastated state I was in, Polly just made my day!!! Great guy!!! I will forever
cherish your autograph Polly!!!
After all
that I think, Dippenaar was just in a bad mood, but I don t think he s a mean
guy at all. You are forgiven Dipps.
Aussie?
Aussie Aussie?
(Thanks
to Meghan from Australia for sending this)
After the
First Test in the 2001/02 series in Australia at Adelaide Oval, I was waiting
outside the players entrance to get meet some of the Aussies, mainly Adam
Gilchrist, and the South African mini bus started backing out of the gate.
They
stopped for a while to sign some autographs through the windows of the van and
being my mischievous self, I started telling Shaun Pollock about how he was
going to lose and Gilly was going to get a ton. He laughed and said "we'll
see" and then continued signing autographs.
I told him
I'd be at the game the next day and wished him luck, but not too much luck and
he laughed again. Then I left and I was walking through the car park as the mini
bus drove past and he waved to me with a big grin. How sweet. Of course I
spoiled the moment by waving my Aussie flag and yelling out "Go
Aussies"!!
I
Touched Shaun!! LOL!
(Thanks
to Aeshita from India for this short yet sweet fan encounter.)
I touched
Shaun during SA 's tour of India, when they played at Faridabad on 15th March
2000. He was returning back from the field as their innings had just finished and looked back in surprise when I touched him. He just smiled and went inside. Later he came out to sit outside and smiled whenever I glanced at him.
Now isn't that cute!!
Jenny
Gets Shaun's Autograph
(Thanks
to Jenny from Australia for sending this to me.)
In
December 2001 I went to Adelaide for the 1st test against South Africa. I
saw Shaun Pollock at the net practice on the Wednesday before the game at
Adelaide oval. I was there to get some autographs and some photos from the last
tour autographed. I had a couple of photos of Shaun to get autographed also. I
asked Shaun if he would sign the photo and he signed both of them.
He said
"I'm looking a bit angry there". It was a photo taken at the end of
the test in Adelaide last time he came out. The following day I was back at the
net practice to take photos mainly this time. I took a couple of Shaun. At the
test I sat in the Members area and was able to take a couple of photos at the
toss before the game. During the test I was able to get both Steve Waugh and
Shaun Pollock to sign the photo. Shaun also signed one of the other photos.
I was then
able to go to the Australia A vs South Africa one day game on the 10th of Jan
and also the net practice the day before. Here I got another photo signed. I
attended the game and South Africa just lost. But after the game I waited behind
with some others to get some autographs and photos.
Shaun came
out and asked "are the gates up that end still open", We said yes they
should be. (we had to leave that way). Then he asked " is that the quickest
way back to the motel?" We said yes it is. He was going to walk back. I
took a photo without warning and my flash is quite bright and blinded him and
almost made him trip. He commented about the flash being so bright and that I
had blinded him. I said sorry. I felt quite bad. I should have asked first to
prepare him but I thought he had seen the camera. He then walked back to his
motel.
On Jan
27th I again attended the South Africa vs New Zealand game and was able to get
the photo I took which startled him signed. I also asked to get another photo as
he was leaving this time I asked and didn't just take it.
The South
Africans are very nice people. (sure they are!)
Rendezvous
At The Shopping Mall!
(Many
thanks to Farhad Osman for this fan encounter)
It
happened at the Westvile Pavillion which is a huge shopping mall in Durban.
Shaun was there with his girlfriend at the time and we noticed him and went over
& started chatting to him.
He spoke a
lot about his game and when asked about why he has not as yet made a test
century his answer was " every dog has his day". Well, his day came
shortly after. 
(Yes!
and wasn't it just fantastic!)
We must
have chatted for a while about 10 minutes. He actually seemed eager to go on
chatting but we decided to quit while we were ahead. (If I were you, I
wouldn't have let him go!!!!! )
He also
said that he is truly enjoying his game and is handling the captaincy better
than he even expected from himself. Oh yeah, he also autographed my T-shirt
which by the way was ironically a South African rugby shirt.........he had a
laugh about that as well. He seemed like a very down to earth guy and didn't
mind being bothered by his fans. (And this what makes him so superbl!)
Caite's
Day Out With Polly
(Thanks To
Caite from Australia)
The first
time I met Polly was when I went interstate for a holiday. There was a cricket
match on at the time and so I went...naturally! I didn't actually get to meet
him, I just got an autograph while he was at fine leg, near the boundary where I
was. (I would settle for that too, atleast I'll see him at some place other
that the T.V.!!)
The second time I met Polly was at the WACA here in Perth. I know people who
work at the WACA as I did work experience there a while ago. I asked if it would
be possible to meet Pollock and give him a gift I got for him. As Pollock wasn't
the captain at the time and didn't have any media commitments like he does now,
they said I could.
I was taken to the SA dressing rooms and was asked to wait outside (just in case
the players weren't fully dressed!) The WACA personnel went in, and after a
minute or so, Pollock came out and said hello! I gave Polly a miniature cricket
bat signed by Sir Donald Bradman and he loved it! He gave me a kiss on the cheek
and a really big hug. He said I had made his day and that he always wanted
"The Don's" autograph. (You know Caite, you are the luckiest girl I
have known !! And I must admit here - I even became a little jealous of you when
you told me this. But that was temporary. We are good friends and that's the
bottomline 
)
Polly then asked if I was there to watch the match and I said of course I was.
He then asked if I would be interested in joining the rest of the team in the
players' viewing room. I said I'd be really stupid to say no to an offer like
that!
So I stayed with the SA team all day. Most of them were nice...others couldn't
have really cared less. Shaun was really considerate, he asked whether or not I
was following the game OK, if I wanted more drinks etc. (See, this is why I
say that Shaun is the best. Have you ever met a sports celeb so caring and
thoughtful!)
When it was Shaun's turn to bat, he turned to me and said "Wish me
luck!" and smiled and left to bat. He scored 62n.o. and when he came back
said I was Good Luck!
Anyway, the SA team beat NZ in that game!
So that was my experience! I've loved Shaun ever since....even though he got
married :( I'm happy for him! (So are we!!)
