Pick Enterprise...and I'll Pick You(r Autograph) Up

My first (full-time) job after college was with Enterprise Rent-a-Car. I worked for them for a little over eight years (1995-2003), about half in their rental division, and half as an account executive in leasing. During my time at Enterprise, I got to rent cars to a number of famous and semi-famous people, and got to meet a number of others. 

Perhaps none were as special to me as the time I got to rent a van to my boyhood idol, Lou Brock. They say you should never meet your heroes, because they're likely to disappoint you as people. Nothing could have been further from the truth with Lou! He was warm, humble and engaging, and it was truly a joy to get to spend even a few minutes with him. I even got an autograph on a ball I kept in my desk for such an opportunity!

On another occasion, a guy walked in to rent a car, and as he walked up to the counter, I was struck by how much he looked like George Hendrick. I knew it couldn't be him though, because he looked exactly like Hendrick looked when he played for the World Champion 1982 Cardinals, and this was nearly two decades later! I noticed that was wearing a necklace with a bejeweled "25" (Hendrick's uniform number), and I thought perhaps it was his son, who was a basketball teammate of Jason Kidd's at Cal. As he handed me his license though, I was shocked to see it was indeed George! Fifty years old, he didn't look a day over 30! Fortunately, I had another baseball in my desk (always have a baseball on hand for autographs!), and I had him sign it for me.

On some occasions, athletes set up a reservation in advance. When they did this, I tried to have a card or a photo of them ready to have them sign. I've written before about how Rick Ankiel was one of my favorites, and how I had him sign a photo of him that I had taken and blown up to 8x10.

One morning, former Blues forward and Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan called and set up a reservation to rent a car that afternoon. A little later though, he called back to cancel the reservation because he didn't think he could get a ride there. Just like the commercial, I told him, "We're Enterprise! We'll pick you up!" He was astonished, but gave me his address and arranged for me to pick him up that afternoon. That day at lunch, I stopped by a card shop and purchased a glossy 8x10 of him. When I picked him up that afternoon, he was very engaging, and I had a blast talking hockey with him in the car on the way back to the office. After renting him the car, I asked him if he would mind signing the photo for me and he graciously agreed to do so. The personalized autograph is one of my favorites: 

"To Pete - Thanks for your help! Brendan Shanahan 19" 

Whenever people see it they asked me what I helped him with, and I inevitably respond, "Well, you remember that one season when he got off to a real slow start scoring-wise?" Then, with a chuckle, I tell them the true story.


Other autographs that I got thanks to my time at Enterprise include former baseball players like Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst and slugger, Jack Clark. From the football world, I picked up Hall of Fame defensive back Aeneas Williams and (in a roundabout way), Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel. But that one's a story for a different day!