Dick Bigger Jr. Gets His Ball Signed at Illinois State Fair
While most people are paying very close attention to the Iowa State Fair, there's another Midwestern gathering going on at the neighboring Illinois State Fair. While Ron DeSantis and other Republican presidential hopefuls are in Iowa, Illinois has to settle for Governor J.B. Pritzker who was nice enough to stop and sign a baseball for Dick Bigger Jr., of Biggsville, Illinois.
Gov. J. B. Pritzker signs baseballs for Dick Bigger Jr., of Biggsville, during Governors Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Bigger has politicians sign baseballs every year he attends the fair and has a ball signed by fmr. President Obama. pic.twitter.com/tHExRwJGZn
— Trent Sprague (@tspraguephoto) August 16, 2023
If that name sounds familiar, congratulations. Or perhaps you just remember him from the last election cycle when he appeared in a campaign ad for Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Bigger Jr. caught the attention of the late night shows back in November.
It is no surprise that a larger-than-life character like Dick Bigger Jr. has captured the world's attention previously. And while his name remains double-take worthy whenever it pops up, his hobby remains just as noteworthy. While he didn't mention getting autographs in the Comptroller ad, you have to assume he's got a Mendoza ball on his shelf at home.
It also begs the question - is a baseball the best thing to get signed? Obama's autograph on a napkin or piece of paper off a notepad would be kind of boring. Sure, a signed campaign poster or yard sign would be neat, but those take up a lot of space on the wall. But you put that signature on a baseball and properly display it kind of makes perfect sense. Maybe politicians should start carrying around baseballs to sign for voters. It could certainly wrap up the Sandlot voters.