Bird Signs His Real Name

This white Adidas replica Larry Bird jersey was genuinely signed by the Hall-of-Famer himself, but Bird didn’t always sign his real name. Early in his career Bird was frustrated with collectors who took advantage of impromptu autograph lines after games, especially on the road. To combat the autograph hounds, Bird began signing the name of another sports superstar of the era, Pete Rose. Signing Rose’s name might have gotten the better of some unsavory characters, but it also got Bird into some hot water. “[Coach Chris Ford] made me stop when I signed it on the team photos,” Bird joked.