Obtaining an autograph from Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders isn’t so difficult. At this very moment, you can find several items adorned with Sanders’s signature on eBay that will cost you less than $100.
But if you wanted a Sanders autograph on a urinal that used to stand (but not sit) in the Pontiac Silverdome, there’s only one place to go. Right here. Or look at the photo below.
How did this happen, especially since Sanders tweeted this in March 2014?
FYI – I am not signing urinals… @AndrewSiciliano @latimessports
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders) March 21, 2014
Luckily, the seller of said urinal laid out the story on his eBay listing.
Early 2014 – The Pontiac Silverdome & RJM Auctions announced an asset auction of the Pontiac Silverdome
3-21-14 – Barry Sanders tweets “FYI – I am not signing urinals…”
3-21-14 – Barry’s comment goes viral and several articles were written stating no collector would be able to obtain a Silverdome urinal with Barry’s autograph (see pictures)
6-19-14 – I won a bid, paying $23.00 for the contents of the home team locker room “2 urinals, 2 sinks, 3 showers, toilet (I didn’t take the toilets), 2 stall partitions in bathroom & shower area (Home Team Locker Room)” See pictures for the lot and invoice from my bid.
6-24-14 – I picked up the items from the Silverdome. I was fortunate enough to be able to walk into the decaying Silverdome and into the locker rooms to see the items being removed. I have included pictures I took of the field, my truck in the tunnel, inside the locker rooms, and my truck with the contents in it.
9-20-14- Barry Sanders held a public signing event with Detroit City Sports at Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights MI. Already having Barry’s autograph on a jersey, football, and hat, I did the logical thing and decided to attach the urinal to a dolly and see if he would sign it. I was quite nervous wheeling in the urinal (which I had bleached and power washed multiple times) to ask my childhood idol to sign it. After a long wait, I reached the table with Barry and I uncovered the urinal telling him it was from his old locker room. He responded “Are you for real?” I said “Yes, will you sign it?” Barry said “I refuse” and after a short pause he laughed and said “No problem, where should I sign?” While signing and taking pictures, a man with Barry (I assume his agent) laughed and said “Hey Barry, last time you saw that thing you were taking a p*** in it.” Barry was extremely nice about it and it was a great experience.
Cool story, but seriously, let’s get this thing sold.
As of 11:55 p.m. ET on Tuesday night, the bidding stood at $962, below the reserve limit.
That’s probably a disappointment, and can you imagine what will happen if the seller doesn’t get to sell the urinal? Man, he’s going to be so pissed.
