There few limits to how far Da Babe will go in his quest for information. That probably explains how I ended up chatting about autographs and memorabilia with Pietro Piller Cottrer, Italy's top cross country skier, in a "palestra (gym)'' in this small town in the Italian Alps near the Austrian border.
You'd never guess Cottrer, a three-time Olympian, is one of the top cross country skiers in the world, with three Olympic medals and a recent win at the World Cup race in Whistler, B.C., skiing over the same course that that will be used for the 2010 Olympic Games.
The quite, soft-spoken Italian gives no hints that he's national hero in Italy.
On this late afternoon, few folks are working out and Cottrer is left alone.
"They are used to me being here. There's no pressure. No problem,'' he said as we sat down for a chat about autographs and memorabilia. Fortunately Cottrer speaks English (along with his native Italian and German), because Da Babe took years of Spanish in school but no Italian in the days before there were microwaves, laptops and cell phones.
It doesn't take long for a soft-spoken, likeable and humble young man to be revealed. When it comes to autographs, he says he is more than happy to accommodate his fans.
Cottrer signs for one and all, but it is quickly apparent he has a soft spot for youngsters.
"People ask for autographs everyday not only at competitions ... It is nothing for me to sign. To them (the youngsters) it is much more important, so I never say no. I know they see me on TV, and I know I am like a hero to some. It would be bad for them to have me say no to a signature request."
He said you never know which young autograph seeker will decide to take up skiing and possibly become a champion down the road -- just because he took a moment to scribble his name on a poster. Rossignol is one of Cottrer's sponsors and supplies him with 11-x-14 posters, which are perfect for satisfying autograph requests.
The champion skier gets autograph requests in the mail all the time. How Cottrer deals with them says a lot about his character. Some requests come with envelopes and return postage -- many do not, especially the ones that come from eastern European countries that were formerly under the thumb of the USSR. Postage or not, everyone who asks receives a signature.
"I don't want to disappoint them, so I buy envelopes and stamps."
While, he has signed everything from postcards and posters to skis, goggles, boots, hats, gloves and racing bibs, they rarely are anything he's used in a race.
The idea that a race-used piece of equipment, especially from the Olympics, would have value with signature doesn't mean much to Cottrer.
"Sometimes I sign my bib, but it's not that common. If I sign my bib, I can make just one youngster happy, so it is difficult. It is better if they bring me their own bibs. I don't care to make a business out of this (signing autographs)."
He does sign items for charitable causes when asked, but doesn't bother to check to see what something with his signature might sell for.
"I don't care (how much items sell for), I am just glad to help."
In the summer he competes in roller skiing and races to keep in shape. More often than not he comes away a winner, but he doesn't hang onto the cups and trophies he captures.
"I have plenty of cups at home. I know how happy that small thing can make a youngster."
For the record, Cottrer is from nearby Sappada, which has also produced two other Italian Winter Olympics stars -- Silvio Fauner and Enrico Tach. Cottrer has competed in Nagano (1998), Salt Lake City (2002) and Torino (2006). He has a gold medal from the 4x10k relay in Torino in front of his countrymen, a silver in the same event in Salt Lake City and a bronze in the 15K pursuit in Torino.
He hopes to compete in four events in Vancouver (Whistler) in 2010 -- the 15k, 30k and 50k cross country skiing events and 4x10k relay.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak(at)charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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