Most of the other living Hall of Famers in town were attending a party at the home of Jane Forbes Clark, the Hall’s chairperson, so Jackson apparently found himself to be the center of attention.
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Jackson told reporters that he ate dinner with a few friends at a sushi restaurant and was leaving through a back entrance when a group of fans began to gather. Jackson was accommodating to at least some of the autograph-seekers, but he apparently drew the line at a fan who got an autograph, and then wanted another one.
“I tried to sign a few autographs, and there was a guy in there, he tried to get another autograph on the golf course yesterday”.
“‘I told you, I want to sign autographs, “‘ Jackson said that he told him, “‘and you’re screwing it up for everyone, but no more.’. Part of Jackson’s gripe seemed to be that he was not at the restaurant for an official signing, but was simply trying to have dinner. I just wouldn’t do it. I used profanity.
“I turned and walked away”. TMZ claims to have watched another video, which the site did not post, showing Jackson demanding help from security. As mentioned by Bill Madden of the New York Daily News, Jackson appeared to shove the fan in question.
Jackson admitted to the confrontation with the fan, speaking to the Daily News on Saturday, but he denied physically touching him. That’s f–d up. Now it’s my time to eat dinner with people I seldom see.
No police report has been filed in the incident, reported by the Cooperstown police department. You don’t touch people in public. “It’s f–d up. Pay for them like everybody else”.
“Maybe these people were a little pushy, ” Jackson said, “but at the same time, I was upset because it was kind of an over-and-over thing”.
“And so the words got heated, but as far as anybody touching someone, that did not come from me”.
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“I was disappointed that the yelling happened, but it’s all day, all night sometimes with people. It’s something you’re aware of and you deal with it. You go about it the best you can”.
