Albert Belle, Carlos Baerga signing causes traffic jam of baseball fans at Cleveland Auto Show

Former Cleveland Indians great Albert Belle chats with a fan as he signs autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The line for autographs of former Cleveland Indians players Carlos Baerga and Albert Belle wound like a snake through the vast space inside the I-X Center in Cleveland, twisting and turning between dozens of shiny new cars on display during the Cleveland Auto Show.

Former Cleveland Indians greats Albert Belle and Carlos Baerga sign autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

Hundreds of people, some arriving in the morning, waited patiently for their short visit with the two baseball legends.

Chris and Ashley Becker, of Northfield, arrived at 11 a.m. to be the first in line, hoping to get trading cards signed. They came prepared, bringing chairs to sit in while they passed the time.

Baerga and Belle greeted each guest with a smile and some conversation as they signed photos, cards, helmets and bobbleheads.

Joe Snyder, of Columbus, lived in Northeast Ohio for about fives years, but fell in love with the then-Cleveland Indians when he was a child living in Northwest Ohio. Snyder said he would drive to Cleveland with his family to go to games.

Snyder brought a four-foot red metal pennant that once marked a seating section at Jacob’s Field. He has collected about 50 signatures on the pennant that hung in section 309, on the mezzanine.

“Ironically, my dad used to have season tickets in that section. I didn’t even know that when I got the sign, and we were looking back at old ticket stubs and realized that’s where he had season tickets back in 1998-2000,” he said.

Former Cleveland Indians great Albert Belle signs autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

Ben Toot, from Wellington, brought a 1994 McDonald’s baseball display that sat atop the counters at the fast food giant. The two-foot-tall piece had three commemorative baseballs housed in clear plastic with a photo of the two players above it.

Referencing the unusual item he said, “I collect stuff. I’ve collected for many years, and I had it there and I figured might as well get them to sign it.”

Both Baerga and Belle seemed surprised to see the unusual display piece.

Former Cleveland Indians greats Albert Belle and Carlos Baerga sign autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

“Carlos had never seen that before, and it was a nice conversation starter,” said Toot. “It’s gonna be a nice centerpiece in my collection.”

Ben Toot, from Wellington, poses for a photo with former Cleveland Indians greats Albert Belle and Carlos Baerga after having his 1994 McDonald’s baseball display signed at the Cleveland Auto Show.

Darrell Dawson, of Reynoldsburg, also brought a large red metal pennant like Snyder’s.

It was covered in signatures.

“Belle is number 139,” he said, recounting all the players who have signed it.

Dawson’s pennant marked seating for section 303 in right center field.

Former Cleveland Indians great Carlos Baerga signs autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

He bought it Opening Day 2018 and has carried it all over collecting signatures, including MLB All-Star Weekend in Cleveland in 2019. All of the signatures are Indians players that played at Progressive or Jacob’s Field, with the exception of one – legendary drummer John Adams.

Former Cleveland Indians great Albert Belle signs autographs at the Cleveland Auto Show.

“It’s a lot of work but a lot of fun. This is one thing in my collection I’m gonna tell the kids not to sell,” Dawson said.

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Fans wait in line to meet former Cleveland Indians greats Carlos Baerga and Albert Belle during an autograph session at the Cleveland Auto Show.

Former Cleveland Indians great Albert Belle signs Joe Snyder’s large red pennant at the Cleveland Auto Show.

A young fan proudly shows off his baseballs signed by former Cleveland Indians greats Carlos Baerga and Albert Belle during an autograph session at the Cleveland Auto Show.