Aussie teen autograph-hunter’s most memorable moments

Meet Melbourne boy Logan, 14, a young superfan with a special knack for charming sporting greats, musicians and celebrities.

With the quaint* old “sport” of autograph-hunting roaring back to popularity, reaching new heights in recent years thanks to selfies and social media, Logan is part of a passionate community of “hunters” who often do research, befriend tour managers and other minders, and polish their gift of the gab in a bid to collect signatures and selfies from some of the biggest names in the world.

Devotees* even share intel on flights, movements and accommodation with like-minded people all over the world.

Logan said he was always respectful but he hit the news last week when one famous face seriously objected, despite the teenager’s positive encounters* with around 100 celebrities in the past two years.

“It’s my hobby,” he said. “I have a lot of energy and this helps me get rid of some of that energy, ‘cos I have a lot of energy to burn.”

The biggest hard pass was served by one of the most short-fused athletes in history. A notorious* hothead in his champion heyday*, longtime tennis commentator John McEnroe turned on the teen at Melbourne Airport last week after wrapping up duties at the Australian Open.

Footage of McEnroe’s tantrum went viral across the globe, drawing criticism of both the retired tennis ace and his fan.

Despite the incident, Logan said the seven-time grand slam winner was still one of his heroes.

“He wasn’t the kindest to me,” Logan said. “It’s not going to change who he is — he will always be a great player, but at the moment I just think he’s not the nicest guy.”

Logan approached McEnroe as he exited his Australian Open vehicle outside the airport. The teen offered to help carry McEnroe’s bags to the Qantas first-class lounge entrance.

As Logan tried to grab a selfie in the terminal, repeatedly asking the tennis great to pose with him, McEnroe quickly became annoyed.

“Will you stop …” McEnroe snapped, as security guards attempted to lead Logan away.

Logan then called out: “I still love you, John.”

The tennis champion then swore at the teenager before walking away.

Logan’s father, Will, who allowed him the day off school to chase selfies and signatures from his idols as they flew out of Melbourne, said McEnroe’s response was simply “uncalled for”.

“Especially after Logan apologised and said ‘I still love you’, to be (sworn at) is very demeaning* and it’s overstepping the boundaries,” he said.

Chasing a selfie with McEnroe was one of the specific goals of the airport outing.

“I wanted to meet all the tennis players and of all the players I wanted to meet, I wanted to meet John McEnroe, the legend that he is,” Logan said.

It wasn’t their first meeting. Logan had already asked McEnroe for an autograph during the tournament, but was knocked back then too, with the star telling him, “I’m working, I’m working”.

The only other tense exchange Logan could remember was with McEnroe’s fellow American tennis legend Andre Agassi.

“Agassi was not the friendliest,” Logan said. “I walked into a restaurant (in Melbourne) to chase Agassi. He told me ‘get out of here’ and ‘leave me alone’, so we waited ‘til he walked out and Agassi then said OK (to a photo).”

Logan accepted it was likely frustrating for Agassi that a fan had entered the restaurant just to take a picture with him.

Both Logan and his father said they have had many other wonderful moments with his heroes.

Rapper Snoop Dogg, in Melbourne as the star entertainer for last year’s AFL grand final, picked Logan from a crowd for a quick meet and greet.

“Snoop’s people came over to me and asked if I wanted to meet him,” Logan said. “Snoop was very, very nice. Snoop was one of the most humble* guys I’ve come across.”

The teen’s phone is stacked with photos of himself with some of the biggest names in the world, such as Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Rafael Nadal, Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Oprah Winfrey, Cindy Lauper, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Liam Hemsworth and Priscilla Presley.

The Carlton fan has also met most of his Blues idols, including his ultimate hero Patrick Cripps.

Katy Perry even posed up with Logan while she was wearing a hotel robe and slippers.

And despite the unfortunate experience with McEnroe, Logan was already looking forward to collecting a few more “trophies” in his hometown at next month’s Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park. Hopefully his luck can rub off on another local boy with big ambitions: Australia’s own Oscar Piastri.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• quaint: old-fashioned but somehow charming
• devotees: people who strongly admire someone or who are extremely interested in a subject
• notorious: well-known for something bad or an unfavourable quality or deed
• heyday: a period of great success, popularity or power
• demeaning: causing someone to become or feel less respected or worthy

EXTRA READING

The moment Djokovic stared into the void

Kyrgios headed for another court drama

Tennis ball waste adds to US Open woes

QUICK QUIZ

1. How long has Logan been snapping selfies with celebrities as a hobby?
2. Which tennis legend was unhappy about Logan’s attempts to snap a selfie after the Australian Open?
3. Who was the most humble superstar to give Logan his time?
4. Which local code and team does Logan follow and who is referred to as his “ultimate hero”?
5. Approximately how many celebrities has Logan scored pictures with?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Autograph hunting
Do you think it’s fair that these autograph hunters chase celebrities all around the world at all hours of the day, trying to constantly get an autograph or photo of sports stars and celebrities?

Put yourself in the shoes of both parties and write the reasons why you think it is fair, and why it could also be deemed unfair:

                                                              FAIR                                                                                                      UNFAIR

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
When are some occasions when you think these famous people should be entitled to some privacy, when others should respect their boundaries? For example, when they are out with their children. Write down other times when you think intruding would be disrespectful:

–

–

–

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
You’re a hero in my eyes
Sometimes our biggest heroes are not famous celebrities at all. Sometimes they are everyday people, who make a big difference to those they meet.

Write a letter to a hero in your eyes. Explain to them why they are your hero and that you have noticed them. Your letter can be anonymous or you can personally sign it off.

Remember when writing a letter:

start with a greeting: Dear Sir,

Then on a new line, write the body of the letter.

Finish with a closing: Kind regards,

And finally, sign the letter.

Try to include detail and emotion in the letter to connect with your target audience: your unsung hero.