By Bill Koch
Enquirer staff reporter

If they didn't know anything else about Reds closer Danny Graves, most baseball fans would like him for his philosophy about signing autographs.

"After a year or two in the big leagues, I don't think it's fair to charge people to get my autograph," Graves said.

GOOD SPORTS

• Making a difference • Cris Collinsworth • Danny Graves • Bob Huggins • Marvin Lewis • Anthony Muñoz • Tim Naehring • Doug Pelfrey • Sean Casey • Willie Anderson

"It doesn't cost me anything to sign my name. I'll never have people stand in line to pay for my autograph."

He did make one exception to his rule, though.

Two years ago, Graves was asked to do an autograph session at Newport on the Levee.

He asked if the sponsors were charging for his autograph. When he was told that they were, "I told them they'd have to find somebody else."

Eventually, he agreed to a compromise where there would be a charge for his autograph, but the money would be donated to charity. As a result, a donation of $2,500 was made to Cleves Community Park, which named one of its fields "Danny Graves Field."

Graves, who last year received the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, presented annually to the Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, is a strong believer in athletes using their fame and money to make a difference in the community.

"I'm willing to do whatever I can," Graves said. "Growing up, that's how my parents raised me, to help people. I grew up in a neighborhood where none of us was rich. We all had to work hard at what we did. My parents always taught me to help people if you can. Now I'm at the point financially where I can help people that can't help themselves.

"If I was on the other side, I would hope someone would feel the same way about helping me."

Graves and his wife, Andrea, donate $25,000 to the Reds Community Fund every year. In addition, they own a $150,000 luxury suite at Great American Ball Park that they donate for six home dates to various groups as a fund-raising tool.

Like his teammate, Sean Casey, Graves sponsors a ticket program that provides 20 tickets for Sunday home games to underprivileged kids. His program is called "Gravy's Train."

Graves, along with his other teammates, participates each Friday in the Reds' program in the Make-A-Wish Foundation in which a child gets to meet the players before batting practice.

He also participated in Major League Baseball's Big Bam breast-cancer-awareness campaign and the Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities program.

"I'm not going to go out and make announcements that I'm building fields or I'm doing Special Olympics," Graves said. "It just makes me feel better about myself that I'm able to help. I couldn't care less if anybody else knew what I did."