It's one thing to see a 49er play ball in a stadium, but it's quite another to grab an autograph and quick chat. And fans devoured the chance to meet Bowman at Lefty's Sports Collectibles in Burlingame.
"It's amazing, really appreciate it. It's something different. A lot of people don't get to experience some stuff like this," said Gabriel Campos, a 49ers fan.
A big topic of conversation was Bowman's "pick at The Stick" -- his interception and touchdown that sealed the win against Atlanta a few weeks ago.
"From the kids I get how was I feeling or what was I thinking when I was running the ball down the field and I just told them I felt like you felt on Christmas," said Bowman.
A political associate of Barack Obama brought Bowman a football from the White House for appearing with the president in Palo Alto last year. The fans in line paid $79 for Bowman to sign a football or jersey, but what they could not afford was a trip to Charlotte for this weekend's game against the Panthers.
Online, four tickets were going for nearly $4,000. Non-stop airfare was in the $1,000 range.
"For the seats I was looking for, they were about $3,000. No go," said Jason Sivell, a 49ers fan.
When it was over, nearly 400 people got a chance to meet Bowman. Although they won't be able to make it to Charlotte, they'll have a little piece of him in the Bay Area.
