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He signed at the Rays' first ever game. He's doing it again exactly 20 years later

Oh, and he also has a baseball signed by 11 U.S. presidents - including every living one except for Obama and Trump.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Camie Gallo wasn’t looking to become a sign language interpreter for Tom Cooney the day she went walking through the mall.

She needed someone to shadow as a new sign language student.

Their paths crossed, Gallo struck up a conversation with her fingers, and the duo has been inseparable for 14 years.

“It’s an honor to be able to socialize with someone who has these fabulous stories that are still part of our history,” she said from Cooney’s home Wednesday afternoon.

Cooney’s mission of 67 years has given Gallo and lot to sign about. Cooney, 82, has the signatures of 11 U.S. Presidents on one baseball. He got President Eisenhower’s autograph on a ball in 1951. The only living Commanders in Chief that he doesn’t have on the ball since then are Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

“I love baseball,” he said as he showed off his prize.

Here's how Cooney ended up with his first signature:

He’s always loved America and America’s pastime. Cooney, who is deaf, has signed the national anthem for 48 years at major sporting events like the Super Bowl. He signed the anthem at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ inaugural game on March 31, 1998 and the team has invited him back to Tropicana Field Saturday to sign again – exactly 20 years to the day.

Cooney teared up when thinking about it:

“I can’t serve,” he said with labored words while signing his answer to why he wants to sign the anthem. "I can’t salute the commander. So, it’s my way of giving back. Small way.”

Gallo worked as a Rays in-game fan host for a few seasons and Cooney begged her to take him to every game. To see him on the field again Saturday will be a special treat for her.

“It’s always cool to stand on that field. It’s such an honor.”

Cooney hopes to add Obama and Trump’s signatures to his ball. He also has a ball signed by all of the First Ladies.

He had a message for the former and current presidents:

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