Do you Honor By Sharing?

The following is an article that I really enjoyed from the UpperDeckBlog that describes the story behind a part of their Museum Collection cards from the 2011 Goodwin Champions release....and the resulting controversy.

A big hat tip to fellow Yankees fan and journalist, Susan Lulgjuraj ( https://twitter.com/SoozOnSports )for the heads up & link on le Twitter......

Enjoy and THANKS for reading!

Controversy in the Cards? The Story Behind the Civil War Union Battle Flag Used 2012 Goodwin Champions

By Rob Ford

My name is Rob Ford and I have been working with Upper Deck for over ten years. My current role with the company is that of a sports coordinator and part of my job besides creating checklists is acquiring key components for certain brands. In 2011 Goodwin Champions the “Museum Collection” cards featured a variety of artifacts like a chair from Napolean and wood from the White House. For 2012, our hope was to focus in on one historic period for this insert series and with it being the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, that seemed to be the perfect period for Upper Deck to target.




I am a huge aficionado of history so it was really exciting for me as I began to work with vendors to acquire authentic artifacts from the Civil War we could preserve and celebrate with the “Museum Collection” series. It was my goal from the start to respectfully show each piece and to minimize any damage to the pieces that may come during the production process. Therefore when first approached with the idea of doing flag cards from a vendor, I shared that we wanted to pass.


However, once I saw pictures of what was left of the Union battle flag that was being sold in pieces, I agreed to take a look at the flag in person. Perhaps if Upper Deck were to use it in the set, we could give it a second life by presenting it in an attractive fashion and sharing it with history lovers.
Once the flag arrived it was in a sad state both ripped and cut. The pieces missing had already been cut by the vendor and sold. The stripes were already cut away and all that was left was a narrow strip of red, white and blue. The process of cutting the flag to share with other collectors had already begun and I realized it would continue even if Upper Deck wasn’t involved in acquiring the piece. The flag was in fact so fragile that some of the rips became larger with every handling. Does it belong in a museum? Based on the current condition of the flag, I couldn’t imagine it would be something that anyone would want to see. Looking at it in this condition made me sad that it had not been better preserved. Still I had my reservations about altering it further.

This is a portion of the actual Union battle flag Upper Deck procured for use in the 2012 Goodwin Champions “Museum Collection” series. The vendor was in the process of cutting it and selling it off. The overall condition of the flag was very poor.

After much thought and weeks of discussion which included talking to a history professor from the Universityof San Diegoand number of veterans. From these discussions I learned that it was common for soldiers themselves to cut up their own flag for souvenirs. We all know there are proper ways to dispose of a flag, but this was not a flag that was accidentally left out in storm on a long Fourth of July weekend, this is an artifact that people should see.

I began to think not only could we do this, but this might be something that we should do. My position here at Upper Deck sometimes gives me a chance to do things that people will enjoy and appreciate. Sometimes it is rewarding a deserving player by including them on a checklist or acquiring unique new memorabilia to be used in a memorabilia card, but I had never had an opportunity like this to help preserve an item by actually altering it and presenting it in a new way.

This is the actual card we created that I believe gives this flag a new lease on life with the attractive presentation of the artifact. This piece came from the stitching, not shown in the image above.

Finally, it came down to not the bottom line. It wasn’t about creating buzz and it certainly was not profits on the product, but just one simple thing; I had the opportunity to save this piece from slowly disintegrating and to make something to honor our veterans, not disgrace them. As an organization we hoped we could create something that would be collected and cherished by patriotic Americans like myself. And because of that we moved ahead with the project.

Our intention was never to upset any veterans or patriotic Americans. Upper Deck has a strong heritage as one of the only trading card manufacturers who actively partners with military charities like Operation Gratitude. We know there are a lot of men and women in the military who are collectors. In fact, we even created a different insert series in the product paying tribute to the “Military Machines” used by our armed forces. As an American company we look to celebrate the men and women who have served our country, not disgrace them.

For those who were upset about the decision to use this flag in the product, I apologize, but I do believe it was the right thing to do. So many collectors will get to experience and appreciate this artifact, in fact the professor we brought in shared he hoped to use one of the cards in his class with his students. For that reason alone I was encouraged to proceed with the use of this flag. I understand and appreciate people’s strong feelings on this issue and again I am sorry to anyone who may be upset by the use of this flag in this set. Our intention was to honor this flag, never to desecrate it.

One of My Favorite Cards: 1952 Topps #88 Bob Feller

GUILTY!

I've recently broken my own rules.   I told myself I wouldn't do it, I rationalized over and over again as to why it should be considered a waste of time and funds in my own mind......but I didn't listen.   Not even to myself.

I wasn't going to chase any more releases from this year.   I would make this the final year for hand-building the flagship set for my son.   From here on out, I would simply pick up a sealed factory set for him every Christmas and perhaps build the Updated Series to complete the circuit.   From there, I would choose my favorite release and maybe allow myself to chase that one.   This year, that set was Gypsy Queen.   I was a huge fan of the inaugural release last year and I couldn't wait for 2012.   The set delivered and I am well on my way to completion of GQ (PLUG - please check out my NEEDS/HAVES lists to the right and see if we can help each other out with a swap!).

Okay - so I picked up a ton of Heritage, too.....only to nip that pursuit in the bud with a very reasonable and enjoyable transaction with BrentandBecca for a complete set.  A great experience and I can't wait to go through the set and enjoy each card.

But then I got the itch.   The guilty itch of ordering the set outright.....I am a set-builder by nature but I can  have a flare up of collector's impatience.   It got the best of me and I'm not sure if I can go that route again.   So, with GQ almost done - you could say that there was a bit of a void.

And then it showed up.

The blog posts and tweets and website articles started popping up ALL over the place about the release of 2012 Topps Archives.   I scoured the pictures myself and couldn't look away!   There they were - so many of my favorite card designs from decades past: 1954, 1971, 1980 and the first set to capture my imagination as a young collector: 1984 Topps.

I picked up a pack or two and was instantly hooked - I would chase the set.   I should have those lists up shortly - let me know if I can help  you with anything!

One of my favorite aspects of the Archives set are the Reprints.   These are (almost) exact replicas of some of the most famous cards from the Topps' timeline.   A little bit brighter, a lot more mint-ier and the curious odor of maple syrup replaces that great old-school cardboard smell......with a tiny gold-foil stamp to remind you that you're OH so close.

But they're still a great way to do a little role-playing and enjoy some of our hobby's true gems.   One of my Archives packs yielded a copy of a card that I am actually fortunate enough to own and thought this coincidence would make for a great lead-in to a post about one of my favorite cards of one of my favorite ballplayers.

Bob "Rapid Robert" Feller's 1952 Topps card, #88 from the set.

  

Bob Feller was one of the first legends that I reached out to as I re-entered the memorabilia portion of our hobby in 2007.   It was that fall that I began sending out ROMLBs to Hall of Fame legends via TTM requests in the hopes of building a collection to honor the heroes of the game I love.   I made sure to read up on each player before I penned there letter and I can say that it was some of the most enjoyable research I have ever conducted in my life!   

Bob Feller is an American Hero.   I talk about it quite often on here, but Mr. Feller was one of those legends from the Game's Golden Age that managed to save the world amongst making his mark on the pages of baseball's history.   He was a Navy man like me!   He was the first major league ballplayer to step away from the game and raise his hand to volunteer for service - combat service, to be exact.   Mr. Feller was a Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama (Battleship) - which JUST SO HAPPENS to share the same namesake state as the submarine I served aboard during my time in the service.   In some weird, illogical way.....I like to think that this gives us some sort of bond?   I know, I know.....

One more quick fact - I grew up in the Florida panhandle and, as a young Boy Scout, spent several nights aboard the USS Alabama for 'camping trips' in Mobile, Alabama, where the good ship Bama is moored as a floating museum.   Bob Feller was a spark in my young collector's eye at that point in time, so I never noticed the bunk labeled with his name in the crew's quarters (or it could be the Goat Locker, as Mr. Feller left the Navy with the rank of Chief Petty Officer....and is the only Hall of Famer to retain that enlisted rank).   You had better believe that it is on my TO-DO Bucket List to make a return trip to Mobile for some great gulf seafood and an afternoon aboard that 'ol grey lady so that I can see where Chief Feller tried to find peace amongst the chaos of war.   Amazing....

"Bullet Bob" missed four potential seasons of his professional career while he defended the nation.   What might have been, right?   Well - turns out, it was anyways.   He finished his career with a record of 266-162 with an ERA of 3.25 and 2,581 strikeouts.   He never wore a different uniform than the Cleveland Indians threads that he donned off and on from 1936 to 1956.   There are many stats and milestones that I could review but I would like to save some of these for when I share my returns from that TTM request in '07.   For now, I would like to speak to the card above!

After re-entering the hobby last year, I quickly found the only - and soon to be extinct - Local Card Shop (LCS) in town, Rudy's Upper Deck.   I'd pop in whenever I could to chat with 'ol Rudy about the game, the players, the hobby and life in general.  It was great!   I was so sad to learn that Rudy would have to close things up last year but I am very grateful that I had the few months that I did to get to know Rudy and make some deals for some of the cardboard in his display cases.

One day I sauntered in to Rudy's and saw Mr. Feller's warm grin shining up from his 'vintage' display case.   Not only was it Bob Feller, but it was Bob Feller's 1952 Topps card.   1952 Topps is one of those legendary sets.   Sure, it's got the Mantle Rookie that we all know so well - but so many other cards from that set are incredible and timeless classics.   The design is simple but beautiful.   The background cartoon colors in some of the cards (like Bob's) are a bit odd.....but for the time period - understandable.   The old team logo's/mascots like Chief Wahoo above are fantastic.   Not necessarily politically correct for our times but they're a part of history and something to be understood.   My favorite part is the player's name and signature 'box'.   This rectangle, like the rest of the card, is very simple....but to me, the tiny yellow stars turn an ordinary box into a brilliant art-decco marquee - as in an old-fashioned movie theatre.   Think Jim Carey's "The Majestic".

I know....I'm a little weird.

So, I fell in love with this card and knew I wanted it for my collection - though I could never afford it and certainly couldn't afford the price that Rudy had marked on the card.   

BUT WAIT....what's that on the left-hand side?   A crease!

Yes, a crease often carries a negative connotation in our hobby.   We don't prefer to have the cards in our collection creased but for us mortals - these creases can become tickets to the possibility of actually owning some very epic, beautiful baseball cards.   Why?   Well, the creases detract from the card's condition and therefore - this 1952 Topps Bob Feller just garnered itself a severe discount from the 'Beckett High' price on the sticker.   I asked Rudy about it and pointed out the crease (along with the corners and slight stain on the back) for his consideration.   Rudy pulled the top-loader close to his thick spectacles and furrowed his brow.   I got the sense that he might not agree with my assessment, so I commented again on how nice the card was and went back to talkin' shop with Rudy so that he could make his decision in peace.   I talked about Bob Feller and the luck I had with him through the mail back in '07.    Rudy shared his favorite Feller story with me - the "Heater from Van Meter's" Opening Day no-hitter in 1940, against the Chicago White Sox.   Opening Day no-no?!?!?!   This day and age gives us pitchers with carefully monitored pitch counts and a middle-reliever system that makes it nearly impossible for starters to see the 7th or 8th inning.   Amazing!   

But what about this card, Rudy?

We all usually disparage the price guide mentality that governs the financial side of our beloved hobby. While it changed the game in so many ways, it DOES still provide a very useful and protective service by letting everyday collectors like ME know about what to pay in retail situations like this.  I knew the general condition descriptions along with the generally accepted percentage discount to be expected for the various degrees of degradation......

So I made an offer.   A low offer.  Not to be cheap or steal this thing away but an offer that could fit within my budget.   I was ready to let this '52 Feller go and walk away because I understood that Rudy had to make a living, too.   In fact, he even confided in me that he hadn't seen the crease when he bought it.   He shook his head on that fact and even let out a low whisper of self-deprecation, "Rudy!....."   It was truly charming.   You can't get THAT from CheckOutMyCards.com!   I felt bad for him, but he wasn't mad.....no, in fact, he said he was very appreciative that I pointed it out to him and thanked me for coming in to talk baseball with him when I could.

He took another $15 off my offer and I was going home with this legendary card!

And that's the story of my 1952 Topps Bob Feller.   Here's a look at the back for us to enjoy:

Classic design.   Biographical information, quick write-up (these were really good back in the day) and some playing stats to wrap things up.   Love it!   How about those four names, huh?

Thank you for your service to our country, Mr. Feller, and to your contributions to the game we love.   You are dearly missed but I can easily imagine that grin from the diamond in the sky.

As a side note - here are some images of the original '52 next to the reprint included in this year's Archives release.   A reprint will never be the same - but I feel like Archives and other reprint type releases provide a great way for collectors in the modern era to own a little replicated piece of history and get a sense of these hobby treasures for pennies on the vintage dollar.

The '52s were still the larger-sized cards so you can notice the difference there.  Then there's the golden archives stamp, too, of course.   Other than that, if you were to just fade some of that crisp white into soft grown......oh, and don't forget that smell and a crease or two!


Thanks for reading!

Epic TTM - "Mule"

First of all - much thanks to my friends William (Foul Bunt) and Drew (Drew's Cards) for passing along their own great TTM experiences with Mr. John Miles.   Even before my pursuit of Mr. Miles, they have been very generous in their sharing of TTM experiences, knowledge and information.   William is responsible for several of my great successes over the past year and has opened my eyes in general to some great legends of the game that fell outside of my previously all-too-narrow "HOF-er only" approach to seeking autographs through the mail.   Drew is a fellow Yankees fan, so we often email back and forth as I scramble to maximize the 'Pinstripe' part of my collection.

They also run two of the best blogs out there and I would encourage everyone to check them out on a regular basis!

Now, on to my own great experience with Mr. John "Mule" Miles.   He signed the ROMLB that I sent to him along with a Signature Card and one other very special item.   He also took the time to write a letter in response to several questions that I had inserted throughout my letter to him.  

There's something special about reading through the incredible memories of extraordinary times from his own hand.   His story is quite remarkable.   Here's my attempt to do it justice.

I asked Mr. Miles what his fondest memories were from his playing days with the Giants in the Negro American League:

"The players accepted me as a player, brother and friend - helping me along the way.   There were tears, joys, triumph and laughter as we played the game.   We won most of our games.   Those we lost we did so in a very sportsman-like manner.   I have no regrets.   The Giants were good." *

John Miles never played in the major leagues but I think we could all agree that a mental asterisk could be applied to a discussion of players who played the game in any of the Negro Leagues during baseball's segregated period.   Mr. Miles only played professionally for a few years, from 1946 to 1952.   At the urging of his friends, he tried out for the Chicago American Giants in '46 and made the team, where he went on to play professional ball for about $300 per month.   At 6'3" and almost 230 pounds, Miles was an imposing figure.   He was known to have strong wrists and "wiry arms".   Despite a lack of speed, he played both 3B and all three outfield positions and was known to have pretty good range with a strong arm.

I asked Mr. Miles if there was any particular home run from his career that sticks out in his mind:

"In 1948, hitting two home runs in one ball game.   The nickname "Mule" was originated by the manager, Jim "Candy" Taylor.   Also, hitting 11 home runs in 11 straight games.   Still sticks out." *

In retrospect, I now feel like my question was a bit rhetorical!   Of course it would be his streak of 11 and dual-homer game that resonate in his memory as he looks back.   I love the introspective sense that you get with his wording.   I can almost see him referring to the streak of 11 before leaning back in his chair for a moment and then nodding to himself and, with a quick grin, whispering "...still sticks out..."

In 1948, John Miles slammed 27 home runs despite batting in the bottom half of the Giants' order, hitting at a steady .250 clip for the season.   Most of those 27 home runs came during his famous streak of 11 home runs in 11 games.   It shattered any existing record at the time and would still stand today in the major leagues.   This particular record has special meaning for me as a Don Mattingly fan.   Donnie's clubbing of eight home runs in eight consecutive games in 1987 is one of my favorite highlights for my favorite all-time player.   The Hitman matched Dale Long's previous mark in 1956 and then Ken Griffey Jr. repeated the feat in 1993.   Pretty good company!

As Mr. Miles described above, he displayed his raw power throughout his years with the Giants, earning his nickname after hitting two homers in one game.   His coach, 'Candy Jim' Taylor quipped to his young player, "You hit that ball like a mule kicks!" - the name stuck.   With the color barrier broken in baseball by Jackie Robinson, "Mule" Miles went on to become the first African American ball player in the South Texas League where he would play for the Laredo and San Antonio until he retired in '52.

John Miles played with many great ball players.   I asked him who the best pitcher, hitter or defensive player was that he ever faced on an opposing team.   I followed that query up by asking who amongst the present-day players did he enjoy watching the most: 

"The best pitcher was Satchel Paige.   I never got a hit off of Satchel.   Josh Gibson was the best hitter and defensive player, with the Homestead Gray's.   Present-day team - the Texas Rangers.   Player - Josh Hamilton with the Rangers." *

Most impressively to me, John Miles is a military veteran.   As a veteran myself and the son/grandson/brother-in-law of four servicemen in my family, I can't help but admire the players from baseball's golden age who put on their country's uniform in addition to playing professional baseball.   Add to this the additional challenge of severe racial prejudices that African Americans faced during World War II and his legacy becomes even more awe-inspiring.   In 1942, John Miles enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and attended Aircraft Mechanic Journeyman Rating School in Tuskegee, Alabama.   It was here that contributed to the maintenance of aircraft destined for service with the Nation's first African-American aviation program, the "Black Wings".   This group of pioneering patriots is more famously known as the Tuskegee Airmen.   I was very hesitant to ask Mr. Miles about his experience as a Tuskegee Airman.   For so many veterans, their service during times of war is very personal.   Often times, they are either too humble to expound upon their memories or are reluctant to do so because of the pain, loss or regret those times might represent.   In the end, I decided to thank him for his service and related my own military connections to let him know that I understood how special his sacrifice had been.   I'm glad I did.   Mr. Miles was very honest and succinct in his response but his pride in the accomplishments of that courageous group of pioneering aviators is what really shines through.

What was the most moving moment for you, good or bad, during your time in the service?


  "I did not fly in combat on missions but I am proud that I am a member of a group that established all kind of records flying fighter planes.   despite the racial barrier of that time they never lost a bomber to the enemy.   The Tuskegee Airmen, the 99th Squadron." *

The paragraph above is an absolute treasure for me.   One of my grandfathers was a radioman on B-24 Bombers and flew combat missions out of England during World War II.   He seldom spoke of his experiences, as they seemed to conjure up painful memories of terror-filled moments and friends who never made it home.   My Grandad completed the requisite number of missions that was required of bomber crews in order to fulfill their obligation and earned a ticket home - but not before surviving a crash landing behind enemy lines during one of their final missions.   The French Resistance provided support in their escape back to Allied-occupied territory......

Long story short - I am here only because my grandfather fought and survived.   And I am sure that at some point - support and protection from fighter escorts helped his B-24 return to soil on the western shores of the English Channel.   After some preliminary research, I am fairly certain that his squadron and/or bomber group were never escorted by the 'Red Tails' of the 99th Fighter Squadron - but they were certainly a part of that fearless fraternity in those skies over Europe and Africa.   A group of warriors that saved the world while selflessly risking all they had with honor, courage, discipline and pride in what they were doing.   I feel like this picture embodies this notion quite well:

Though he is not specifically in this image, Mr. Miles was a member of that group of warriors and has lived by the values I described above for his entire life.   He was kind enough to sign this picture for me and I am very excited to share it with you.   It is a snap shot of the first graduating class of cadets from the Tuskegee Program, taken on the flight line at the base where Mr. Miles and his fellow soldiers trained, worked and defended the nation.   Major James. A. Ellison is shown returning the salute of Cadet Mac Ross.

As you can see, every part of this TTM return has a special meaning for me.   As a baseball fan.   As an American.   As a lover of history.   As a veteran.  

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and sign some keepsakes for me, Mr. Miles.   I will treasure them always, and attempt to pay tribute to Americans like you and my grandfather by following in your footsteps with how I live and passing along the lessons of your life to a new generation.

Thanks for reading.



* Some of Mr. Miles' comments from his letter were altered slightly by me (syntax & grammar) for ease of reading in this blog post
  

Jelly Beans

Not from Morpheus!

That’s how this all got started.   Actually – that’s not quite true.   I’ll get back to those jelly beans in a moment.   This all got started with a 1986 Topps Doug Corbett baseball card.   I don’t know where Doug came from but I like to think that HE found ME. I still have him somewhere, tucked away in a treasure trove pile of youthful memories that now rests in our basement.   Ah!   Here he is......say hello, Doug.

I just noticed - Mattingly's number!

My HS football team has battled Apopka HS many times... 

My first card.   As you can see, it's well loved.   Nice "fuzzy" corners and a couple of meandering creases.   Original gloss, though!   I think now that I’d like to find out more about Doug.   It’s only fitting since he is responsible for everything that has happened since he turned me into a collector...


I fell in love with baseball at some point.


I loved to watch it, in person or on television, with my grandfathers or with my Dad.   They loved baseball and I loved them, so I loved baseball BIG time.   We would always talk about it.   Sometimes, I would just listen to it.   I can remember listening to baseball radio broadcasts on Boy Scout camping trips.   Out in the woods, around a fire whilst eating horrible things!   It was all good so long as I could follow the Braves on their quest for greatness.


I learned about the sport, its teams and their players.   Naturally, I sought out heroes – those I would cheer for and even emulate.   Yes, I even played baseball from time to time.   I have the post-game Dairy Queen mini-helmets to prove it.   Little League was fun but my career never quite played out the way I had dreamt it would.   Which is a shame because I practiced my autograph until it was absolutely perfect.   I would have been SUCH a cool major leaguer.   I still get way too excited when I sign anything.   Alas, even a second, Favre-esque comeback attempt for me in high school was thwarted by reality.

Like a pile of scalps, much soft-serve met its fate in these...

That’s okay. 


There were other ways to immerse oneself in the religion of baseball and that's where that '86 Doug Corbett became the gateway.   I happily spent much of my youth, along with some of the best friends I ever had, at the altar of baseball cards.   I’d save everything I earned to buy them.   I would study them and trade them with my partners in crime.   My mission? Acquire every Don Mattingly card in northwest Florida and then try to get at least ONE of everything else.   A Saturday afternoon couldn’t be perfect without a stop by TBS Comics & Baseball Cards to fuel my collection.   I would organize my cards and memorize the players. I couldn’t get enough and life was simply perfect.



And then life changed.



Don’t worry.   This is not “VH1-Behind the Music”.   I didn’t crash a Mustang into a Hotel 6.   No, life rolled on.   I got older.   I started playing competitive golf and football.   Necessary extracurricular activities became important for new future dreams.   Besides, my baseball heroes decided they weren’t getting paid enough in ’94 and quit.   Fine, then!   I needed to grow my music collection binders more than my Super Star baseball card binder……plus there were too many different types of cards anyways.   There were sparkly cards and foil-y cards.   Baseball cards that didn’t come with gum and cards that were way too expensive.   They were more about money than warm summer afternoons anymore.   I bet Doug Corbett even shed a tear.   But that’s life and life doesn’t stop. 


High School, girls, college, adulthood and everything in between happened.   Doug was locked up safely with the rest of my collection at my parents’ house.   A career in the Navy happened.   That made keeping up with baseball even harder.   But there was my favorite part, too.   Along the way, THE girl happened and, unlike baseball, I know the exact moment that I fell in love with her.   The first moment.   She was the coolest person I had ever met and yes, she liked baseball, too.   I tricked her into marrying me and we eventually had a perfect little daughter.   She is a beautiful princess who makes me smile every day and reminds me the world is a pretty great place.   Jobs changed and the zip codes flurried by.   


Then one day…..the jellybeans showed up.   A friend (who’s more family than friend) handed me a jar filled with pink and blue jellybeans.   I was told to count, sort, organize and divide.   I did so feverishly, just as I had with those little pieces of cardboard so many years ago.   In the end, there was one jellybean left.

One jelly bean to rule them all, one jelly bean to find them..

One blue jellybean that has brought us here today.



I was going to have a son.   In an instant, I knew…I needed to find Doug.   I missed my old friend and more importantly, there was now a new life that he needed to touch.

And so, here we are.   My boy has joined us (happy and healthy) and my little girl just told me the other day, “Daddy, I’m starting to really like baseball!”   I told you she was perfect, right?   My love for baseball has been rekindled and I couldn't get enough.   Fortuitously, Doug and the rest of the treasure trove have been recently delivered from their parental deep-storage resting place (thanks, Mom and Dad).   I liked to picture it being wheeled out of the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.   Everything looks to be in good shape, too!   Here’s a look:

Bay Bridge Series hat and Starting Lineups!

Good shape is a relative term, though.   It is a couple of packing crates full of assorted, wonderful, random STUFF.   It needs to be re-discovered, re-organized and pared down as much as possible.   My wife is excited about those last two goals.   I love my wife, so therefore I love those last two goals A LOT, too.   I’m also under the delusion that there are some people out there who might like to dig through that treasure trove with me to reminisce, share or even tie up loose ends?   Ah, to trade again!   I have discovered many of my fellow collectors out there in the Internet ether over the past year.   It’s been fun re-discovering our hobby.   I have received a rookie's introduction to new terms like Blaster's, "hits", patches, swatches, relics, chrome and heritage.   Your blogs are a joy to read and I can only hope to capture some of the same passion and joy regarding my collections as you all have with yours.   Thank you for your warm welcomes and friendly encouragement to share my own thoughts.   The chase in on to rediscover the old stuff and acquire some new treasures for the next generation.   Maybe a few things for Dad along the way, too!


So…without further delay….it’s blog time.   My first blog, to be exact.



Crazy?   Probably.



But I feel like this is a tale worth telling.   A story about baseball cards - the heroes and times they depicted.   A story about the fans who cheered them on and the world that was better for all because they did.   A story that includes Doug Corbett, our national pastime and a bunch of jelly beans.



This is a story about baseball, life, a little history and a LOT of cardboard!