Worthless, yet Priceless
mouschi
Posts: 695 ✭✭✭✭
I think we all have a tendency to get caught up in searching out the knobs, barrels, patches, etc. and forget to look back at why most of us are in this hobby to begin with: To relive the memories of our childhood.
In looking at some auctions, I found a nice pairing that was absolutely dripping with nostalgia for me:
These two were singled out of my beloved 1989 Donruss set for having the cool cursive font on the front. On one side of the spectrum, it shows baseball's bad boy who, at the time, was the best player on the planet. On the other side, is the baseball saint who sang a church hymn on a talk show.
One with brute strength, and one with dominant stuff (at least for a time) - yet thin as a rail. I remember Tommy Lasorda laughing at people calling Hershiser a Bulldog, and said he is more like a Bullfrog.
Whatever he was, that Bullfrog dominated my Oakland A's in 1988 and I always had a love-hate feeling toward him because of it.
Regardless, these two worthless pieces of cardboard have all kinds of memories wrapped up them for me.
What worthless cards are priceless to you?
Comments
You just described half 3/4 of my collection.
Arthur
I could probably give most folks on this board a challenge in who owns the most '85 Topps Hershiser cards ... in my early teen years, I picked one rookie a year and hoarded as many cards as I could get my hands on from pulls, trades, card shows ... my avg cost was probably $1/card for the Bulldog's rookie,. and while I'm probably underwater on that investment, wasnt as bad as my '83 rookie pick, Dave Hostetler ...
Mine too.
The legendary '77 Topps Mark Fidrych rookie card was pulled from one of the first packs I opened as a kid. It was likely the first pack, since one pack was probably all I had to open at the time. I have a distinct memory of rifling through the pack hoping to get The Bird's first card, and then actually seeing it. This memory has now become quite some time ago (well, it was 1977!)
When I moved out of the house at age 19 I left my card collection behind knowing my Mom, a baseball fan herself, would never throw my cards away. Sure enough, Mom saved multiple boxes of cards for me until I could pick them up years later, but she also managed to "abduct" one card from my childhood collection, one of her favorite players (affectionately known as, "My guy.")
When she passed away years ago I told my Sister I only wanted one thing from Mom's possessions: this card.
No value, but priceless.
Great story Tanner.
Stories are worth their weight in gold - anything I ever opened has memories - especially when my son was in his "collecting years."
We drove to Ft Steward, SC from Ft Gordon, GA for the bigger Px in 1992.
And, they had - much to our surprise - a whole cello box of 92F - which contain the rookie sensations that were white hot.
On the way home my son asked if he could open a few packs? Of course - yes.
When he pulled this card - he went nuts!!! One of the better moments we had collecting.
This card is most likely in the 10 cent bin?
For me?
Of course - priceless.
You always come up with interesting stuff buddy.
I remember ripping quite a few packs before I got my Fidrych rookie. I remember exactly were I was at when I got it. Actually got to meet him at an autograph session for an opening of a new appliance store in my hometown in 77.
Always did like this pic. The pose was unique for the time.
That's quite a story Chuck. Thanx for sharing.
When I see Mark's card - I can't help but think of you.
Fidrych was a fun pitcher to watch with odd things he did on the mound.
Really like the Fidrych he was so entertaining. Taken too soon.
This is my 76 pack pulled Luis Tiant that I pulled on a summer afternoon in 76. Kept in my top of my dresser and I look at it every day. Loved and thrown and put back in the box. Studied the stats and history. Seeing him in person in 77 with all of those gyrations was a site to see.
Yes I like Star Wars as well