Who is your all-time favorite player to collect?
belz
Posts: 1,217 ✭✭✭
I for one have gone back and forth in what I like to collect and how deep I go...specific sets, subsets, unopened, etc....but I've been in love with collecting one player for the past year.
Because of my love and pursuit of collecting The Mick, I ask you all this...who is your all-time favorite player to collect(or who do you have the most of)?
My hope is to one day have every basic Topps card of Mickey Mantle, very well centered, and in a PSA holder. Hoping to find 1 or 2 that I need at the National in a couple months.
Fun stuff.
Because of my love and pursuit of collecting The Mick, I ask you all this...who is your all-time favorite player to collect(or who do you have the most of)?
My hope is to one day have every basic Topps card of Mickey Mantle, very well centered, and in a PSA holder. Hoping to find 1 or 2 that I need at the National in a couple months.
Fun stuff.
"Wots Uh The Deal" by Pink Floyd
0
Comments
<< <i>Quite anti-climatic, compared to The Mick, but the only player I've ever collected religiously (and still do) is Mark Grace. I try to get at least one of everything except for some of the 1/1, autos and other ridiculously expensive cards of his... just not in PSA holders. Now I do just need his 88 Topps Traded Tiffany RC to have all of his RCs in PSA 10... I then plan on framing them all along with a signed jersey of his. But I always enjoy following player sets (especially master sets)... so I'm often tempted to pick a more prominent player to start collecting, one who is worth putting in PSA holders. >>
That's really cool. Growing up in Chicago I got to see him play quite a bit. If he was playing today, his rookie cards and autos etc., would be thousands of dollars. I just did a search in ebay on Grace and saw some really good stuff...I like his 1980 yearbook picture. I think I still have a stack of 88 donruss somewhere along with Ellis Burks.
Your framed display will be sweet. Does he do autograph shows? Might be cool to get a signed picture of the two of you.
<< <i>I think mine is obvious
Wow on that registry!!! Do you have your Larkin collection displayed? Do you some of the other Larkin's but not in PSA holders?
<< <i>
<< <i>I think mine is obvious
Wow on that registry!!! Do you have your Larkin collection displayed? Do you some of the other Larkin's but not in PSA holders? >>
I keep a few cards displayed on my computer desk in the home office (whatever my favs/recent pickups are at the time) and a framed 23x25 photo w/JSA rookie year auto cut, but I don't have enough space to display all that I have. I probably have 95+% of the cards on the registry in at least raw form, and a total of around 1500 different cards including quite a few that aren't gradeable (unauthorized issues, variations PSA doesn't recognize, etc.).
My first memory of Pete Rose was his fight with Bud Harrelson in the playoffs. I just liked how he played the game. Needless to say I was deeply disappointed by all the gambling, but he was my all time favorite. I finally got a chance to meet him out in Vegas. He was really nice to talk with. It would be nice to get a full run of his Topps cards.
Topps/OPC Hockey 1966-Present base sets
<< <i>Johnny Bench for me. >>
So many classic Bench cards...my brothers favorite player. I remember getting the hostest cupcakes box at the grocery store and he tackled me for it..haha. Love the 72 in-action and 73..total stud.
As an adult I've assembled a complete Topps Basic for Mays, and am 2 cards shy on each of Jim Brown, Staubach, Kareem and Messier.
Also want to do a Bowman collection for Mantle and Snider.
Nice topic.
<< <i>As a kid I collected Garvey, Sax and Brett, as well as Stargell and Manny Mota.
As an adult I've assembled a complete Topps Basic for Mays, and am 2 cards shy on each of Jim Brown, Staubach, Kareem and Messier.
Also want to do a Bowman collection for Mantle and Snider.
Nice topic. >>
Cool range as a kid...wonder how that all transpired but clearly you're a Dodgers fan...I always loved Garvey and his massive forearms. Steve Sax rookie card in 82 was with Mike Marshall who my brother went to high school with..my buddy broke some of his records 3 years after marshall graduated.
Unreal on the topps basic collections...congrats, so cool. Mays would be someone I would go after someday.
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
Longoria Collector. Love the Longo!
600+ PSA Graded 4,700+ unique Longoria cards scanned on TCDB 800+ different Longo autograph cards Jeff
One is Nellie Fox who grew up in Saint Thomas PA, by Chambersburg & Gettysburg.
I live on the other side of Gettsyburg so his home town is about a half hour away.
Here's some shots I took on a recent trip there, & its cool the town still remembers him, since he passed away 40 years ago.
We went inside the bowling alley which was pretty cool as it looked like it did when Nellie owned it in the 60's
Website: http://www.qualitycards.com
<< <i>That's really cool. Growing up in Chicago I got to see him play quite a bit. If he was playing today, his rookie cards and autos etc., would be thousands of dollars. I just did a search in ebay on Grace and saw some really good stuff...I like his 1980 yearbook picture. I think I still have a stack of 88 donruss somewhere along with Ellis Burks.
Your framed display will be sweet. Does he do autograph shows? Might be cool to get a signed picture of the two of you. >>
I always hoped he had played long enough to give 3000 hits a run, I thought he deserved the recognition... he was such a good hitter in a time (and at a position) where HRs got all the glory. I was glad to see him end up with the most hits and doubles in the 1990's decade... and to beat out the the guy/juicer (Palmeiro) that he replaced on the Cubs when he came up as a rookie. I don't know if it was Father Time or his lifestyle that caused his career to fizzle at the end, but I was glad to see him make it back to the MLB as a coach.
The shows I've seen him sign at recently have all been in Arizona, which is a little out there for me (without another reason to go)... but I would love to get a pic with him someday. Did get to meet and greet with him a bit as a kid, but no pictures. I'll definitely make a post about the framed display once I've got everything I need to finish it up.
rose was for a while, but kinda fell off. loved him as a kid, but as the more I've read about his antics and such (solely in the past couple of years), i've kinda lost some respect for him.
currently into aaron, berra, hrabosky, herb score and tobacco cards.
I also love Jackie Robinson, but only have 3 cards of his. He has a pretty small registry, so getting them all I think is doable, but I'm not in any rush. I'll be looking around this summer at the National for all three above.
#1 Banks PSA Basic Set
He's always been my favorite player since about 1967.
This is known as “bad luck.”
The Kid Master Set
<< <i>This tread drew me in for my 1st post, great topic. I have been a huge Gary Carter fan since I was kid, and currently working on a PSA 10 master set. I have got a ways to go and those topps and OPC '75's are pricey, but I feel like this goal is attainable.
The Kid Master Set >>
<< <i>
<< <i>This tread drew me in for my 1st post, great topic. I have been a huge Gary Carter fan since I was kid, and currently working on a PSA 10 master set. I have got a ways to go and those topps and OPC '75's are pricey, but I feel like this goal is attainable.
The Kid Master Set >>
Thanks! There are quite a few tough cards. Probably take me another decade to put a real dent in it. Also, there are at least 50-100 additional cards currently not listed in the master set composition.
I have been lurking for a while, and I am amazed by some of the collections people have acquired.
Love Banks...my mom took me to see him at an event back in 1976 and I still have the picture To Steven, Ernie Banks...so cool..his rookie card has to be a top 50 of the greatest bb cards of all time.
The guy with the Carters, welcome and congrats..
I also love the love for George Brett. When he was all fired up with the bat incident, it scared me at the time...baseball was all about passion for the game and integrity was so important...slipped a bit.
Tony Gwynn? Forget about it...one of the greatest natural hitters of all time. I have a 9 displayed.
I enjoyed reading everyone's post...now off to presidents cup U13 soccer final. Good to be alive (car crash last week almost cost me, cherish, love and be kind is all I can say).
#1 by FAR is:
Followed by:
and I also collect:
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Ruth - because he was simply the biggest personality, delivered the biggest performance (as pitcher AND hitter!), and was the biggest name the game has ever seen. And because he was a man who took great pleasure in living.
Gehrig - because he embodies the grace, courage, humility, and sportsmanship we all strive for-- plus performance.
Mantle - represents man's great potential, and the tragedy of not respecting and fulfilling said potential. Also represents when planets align, so to speak, for the right man at the right time, with the right name and look, basically when it all comes together to create true Stardom.
Mattingly - the ultimate in work ethic, humility, not letting bad cosmic timing in life get you down. The man HOF players of his time called The Best Player In The Game for 4-5 seasons, peak performance among the best in the world that is amazing to contemplate.
Nolan Ryan - embodies longevity and career achievements that may never even be remotely challenged again. Truly awesome achievements. Contemplating 5700 Ks and all those no-hitters boggles the mind. To think of the hard, almost impossible road a man must travel to even make it into MLB. Then to think of a pitcher's dream is to throw just ONE no-hitter. Then think of all that Nolan Ryan accomplished.
Strawberry & Gooden - symbols of immense potential unharvested, akin to Mantle-- warnings of how the fast lane can lead to later regrets in life. 80's excess personified.
Shoeless Joe - for his tragic story, and how it blurs the line between fame and infamy. Plus one pretty swing.
Brett - because I loved his type of power & average game, intensity-- and the man had some awesome looking baseball cards...
Ted Williams - the more I read about the man, the more impressive he is. His swing and his performance make almost anyone a fan. Plus he has so many gorgeous baseball cards.
Instagram: mattyc_collection
See my Bo Jackson thread here on the forums.
Larry Bird
Muhammad Ali
Don't waste your time and fees listing on ebay before getting in touch me by PM or at gregmo32@aol.com !
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Bobby Orr
Ray Bourque
Mike Tyson. He was a wrecking machine.
Turns out, Hart was from Hookerton, North Carolina, which was one of the little towns my Dad had lived in as a kid, and growing up Dad had admired the kid from Hookerton who made it to the big leagues. He had even run into him around town at least once. It remains the only time I've seen my Dad show any real interest in a baseball card for himself, and not just vicarious interest through me. That stuck with me, and when I started collecting again 27 years later I decided it would be fun to track down Jim Ray Hart cards. I completed the full run of Topps cards not too long ago (all ungraded) and showed it to Dad. He sat there and studied those cards for half an hour, reading the backs and reminiscing. I think I'll start with the oddballs now.
www.questfortherookiecup.com
<< <i>The guy I've probably had the most fun collecting is Jim Ray Hart. When I was 10 or 11 Dad took me to a show for the first time. He didn't collect or care much about baseball cards but I wanted to go, so he took me. A 1965 Home Run Leaders card caught my eye--Willie Mays!--and it wasn't too expensive, so Dad asked to look at it. What caught his eye was Jim Hart on the bottom right. To my amazement and puzzlement, he asked the dealer if he had any other Jim Ray Hart cards. I mean, who the hell was Jim Ray Hart, and since when did Dad ask for a card for himself? As luck would have it, the dealer had Hart's 1964 rookie card, and Dad bought both cards.
Turns out, Hart was from Hookerton, North Carolina, which was one of the little towns my Dad had lived in as a kid, and growing up Dad had admired the kid from Hookerton who made it to the big leagues. He had even run into him around town at least once. It remains the only time I've seen my Dad show any real interest in a baseball card for himself, and not just vicarious interest through me. That stuck with me, and when I started collecting again 27 years later I decided it would be fun to track down Jim Ray Hart cards. I completed the full run of Topps cards not too long ago (all ungraded) and showed it to Dad. He sat there and studied those cards for half an hour, reading the backs and reminiscing. I think I'll start with the oddballs now.
My favorite Jim Ray Hart story involved him going up against Bob Gibson in his second major league game and ignoring some sage advice from Willie Mays:
“Between games, (Willie) Mays came over to me and said, ‘Now, in the second game, you’re going up against Bob Gibson.’ I only half-listened to what he was saying, figuring it didn’t make much difference. So I walked up to the plate the first time and started digging a little hole with my back foot…No sooner did I start digging that hole than I hear Willie screaming from the dugout: ‘Noooooo!’ Well, the first pitch came inside. No harm done, though. So I dug in again. The next thing I knew, there was a loud crack and my left shoulder was broken. I should have listened to Willie.”
—Jim Ray Hart
This is known as “bad luck.”