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After 35 years I have gotten the White Whale! Photos Added

BigRed7BigRed7 Posts: 245 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I started buying cards before I can remember, my father took me to my first card show in Willow Grove in 1976, I was thirteen. We have continued to collect since.

In 1980 , we purchased the 1st Beckett Football price guide. Upon going through the guide I saw a 1956 Parkhurst Football set and card number 33 was Calvin Jones. I was born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio, and Calvin was a star, the road to the stadium is Calvin Jones Way. He was on the 7th issue of Sports Illustrated, the first Afro-American, and in 1955 won the Outland Trophy for the University of Iowa. For various reasons he chose to play Football in Canada.

Following a successful rookie season, Calvin played in the East-West All Star game in Vancouver. He died in a tragic plane crash after playing in the Canadian Shrine Game, December 9 1956. He was headed home to try and attend the 1957 Rose Bowl game his friends were playing in for the Iowa Hawkeyes. His plane crashed in the side of Mt. Slesse. Calvin's number 62 is the only other jersey retired by the University of Iowa besides that of Nile Kinnick's number 24.

Today in the mail, after 35 years of searching, I let my father open the package, he didn't know what was in it other than I told him a surprise. It was my white whale, a 1956 Parkhurst Football Card Calvin Jones. It brought a smile to my fathers 85 year old face. This evening he took the card to the Booster's Club Meeting.

There are a total of three graded by PSA, and now WE have one. Collecting never gets old!

[URL=http://s621.photobucket.com/user/Big_Red_7/media/1956 Parkhurst Calvin Jones_zps1mxwxi04.jpg.html]image[/URL]

My Father

[URL=http://s621.photobucket.com/user/Big_Red_7/media/IMG_0297_zpsoerjc8kv.jpg.html]image[/URL]

Comments

  • belzbelz Posts: 1,217 ✭✭✭
    Love this!!!
    "Wots Uh The Deal" by Pink Floyd
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,437 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations Richard - great story - the best of the week!

    Can you post the card?

    Very tragic story.

    Thanx!
    Mike
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,419 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great story. Thanks for sharing

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • ldfergldferg Posts: 6,745 ✭✭✭
    Loved reading this.


    Thanks,

    David (LD_Ferg)



    1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
  • eagles33eagles33 Posts: 2,682 ✭✭✭
    Great story. Congrats on the pick up
    Scans of most of my Misc rookies can be found <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://forums.collectors.com/m...y&keyword1=Non%20major">here
  • begsu1013begsu1013 Posts: 1,943 ✭✭
    congrats on harpooning your whale!

    image
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    What a great story. My dad is 86 and I can just imagine the look on your dad's face when he opened the package! Please post the card if you get the chance ... maybe even post a pic of your dad holding the card.
    STAY HEALTHY!

    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.
  • DanBessetteDanBessette Posts: 6,421 ✭✭✭
    Now THIS is the kind of thing I love to read on here!
  • wilkiebaby11wilkiebaby11 Posts: 412 ✭
    Awesome story!
    Current T206 Needs: (Updated 9/11/17)

    LaJoie Portrait 3+, Cy Young Bare Hand 3+

    Ty Cobb Bat Off 4+, ANY Red & Green Portrait

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,944 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Beautiful!
    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • lilmulelilmule Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭✭
    That was a great story, thanks for sharing.
    Knotty Hobby Woodworks
    Vintage Rookies
  • maddux69maddux69 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congrats on the pickup and shared memories!
    Jason

    eBay Store


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  • dberk12dberk12 Posts: 399 ✭✭
    Fantastic story and perhaps good timing for this board. A POP 3? You must have jumped out of your seat when you first saw that the card was available. Congrats and enjoy. It doesn't get much better than this.


    Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona.





    -George F. Will
  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,492 ✭✭✭✭
    great story although curious why this card is so hard to find?

    congrats!

    IMF
    Successful dealings with Wcsportscards94558, EagleEyeKid, SamsGirl214, Volver, DwayneDrain, Oaksey25, Griffins, Cardfan07, Etc.
  • slum22slum22 Posts: 2,594 ✭✭✭✭
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful story. This is the best part of our hobby.
    Steve
  • AUPTAUPT Posts: 806 ✭✭✭
    Great story, and congratulations on finding your dream card.

    I've been looking around on the internet at Calvin Jones' story.

    He's a perfect candidate for one of my 1955 Topps-style All-American custom cards.

    Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,437 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Great story, and congratulations on finding your dream card.

    I've been looking around on the internet at Calvin Jones' story.

    He's a perfect candidate for one of my 1955 Topps-style All-American custom cards.

    Thanks for bringing this to my attention. >>

    Looking forward to seeing it Bob. I think Richard will get a big kick out of that.
    Mike
  • AUPTAUPT Posts: 806 ✭✭✭
    I'll try to remember to post it on this thread when it's ready.
  • IndianaJonesIndianaJones Posts: 346 ✭✭✭
    Fabulous story, bro. Very moving. You're in for a special baby whale to go with your original Parkhurst Calvin Jones, if Bob Lemke is able to find a good photo to use for the front of his own Topps All-American extension set. It will be magnifico, trust me. Please do buy one for both of you, put them in PRO-MOLD one-screw holders, and wrap one up for your Dad for Christmas. Will he be thrilled!

    If you hunt around, search diligently for a super color photo of Calvin for Bob to use. Help him out. Even slyly ask your Dad if he has a favorite photo of Calvin Jones. I've never seen the cover issue of Sports Illustrated with Calvin on it, but that's just a thought.

    Thanks again for sharing your marvelous story. You are VERY fortunate to be able to still share this kind of thing with your Dad. I'm happy for you. ---Indiana Jones (Brian Powell)
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭
    Just an awesome story. Very happy for you and your dad. I've never even seen the set before. Would love to see a scan when you can!
    My Autograph Projects

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  • esquiresportsesquiresports Posts: 1,360 ✭✭✭
    Such a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing! And pop 3... wow.
    Always buying 1971 OPC Baseball packs.
  • BigRed7BigRed7 Posts: 245 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Fantastic story and perhaps good timing for this board. A POP 3? You must have jumped out of your seat when you first saw that the card was available. Congrats and enjoy. It doesn't get much better than this. >>



    I had listed this card on my want list on Collectors Corner in 2012. I received an email on September 15, informing me about the availability of this card. Unfortunately I didn't open my email until the following day. I about lost it trying to see if the card was still available. It had been posted by Mike Thomas of Nearmint Sports Cards. I left work on a break and hurried home, two minutes, I got on my computer and to my relief it was still there. Hit the buttons and the card was mine, but as luck would have Mike was out of the shop until September 24. Well it had been 35 years, what's a few more days.

    Ironmanfan asked why it was so hard to find? It was a Canadian Football issue, so it wasn't readily available in the states. Believe me I had been to the National and other card shows always asking,

  • BigRed7BigRed7 Posts: 245 ✭✭✭
    I thought I'd share another photo with you. This is Calvin playing the guitar in his dorm room. See if you can guess the other player.

    [URL=http://s621.photobucket.com/user/Big_Red_7/media/Calvin Jones-Alex Karras_zpseolieb8v.jpg.html]image[/URL]
  • AUPTAUPT Posts: 806 ✭✭✭
    I doubt there will be a suitable color photo, but I've found several black-and-whites that can be suitably colorized.
  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,492 ✭✭✭✭
    is that Alex Karras in the picture?

    IMF
    Successful dealings with Wcsportscards94558, EagleEyeKid, SamsGirl214, Volver, DwayneDrain, Oaksey25, Griffins, Cardfan07, Etc.
  • vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,974 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Now THIS is the kind of thing I love to read on here! >>



    +1 Congrats
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
  • AUPTAUPT Posts: 806 ✭✭✭
    I thought the other guy in the photo was Baby Huey.
  • AUPTAUPT Posts: 806 ✭✭✭
    I was so inspired by the OP that I put a couple of other custom projects on the back
    burner to work on a Cal Jones custom. The more I read about the player, the more I
    wanted to add him to my '55 set.

    Here's the beta version . . .

    image

    image

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,437 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice job Bob!
    Mike
  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,464 ✭✭✭
    great stuff!!! congrats

    looks like Alex Karras to me
    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • BigRed7BigRed7 Posts: 245 ✭✭✭

    RIP Bob

  • heritageheritage Posts: 2,662 ✭✭✭

    Nice

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