Ah, those lazy days of winter. The Winter Meetings, free agent signings, rumors, trades, and speculation fill the extended gap between the last out of the World Series and pitchers and catchers being seen in Florida and Arizona.
As Christmas approaches, baseball fans dream of next season, and they hope for various gifts under the tree that include some team gear and maybe a pack or two of classic baseball cards...
Finding your favorite players
My elementary school friends introduced me to baseball cards in the 1970's. Those thin, rectangular encyclopedias were our passion during that pre-internet, pre-video game era.
While complete sets could be ordered through Topps, buying packs at local convenience stores was much more fun. Opening the wrapper, smelling those pink gum-scented cards, and earnestly looking for our favorite players was thrilling.
Like farmer's markets, local card shows offered another collection-building option. A kid convention filled with a buffet of bubble gum cards. Instead of testing the tomatoes, you looked for a Tom Seaver card, which was sorely needed to complete the Cincinnati Reds team set.
Those events were nothing short of paradise.
Trading
The free market is a wonderful thing, and we had no summer trade deadlines. The duplicates of Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, and Thurman Munson could be just the incentive needed to obtain the Oakland Athletics' Reggie Jackson card my buddy was finally willing to deal in September.
If there were any disputes about the balance of a deal, Becket's Baseball Card Price Guide was used as a silent arbitrator. We didn't know who Beckett was or how he determined the card values, but using his book made us feel like we were operating on the up and up.
Proper Storage
Like a fine wine, all cards need to be stored appropriately. Plastic cases, with individual slots for each team, had to be obtained through accumulated allowance money. Price was no object, as $8 was well worth the investment.
From there, the bedroom closet served as the primary storage vault. As part of a mental fire drill, if the house ever went up in flames, I would grab the dog and my baseball card boxes and head out the side door to safety. Let the homework burn.
Bygone days
Baseball cards are still available in larger chain stores, specialty hobby shops, and at card shows. They also continue to hold a spot in the hearts of all who learned to love the game through them.
(I hold all copyrights to this article, which appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)
Finding your favorite players
My elementary school friends introduced me to baseball cards in the 1970's. Those thin, rectangular encyclopedias were our passion during that pre-internet, pre-video game era.
While complete sets could be ordered through Topps, buying packs at local convenience stores was much more fun. Opening the wrapper, smelling those pink gum-scented cards, and earnestly looking for our favorite players was thrilling.
Like farmer's markets, local card shows offered another collection-building option. A kid convention filled with a buffet of bubble gum cards. Instead of testing the tomatoes, you looked for a Tom Seaver card, which was sorely needed to complete the Cincinnati Reds team set.
Those events were nothing short of paradise.
Trading
The free market is a wonderful thing, and we had no summer trade deadlines. The duplicates of Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, and Thurman Munson could be just the incentive needed to obtain the Oakland Athletics' Reggie Jackson card my buddy was finally willing to deal in September.
If there were any disputes about the balance of a deal, Becket's Baseball Card Price Guide was used as a silent arbitrator. We didn't know who Beckett was or how he determined the card values, but using his book made us feel like we were operating on the up and up.
Proper Storage
Like a fine wine, all cards need to be stored appropriately. Plastic cases, with individual slots for each team, had to be obtained through accumulated allowance money. Price was no object, as $8 was well worth the investment.
From there, the bedroom closet served as the primary storage vault. As part of a mental fire drill, if the house ever went up in flames, I would grab the dog and my baseball card boxes and head out the side door to safety. Let the homework burn.
Bygone days
(I hold all copyrights to this article, which appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)
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