So, in Wednesday's post about the opening of Spring Training a discussion about baseball cards somehow broke out.
At one time or another every kid who loves baseball collects at least a few baseball cards. Do you still collect 'em? If so, tell us about your collection. If not, tell us some of your favorite baseball card stories, anyway.
I have to share this somewhat sad, stupid story with you to get the discussion started.
My dad was a carpenter and one day on his lunch break he was walking in the fields behind his shop. He came across a pile of old baseball cards. I was about 10-12 at the time, and he knew I was collecting cards like crazy. So, he scooped up the pile and brought it home to me.
Included in that pile was a Babe Ruth card. Don't ask me what year the card was, I don't remember. Mind you this was 35 years ago. I do remember it was in decent shape, though not great. After all, it was found laying in an overgrown field.
Do I still have the Ruth card? Nope. I was a stupid kid and just didn't get the value of these things, monetarily, sentimentally, historically or whatever. I sold it to my friend Doug for a quarter, which was probably enough to go out and buy at least one more pack of current cards. Dummy!
I mentioned yesterday that at one time I counted my collection at the very coincidental number of 714 cards. Don't know what become of any of them. They were in my parents attic when I moved away to college. After they were both gone I searched the attic for the cards. They were gone, too.