Terrific baseball card story from ESPN today

[davidb]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29143131/150000-worthless-baseball-cards-coronavirus

Enjoy!

[statsfax]

This was a wonderful piece! I'm sure we can all relate to both the uncertainty of what to do with our collections and the fragility of life itself. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Bigdaddy]

Thanks for sharing the link - great story. While I don't resonate with all the things he expressed in the column, I certainly do with this:

"I've found one of the most disorienting things about quarantine is the loss of chapter breaks in my life. I never realized the value of walking from my work desk to the ESPN cafeteria, or the half-hour ride from work to home, to disconnect from the previous chapter within every day. Right now, everything feels like one big run-on sentence."

That thought had just crystallized in my mind last week, but in much less poetic terms. I've got three kids at home now (two back from college and one high-schooling it from home) and everything does 'feel like one big run-on sentence'.

[judgebuck]

Very nice story.

[carlsonjok]

I think the advice of ""Don't live in the wreckage of your future" really resonated with me. I tend to focus more of my energy on the unknown future and worry. It is a good reminder to not ignore my present blessings.

[Exhibitman]

"a card collection is a magic carpet that takes you away from work-a-day cares to havens of relaxing quietude where you can relive the pleasures and adventures of a past day – brought to life in vivid picture and prose.”
--Jefferson Burdick

[Rhotchkiss]

Great article, thanks. I did not go through a divorce as a child, but I can relate very much to the card-part, especially the trading sessions he and his brothers had. My brother and I used to trade daily until we decided to merge collections. I spent many a Saturday or Sunday dropped off at a friends house with binders and boxes, where we spent a few hours trading cards and a few hours playing kickball or capture the flag. Good times! The other thing I can relate to is the kids- I can’t get them to trade cards, play kick ball, etc. but they sure love their Xbox (and the little one likes Tik Tok).

As shitty as this period is for adults, I think it’s worse for kids. This is their childhood they are missing out on. My oldest had his first relationship end bc of distance. My middle one is missing major bonding time with new friends made during freshman year. My youngest, the athlete, missed his chance to be team captain. These are memories/experiences that mold. I met a lady last night whose daughter had no prom, will have no graduation ceremony, etc. Those are major life events these kids will never get back. Very sad. Hopefully the “good” experiences/memories will start again soon.