Low "Value"; High "Sentiment"
 

So today I got a my winnings from Leland's and in it was one a card that has tremendous sentimental value to me (but I recognize that it would be of minimal importance to most collectors that are not die-hard Cuban/Latin collectors). It is a 1947 Mexican League card of Lazaro Salazar.

For those of you who do not know who Lazaro Salazar is, I forgive you. The little time that he spent in the USA was in the Negro Leagues (though he performed quite well). He is a member of the Cuban, Mexican and Venezuelan HOFs and is pretty much considered the best Manager in Mexican baseball history. He was also an outstanding two way player (though not nearly as good as Martin DiHigo). Regardless, none of this is why I am so interested in him.

I am interested in him mainly due to the stories of him that I heard from my father in law (who lived in Monterrey, Mexico) as a child. His leadership. His desire to win. His ability to do whatever the team needed. A super leader and person. In short, he was one of my late father-in-law's idols. In collecting Salazar's items, I feel closer to my late father-in-law even though he is no longer with us. That is worth a lot to me as he was an amazing dude.

I figured that many of you guys (and gals) may have similar stories that would be great to hear.

If you want to learn more about Salazar, here is a link to a SABR article about him.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f2fa0932

Here is the card that lifted my heart today as well:

Scan
 

Sorry, I forgot to show the card

great story
 

now this is what collecting is all about!

Nice

Thanks for sharing!

great story! we need more of this spirit of collecting and less of people treating their cards — especially their overpriced, off-center cards — like stocks and bonds.

Nice. Congrads!

What a great bio!!!!! Thanks for sharing, and as others have said, this is what collecting is all about.

Cool story. Cool connection. Awesome!!!

Thanks everybody for the kind words! I was hoping to get inspired by other stories. Surely not everyone is into collecting to make a buck. Family member who made it the majors? Player that gave you a ball as a kid? Ran into a super nice player in a hotel elevator? Ticket stub to a playoff game with dad and grandpa? The holidays are near and I am Looking to hear uplifting stories of collecting nexus.

This is great! This is why I still do what I do, to keep me close to my father's memory who I lost at 15, some 32 years ago. I love this story! Some of the players I still collect is because my father liked them. When I have a little more time to type, I will they'll the story of the 1963 Fleer Clemente.

Thank you again.


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My first T206 card was bought in Cooperstown when I was 16 and went there with my dad and grandfather. It's a Roger Bresnahan portrait in GOOD condition and I looked at the card for almost the entire five hour ride home. I have a T206 Magie in slightly better shape, but that would cost someone less than the Bresnahan if I were to sell my cards.

My father grew up in several New Jersey towns. He loathed fans of the New York and Philadelphia teams and considered himself just a fan of baseball in general. Come the 1950's and he joins the Marines and is stationed somewhere down in Florida. Possibly Key West? Not sure about that. Anyway, he and a buddy have to move some supplies to another base and are given a days leave on their trip. They decide to check out a spring training park. They head to Bradenton and head into the Pirates facility. They are able to walk right into the complex.

No game that day, but the players were starting to get ready for practice. My father and his friend sat down along the third base side to watch for a bit. After some time has passed his friend notices a group of men huddled in seats by the first base dugout talking to the Pirates manager and some of the coaches. My dad decides they should head over to that side. Maybe sit a bit closer to see what they might be discussing. Maybe get an autograph.

They head over to the first base side and start to sit down about 20 rows in back of the group of men. Before they can sit, however, a voice from among the groups asks if the "Young Marines" would like to come a bit closer (they were in their dress blues). My father notes that the voice sounds very familiar to him but thinks nothing of it. Until he got about five rows away and the man with the golden voice turned around to greet them.

It was Bing Crosby.

He was, of course, part owner of the Pirates at the time.

My father and his friend sat down and spent over an hour with the group. Mostly listening but also talking to Bing and the coaches. They had the time of their lives. But it wasn't over. Crosby gave them a pair of tickets to his radio show that evening. They turned out to be front row seats. And he mentioned "the two young Marines from the ballpark" who were in the audience and thanked them for their service.

My dad was a Pirates fan for life thereafter. I was born in 1971, so it was easy joining him as a Pittsburgh sports fan. What a decade!

Thus my attempt to collect a full run of signed cards of my idol Willie Stargell. An enjoyable and surprisingly difficult collecting tangent that connects me to my childhood and my father's run in with Hollywood royalty

Tom C

Cool story Al, thanks for sharing.

This Speaker was my first T206. My mom gave it to me when I was 12 in 1994. She passed away in 2002. In 2010 I thought about baseball cards for the first time in a long while. I went to my dad's place and found this Speaker along with a Snodgrass she had also given me and a Bresnahan Portrait and Jimmy Collins I had bought from ebay when I was 17 or 18. Seeing those again was all I needed to decide I wanted to collect more cards from the set.

For me it was those Conlon cards of the 90s. Worth very little, but I still have almost all of them. My dad, having me in his 60s and raising me thereafter, those were his players growing up. So those cards were a window into his childhood. And in the end, when I hold those cards I extract the great memories and feelings for a man I admired from beginning to end. I mean how many of us have "too many"? A few too many oil cans, too many Pez dispensers, stacks of newspapers, that one way-too-old can of Budweiser we never dare open? A lot of that, baseball cards included, stay around because of the extractions we take from them.

Seriously Al, great post. As many have said, what you shared is what it's all about.

Looking forward to hearing the story! Al

Love this story! Thanks so much for sharing and I hope that your Willie Stargell collection continues to bring back those good feelings that your father had that day! It is quite funny that these "tangential" events can have such a big impact, but it speaks to our desire to connect to our idols and our desire to support the "good guys"!

Very cool! It is funny that Speaker was one of the first T206s that I thought about getting when I was considering starting the set. I ultimately passed on the project, but that particular card creates a positive feeling to me - glad that it provides a connection with your late mother. Very cool and hope that it stays in your family forever. Al

Thanks Louie... you too. At some level, I do find it odd that we can make a connection through a piece of cardboard, or a can, or a pez dispenser, but the fact is, we can. At least some of us can, and I think that it is a blessing. I am counting mine and appreciate those that shared theirs. Best, Al

1947
 

I remember a hand shake with Babe Herman because his hand was bigger than my 1st baseman's glove. This came about because my Dad, in the trucking business, moved the Oakland Oak's equipment to the City of San Fernando where they "Spring trained". After my Dad and I unloaded the gear, Casey Stengal signed the freight bill and my Dad introduced me to both Mr. Stengal and Herman. The size of Herman's hand is why I remember.

Picture this, 12 year old boy, July 1981...sweltering summer afternoon...my mom and dad and my 2 sisters and I pile into the 1974 Olds Delta 88, as we always went everywhere together...we drive about 35 miles to a flea market my dad liked to frequent...mom and 2 younger sisters sit in the car...on that hot summer day...dad and I go in to see the one guy with cards who is always there...we pick up a few things...the largest purchase by far was the 1963 Fleer Clemente...unusual for my dad, factory worker, who was the only wage earner in the family...we finally get done with our longer than usual stop...my mom and sisters were already a little miffed because they were sitting in the car so long...we get back out to the car and I was so excited that my dad purchased a Clemente that I couldn't contain myself when we finally got back to the car...I blurted out (which I didn't know I wasn't supposed to tell!) "mom, dad bought a Roberto Clemente for $5!"...my mom got so p!$$3d that my dad spent $5 on a card!...my dad subsequently gave me the you weren't supposed to tell speech...hahaha...fast forward July 1985...my dad left this world far too soon at 42...fast forward 1991...I dig out the old Clemente, and look it up in an issue of Tuff Stuff...take that price guide to my mom and ask her if she remembers how mad she got that dad spent $5 on it...suffice to say she she laughed a little, and felt a little, just a little bad for over reacting...fast forward 2001...I have SGC grade the infamous Clemente at the Cleveland National Sports Collectors Convention...never to sell it...but to entomb it...forever...I will never sell this card...Sophia will own this card one day...from a grandpa she never met.

#BestCardStoryIveGot


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Sweet! So, so cool! Please post the card! That is awesome (not the part about losing your dad so young), but the rest of it! Thanks again for sharing!