[Corporal Lance Boil]

I came for Joss and stayed for the Ramlys...

Since I joined about a month ago and would like to post from time to time, it seems appropriate for me to actually introduce myself, and try to not ramble too much. But I'm sure I will.

I found this board several years ago searching for Addie Joss autographs. I was really impressed by the knowledge here. I began reading more and more as I debated showing y'all what may or may not be a Joss autograph. That's a story for another time, and no, its' not the one posted several years prior. A little about me:

I initially found my way into pre-war card collecting kind of by accident. I lived for awhile in and around NYC and got very into the Yankees (esp. '98) which kind of led me to delve into the history of baseball, and then I got fascinated. I was kind of cursed to choose Addie Joss as "my" player because as a young child I could not pronounce "Anthony"...so I called myself "Atti". Makes perfect sense, no?

Anyway, this was a time in my life when I was young and somewhat broke and couldn't really collect anything. I did purchase a few T206s and a Ramly and a couple other early cards but back then running a new restaurant (1st career) took precedence. Occasionally I would buy a few cards when the interest piqued, mostly new stuff, and once a customer of mine, oh hell, this deserves its' own little story:

So I owned an ice-cream parlor/sandwich joint. We had this customer, I'll call him "Don", who literally came in every day for several years. He was obviously a few cards short of a deck, and probably in his late 50's/early 60's. I always gave him discounts, but he drove my employees crazy. I felt bad for the guy.

One day I mentioned to "Don" something about me liking baseball cards, and he responded by saying he had a bunch in the trunk of his car, parked out front. So I go look and -whoa- he has hundreds, if not thousands of '57, '58, '60 and '61 Topps in there, also in the trunk was a spare tire, maybe 8 or nine pairs of stained underwear, and about a half-foot of standing water. Plus old food.

Basically I salvaged what I could, all the cards that were not destroyed I went through and payed him pretty well for what I wanted. Most of the big name players I got, and some nice-conditioned commons. I call it the Buick find.


Story over. But that was how the fire continued to smolder, if you will, until present time. Little things like: I spent a month in Cooperstown as a medical student (career # 2) and literally had The Hall to myself for a month. Also, from time to time I would re-google (is that a word?) Joss and kept winding up on this board. And I kept remembering how much I loved the lone Ramly I owned (Huggins, raw), and then wait! what about those Mecca double-folders and Hassan Triple-plays! And Old Judge! Those were great! Wouldn't it be cool to own one.

And then The Wife suggested last month I get a hobby. It probably would have been cheaper to suggest I take up crack.

So that's the end of the ramble. I promise to not be an asshat. I'm interested in the sets mentioned above, as well as some current stuff and completing the Buick find, but I'm kind of dipping a toe into the pool, if y'all know what I mean. I'm looking at this long-term. I still know there's that huge barn or basement find out there waiting for me.

Cheers,

Tony