I was ten years old in 1969 and years later I was given the duty to carry on and tell the story of, "The Only Ernie Banks Card In The World."
Out in Illinois farm country, about 1 1/2 hours southwest of Chicago, Craig O. had the only Ernie Banks card in the world (1969 Topps #20). At least that's how all of us kids thought. No one else had an Ernie Banks card and Ernie was KING in our little neck of Cubs country. Everyone tried to trade for it, but without success. I think Craig got great pleasure from being
The Big Man On Campus, keeping the card with him at school and on the bus. He beat it up pretty bad too. It didn't matter.
Six years later, I was buying 1975 packs of cards, building a set, and Craig learned I was still collecting cards. He asked if we could do some trading as he wanted a Mike Schmidt card. We put together a trade and I got the 1969 Banks from him. I was thrilled! This was before I learned there was an organized hobby. All I knew of at the time was the
Card Collector's Company.
It wasn't too much longer until I learned about the Chicagoland Sports Collector's Association shows and found a nicer copy of the 1969 Banks.
Brad B., a neighbor down the road, was just getting serious about cards and he wanted the beat-up Banks. So, we made a trade, but he didn't keep the card for long as he upgraded and then traded it to Mark S. The card stayed with him until the late 1990's.
Mark met Ernie Banks at a downtown Chicago appearance and had him autograph the card. Ernie was taken aback, "Do you really want me to sign this card?" Without going into the history of the card, Mark explained that it would mean a lot if he would. And so Ernie signed the card in black ball point pen.
Shortly thereafter, Mark gave the card to me to keep, saying it was only appropriate that I have it as I knew the history of the card going back to the spring of 1969. And so, I'm the keeper of the flame, so to speak. I treasure the card and think fondly of my collecting childhood and
The Only Ernie Banks Card In The World.
I finished my storytelling with how my 7 year old brother thought Matty Alou (1969 card #490) was Japanese. To a little kid, I could see how he might think that from Matty's expression on the card.
Later in 1975 while I was opening up packs, my brother was looking at each card and came upon Al Downing and then next Brian Downing. My brother explained, "Oh look, you got brothers." Ah, childhood innocence. Yes, brothers in a greater way.
Finally, I recounted how I always was getting Phil Roof cards in the packs, but never a Hank Aaron.
Thanks again to everyone for allowing me to reminisce.
Mark Arentsen