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
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|