Low "Value"; High "Sentiment"

[btcarfagno]

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

[Luke]

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.

[Louieman]

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.

[aljurgela]

Originally Posted by Louieman

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.

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

[aljurgela]

Originally Posted by Luke

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.

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

[aljurgela]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

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

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"!

[leaflover]

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.