ADAM, RARELY HAS THERE BEEN SUCH A GOOD SUGGESTION AS YOURS. NOT THAT I'M STICKING MY HEAD IN THE SAND, BUT TRYING TO KEEP OUR HOBBY ON AN EVEN KEEL IS REALLY COMMENDABLE AT THIS MOMENT.
I DON'T HAVE A PHOTO, BUT I HAVE A REASONABLY SHORT YARN TO SHARE.
BACK IN 1981, I WAS IN A MAJOR TRANSITION IN LIFE. I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE COUNTRY TO WORK TOWARDS MY MASTER'S DEGREE. A VERY NICE FAMILY FROM OUR CHURCH HOUSED ME FOR A FEW WEEKS' TIME. ANYWAY, THEY HAD A SON WHO ENJOYED BASEBALL AND COLLECTING CARDS. A REALLY NICE, POLITE, QUIET GUY, HE. I WAS PARING DOWN MY STUFF AND DECIDED TO GIVE HIM A PORTION OF MY CARD COLLECTION. I GAVE HIM SOME OFF-CONDITION STARS LIKE 1960 TOPPS MICKEY MANTLE AND 61 MARIS, AMONG OTHERS. I REALLY TRIED TO INCLUDE CARDS I THOUGHT HE'D GET A BIG KICK OUT OF. I REMEMBER HE REALLY LOVED THE CARDS, AND WAS THRILLED BY ALL THE STARS I INCLUDED.
THIS FAMILY WAS VERY SWELL TO ME AT A CRUCIAL TIME OF NEED. SADLY, A FEW YEARS LATER, THE WIFE DIED OF A SUDDEN ILLNESS. NOT THAT THOSE CARDS WOULD BRING ANY REAL COMFORT, BUT I WAS GLAD I HAD DONE AT LEAST SOMETHING FOR THE FAMILY AT THE TIME I WAS WITH THEM.
GIVING CARDS AWAY IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE DONE VERY MUCH, BUT AM GLAD I MADE THE DECISION THEN. --Brian Powell
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