[71buc]

I never grow tired of this piece. I get chills every time I roll out across my living room floor. It reeks of a simpler time in my life pre cancer, pre mortgage, pre-parenthood, pre career. Back then only thing that mattered was my infatuation with the 1971 Pirates. They have always been my favorite team and Roberto Clemente my favorite player. I was eight that year and fell hard for baseball because of him and that group of players. I loved them all, Stargell’s bat twirl, Blass’ enthusiasm, Sanguillen’s gap tooth grin, Dave Cash’s fro, and the bad ass attitude of Doc Ellis. I still do. My favorite item in my collection is the 1971 National League Championship banner that hung in right field at Three Rivers Stadium during Game 3 of the 1971 World Series (see the screen captures below). For this Pirate fan to have the opportunity to own the actual 1971 National League Championship banner won by my all-time favorite team, that hung above my childhood hero, during my favorite world series...priceless.