My collecting journey started in the smoke-filled tobacco shops of lower Manhattan in 1910.
Still remember finding my first Hughie Jennings picture with his wide open mouth and hands flying all over the place shouting, "Eee-Yaaahhhh!" and I was done hooked.
Did a 23 skidoo to get home to my younger sister in time before she left for her 19-hour shift at the mill. At this point, she was only smoking six packs a day, not ten like me, but I figured six was better than nothing.
(Side note: You may not be aware of this, but in those days it was tough for the fairer sex to get their hands on smokes.)
So, we hatched a plan wherein if I went and got the ciggy packs for her each day, I would get to keep the pictures of the base ball men they held.
As he was downing a dirty bottle of bathtub gin, I was ready for my Pops to tell me to scram, but instead he slurred a hearty, "Attaboy!!!!!" as he belly laughed. I guess I should’ve known he’d be happy. If nothing else, that boozehound was a visionary.
Mother, of course, was less than enthusiastic about pasteboards becoming the cat’s pajamas, and she told us we were all wet!! I done proved her wrong, though, as our compact worked out great and my collection has been growing and increasing in value ever since!!!!
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