[brian1961]

The news of the death of Dan Busby is really upsetting. Indeed, he was a very strong Christian and family man, a man of deep integrity and honor. Sadly, I never met him personally. However, we had a few rousing conversations as he helped me on my book about immediate post-war regional / food issues.

You see, prior to his consummate interest in tickets, Dan was a passionate regional / food baseball card collector. Without going into much detail, one of the three cards on the cover of my book once belonged to Dan---a drop-jaw gorgeous 1954 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle. Provenance is important and fascinating to me, and Dan kindly conveyed to me the details of how he acquired that gem of a Mickey in a trade with fellow pioneer Jim Nowell at Jim's home in California. Dan and his family had taken a vacation from their home in Shawnee Mission, Kansas all the way to the west coast, visiting among others, Jim Nowell. This was the summer of 1969. at the time of one of the very first little card conventions that Mr. Nowell hosted.

Dan Busby also contributed his personal recollections when he was growing up in Kansas and avidly collected the brutally tough 1955 Rodeo Meats Kansas City Athletics regional. If it weren't for people like Dan, who gave of their knowledge and memories of the regionals, my book would have been absolutely nothing. I know many of you have expressed how much you enjoy hearing collectors' stories of when they collected as children or teens.

I would have liked to have met and conversed with Jim over many things, but knew he was very busy in his work, and didn't want to bother him.

May God comfort, console, and carry the Busby family at this most difficult time. I feel his memory will be held in high regard by many. RIP dear brother. --- Brian Powell