[Bigdaddy]

Not an autograph story, but a homecoming of sorts, in the vain of the OP.

The first vintage set that my dad and I put together was the 1960 Topps baseball set. I would buy the common cards one at a time and he would bankroll the stars and high numbers. It has been over 30 years since we assembled that set and Dad passed from us two years ago.

I had occasionally looked for the set over the last several years. Dad could not remember where it was and it was not where I thought it would be. I even had started to entertain thoughts that something had happened to it. But I did not give up hope that I'd come across it at some time. Eventually after cleaning out a closet in my sister's bedroom, I came across the binder that contained the set - the only cards in that crowded closet. It was like the prodigal son had returned.

Knowing that the last person to have opened that binder was most likely my dad, it was cathartic going through the pages. Finding the Mantle AS card that was one of the last cards we needed; seeing the creased Mays card that I had when we started the set. And seeing all those Rookie Stars cards together brought back so many memories.