Lopsided Trades

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My favorite occurred in 1974 at lunch. I was in the 5th grade. I always carried a stack of cards secured by a rubber band in my coat pocket. I made trades more frequently than Billy Beane. One day a portly kid I had never conducted businesses with approached my lunch table. He held out a 1953 Satchel Paige. My heart stopped momentarily.

My father grew up on the Pennsylvania Ohio border and told me stories of Paige’s days with the Tribe. A very progressive great aunt who was a huge baseball fan told me of meeting and dancing with Paige in a Pittsburgh bar in the early 1940’s. I have come to believe that she was an early Baseball Annie. Growing up hearing these stories made very aware of who Satchel was.

I composed myself and quickly offered the Hank Aaron special card everyone was chasing. He declined. I added Rose, Morgan, Bench, Ryan and Seaver. Once again he declined. Growing desperate I asked what he wanted. He said,” two chocolate milks and an ice cream sandwich”. Needless to say the deal was done. The next day he came to again and asked for the card back. I refused. He told me that his brother owned the card and was going to beat him if he didn’t get it back. I told him that was a beating he was going to have to take.

Thirty-one years later I didn’t want to go to my 25th HS reunion. My wife made me. While there I was approached by a very large gentleman who obviously was no stranger to the weight room. He asked if I remembered him. I apologized and said no. He then recounted our Satchel Paige deal. I told him that I still had the card in my collection and was willing to take a beating to keep it there if that was what he had in mind. He laughed and I was very relieved. Here is the Satchel in all it's glory. As you can see he has been well loved over the years. Ironically on the bottom border you can see a stain. Perhaps it's chocolate milk?