Road Trip To The National - One Family's Adventure

[rjackson44]

These are my favorite threads

[iwantitiwinit]

Really nice story.

[clydepepper]

Wonderful ! Very much appreciated after all the other threads I have read lately. Happy, Happy !!
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Thanks
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[Bored5000]

Awesome pictures, although I would think Otis has a better chance of knocking out Ronda Rousey than getting that charge call against Jordan.

[wonkaticket]

Great story, great pics what the hobby should be all about bright eyed happy kids having fun with their dads and moms! Thanks for sharing this.

[Bigdaddy]

Great road trip and story. I have fond memories of going to my first National with my dad and taking my oldest son to his first National.

Sorry about the Cubbies though . Joke I heard from Pete Rose one time: "You know what God told the Cubs - don't do anything until I return"

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

Great story, great pics what the hobby should be all about bright eyed happy kids having fun with their dads and moms! Thanks for sharing this.

Ditto! Makes going deaf from the Topps pack ripping shouts almost worthwhile.

[midmo]

Very cool. This brings back great memories of the first show my dad took me to in L.A. in 1980. The excitement I had when we stepped through the doors. My dad pointing out cards that he had when he was a kid (that grandma threw away of course) and giving me little back stories of the players. So great.

[jbsports33]

Great post!

[pherbener]

Awesome read!! One of the best posts I've read on this site. My son's baseball interest has also picked up in this past year as he's gotten better at the game. I'm already looking forward to AC next year since it's only a couple hour drive for me.

Thanks for sharing!!

[Mountaineer1999]

How fun! Thanks for sharing. Remember when baseball cards were actually for kids?

[docpatlv]

Thanks for sharing your story Mike. Enjoyed reading it, sounds like you had a great time with your son at the show. The food sounds even better!

Mike

[icollectDCsports]

Very cool. And I think it's great that his budding collecting interest complements his learning to play and love the game itself.

[Iron Horse]

That's what it is all about
Enjoyed the read and the pics

[Enfuego]

I loved the Story! I plan to do the same with my daughter at next years' National in AC!

[timn1]

looks like one supercool kid! Thanks for sharing a great photo-story-

[h2oya311]

THANK YOU for brightening up my day...just when I start losing faith in our hobby, a story like this brings me back to life! I look forward to the day I can do the same with my son!! He's a little over two now, but I only have five more years til he's prime "Otis" age!

[Shoebox]

As a father of three young boys myself I thoroughly enjoyed your story and pictures. Thank you for sharing!

[sycks22]

That was a fun read, I hope my kiddos love cards as well. Lots of great memories going to shows with my bro and dad and ripping open some wax.

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by h2oya311

THANK YOU for brightening up my day...just when I start losing faith in our hobby, a story like this brings me back to life! I look forward to the day I can do the same with my son!! He's a little over two now, but I only have five more years til he's prime "Otis" age!

No need to wait. Otis was playing with those old Donruss puzzles when he was your son's age. They're small enough to be manageable and they have numbers on the back to make them easy to solve for a little one. I bought him a binder and nine pocket sheets to put 80s era junk wax in so he could, in his words, "play baseball cards with daddy." Don't think that request didn't bring a tear or two to the old man's eyes.

Otis wrote an email this summer with my help that we forwarded to all the MLB teams requesting a fan pack. He's spent the last month sprinting to the mailbox everyday to see if he's got something. About half of the teams have sent him something from bobbleheads to calendars to stickers. Today he got a pocket schedule and some tattoos from the Angels. Guess which group of neighborhood kids are inked up in the backyard playing ball and arguing who gets to be Mike Trout?

[RTK]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

No need to wait. Otis was playing with those old Donruss puzzles when he was your son's age. They're small enough to be manageable and they have numbers on the back to make them easy to solve for a little one. I bought him a binder and nine pocket sheets to put 80s era junk wax in so he could, in his words, "play baseball cards with daddy." Don't think that request didn't bring a tear or two to the old man's eyes.

Otis wrote an email this summer with my help that we forwarded to all the MLB teams requesting a fan pack. He's spent the last month sprinting to the mailbox everyday to see if he's got something. About half of the teams have sent him something from bobbleheads to calendars to stickers. Today he got a pocket schedule and some tattoos from the Angels. Guess which group of neighborhood kids are inked up in the backyard playing ball and arguing who gets to be Mike Trout?

Very cool idea, sounds like my childhood, pretending to be a player, copying their batting stance. That's how childhoods are supposed to be...that, and sitting on the porch opening up wax packs and trading cards without regard for "book value".

[cardsfan73]

Thread of the year candidate! It's great to see you and your son bonding and having such a love for the game and our great hobby!! A lot of great memories being made!

[chaddurbin]

Originally Posted by RTK

Very cool idea, sounds like my childhood, pretending to be a player, copying their batting stance. That's how childhoods are supposed to be...that, and sitting on the porch opening up wax packs and trading cards without regard for "book value".

i still have my make believe seasonal stats from the late 80's. this was before sabermetrics so it's filled with big hrs rbis batting avgs...but low on obp and ops. looking back my fictional career was probably most similar to rob deer or sam horn.

nice trip report and pics!

[sayhey24]

This is one of the best things I have ever read on Net54.
This is what baseball is all about -- parents and their children sharing their love of the game. Hopefully as I write this you are in the middle of another of your backyard practice sessions, sharing more precious father-son time.

Greg

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by sayhey24

This is one of the best things I have ever read on Net54.
This is what baseball is all about -- parents and their children sharing their love of the game. Hopefully as I write this you are in the middle of another of your backyard practice sessions, sharing more precious father-son time.

Greg

Greg,

Just finished for our second time today. He hit one two yards over, "just like Mike Trout."

We sorted his stickers because he wanted to complete his first ever set. We were one card short, Andre Dawson. Thanks, Ebay! It's in the mail.

[JollyElm]

Awesome, awesome stuff!! And I love Otis' Cubs jersey. Dare I say, Dad of the Year??

[mybuddyinc]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

Greg,

Just finished for our second time today. He hit one two yards over, "just like Mike Trout."

We sorted his stickers because he wanted to complete his first ever set. We were one card short, Andre Dawson. Thanks, Ebay! It's in the mail.

Complete set at his age !!!!! Got at least a 40 year jump on me


GREAT Stuff !!!!!!!!!


Fun, fun (as it should be), Scott