What player, team, or sport do you collect and why?

[Scott Garner]

Great topic Andy! Thanks for suggesting this post.

I am a collector of things related to dominant pitching performances (no-hitter games, no-hitter games lost in the 9th inning, high strikeout games-18 K's or higher, high strikeout seasons, and pitching marathons).

One of the major things that I collect in this theme is baseball tickets to these games. I have tickets to 178 different no-hit games dating back to 1901 (Christy Mathewson's 1st no-hitter). I collect the signatures of all no-hit pitchers dating back to 1893.

I'm an advanced collector of all things Nolan Ryan, especially game used items, and tickets to all games that he pitched in.

In addition to Ryan, I have nice collections of Walter Johnson and Johnny Vander Meer items. The central focus of my Vander Meer collection surrounds the year 1938, the year that he threw a ML record two consecutive back-to- back no-hitters.

My interest all things related to power pitching dates back to 1968, which was the year I really started following baseball as a kid. Growing up in So Cal, I followed Don Drysdale's amazing 58 2/3 scoreless innings streak in 1968 on TV and listening to my transister radio under my pillow (when I was supposed to be sleeping)! Later that summer, I spent over a month in Michigan on a family vacation and watched Denny McLain's run towards 31 wins in 1968 with the Tigers. Bob Gibson had his amazing 1.12 ERA in '68 and he faced off against the Tigers in the World Series and struck out 17!
Amazing!! What a breakout year for pitching!! I was hooked.

Nolan Ryan was traded to my hometown Angels in 1972 for my all-time favorite Angel at the time Jim Fregosi. Watching Ryan in the 1970's with the Angels was awesome! The Angels were mostly horrible, but Ryan was tremendous to watch. Because of my interest in Ryan (the All-Time No-Hit King) I became interested in the no-hitter.

I hope to write 3 books in my future. I'm currently discussing the possibilty of a collaboration on the first one. More details on this project to follow later....