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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Yogi Come Home

There is little I miss in Texas.  The local hobby dealers and monthly card shows would be exceptions - those and good Tex Mex, oh and possibly winter...   A regular stop was a monthly visit to a seller I'll call Robert.  We became friends.  He is old enough to be my father, and I guess in a sense, he was a bit of a parent figure to me.  I haven't had a relationship with my dad for the better part of my life.  

Robert was a great resource for older cards - true vintage. He hooked me up with a lot of mint Kelloggs too.  Oddballs for the Oddball, he would say. He rarely asked low book, and most often  much less.

These are just a few pieces of cardboard history I've picked up from him:


1941 Play Ball Soupy Campbell
 


1948 Swell


1967 Dexter Press
I paid less than $20 for all these beauties.

In the glass case was a card  I ogled on every visit.  I'd look it over and hand it back.  It wasn't in my budget at $125.   Robert offered a layaway plan to his best customers.  One day I bit and asked if he'd work with me on this particular card, just a couple of payments, that someday this card would be mine.   He pulled this sweet cardboard out, put it in my hand and asked if I'd give him $40 for it.  I said  $40.00???  Are you kidding me?  He said $40.  Don't go tellin' people I sell cards this cheap or I'll be out of business.


1951 Bowman
That's the day Yogi Berra came home with me.   Condition considered, true book value means little to me.  It wouldn't grade high.  No creasing, great color.  Yogi is  my favorite Yankee.  But more than this, I'll always remember Robert each time I enjoy this card.  I'll remember his crazy stories from youth.  Robert is a family man who never had any children.  He adores his wife, a woman who puts up with his immense love for baseball cards - and sometimes works shows with him.  I've spoken with Robert since moving to Michigan, and hope one day to drop in on him.  I miss Robert but Yogi reminds me often - it's not too far; it just seems like it is.

I've wanted to share this card on the blog for sometime.  Thank you to Tony, Off Hiatus for the opportunity.  He's having a little contest for  $10 shopping spree on the winner's behalf.  Enter to win by sharing your favorite card show find.  If it's a cheesy bobblehead you're looking for, you can enter to win that here.

13 comments:

  1. That is a beautiful bunch of cardboard you've got there!

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  2. Awesome cards, awesome story! :D

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    1. True story. I'm enjoying the hobby so much more now than the first years I collected. Sharing it makes all the difference!

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    1. Thanks for reading Greg! Old beautiful cardboard - minus a silver stamp declaring them Originals. Ain't it sweet??

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    1. Hey PT! Thank you. These are a favorite part of my collection.

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  5. WOW!!!! What a great card. We need more guys like Robert. He sounds awesome.

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    1. Thanks Matt! A true gentleman. Not afraid to show his sentimental side, I miss him immensely. The cards were secondary to our friendship.

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  6. This is a great story, Julie ! Seems like Robert understands that sometimes friendship comes before strict business, and memories before $$$

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    1. Friendships are important to me, near and far. I would tell that man to charge me more and he flat out wouldn't do it. I couldn't begin to share the many cards he simply GAVE me. I miss our chats and the way he teased me. Always called me kid or gal. His playfulness certainly made me feel younger. Robert is a good man.

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  7. Soupy Campbell has officially been added to my want list. Great card. Why can't I meet a motherly figure at my card show?

    Btw... I have a care package for you. Email me your address and I'll send it your way.

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