The past two weeks have been a blur. I've been packing, while accumulating more
items cards to pack. Somewhere along the way I have to stop shopping...right? My last day at the office was Friday, May 15th. I headed right to OKC to spend a few days with my Sis and some good friends before my move to the Big Mitten. Sis and I caught an OKC Dodgers/Iowa Cubs game on Saturday. OKC won 1-0 in the 9th. The Dodger affiliation is new this year. I don't care for the team name though. Aren't minor league teams supposed to have fun names? Redhawks?? 89ers? The park now known as
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, is still beautiful. Ads covering the upper decks force fans to pay for the higher priced seats around the field. Crowds fill the little park in Bricktown anyway.
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| The Commerce Comet |
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| Little General |
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| Approaching storms kept attendance light that night |
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| Ballpark necessities: kids meal bucket, THE helmet and adult beverage |
On Monday, I spent several hours in
The Old Ballpark, the LCS in South OKC. Dime boxes galore! From 11-5, I went through 4000 count boxes - box after box, fourteen in all!
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| Baseball - orange tagged |
I pulled 1500 cards we couldn't live without.
We being me and you! I won't say what the total cost was because the owner gave me an incredible discount. Let's just say if you were to guess a nickel per card, you'd be on the high side. I found short prints, inserts, a few good rookies and Fergie Jenkins.
While texting my friend
The Ump, with pictures of the many stacks of old timers, I messaged that Fergie Jenkins was in here. She replied to go ahead and get him too, get them all. No -
HE is in
HERE ! NO WAY she text back. There I was surrounded by thousands of cards and not a single one Jenkins. No unsigned baseballs for sale, nothing. I had nothing for him to sign. How could this be???? And why did this man wander into a card shop in South OKC? My super-spy listening skills revealed to me he knew one of the customers also in the shop at the time. This big time Cubbie fan just named his newborn Jenkins. Fergie came out to meet his namesake on the way to the airport, headed for home in Arizona.
I worked up enough courage to approach the Hall of Famer for a short conversation and picture. Not the best photo but an excellent reminder of my good fortune. I've had an incredible run of the stuff lately!
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| Jenks - HOF 1991 |
Fergie looked great, not any bit of 72. He chatted with the owner a bit about Ernie Banks and NL rules for pitchers batting. He's all for it, of course. It was a memorable afternoon for me. I'm rarely in the right place at the right time.
All this Cubbie talk brings the opportunity to share a recent trade package from P-Town Tom, our friend at
Waiting til Next Year. He sent over a stack of 2013 Hometown Heroes.
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| 2002 Topps Total |
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| 2001 Topps |
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| 2014 Panini Classics |
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| 2015 Donruss Altuve 81 - larger than life |
Tom, thanks for completing my set! I do love my Tigers but Altuve is right up there with them! He is my favorite, current playing non-Tiger!
As I mentioned, Friday was my last day in the Dallas office. I've made a lot of friends and worked with - and for - so many good people. Leaving them has not been an easy decision. The office threw me a surprise farewell party on Wednesday. Josiah, World's Greatest Office Assistant is also a talented pencil artist. He spent 30 hours on a drawing specifically for me which he and many of my co-workers signed.
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| Tip of the Cap |
Josiah's work is so good it doesn't appear authentic! (He's shown me a few of his sports drawings in various stages of completion, some taking 200 hours or more!) Ian Kinsler is in fine detail, stadium lights reflected in his helmet. A true labor of friendship.
Within the next two weeks, I'll be moving into my new home. I'll comment and post when I can but will be without internet beginning May 28 through at least June 4th. Thanks for sticking with me through this transition. I truly appreciate you, my blogger friends!
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| Have a great Memorial Day Weekend! |
Wow that drawing of Ian Kinsler is fantastic. The reflections in his helmet are just too much.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the move!
Josiah is more than gifted! I hope he pursues his artwork. Earning a living doing what you love is simply blissful! Thanks for the cards, and well wishes!
DeleteI had the privilege of meeting Fergie when I was about twelve years old. He was doing a free signing at a new Galyan's (later Dick's Sporting Goods) and couldn't have been nicer to my parents and I. I still have the '82 Topps card he signed for me, although, in hindsight, I wish I had him sign a card of him as a Cub (he's a Ranger on it).
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll just say that I would spend about all my free time in an LCS that had dime boxes like those. That Munson SP is amazing.
Best of luck on your move, Julie!
Thanks Nick! If I'd known the great price break I'd receive, I would've walked out with a full 4000 count box! Fergie caught me unprepared. I think I'll keep a baseball in the car from now on. Of course, if I'm riding with someone else...
DeleteThat looks like a great ballpark! Way to be in the right place to meet Fergie.
ReplyDeleteBricktown is a nice stop if you're ever in OKC. Food, clubs, baseball, river-walk. The Nat'l Memorial is only a mile or so away.
DeleteI've watched many a minor league game, and I've stumbled into a former major league pitcher in the unlikeliest place (Tommy John in the post office) without a thing to sign. But I have yet to see a dime box outside the one filled with 2010 Topps at my last card show.
ReplyDeleteThese were my first true dime boxes. Few very commons. I wonder where luck leads me to next...
DeleteGoodluck with your move
ReplyDeletethanks Mark! I'm a minimalist when it comes to furniture. It's all bookcases/books, vinyl and stereos and the card binders which didn't make the trip ahead with the rest of my collection.
DeleteThat drawing is simply amazing. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteMatt, he is unbelievably talented- and for hire!
DeleteWOW!! Talk about an amazing day! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteI'm usually with a friend. It's fun to have someone along to poke and say LOOK AT THIS. It was a great trip overall. I have so much sorting to do after the move. I should unpack first - - - should.
DeleteThanks Steve! I've missed being here! I was speechless when he presented me with the Kinsler.
ReplyDeleteFerguson Jenkins used to have a ranch up around Guthrie. I didn't realize he moved to Arizona. The Old Ballpark is a great shop; probably the best in OKC. There is a shop in Norman that has a better selection of vintage, but the organization is terrible and no discount boxes.
ReplyDeleteI do recall Jenks living in Guthrie. I moved from OKC in 99 and always made the trip back home every couple of months. It's too bad I only discovered the Old Ballpark on my last trip home for sometime to come. The owner is very friendly. I mentioned remembering The Old Ballpark from the 90s as being on the northern side of town. She said yes, it's the same shop, new owner. Thanks for reading and commenting, my fellow Okie!
DeleteI really, really, really wish all of my local card shops had dime boxes like those. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteHi Fuji :) Me too! From what I've heard, theft can be an issue for shop owners. A case of being nickel and dimed out of business. It adds up.
DeleteYeah. That totally makes sense. When I worked at a card shop in the late 90's, we had a cheap pack bin that seemed to keep drying up... even though we never seemed to sell any packs from there.
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