[hempick]

I enjoy the entire process of adding cards to my collection. Entering them on Beckett, entering them into my backup files on my computer, sleeving the most valuable cards and putting them in their new homes and marking them off my want list. Some find that tedious but not me. I enjoy sitting in front of the tv with a binder of cards in my lap shuffling each card to the right to make room for my newest addition to fit in order while my wife drones on about whatever it is that she drones on about. As long as I nod a lot and say, "Yes Dear", I'm good.

I love the history of the game. I love the nuances. I love the stats and the comparisons. What a great game!

I love to play. I played sandlot ball, little league, junior high school and varsity, men's softball, pickup games, coached little league and senior little league and softball. I'm 60 and still go to the batting cages and face 90mph pitches and I can still make contact and every once in a while drive one. I still go to the school ball field with friends and pitch and hit and field.

Oy vey. So much to respond to, but I'm just going to focus on a few things. I totally understand what you mean about organizing cards and adding them to databases. I find it immensely enjoyable as well.

The stats on the back of cards! Yes, I know I can just look them up online these days, but I still enjoy seeing them on the cards. It is different, somehow.

Although I was never able to be on any teams because I've been a paraplegic since shortly after birth, when I was in elementary school, I was made an honorary coach on my school's team and they gave me a uniform. IT WAS AMAZING! I loved "suiting up" for games and cheering on my teammates.

I love it when I get a card signed for my 1997 Fleer Set (500 cards). All in person, no paid signings, no trading, no mailing. Up to 342/500 and I get about 2-3 a year now. No active players left, sometimes a guy I need will pop up as an mlb or milb coach or instructor. Before I go on vacations, I write to guys who live in that area to see if they will meet me to sign my card. Probably sent 15 letters out and 1 former player did meet me (so it gives me motivation to continue). Years ago I figured 350 was about the limit which would be 70% of the set. The funny thing is one player I need owns a business literally two miles from my dad's house and he would not let me stop by to get my card signed (his secretary said to send it in the mail after I had clearly said it had to be in person).

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Hempick, if you're interested in trading I have a bunch of blue refractor type cards as well as some Allen and Ginter baseball minis.

Mike

I am in awe of how many sigs you have for that set, but that reminds me of another thing I love about the hobby. Completing sets! It doesn't happen too often for me, but when it does, it is a fantastic feeling.

I've traded in person before, but never online and from what I understand, in order to trade you need to have access to Beckett's ORG feature. I don't have that and I don't think I'm going to get it anytime soon.

I love everything about collecting, the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion. Whenever I travel I like going to the local card shop and see what it is all about. I love being able to purchase cards now that I only dreamed about as a kid. I would take my Beckett and highlight the cards that I would love to own as a kid and now I have been able to purchase most of them. I love oddball cards, due to the fact that they are cards that I have never seen before. This is a great hobby and there are so many things to love, I love the prospect of being able to pass these on to my 3 year old son one day

Yeah, I'd have to say that for all of us that are still on these boards, the pros would outweigh the cons. If we had more negatives than positives, I'd think we'd all stop collecting.

I agree on the oddball stuff. Especially the fact that just when I think I've heard of every set/product that has ever been made, I find out about something that I never knew existed! There is just so much out there.

Definitely agree, too, on the point about being able to buy the cards I always wanted as a kid! So many of them are cheaper now, which is nice, but even for some of the ones that are still a bit pricey, as an adult it is nice to have some of that disposable income that I didn't have as a kid.