When I was in elementary school, I lived baseball. The Minnesota Twins were on fire! They won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. If you asked me who I would have lunch with if I could eat with anyone in the world, center fielder Kirby Puckett and first baseman Kent Hrbek woud be sitting right next to Michael Jackson in his zillion zippered leather jacket! These two ball players were the highlight of every summer I can remember of childhood.
Because I played and was in love with baseball, of course I collected baseball cards. At first it started at the local grocery store, the Super Value on the corner of 60th street and Nicolette Avenue in South Minneapolis. I would con my mom into buying a couple wax packs while waiting in line. I would tear off the wrapping and scarf down the rock hard pink bubble gum. Occasionally I would find other stars like Mark McGuire and Jose Canseco-the Bash Brothers of the Oakland A's.
Pretty soon, I graduated from wax packs and bumped right up to Double A card collecting. My dad had a student in his government class named Pete Petschel. He had a real collection and he even sold at baseball card shows. He brought in a couple of cards one day for my dad to bring home. They were in clear plastic sleeves that made them look so new and shiny. They looked beautiful. One of them, Willie McCovey was even older than I was. I was now hooked on baseball card collecting!
Later that year, I went to my own baseball card show. This was the big leagues of baseball card collection. I had finally made it! There were rows upon rows of glass cases, autographed baseballs, and previously worn jerseys. As I walked down the aisle, I saw amazing names like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Sandy Kaufax. Card traders were buying and selling. It was safe to say I had walked right through the gates of baseball heaven!
In my own baseball career, I was a lightning fast second baseman who batted for average and stole bases like they were free. I modeled my game after the amazing stolen base record holder from the Oakland Athletics, Ricky Henderson. He was the ultimate lead-off man who belted more lead-off home runs than anyone else in baseball history.
I still love to go to a ball game and feel the crowd, especially at Target Field. I still have my baseball cards in a box in my basement. Inside that box is a countless number of cardboard cards that aren't worth all that much nowadays, but to me, they represent a magical time from my childhood that will be alive as long as I am. Never forget where you came from!
Mr. EJ
This personal narrative is dedicated to Bruce Johnson 1946-2009
