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Posted By: Chris Counts

Even though I was born in Flint. MI and grew up just down the street from where the Angels play in Anaheim (and still do, despite the delusions of their owner that they play in Los Angeles), my favorite team is the Reds. The first year I followed baseball was in 1970, when I was 9. That was the start of the Big Red Machine era. But what really sealed it for me was watching the All-Star game that year. When Pete Rose took out Ray Fosse and scored the winning run, it simply blew me away. I immediately began to copy his every move on the field, from running out a walk, to crouching before I swung and, of course, sliding headfirst. I never took up gambling, though. At an early age I determined my money was better off in baseball cards ...

Here's my favorite Reds' card, 1940 Play Ball color proof of Lonny Frey ...