Road Trip To The National - One Family's Adventure

[mattsey9]

My family and I live about 250 miles due south of Chicago so while it's an easy drive it does take a little effort to get to the Windy City. Fortunately, we've never shied away from a little adventure and on Friday afternoon decided that we would go to the National. My seven year old son Otis and I would hit the convention while my wife met her aunt and some relatives from Australia for a long lunch. Below is a photo essay of our trip.

Here is Otis in the backseat shortly after learning from his father the time honored art of making duck lips out of two Pringles. This amused us greatly...



"Hey, look! Kris Bryant. Take my picture." Gladly.



Babe Ruth's bat wielded by my favorite Bambino.



Otis ripping wax, the same way we all started as kids. He saw a box of 1986 Fleer Star Stickers for nine bucks and quickly parted with the cash. I had several of these left over from my youth and he spent last year decorating his bike with them. It was his big buy of the day and came in handy for rest breaks where we would open a pack or two while he caught his breath.



We had a contest to see who found the first Cub. Keith Moreland for Otis.



And Leon Durham for me!



"You're from Indiana, Otis. It's time you learned how to draw a charge."



The boy loves stickers, even the fifteen dollar kind. He saw this table twice and wanted a picture.



More card opening at the Topps booth. The sticker on his shirt is Lee Smith.



Otis' show moment. He lost his mind pulling this sticker. "Dad! This is the one I wanted! Look! Cubs!!!!"



Otis taking on the champ. He lasted longer than Bethe Correia did later that night.



Apart from stickers, Otis loves bats. Topps had a cornhole board set up with prizes for a bullseye. We would still be there had not your intrepid reporter making a perfect shot on his second attempt. The prize was a Topps mini bat.



He wanted me to open cards with him, right as we were passing the Baseball Card Exchange booth. The 1983 Donruss wax racks were ten bucks, so why not? The result? Tony Gwynn's rookie.





A ring from the 1976 NCAA champion Indiana Hoosiers!

[mattsey9]

My haul. I picked up seven off-grade 1934 Goudeys for my set. Roger Cramer being the highlight. I had always wanted a Sadaharu Oh since reading his book when I was a kid. I found a dealer specializing in Japanese cards and made an inqury. I now own an Oh!!!!





It was now around 3:30 and it was time to meet up with the rest of the clan. We went to Mitsuwa, a Japanese grocery store in the area, to stock up on some stuff. It turned out that they were hosting their Summer Festival that day. Japanese street food! Gyoza four for a dollar!







Then off to the Filipino grocery store Unimart. Lechon and Lumpia!!! My lunch today and tomorrow!





The pantry stocked, it was time to head to Pita House in Schaumburg for some lamb kabob and grape leaves. My wife loves this place.





Otis and his Ninang after the restaurant. A twenty! "Let's go back to the baseball card convention, Dad!" Next time, son. Time to go home.



Otis, possessing a skill I wish I had, drifted off to sleep on the ride home.



The aftermath. Otis awoke at 6:30 to finish opening his stickers. We found a bin for him to keep them in.



This has been an exciting summer for Otis and me. He's developed a real love for the game of baseball that coincides with getting better at playing the game. He asked to practice every day in the backyard and by the end of the season he had grown much more confident with his hitting and fielding. I've loved sharing the game with him through the years, and I couldn't be more proud of how hard he worked this year to improve and have fun with his friends.
So, that was our Saturday. To paraphrase the great Ric Flair, “Whenever you’re with the Mattseys, things are taking place!”

[RTK]

Very cool, let's hope the love of baseball last's a lifetime, poor little guy....Cubs fan. As am I. It's been a tough lifetime....but it builds character.

I love this post! Great memories! Thank you for sharing.

[tiger8mush]

awesome weekend!

[gregr2]

Great story and pics, thanks for sharing. Looks like he had a great time!

[conor912]

Originally Posted by gregr2

Great story and pics, thanks for sharing. Looks like he had a great time!

+1

I was beginning to wonder if gum cards even existed at the national. I sometimes wonder why this board isn't called Net206.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by conor912

+1

I sometimes wonder why this board isn't called Net206.

Conor, what a great idea.

[Sean]

Mike, great to see Otis again. I'm sorry that I missed you, but we went to the show on Thursday. By Saturday we were in Minneapolis.

By the way, is that a Great Lakes Naval Training Center jersey that you're wearing? Circa 1943? I have one that I got autographed by Bob Feller about 13 years ago.

[baseballfan]

Great stuff

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by Sean

Mike, great to see Otis again. I'm sorry that I missed you, but we went to the show on Thursday. By Saturday we were in Minneapolis.

By the way, is that a Great Lakes Naval Training Center jersey that you're wearing? Circa 1943? I have one that I got autographed by Bob Feller about 13 years ago.

One day we'll meet up. The time Otis and I spent putting together the baseball card puzzle you sent him is a great memory.

It is a 1943 Great Lakes jersey. I had the number switched from Feller's number to a 9 when I ordered it, but it's the same one.

Hope you had a great show!

Mike

[4815162342]

Great thread - Thanks for posting! It's really good to see something positive

[rjackson44]

These are my favorite threads

[iwantitiwinit]

Really nice story.

[clydepepper]

Wonderful ! Very much appreciated after all the other threads I have read lately. Happy, Happy !!
.
.
Thanks
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[Bored5000]

Awesome pictures, although I would think Otis has a better chance of knocking out Ronda Rousey than getting that charge call against Jordan.

[wonkaticket]

Great story, great pics what the hobby should be all about bright eyed happy kids having fun with their dads and moms! Thanks for sharing this.

[jbsports33]

Great post!

[pherbener]

Awesome read!! One of the best posts I've read on this site. My son's baseball interest has also picked up in this past year as he's gotten better at the game. I'm already looking forward to AC next year since it's only a couple hour drive for me.

Thanks for sharing!!

[timn1]

looks like one supercool kid! Thanks for sharing a great photo-story-

[h2oya311]

THANK YOU for brightening up my day...just when I start losing faith in our hobby, a story like this brings me back to life! I look forward to the day I can do the same with my son!! He's a little over two now, but I only have five more years til he's prime "Otis" age!

[sayhey24]

This is one of the best things I have ever read on Net54.
This is what baseball is all about -- parents and their children sharing their love of the game. Hopefully as I write this you are in the middle of another of your backyard practice sessions, sharing more precious father-son time.

Greg

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by sayhey24

This is one of the best things I have ever read on Net54.
This is what baseball is all about -- parents and their children sharing their love of the game. Hopefully as I write this you are in the middle of another of your backyard practice sessions, sharing more precious father-son time.

Greg

Greg,

Just finished for our second time today. He hit one two yards over, "just like Mike Trout."

We sorted his stickers because he wanted to complete his first ever set. We were one card short, Andre Dawson. Thanks, Ebay! It's in the mail.

[JollyElm]

Awesome, awesome stuff!! And I love Otis' Cubs jersey. Dare I say, Dad of the Year??

[mybuddyinc]

Originally Posted by mattsey9

Greg,

Just finished for our second time today. He hit one two yards over, "just like Mike Trout."

We sorted his stickers because he wanted to complete his first ever set. We were one card short, Andre Dawson. Thanks, Ebay! It's in the mail.

Complete set at his age !!!!! Got at least a 40 year jump on me


GREAT Stuff !!!!!!!!!


Fun, fun (as it should be), Scott

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Thanks for sharing! What a great dad! Hope there are many more great dads sharing cards with their Otis's to keep the hobby vibrant for the next generation.

[LuckyLarry]

Nice Story!
Larry

[freakhappy]

Mike...awesome story! It sounds like you and your son had a great time at the National.

I was fortunate enough to be at the National on Friday and Saturday and the one thing that really got my attention was the several Father-son/daughter bonding going on...that really made me happy. I saw a lot of what I hope I can create with my two sons in the not too distant future.

Nice job Mike...keep doing what you're doing!