A memory and a story of renewed interest in this hobby of ours!

[whitehse]

I may have mentioned this before (ok...maybe a few times) that one of my biggest collecting regrets happened when I was a third grader at Immanuel Lutheran School in the far Northwest suburbs of Chicago. The time would have been around 1974 and the setting would be old Mrs. Bickel's drafty third grade class room that had old, faded paint on the walls and chalk boards all around. It was in this class room that a collecting memory was burned into my young brain, never to be forgotten.

It was known to all of my classmates that I was a huge baseball fan and had a passion, even at that young age for collecting baseball cards. It was not unusual for a friend to bring in a card or two that they found in their attic and give it to me for my ever growing collection. This memory was on a fall day, right after the World Series had ended that a classmate walked into the room at the start of our day and handed me a large brown shopping bag. With a very matter of fact voice she said I could have whatever was inside and quickly made her way to her desk. I eagerly opened the bag and my jaw dropped to my cold, wooden desk with a thud. Inside this bag were treasures I had never before laid eyes on. Hundreds of baseball cards thrown haphazardly into a bag with little regard for condition. Cards that were bigger in size than any I have ever seen were now in my hands with names I could only recognize from the baseball history books I had read. There was Maglie, Berra, Thompson and some guy named Shoendienst who I knew as Red. Included in the bunch were also guys named Aaron, Banks and some guy named Mantle. I could not believe my luck that someone had decided they no longer wanted these treasures and had thought enough and passed them on to me.

In all my excitement I failed to realize the final bell had rung, and my entire class was now seated in their desks. I was oblivious to what was happening around me and never saw my elderly teacher standing at the front of the class, taking attendance. With my head still firmly in the brown paper bag I felt a tap on the shoulder which would quickly bring me back to reality. As I looked up to see who could possibly be ruining this incredible moment I realized it was the teacher who apparently did not like baseball cards nearly as much as I did. I could tell my good fortune was not high on her priority list by the frown on her face and her stern voice when she asked what I was doing. As I tried to explain my point of view, her old, boney hand reached out and grabbed by treasured bag and brought it to her desk where I could hear it hit the bottom of her desk drawer with a resounding flop. They were gone....all gone. Mickey, Yogi and Red were now in my teachers desk lost forever. I was consumed with getting those cards back in my hands but it was never to happen. The years have diminished my memory and for the life of me I cannot remember why I never got the cards back. I can only guess and think that maybe because my school was literally and old school religious school where you never questioned the teacher and I was too afraid to ask. I would have never mentioned the loss to my parents as they would have probably kicked my back side for not paying attention in class anyway and would never blame the teacher for something I did. Either way those cards are long gone but forever burned into my memory. I loved them for the nostalgia they represented and for the memory they gave me. I vowed that, one day, I would put that set together and relieve that third grade nightmare I still have vivid memories of.

In late 2014 I saw someone on the the Net54 boards advertising a small lot of '55 Bowman's at a decent price. I knew this was now the time to start putting the nightmare to rest and the seller and I had quickly worked out a deal. As it turned out the cards I purchased were cards that were recently found at a garage sale and their only owner opened the packs as a third grader and put them aside for decades before selling them this past summer. The cards were even sold in the original Phillies cigar box from that same time frame where these new treasures rested all these years. After hearing this I knew this set was meant for me.

I then purchased another lot from another Net54 board member who graciously held onto the lot and allowed me to make lay-a-away payments on several occasions for other lots he had. I have even made a few more purchases from Ebay and have found a renewed interest in collecting that had once escaped me. No shiny refractors or numbered parallels for me. Just musty smelling cardboard with a colored television border and names I had long ago forgotten, staring back at me. Andy, Yogi and yes, even Mickey. Hello old friends. Where ya been?

Thank you for indulging me on this journey and please feel free to look at my photo bucket slide show to see my progress.


http://s651.photobucket.com/user/phl...aseball?sort=9

[JollyElm]

She's probably on ebay with a name like MissJonesClassroomTreasures selling all the baseball cards she confiscated over the years.

[Volod]

Neat story, Andrew - kind of brings to mind a plot element of "Citizen Kane." You're not a billionaire publisher though, are you?

[whitehse]

LOL....not that I know of.

[Stampsfan]

Thanks for that story, Andrew. You reminded me of something today. I have a similar one from Grade 3 that for some reason I still remember. My teacher was Miss Collier, and English woman, relatively young, and mean. She would take her key ring and hit you on the top of the head with it if you were in line. If that's never happened to you, take my word for it, it hurts like hell.

I too was looking at my cards in my desk, and I collected everything. At the time, the Planet of the Apes cards from the original movie. I still remember her taking my cards, and ripping each of them in half in front of me, and leaving them on my desk.

Why do we remember these things from our childhood, and why are they so ingrained?

I'm still missing four for completion of my original set from 1968. I wonder if I had them before the "ripping" incident...

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Why do we remember these things from our childhood, and why are they so ingrained?

I'm still missing four for completion of my original set from 1968. I wonder if I had them before the "ripping" incident...

Ah, fond memories. The American educational system is similar to the American justice system, in that it's workers are drawn to the profession primarily for the opportunity it presents to work with the youngest and most disadvantaged members of society.

[Mark70Z]

Andrew...Great story! Thanks for sharing.

[DHogan]

The 3rd grade nuns at St. Johns School Worcester Mass. got my cards around 1967-68.

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by DHogan

The 3rd grade nuns at St. Johns School Worcester Mass. got my cards around 1967-68.

Thanks for the kind words guys! And I take a bit of comfort knowing I am not the only one to lose cards to a teacher.

I feel like looking up my teacher's son and asking if he has an amazing card collection but I am afraid of the answer I would get.

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Thanks for that story, Andrew. You reminded me of something today. I have a similar one from Grade 3 that for some reason I still remember. My teacher was Miss Collier, and English woman, relatively young, and mean. She would take her key ring and hit you on the top of the head with it if you were in line. If that's never happened to you, take my word for it, it hurts like hell.

I too was looking at my cards in my desk, and I collected everything. At the time, the Planet of the Apes cards from the original movie. I still remember her taking my cards, and ripping each of them in half in front of me, and leaving them on my desk.

Why do we remember these things from our childhood, and why are they so ingrained?

I'm still missing four for completion of my original set from 1968. I wonder if I had them before the "ripping" incident...

Ripped them up in front of you? Wow that teacher had hate in her heart it seems. I think you have just topped my story and I find myself feeling sorry for you!! Hopefully you will complete your set someday.

[whitehse]

I am resurrecting this old post from six years ago.

I had given up on this set about a year after starting it due to an extreme financial need and sold off everything I had. Now, after seeing various lots of '55 Bowmans pop up here and other boards, I feel like I have caught the bug once again. I do blame Mike (Bocabirdman) here on the boards who puts decent lots of cards up for auction every week for igniting the flame for this set once again.

I have no timeline for completion and will take my time and savor each card as it comes in. I am looking forward to picking up one card of this set and that is the Augie Donatelli umpire card as he was my cousins father in law and recently found out that she had never seen this card before. I plan on getting some additional copies and getting them to her family members.

If it is ok with you guys I will keep you all updated on the my progress.

[bobsbbcards]

Please do, and thanks for sharing.

[Troy Kirk]

Andrew, I enjoyed your story about the sack of cards, but was sad to hear you didn't get them back. I have a similar story that happened to me in probably the same year, about 1974 when I was in high school. At the time, I was buying up collections from kids that were done collecting. One kid brought in a sack of cards to school that I bought from him (for probably about $5). Same as you, I was looking at them for too long after the bell rang, and same as you, they got confiscated by the teacher. They were 1960s cards, I think there were a lot of 1964s in there. My story ended happier, though, as I asked the teacher for them back after class and he gave them to me.

[GasHouseGang]

As Leon always says, every post needs a picture of some cards. Since you mentioned 1955 Bowman, here are a few.

[BillP]

Similar story, only 1967 and wacky packages. Gone from my desk, don't know if stolen or confiscated. Don't think I had the RATS or CRACKED ANIMALS, but gone for good.

[Exhibitman]

We remember these teachers because they taught us that the world is full of petty, vindictive people who will just run with their worst impulses if they are given even the slightest power. Uncle Buck got it right

https://youtu.be/melkbylDIA8

I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you!

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by whitehse

I am resurrecting this old post from six years ago.

I had given up on this set about a year after starting it due to an extreme financial need and sold off everything I had. Now, after seeing various lots of '55 Bowmans pop up here and other boards, I feel like I have caught the bug once again. I do blame Mike (Bocabirdman) here on the boards who puts decent lots of cards up for auction every week for igniting the flame for this set once again.

I have no timeline for completion and will take my time and savor each card as it comes in. I am looking forward to picking up one card of this set and that is the Augie Donatelli umpire card as he was my cousins father in law and recently found out that she had never seen this card before. I plan on getting some additional copies and getting them to her family members.

If it is ok with you guys I will keep you all updated on the my progress.

Great original story and good luck on completing it this time.

Yes please keep us updated and include pictures.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Great story Andrew. Sucks to lose all those cards when they obviously meant so much to you. What a bitch of a teacher. In my school I wouldn't snatched them back from her and taken the heat. My parents would've sided with me when they were in the principal's office that afternoon. I understand you couldn't do that though. And Adam is right, Uncle Buck got it right.

[ALR-bishop]

Is there a vaccine to counteract the urge to begin collecting again when it strikes

[jgannon]

Hey, I'm just trying to think of what to say. Unbelievable that someone could be so callous. To not even give them back to you later. She was probably someone who was very troubled and unhappy.

When I was in second grade, the nun at religious instructions (which was once a week after school) took away all of our cards which we had gotten at The Coffee Shop across from St. Patrick's before class began. We didn't tell our parents about it either probably, because we weren't supposed to be going across the street before the class to get any cards. Anyway, we weren't expecting to get the cards back but she did return them to us at the end of the year. However, she didn't know whose cards were whose, nor did we for that matter, and she divided them up arbitrarily, giving each kid a pile. I actually ended up getting more cards than I had purchased. And this nun was ONE STRICT NUN. Even she gave the cards back.

You go get those cards, and enjoy. You deserve them.