Eliminating A Lifetime Of Memories

This morning I gave my dad's 1938 basketball high school scrapbook one last look. He gave it to me before he passed away in '94. Dad played center on the team that was arguably the best in school's history. I've looked through and read the articles a number of times. I've scanned the team photo focusing on the players faces. It's a reminder that we start out young then become older and then pass on our legacy to other generations.

I've decided the scrapbook needs a new home. There's a gentleman in Boone, Iowa who runs a nationwide blog called Kelley's Korner. Mo Kelley is a legend in town as a sportswriter and sportscaster. In his retirement years he writes a blog based on Boone memories from locals who have gravitated around the country. These folks send in stories of days gone by. I'm certain one of these would like me to send them the scrapbook.

I've been organizing all the items which I've deemed worthy of a place in my closets.One being the program from the first Shriner's high school football game in Iowa, circa 1974. Every player who was selected had their picture and bio in it. My good guess is one of these kids would appreciate having it in their possession. Sometimes, mom's throw out what they perceive as being garbage.

My very first baseball card was a Topps Billy Martin. I bought it at Shafer's grocery store on 1st street in Boone just a half block east of Clinton street. The year was 1952 and it cost a penny but there was a stick of gum included. I still have that card.

I have literally thousands of baseball cards. Most all of them are not worth the ink they're printed on. Regardless, they're all in plastic holders and placed in binders. It was a group thing, buying baseball cards in those days. Three or four of us would spend a dime, open the packs then ask, "Who'd ya' get"? That's when the bartering took place especially if another kid got one of your favorite players.

Sadly, as youngsters, we didn't see the increased value of baseball cards. Many thousands of Mickey Mantle rookie cards ended up in bicycle spokes. Short term fun yielded long term anguish when we now realize we  literally threw away thousands of dollars.

I got back into the baseball card collecting business in the 1990's. Card values were skyrocketing. I shelled out $75.00 for my favorite player, Henry Aaron. It's now valued at $29.00. Since then I've only concentrated on purchasing what I've researched to be rookie cards with higher value, Eddie Murray, Tony Gwinn Cal Ripken, Jr. come to mind. The ex-Cub, Ryne Sandburg was a hot item for awhile. It cost me $50 originally and I bought four of them. It might be because he's a Cub. Sandberg, today would get me $7.50
or a double cheeseburger and fries with a small coke.

Here's the point. My shelves are cleaned out. I've dispersed this memorabilia to my grandchildren. Of the ten three have bona fide athletic potential. The dispersing of the cards doesn't bother me.

In addition to my cards I've collected pennies from the mid-1860's, authentic political campaign buttons from 1920 to 2008. A man a gave me a group autographed picture of the first four Heisman football players from The Ohio State University. God knows I hope the man doesn't read this blog because I gave it away. If I had one of Nile Kinnick it'd be on my wall. My good friend, Gene Oliver, now deceased, gave me a pennant signed by 12 Hall of Fame baseball players and a host of other familiar ballplayers whose names, if you're a fan, would recognize. I'll take this prize to the grave.

I collected and saved entire newspapers from great events in our country's history. The Des Moines Register ran banner headlines across the front page announcing Henry Aaron's 715th home run breaking the record of Babe Ruth. If you search through a cardboard box you find one from the day JFK was shot. When grandchildren are old enough to appreciate them I send them along. Who knows, they could take them to school and just might get extra credit in history class. That's what happened this year when my eleven year old grandson took a newspaper from Concord, Massachusetts, 1829, to his class.

There are other items to for disposal but you get the picture.

What I've done is transfer items from my shelves to those of their parents. It's their problem now, not mine.