So I know this won't seem like a huge accomplishment to most of you, but I'm going to share it anyways because it sure is an exciting moment for me and my collection!
I'd like to preface this with a little story. As most of you know I first started collecting years ago and joined TCC. For years it was the only card site I frequented and still would be, honestly, if it had stayed active. Anyways, when I was promoted to leader of the Content and Graphics team I started getting regular phone calls from a guy named Richard Bostic (aka RGBII). I'm not kidding when I say that every time we talked he made fun of the fact that I didn't collect baseball cards. He kept telling me how he was going to convert me from my wicked ways sooner or later. He even sent me God knows how many non-baseball cards from baseball products. You guessed it, that product was Allen and Ginter. See, Richard wasn't just a collector of A&G. He had what can only be described as an obsession with A&G. You can see one of the sets he worked heavily on in this thread on TCC. So time went on with him sending me these non-baseball cards, and me never ending up collecting baseball cards. Finally, when I left TCC to start TCZ the cards quit coming and Richard and I started to rarely talk. After a few years I did get in touch with him on Facebook and we were able to keep up that way, but it certainly never was like it was before.
Fast forward to 2020 and I found out, via a post on TCC, that Richard had passed away. I'm sure I wasn't he only one who was rocked to the core hearing that news, but I was pretty devastated for a while. Mainly, I think, I was filled with regret that I let what was a great friendship dwindle over the years.
Now let's fast forward another few months to me purchasing The Bench. Imagine my surprise, now, when I found myself owning a site that was made up of primarily baseball card collectors. My own collection had slowed to a snail's pace as far as growth because I couldn't find anyone to trade with (and buying/selling just isn't quite my thing), so with me owning the site it only felt natural that I get involved in the trading there. So, I started up a baseball break and went to town starting to collect primarily baseball cards. I don't think I ever even gave any thought to it until I realized that 2020 Allen & Ginter was out. My first thought, my only thought, was how awesome it would be to complete that set, in honor of my dear friend Richard's passing, and to celebrate our friendship through the years, and it was only fitting for it to be A&G considering how many of those cards he'd sent me through the years. So, the quest began...
Now here we are, over a year after this project took off, and I finally get to say that I have completed my task! 350/350 base cards, along with a few completed sub-sets, are tucked away in a binder, just how Richard used to store his. I'd love to be able to answer one more call with Richard today just so I can hear him say "I told you so". Even after he was gone, it was him who made me "collect hard" on a baseball set.
Here are a few images of the cards in the binder, where they will remain until my days are done...
I'd like to preface this with a little story. As most of you know I first started collecting years ago and joined TCC. For years it was the only card site I frequented and still would be, honestly, if it had stayed active. Anyways, when I was promoted to leader of the Content and Graphics team I started getting regular phone calls from a guy named Richard Bostic (aka RGBII). I'm not kidding when I say that every time we talked he made fun of the fact that I didn't collect baseball cards. He kept telling me how he was going to convert me from my wicked ways sooner or later. He even sent me God knows how many non-baseball cards from baseball products. You guessed it, that product was Allen and Ginter. See, Richard wasn't just a collector of A&G. He had what can only be described as an obsession with A&G. You can see one of the sets he worked heavily on in this thread on TCC. So time went on with him sending me these non-baseball cards, and me never ending up collecting baseball cards. Finally, when I left TCC to start TCZ the cards quit coming and Richard and I started to rarely talk. After a few years I did get in touch with him on Facebook and we were able to keep up that way, but it certainly never was like it was before.
Fast forward to 2020 and I found out, via a post on TCC, that Richard had passed away. I'm sure I wasn't he only one who was rocked to the core hearing that news, but I was pretty devastated for a while. Mainly, I think, I was filled with regret that I let what was a great friendship dwindle over the years.
Now let's fast forward another few months to me purchasing The Bench. Imagine my surprise, now, when I found myself owning a site that was made up of primarily baseball card collectors. My own collection had slowed to a snail's pace as far as growth because I couldn't find anyone to trade with (and buying/selling just isn't quite my thing), so with me owning the site it only felt natural that I get involved in the trading there. So, I started up a baseball break and went to town starting to collect primarily baseball cards. I don't think I ever even gave any thought to it until I realized that 2020 Allen & Ginter was out. My first thought, my only thought, was how awesome it would be to complete that set, in honor of my dear friend Richard's passing, and to celebrate our friendship through the years, and it was only fitting for it to be A&G considering how many of those cards he'd sent me through the years. So, the quest began...
Now here we are, over a year after this project took off, and I finally get to say that I have completed my task! 350/350 base cards, along with a few completed sub-sets, are tucked away in a binder, just how Richard used to store his. I'd love to be able to answer one more call with Richard today just so I can hear him say "I told you so". Even after he was gone, it was him who made me "collect hard" on a baseball set.
Here are a few images of the cards in the binder, where they will remain until my days are done...
