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  1. #1




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    Memories made and friendships gained, all from a hobby - CONTEST ENTRY

    The memories made and friendships gained, all from a hobby.

    Growing up in a small town on the northwest corner of Alabama, we didn't have much to do. I remember going to the local flea market every weekend with my grandparents since my grandmother was an avid odds and ends shopper. I always went straight to the same booth, never paying attention to anything else. An older lady there sold sports cards, and I can still picture it perfect to this day. I was probably 7 or 8 years old, fascinated with Michael Jordan, basketball in general, and Alabama Football. The first time I walked into that flea market, I simply walked around with my grandparents until I came upon this booth. Never before had I owned a sports card, much less anything else of value. What caught my eye was a 1991 NBA Hoops #30, Michael Jordan.

    It was the first card I saw, and the first card purchased that started it all. .50 cents was the total that day for me, spare change from my grandfathers’ pocket. I returned the following week and bought a few packs, coming to the realization that I could obtain something of all of my more liked players. A trip to another flea market in Tennessee showed me that they were everywhere. I bought cards every weekend, singles and packs, but could never afford a box. Pretty soon the lady at the local flea market and myself became great friends, a relationship that I will never forget. She would hold new cards until I came in before selling them, and I realize now that if there were a card I wanted but couldn't afford, she would trade me the card for one of no value. A couple years later I realized a future best friend of mine also had a very prestigious collection of cards, his favorite being Shaquille O’Neal. We soon began trading with each other, which grew into sleepovers and staying up all night going through each other’s collections. I still remember those nights like yesterday.

    I don't know why, but a few years later I quit collecting cards, and have since relocated to Kentucky after I was 15. I'm 26 now and just recently returned to collecting all because of a trip to target with my girlfriend. Walking down to the checkout lanes, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted sports cards. I don't know why as in the past 15 years I never payed attention to them or wondered whatever happened to mine. I went over to look and low and behold there sat a 1994 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Rare Air card in a "variety" package for $3.00.

    I searched through a few more and find a couple more Jordan’s on the top of the packages and decide to buy them. As soon as we returned home I began going through them, soon reminiscing on the old feelings I got when I first collected cards. I began trying to remember what happened to my old ones I had, "did I sell them in a yard sale, did I just give them away?". I quickly rushed over to my mother’s house and into the attic, I found them. The biggest smile and sigh of relief came over me. It had begun again, the joy of a simple base card of my favorite players. My first game used card was of no one special, and had been out of the scene for quite some time and really didn't know about the game used. Now my collecting has grown into collecting all of the Chicago Bulls, Kentucky Wildcats Basketball players, Autographed Alabama Football players, Antonio McDyess, Michael Jordan, and yet, I still get excited over simple base cards or inserts, and really excited over a low numbered card. Just the other day I pulled my first auto, of someone I didn’t know, yet I still had to show it off to my girlfriend. It is just the simple fact that I pulled an autographed card from a pack of cards bought from a card show. It's the hobby, the joy of owning something of an icon that you watch on TV, memories that remind you of a special moment, and events that introduce you to new people with the same joy. That joy is collecting sports cards, no matter what player, team, or sport you collect. That's why I collect.

    Daniel Taylor
    (JordanFanatic)

  2. #2




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    very good article.. i def like this

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  4. #4




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    Thanks, I just started typing in my phone notepad and this is what happened, lol.

  5. #5





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    Great article. It really captures the joy of collecting. It's refreshing to read that you not once mentioned trying to make a quick buck or see no value in those old cards you found in your mom's attic. Those cards do have value to you...just a different type of value...sentimental. Thanks for the read. it's always nice to hear a real-life story from a true collector.

  6. #6




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    Thank you sir. Your reply was really warming. I have never been able to write anything, lol. Just kinda started typing on my iPhone's notepad one day.

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