drays4life - (James Shields)

[BBonds25]

Please help me in welcoming our newest member of the Super Collector HOF, drays4life. Chris has put together a very impressive collection of Rays Pitcher James Shields. His PC includes several hard to find low numbered cards, including 13 1/1's. Please take a minute to look over his collection and pictures, and be sure to contact him if you can help him build his Shields collection.

Here are his collection stats:
Total collection: 209/331 for 63%

Excluding 1/1s and variations:
188/266 for 71%

1/1s - 13
Game Used - 27
Patches - 9
Autographs - 47

Highlights of my Collection:
1) Rainbow of 2006 Bowman Draft/Chrome/Sterling (numbered to 10 or more, also own a 2006 Draft Plate)

2) Master Set of 2008-2009 Allen & Ginter (except 2008 Plate which I‘ve never seen, including Unopened Rip Card, I have both 1/1 Woods)

3) The Only James Shields MLB Logo Patch (2008 Ballpark Collection)

4) MLB Authenticated Full Game Worn Jersey (Autographed on numbers and back pocket, MLB hologram, DVD of game)

5) Several pieces of autographed memorabilia including: 11x13 framed photo, 2008 World Series Baseball, Stadium Giveaway Figurine

All my cards and pics of my memorabilia is here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/draysfor...perCollection#

I started collecting James Shields very slowly. I loved the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from the beginning since they were my home team. I was raised a Chicago Cubs fan, but I never truly felt connected to them since I could never go to a game to see them play. They were my dad’s team, not mine. The Rays became my team - I grew up with them in a way. After years of terrible play and worse cards, the Rays finally started to flourish before my eyes. As a fan, the brawl in Boston became the “moment” when the Rays became a real team. There are many different interpretations of that event, but for us, it was the moment when we stood up and demanded that we be taken seriously. This is when I targeted James Shields as a huge focus of my collection. Shields also is young and signed to a long term (and very reasonable) contract through 2013 I believe, rather huge factors to a Rays collector.

I missed out on a lot of his best cards because I didn’t start collecting him at the beginning of his career. There are many cards that I am afraid I will never see. The RC Superfractor was actually available, but I didn’t have the funds to acquire it. I just recently got the funds - and it was a lot of funds - together and contacted the seller and it appears to be sold. It was devastating for me as an aspiring super collector, but it happens. I am proud of my collection and maybe it show up again one day…

[Bullpride]

Super Congrats to you bro. As a fellow Rays collector, it is inspiring to know that we finally have some players worthy of following on a SuperCollector level.

[pootshwan]

Nice Shields Collection!

Thanks for sharing!

Steve

[drays4life]

Thanks for the honor! I did not include this in my application, but here is my need list:
http://www.freewebs.com/jamesshields/wantlist.htm
My site is not updated, but the want list is. The best pics are in the picasaweb link. Any help in my collection would be very much appreciated!

I also have three new 1/1s since this was posted...I'm most excited that 2 are rookie year. And I finally got a superfractor! The Red is incoming, so I just have the ebay scan.

[JKC]

Nice collection, and congrats on receiving this honor!

Darin

[jlbaseballkid20]

congrats on the honor!!!!! very nice collection
-jesse

[chriso_10]

Congratulations, man. I've loved seeing all your cards in the Rays thread and always felt you deserved to be here. Great collection and go Rays!

[55_marlins_sp]

Congrats. Love Shields and the '06 Sweet Spot are some of the nicest cards out there.

Congrats again :D !!!

[IHaveHisCard]

Congrats!

[drays4life]

Here's a few new cards that I've added in the last couple of months:

1/1s - up to 20 now in the collection:
Ebay scan -





And a button: