Player Profile: Peter Bourjos

I have two cards of Peter Bourjos. This one is from 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter.

Playing career: Outfielder Peter Bourjos came up with the Angels in 2010 and had a great 2011 season, hitting .271 with 12 HR, 43 RBI and 22 SB, leading the American League with 11 triples. However, injuries and ineffectiveness led to a marked decrease in playing time in 2012 and 2013.

Where he is now: He was traded to the Cardinals in 2014 but the change of scenery didn’t reverse his fortunes. In 119 games he hit .231 with 4 HR, 24 RBI and 9 SB. He was hitless in two postseason at-bats, primarily being used as a defensive replacement.

Interesting facts: Son of former Giants outfielder Chris Bourjos.

My memories: When he first came up I was struck that he had the same name as Chris Bourjos, because it was such an unusual name. I didn’t even consider that he would his son.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Peter Bo, between Peter Bogdanovich, a film director, and Peter Borish, an investor. There do not appear to be any other prominent Peter Bourjoses.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Michael Bourn.

Player Profile: Chris Bourjos

I have one card of Chris Bourjos, from 1981 Topps.

Playing career: Outfielder Chris Bourjos played in the Giants and Orioles organizations from 1977 to 1983. In 1980 he made the major leagues for thirteen games with San Francisco, hitting .227 with 1 HR and 2 RBI.

Where he is now: A scout for the Padres.

Interesting facts: His son, Peter Bourjos, plays for the Cardinals.

My memories: Before my time. Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is eighth when you type Chris Bour, between Chris Bourg, Assistant Librarian at Stanford University, and Chris Bourassa, an artist. There do not appear to be any other prominent Chris Bourjoses.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Peter Bourjos.

Player Profile: Jason Bourgeois

I have two cards of Jason Bourgeois. This one is from 2011 Topps Update Set. 

Playing career: Outfielder Jason Bourgeois is a true journeyman, having played for six different major league teams in the last seven years. He had his most success in Houston in 2010 and 2011. In exactly 162 games with the Astros he hit .269 with 1 HR, 19 RBI and 43 SBs.

Where he is now: After stops with the White Sox, Brewers, Astros, Royals and Rays, it was the Reds’ turn in 2014. In eighteen games with Cincinnati he hit .242 with 0 HR and 1 RBI.

My memories: Boy I hate spelling his name. I have to look it up every single time I type it.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fifth when you type Jason Bou, between Jason Bourne Books and Jason Bourne 4, both of which refer to the Robert Ludlum character. There do not appear to be any other prominent Jason Bourgeoises.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Chris Bourjos.

Player Profile: Justin Bour

I have one card of Justin Bour, from 2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects.

Playing career: First baseman Justin Bour was drafted by the Cubs in the 25^th round in 2009 and steadily moved up the chain, showing impressive power. In 2012 he hit .283 with 17 HR and 110 RBI at AA Tennessee, but slipped a bit in 2013, hitting .237 with 18 HR and 64 RBI.

Where he is now: The Marlins got him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. He had a great season at AAA New Orleans, hitting .306 with 18 HR and 72 RBI, winning a promotion to the major leagues, where he hit .284 with 1 HR and 11 RBI in 39 games.

Interesting facts: His brother Jason Bour played in the Reds and White Sox organizations.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is seventh when you type Justin Bo, between Justin Bourque, who committed a mass-shooting in Canada in 2014, and Justin Bowen, the understudy for the title role in the Broadway play Chaplin. There do not appear to be any other prominent Justin Bours.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Jason Bourgeois.

Player Profile: Eric Boudreaux

I have two cards of Eric Boudreaux. This one is from 1990 CMC.

Playing career: Eric Boudreaux pitched in the Phillies organization from 1985 to 1990. In 150 games he went 34-40 with a 4.38 ERA. A fuller account of his career can be found at The Greatest 21 Days.

Where he is now: Sales for JSA Distribution, which is a Hostess baked goods distributor in the San Diego area.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Eric Boud, ahead of Eric Boudreau, an actor. Another prominent Eric Boudreaux is Director, Global Capital Procurement at Nike.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Justin Bour.

Player Profile: Denis Boucher

I have fourteen cards of Denis Boucher. This one is from 1991 O-Pee-Chee Premier.

Playing career: Denis Boucher pitched for the Blue Jays, Indians and Expos from 1991 to 1994. In 35 games he went 6-11 with a 5.42 ERA.

Where he is now: The pitching coach for Team Canada, President of Baseball Lachine in Quebec, and the Yankees’ Canadian scout.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is tenth when you type Denis Bo, behind Denis Broun, former executive director of UNITAID. Another prominent Denis Boucher is the exercise physiologist for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Eric Boudreaux.

Player Profile: Jason Botts

Check out this piece I did for The Hall of Very Good on famous football players appearing on baseball cards.

I have two cards of Jason Botts. This one is from 2002 Topps.

Playing career: Outfielder Jason Botts played for the Rangers from 2005 to 2008. In 93 games he hit .230 with 5 HR and 28 RBI.

Where he is now: Runs Jason Botts Fitness in Texas.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Jason Bot, ahead of Jason Botnick, a Hewlett, NY resident who died of leukemia at the age of 35. Another prominent Jason Botts is VP, Information Services at Martin Marietta.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Denis Boucher.

Player Profile: Ralph Botting

I have two cards of Ralph Botting. This one is from 1980 Topps.

Playing career: Ralph Botting pitched for the Angels in 1979 and 1980. In eighteen games he went 2-3 with a 7.39 ERA.

My memories: Before my time. Only know him from his card.

Where he is now: Anyone know where Ralph Botting is now?

Google Autocomplete results: He is fifth when you type Ralph Bot, between Ralph Botriell, who was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1926, and Ralph Bottles Capone Sr., brother of Al Capone. There do not appear to be any other prominent Ralph Bottings.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Jason Botts.

Player Profile: Kent Bottenfield

I have twenty cards of Kent Bottenfield. This one is from 1993 Donruss. 

Playing career: Kent Bottenfield has to be one of the few players to play in as many as nine seasons in the major leagues, never more than two years for any one team, and still make the All-Star Team. After bouncing around with the Expos, Rockies, Giants and Cubs, and then having a mediocre 1998 season with the Cardinals, Bottenfield had a career year in St. Louis in 1999, going 18-7 with a 3.97 ERA. The Cardinals shrewdly traded him to the Angels for Jim Edmonds and Bottenfield quietly returned to his journeyman form for three teams in 2000 and 2001. Other than that magical 1999 season, Bottenfield went 28-41 with a 4.69 ERA.

Where he is now: Head coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University and a Worship Pastor at FBC Delray Beach.

My memories: I remember the name but nothing particularly specific.

Interesting facts: He has recorded two gospel-music albums.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Kent Bo, between Kent Boarding School, referring to a Connecticut high school, and Kent Bookstore, referring to the store at Kent State University. There do not appear to be any other prominent Kent Bottenfields.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Ralph Botting.

Player Profile: Ricky Bottalico

I have 29 cards of Ricky Bottalico. This one is from 1996 Topps.

Playing career: Ricky Bottalico pitched for twelve seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Phillies, for whom he saved 34 games in back-to-back seasons in 1996 and 1997. Overall, in 562 games, he went 33-42 with 116 saves and a 3.99 ERA.

Where he is now: A Phillies announcer for Comcast SportsNet, he is also a pitching instructor at AFC Baseball of Cherry Hill.

My memories: Just a fun name to say.

Google Autocomplete results: He is eighth when you type Ricky Bo, between Ricky Bobby Song and Ricky Bobby Soundtrack, both of which refer to a movie. There do not appear to be any other prominent Ricky Bottalicos.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Kent Bottenfield.

Player Profile: Daryl Boston

I have 58 cards of Daryl Boston. This one is from 1994 Score Rookie Traded.

Playing career: Daryl Boston played eleven years in the major leagues as a part-time outfielder for the White Sox, Mets, Rockies and Yankees. He hit over 10 HR in a season five times despite never having a 400-at bat year. Overall, in 1,058 games he hit .249 with 83 HR and 278 RBI.

Where he is now: First base coach for the White Sox.

My memories: I remember him as being a pretty good home run threat for the Yankees in 1994. I guess I am remembering wrong – in 52 games he only hit .182 with 4 HR and 14 RBI.

Interesting facts: Brother of DJ Boston, who played eight seasons in the minor leagues.

Their father, Henry Boston, managed a young Dave Parker on the semi-pro Cincinnati Tigers.

Along with Dwight Gooden and Vince Coleman, accused of rape in Spring Training of 1992 about an incident the previous year. The charges were later dismissed, though the players admitted to consensual sex with the woman (all in one night!), who had previously been dating David Cone and Ron Darling. That’s 20% of the Mets’ roster right there!

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Daryl B, ahead of Daryl Bem, a social psychologist. There do not appear to be any other prominent Daryl Bostons.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Ricky Bottalico.

Player Profile: DJ Boston

I have three cards of DJ Boston. This one is from 1994 Upper Deck Minors.

Playing career: DJ Boston played in the Blue Jays, Pirates, A's and Rockies organizations from 1991 to 1998. In 857 games he hit .272 with 67 HR and 435 RBI.

Where he is now: A hitting instructor at Phoenix Sports Academy in Loganville, GA.

My memories: He shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog in 2011.

Interesting facts: Brother of Daryl Boston, who played several years in the major leagues for the White Sox, Mets and Yankees.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type DJ Bos, between DJ Boston Chery, referring to the name of  a disk jockey, and DJ Bossman, another disk jockey. There do not appear to be any other prominent DJ Bostons.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Daryl Boston.

Brett Bochy on baseball cards

Brett Bochy was drafted by the Giants in 2010 and has quickly moved up through their organization, going 14-8 with a 3.04 ERA and 26 saves in 158 games. He made his major league debut with the Giants in 2014. He kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"My favorite baseball card growing up was the 1975 George Brett mini...I don't know exactly why, but I love all of the Topps minis, but especially the Brett.
 
I used to collect but have been focusing more on my career lately...Gary Brown is a big time collector, although he will never admit it."

Thanks! Here is a card of Bochy, from 2013 Topps Heritage.

Player Profile: Lyman Bostock

I have one card of Lyman Bostock, from 1978 Topps.

Playing career: Outfielder Lyman Bostock came up with the Twins in 1975 and quickly became a star. In 1976 he hit .323 in his first full season, and the next year he broke out, hitting .336 with 14 HR, 90 RBI and 16 SB. A free agent after the season, he signed with California for the 1978 season, and after a slow start was hitting well in the second half of the season.

Death: On September 23, 1978, following a game in Chicago, Bostock traveled to nearby Gary, IN to visit some friends. One of the friends was married to a man who thought she was regularly being unfaithful to him. That man, Leonard Smith, followed Bostock and his party as they drove away from Smith’s wife’s cousin’s house, and fatally shot Bostock a few blocks away.

My memories: Before my time, though I remember hearing about his tragic incident many times.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fifth when you type Lyma, between Lymari Nadal, an actress, and Lyman Orchards Golf Course, a course in Connecticut. There do not appear to be any other prominent Lyman Bostocks.

Coming up next: The next profile will be D.J. Boston.

Player Profile: Dwain Bostic

I have three cards of Dwain Bostic. This one is from 1993 Classic Draft Picks.

Playing career: Dwain Bostic (not “Dwaine” as he is listed on Baseball Reference and Baseball Cube) was the Dodgers’ second round draft pick in 1992. In 35 games that year as a seventeen-year old in the Gulf Coast League, he hit .203 with 1 HR, 13 RBI and 10 SB. He played in four games as an eighteen-year-old in rookie league Great Falls, hitting .143, and sixteen games as a nineteen-year old for the Cardinals’ Arizona State League affiliate, hitting .231. He did not play affiliated ball in his twenties, but did play in 32 games of independent ball. A rare second-round draft pick who couldn’t even get out of rookie league.

Where he is now: A realtor in California, and an instructor at MVP Baseball Academy in California.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Dwain Bos, ahead of Dwain Boswell, an author. There do not appear to be any other prominent Dwain Bostics.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Lyman Bostock.

Player Profile: Thad Bosley

I have 22 cards of Thad Bosley. This one is from 1986 Donruss.

Playing career: Thad Bosley played fourteen seasons as a backup outfielder for seven different teams, mostly the White Sox and Cubs. In 784 games he hit .272 with 20 HR and 158 RBI.

Where he is now: Executive Director of Athletics and Head Baseball Coach at Grace University in Nebraska.

My memories: I remember him being considered a pinch-hitting specialist. Do those even still exist?

Interesting facts: During his playing career he recorded a funk record called “The Ballplayers” with teammate Lenny Randle.

Google Autocomplete results: He is fifth when you type Thad B, between Thad Beaumont, a character in a Stephen King story, and Thad Brown, Assistant Sports Director at WROC-TV in Rochester, NY. There do not appear to be any other prominent Thad Bosleys.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Dwain Bostic.

Player Profile: Shawn Boskie

I have 30 cards of Shawn Boskie. This one is from 1991 Donruss.

Playing career: Shawn Boskie pitched for the Cubs, Phillies, Angels, Mariners, Orioles and Expos from 1990 to 1998. In 217 games he went 49-63 with a 5.14 ERA. A fuller account of his career can be found at The Greatest 21 Days.

Where he is now: Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Arizona Christian University.

My memories: In May he shared his thoughts on baseball cards with this blog.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Shawn Bos, ahead of Shawn Bosak Borman, a fundraiser. There do not appear to be any other prominent Shawn Boskies.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Thad Bosley.

Player Profile: Chris Bosio

I have 64 cards of Chris Bosio. This one is from 1994 Leaf.

Playing career: Chris Bosio pitched for the Brewers and Mariners from 1986 to 1996. In 309 games he went 94-93 with a 3.96 ERA. In 1993 he no-hit the Red Sox in one of his first games as a Mariner.

Where he is now: Pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs.

Interesting facts: He likes to floor it on the road, and thus is a regular in the traffic court in his Wisconsin home town. The website freecourtdocket.com lists at least three occasions between 2010 and 2012 where he was ticketed for speeding and found guilty.

My memories: I remember him as a solid if unspectacular pitcher for many years. No specific memories.

Google Autocomplete results: He is first when you type Chris Bosi, ahead of Chris Bosh, Miami Heat star. Another prominent Chris Bosio is International Trade Manager at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Shawn Boskie.

Player Profile: Rick Bosetti

I have nine cards of Rick Bosetti. This one is from 1980 Topps.

Playing career: Outfielder Rick Bosetti played for the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays and A’s from 1976 to 1982. In 445 games he hit .250 with 17 HR and 133 RBI. A fuller account of his career can be found at the 1980 Topps Blog, where I learned that he is best known for urinating in the outfield of every ballpark he played in.

Where he is now: He has been the mayor of Redding, CA since 2008, though he is retiring in December. He also manages the collegiate-league Redding Colt 45s.

My memories: Before my time. Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is second when you type Rick Bos, between Rick Bossley State Farm, an insurance agent in Goshen, NY, and Rick Bosh, an MSNBC reporter. There do not appear to be any other prominent Rick Bosettis.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Chris Bosio.

Player Profile: Tyler Bortnick

I have two cards of Tyler Bortnick. This one is from 2011 Bowman Prospects.

Playing career: Second baseman Tyler Bortnick was drafted by the Rays in the 16^th round in 2009, but quickly established himself as a prospect by hitting .300 each of his first three seasons. In 2012 the Rays traded him to Arizona for Ryan Roberts. He has been at the Diamondbacks’ AAA team in Reno ever since the trade but is not living up to the promise he showed in the Rays’ organization. 

Where he is now: He struggled in limited playing time in 2014, hitting .224 with 0 HR and 5 RBI in 41 games.

My memories: Only know him from his card.

Google Autocomplete results: He is third when you type Tyler Bor, between Tyler Borchers, an Associate Editor at Time Magazine, and Tyler Boris, a 12-year-old dirt bike racer. There do not appear to be any other prominent Tyler Bortnicks.

Coming up next: The next profile will be Rick Bosetti.

Cards from a garage sale

A couple of weeks ago I went to a couple of garage sales hoping to get some cards. I was mostly disappointed but did walk away with a few.

At the first garage sale there was a box of mostly junk wax, but also a smaller box with a newer-looking set I didn't recognize. I did see a few interesting odd-ball cards among the junk wax, so I pulled about ten of them plus the newer ones and asked the owner how much she wanted. She asked e to come up with a number so I said "3 dollars". She said "no, aren't cards several dollars each?" I told her no, they aren't worth anything like that. Then she said she would look up the price of each card on her phone. I told her "no way", that I was offering 3 bucks and she could take it or leave it. She relented and gave me the cards for 3 bucks.

It turns out what was in the box was a full base set of 2002 UD Sweet Spot, 100 cards. Not a set I would actively collect but kind of cool to have. I had a few already so those dupes are up for trade - let me know of any needs.



If anything I was more interested in the small handful of oddballs I picked up. There were a few from the Kahn's Mets sets that were given away at games at Shea Stadium...

And a few minor league cards from 1991 Line Drive. I enjoy this set and still need most of it.

At the second garage sale the guy had tons of really good cards, including a lot of complete sets from the 1970s and 1980s, a lot of vintage stars, etc. I hunted around a bit and found a big box of Bowman cards from around 1993-1996. I asked the guy if he would take $20 for it. He replied that he didn't remember if he had taken all of the stars out of it or not and didn't know how much it was worth. Like the first sale I stuck to my price instead of having someone start trying to price out cards piecemeal, but this guy wouldn't budge so I walked away.

Why do people bother to put things up for sale if they have zero idea how much they're worth or even how much they want for them?

Charles Gipson on baseball cards

Outfielder Charles Gipson played for the Mariners, Yankees, Devil Rays and Astros from 1998 to 2005. In 373 games he hit .237 with 0 HR, 30 RBI and 16 SB. Now the Chairman of Children 4 Tomorrow, which provides counseling, legal assistance and mentoring to school-age children in the Houston area, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"Collecting cards as a kids was a passion for me. I was fortunate enough to grow up as family friends with Garry Templeton, shortstop for the Padres.  So my love for baseball started at an early age looking at his cards and big league bats.  It was exciting for me to finally see my own Topps baseball card in 2002.  When you look down and see your own card, it's one of those reflective 'I made it' moments."

Thanks!

Eric Junge on baseball cards

Eric Junge pitched twelve seasons of professional baseball, reaching the major leagues with the Phillies in 2002 and 2003. In ten major league games he went 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA. Now a scout for the Padres, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"For some reason, perhaps because I was drafted by the Dodgers, or that my parents were Brooklyn fans, I still have a Roy Campanella card from the '50s that has always been near and dear to me.
Thanks for putting a smile on my face. Collecting cards as a kid was a great passion of mine."

Thanks!

Photographer Stacy Jo Grant on baseball cards

Stacy Jo Grant is a Florida-based sports photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications as well as Topps, Bowman, Tri-Star and Panini trading cards. She kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

 - Do you have any stories about cards that you took the picture for?
 My favorite card is the first one that was published. It was for a player named Chad James. It was my first assignment to photograph a player for a card. Chad had just signed with the Marlins in 2009 and I was asked to go up to the Roger Dean Stadium back lots to get a photo of him. At that point, he was so new that he was just learning how to score a game so he was not playing yet for the rookie league. When I saw Chad again, I reminded him of that day when I took his photo and that the card was my first one and he said it was his first one also. Since then, we have seen each other at Spring Training and also refer back to how he started my  career and his first day in the minors. This season he left the Marlins and is now in the independent leagues.
Earlier this year I was in a card store looking for Cardinals players, minor and major league for a friend and when I was searching I came across a card that I knew was so familiar to me, it was Javier Baez, 1st Bowman card 2011, it was a card that I photographed the player for. It was so incredible to see a card in a store that I knew I was the photographer. Of course I purchased the card!
 
- Do you have a favorite card, either one taken by you or someone else?
 I do have one favorite card not taken by me because it was autographed by 2 different managers. The story is this: It is a Topps Major League Managers 1993 with Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland. I sent the card to Tony LaRussa on December 25, 2011 to St. Louis. On March 23, 2013, it came back signed from Oakland (454 days later). On March 25, 2013, I went to Spring Training in Jupiter, FL to see the Tigers and to get Jim Leyland to sign it. Time ran out and after the National Anthem, I saw Jim Leyland going into the dugout and yelled out to sign "Tony LaRussa..." Leyland motioned to me to throw him the clipboard with the card and pen. A minute later, he threw it up signed. 
This by far is my favorite story about getting an autograph.
 
- Do you collect baseball cards?
 Yes, I have collected baseball cards ever since I was in grade school. I used to flip and trade them. Those cards are from the mid 1970's. Today I collect mostly minor league cards and sometimes I'll buy a current pack of MLB cards for my collection.

Thanks!

Cards from In the Ballpark

Got a bunch of cards in a trade recently with Brian of In the Ballpark.

The purpose of the trade was to knock off some of my 1989 Bowman needs. Believe it or not, I still need about 45 cards to finish that junk wax set. See my wantlist.

 However, he threw in some surprises as well. Some were vintage, like the checklist card from 1978 Burger King Yankees. I had the 1979 version of this card but not the 1978.

 Some were modern, like this great autograph shot of Vernon Wells. Can't figure out what he's carrying under his arm, though.

Mark Budzinski on baseball cards

Outfielder Mark Budzinski played eleven seasons of professional baseball. In 1,235 games he hit .274 with 56 HR, 469 RBI and 150 SB. He also played in four major league games with the Reds in 2003. Now the manager of the Lake County Captains in the Indians organization, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I collected baseball cards as a kid and being that I grew up just south of Baltimore, I was a big fan of both Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken, Jr.  I was a first baseman in my early playing years and loved watching Don Mattingly compete as well. My big league career was short and sweet - I did not stick around long enough to have a card made - but was fortunate enough to play for 11 years in the minor leagues.  A career  highlight was playing for Terry Francona and Team USA in 2001 just after September 11th, which was quite an honor to be able to represent our country."

 Thanks!

Nathan Haynes on baseball cards

Outfielder Nathan Haynes played twelve seasons of professional baseball, reaching the major leagues with the Angels in 2007 and the Rays in 2008. In 60 major league games he hit .247 with 0 HR, 4 RBI and 5 SB. He kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"The only real cool story I have is, I'm on the back of a Barry Bonds 1994 Upper Deck card. As far as my favorite card, there's a Bazooka card with a piece of my bat in it."

Thanks! In 1993, when the picture on the Bonds card was taken, Haynes was a 14-year-old freshman at Pinole Valley High School near San Francisco - I guess his baseball team got to be in the Giants' dugout. Very cool that a 14-year-old appeared in the background of a baseball card, then went on years later to play in the major league and have his own baseball cards.

Greg LaRocca on baseball cards

Third baseman Greg LaRocca played for the Padres and Indians from 2000 to 2003, hitting .261 with 0 HR and 6 RBI in 39 games. He then went on to a successful career in Japan, hitting 123 home runs in a seven year career. His best season was 2004, when he hit .328 with 40 HR and 101 RBI for Hiroshima. Now the VP, Franchise Sales & Training at Integrity Health Coaching Solutions and hitting coordinator for the New Hampshire Bobcats, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I’ll hop on the bandwagon and agree my rookie card is my favorite.   
I was not a big card collector growing up but if I had to pick a favorite of mine it would have to be this one from 2009.  After 6 years in Japan under my belt, I felt comfortable enough to throw on a “Flu Mask”, draw my goatee on the front and get in a pose for the press.  Still makes me chuckle to think they made it into a card."

Thanks! Here is a card of him from my collection.

Baseball card story from Ray Suplee

Outfielder Ray Suplee played six seasons of professional baseball, mostly in the Yankees organization. In 468 games he hit .260 with 26 HR and 221 RBI. Now Vice President, Investments at Raymond James Financial in Atlanta, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"There was a greens keeper in Asheville, NC (Tourists – SAL) in 1993 that had an unbelievable card collection.  We heard about his cards on our first day in town and called ‘bunk’ (claimed to have Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Mantle, DiMaggio, etc. rookie cards).  Prior to the next day’s game, he showed us a cigar box filled with unreal cards (including all he claimed to have the day prior).  We had no idea as to their value (knew it was a lot) and asked him why he didn’t sell them and enjoy the proceeds.  His answer (as if we were crazy to ask), “Then I wouldn’t have them anymore – no way”.  He mentioned his father owning a bar across from Fenway Park and patrons leaving cards to reserve a seat or while finding money to pay for their drinks.  I have no idea as to his name or how you could research to determine, but if you could track him down, that would make for a fun discussion and a great collection to review."

Thanks! I contacted Jim Clemmons in the Asheville Tourists Front Office and he shared that the groundskeeper was named Grady Gardner. I will look him up for an interview:

Benji Simonton on baseball cards

Outfielder Benji Simonton played eight seasons of professional baseball, mostly in the Giants organization. In 901 games the slugger hit .277 with 132 HR and 570 RBI. Now the owner of Mobile, Stable & Strong Fitness in the San Francisco area, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"Well I have a card, I believe it is a Topps card. On the back of the card it tells the story that my mother gave me the middle name Kendue, because she thought I would be a "can do type of guy". Not sure where they got the story from but it is funny.

My favorite card of myself is my first card.  It's by Classic and it shows me in my college uniform. I still think it's cool to see my juco college represented on a baseball card.

​I don't collect cards anymore.  But i still have a large card collection from my childhood that I look at from time to time.  I love the memories they give me."

Thanks!