Gary Patchett on baseball cards

Infielder Gary Patchett played eleven seasons in the Reds and Angels organizations. In 740 games he hit .239 with 15 HR and 93 RBI. Now an Area Scout for the Seattle Mariners, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"It's always pretty cool to see some of your old cards from back in your playing days. When I first started scouting I would occasionally get approached in the stands to sign cards during the game. I thought it was pretty cool but also wondered how the heck someone actually knew who I was or even had an old baseball card of me. I like all of the cards that I have of myself. I guess when you see them, it takes you back to a time in your life where you were doing the one thing that you had always dreamed of as a kid growing up, playing professional baseball. I had a card collection when I was younger, with boxes and boxes of cards. I had a book with the better cards and then I would sort the rest of them out by teams. I actually just looked at some old cards and it was pretty cool to see some cards of ex managers, hitting coaches, pitching coaches and now scouts who I have crossed paths with over the course of my time in professional baseball. I guess when you are a kid you just collect them but now to get to know them and the impact that they had on your baseball career, it's pretty awesome."

Thanks!