Great baseball card stories from Nick DelVecchio

Nick Delvecchio played six years in the Yankees minor league system in the 1990s, twice topping 50 extra base hits in a season. He kindly shared with me some great baseball card stories from his time in the Yankees system.

"I do, in fact, have one story about one of my cards that might intrigue you. One of my cards taken as a member of the Tampa Yankees, in 1994, the first year we were there as a Florida State League team, in high "A" ball,(we won the championship by the way, what a team we had!). Anyhow, when we received our team set, I decided to play a little joke on my friends Jeff Antolick, Mike Buddie, and Derek Shelton. In the photo, it was clear that I had not shaved for a few days, and that I was wearing something around my neck (my usual 3 rosary beads). Because it was policy in the Yankee Minor League system to shave daily, and because jewelry, of any kind, was prohibited on the field, I told my buddies, and thoroughly convinced them that I was fined $300, $150 for each offense. I told them Steinbrenner saw the card, was outraged, and told Mitch Lukevics and Bill Livesey to fine me. I carried it on for most of the year, as a joke, even though I really should have been fined according to Yankee protocol.
My favorite card was the only card I had as an Oneonta Yankee, part of the team set. I am, to this day, still upset a bit that I can't find one of them left in my personal collection. It was my first card, my first half-season in the New York Penn League. I look clean, sharp, and rested. It was a look of innocence on my face that I liked the most, as I had no idea how grueling a six-year trip through the Minors would be. I never had quite that boyish and refreshed look ever again in all of the rest of my baseball card photos in my career.
And, to answer your final question, no, I don't collect baseball cards any longer like I used to as a kid. I wish I could find my stash of cards from the seventies, when I was a little boy. And, by the way, if you find a Honus Wagner Rookie card, feel free to send it my way. I have several million ideas as to what to do with it."

Thanks, Nick!
Here is a picture of the only Nick DelVecchio card in my collection, a 1994 Fleer Excel. If anyone has his Oneonta card (1992 Classic best #19) and wants to send it to Nick, let me know and I will see if he is interested.