Playing career: Bill Bray pitched for the Nationals and Reds
from 2006 to 2012. In 258 games he went 13-12 with 3 saves and a 3.74 ERA. Now a pitching instructor at Colonial Baseball Instruction and Jamestown High School in Virginia, and a columnist for
The Sporting News, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.
"If I remember correctly, every player when they sign gets a deal
from Topps and a royalty check for $5. If they produce a card, you get
another check sometime after that. I was so excited to have my first
card. 2004 Topps.
About 10 years earlier, I had made a deal with a family member involving
baseball cards. My hero is Sandy Koufax and my uncle had a nice 1964
Topps Koufax. I wanted it so bad and he made the deal that once I had a
card of my own, he would trade me for the Koufax. I will never forget
trading my card for his Koufax. My Uncle framed the card with one of my
jerseys and it's hanging in his game room.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaeF5SHRgYk/VPJ6k60Y3GI/AAAAAAAAM9o/bHpaBJarIug/s1600/61-200Fr.jpg)
My favorite card of all time is the 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax Rookie.
Just a beautiful card. One of my goals in life is to own a PSA 10
version of it.
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYA2YXCd92c/VPJ6kqcJTNI/AAAAAAAAM90/UaLj1_PhoEQ/s1600/36-123Fr.jpg)
My favorite card of myself is the 2007 Topps with the
yellow background.
I like it because of the cartoon on the back. The
cartoon suggested that I was popular with the ladies in college, which
is so far from the truth. That and the card is a throwback, which I
love. ![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ewm11qEGez0/WTTbkntubHI/AAAAAAAATuM/0sa1StIPu1o9OT8ARbWSe0gLnhCxL5HBgCKgB/s320/IMG_1388.JPG)
I’m still collecting. Mainly older
cards now. I have been putting together sets from the early sixties
and have almost complete sets from 1964 and 1965. I am picky about
which cards I buy, so it is a slow process. I also have complete 1971,
79 and 83 sets."