Goodwin Champions, Favorite Cards

Way back in September of 1957, half a block from the beach, in Long Beach, California I was born.  When I was 8 months old my Mom and I boarded the S.S. Lincoln to sail to our new home in Honolulu, Hawaii.  My Dads' ships home port had been changed to Honolulu.  We went by ship because there wasn't regular, inexpensive air service at the time.  We lived in Hawaii until I was 4 and a half and then moved back to California.  I have lived in 7 states and multiple locations in California.  Somewhere I picked up the love of a sport that I have never even attempted.  Surfing, I can remember watching surfing on TV and reading surf magazines before baseball register.  So I was excited two years ago when A&G produced a card of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the father of surfing.

I would love to get an auto of Duke but that will probably never happen, probably too expensive.

Then I was stoked when I saw Laird Hamilton in the preview set.  Laird is the godfather of tow in surfing, using a jet ski or helicopter to get to the top of waves that are too big to paddle into.  I managed to pick up his preview card and the autograph card.

I think those are supposed to be big waves in front of his name.   This guy is living the dream, paid to surf and married to pro volleyball player and model Gabrielle Reese.  

Then I found out that several other surfers were also included in the set.  I have picked up Corky Caroll.  I still need Tom Curren and Mike Parsons.  The Curren sold for lots and there are lots of Parsons still on ebay.  Has anyone seen numbers on how many anyone signed?  I like the Caroll Card, awesom shot of him riding a big wave.

My all time favorite surfer though is Gerry Lopez, whose book Surf is Where you Find It, I had just finished reading when Goodwin came out.  I was stoked to get his regular card and the nighttime variation out of packs and then I got his black bordered and foil minis and the autograph from ebay.

I hope to pick up the Curren and Parsons autographs also.  For me these were more fun than the few Padres card in the set.