News, Notes and Requests

A few people have asked me if I collect anything besides Padres autographs. I do, I didn't realize it until people asked because I don't put as much effort into those other categories. So let me tell you about what else I collect.

Players from Oregon; In the past I had a couple hundred autographed cards of players from Oregon. Both major and minor league players and even three women from the AAGBL, and a few umpires from the state. When I went back to college in 1996 (at age 39) I cut way back on my collecting for a few years. I also sold most of that collection to another local collector who collected the same thing. I have started picking up Oregonians again and have a few, plus I kept one autographed card for as many letters of the alphabet as I could. I think I have about 20 autographed Oregonian cards. I will scan them and show them off some day. I have met some of the Oregonians I have. I had breakfast with Rick Sweet years ago, I have met Dave Roberts at a card show, Jerry Zimmerman used to come in the card shop where I worked, (he stocked up on John Olerud rookies), and my wife sews for Artie Wilsons wife.

Which brings me to the next thing I collect, Artie Wilson cards. Artie played in the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Black Barons alongside Pepper Davis and Willie and Cat Mays. My wife is a tailor and she had made some dresses for women at a church here in town and one of the ladies gave my wifes' name to Mrs. Wilson. She called and when my wife told me who she was sewing for I asked her to ask if her husband was Artie Wilson. He was. I have gone with my wife multiple times and sat and talked with Artie about baseball in the Negro Leagues and baseball now. He would get up from his chair and show me how Josh Gibson batted or how Satchel threw. He made fun of Phil Plantiers' stance and he helped my son with a report on Jackie Robinson, whom he had played against. He played 19 games with the New York Giants until they called up a kid named Willie Mays. Then he played all over the PCL and finally settled here in Portland. He just turned 88 last month and is in poor health.

I am getting ready to send out packages to Travis at Punk Rock Paint, Zach at Autographed Cards, Brad at Rickey Henderson Collectibles and Kevin at Orioles Card "O" the Day. So watch your mailboxes. Dayf I need your address because I have some stuff to send you also. That concludes this part of todays' blog