un-COMMONS

About the Book

Collecting baseball cards was a rite of passage for this young Little League catcher. As a grown man, these cardboard treasures still delight me. Unwrapping a wax pack of cards, with the anticipation of finding one of your favorite players card, was akin to a mini Christmas gift. Finding out that some of my diamond heros were mere "commons" didn't sway my enthusiasm. Making it to the Majors is not a common feat to begin with. Collecting all the players that share your birthday, or were born in your state is a good starting point. Some of these commons hold, or held in their time, some impressive records, and others performed some embarrassing feats. There are those that have never played, or made the trip to the "Bigs" for a cup of coffee, that have their likeness on a piece of cardboard forever. A number of collecting guides have put a price on cards, for a number of reasons. I have just taken the cards they deemed common, and found a reason to collect them. For me, the thrill of finding one of these treasures in the common box of a dealer, is a great adventure back to my youth.

About the Author

Born in Gary, Indiana in 1950 into a blue collar family, The close proximity to Chicago and baseball legends, forever influenced him. The steel mills provided work for a multitude of families, which in-turn  provided plenty of teammates for their hot, steamy sandlot games. In the late 1960's his construction job provided him with the means to watch the Cubs and White Sox games in person. In the early 1970's, he packed up all his worldly possessions and moved to Sarasota, Florida (White Sox spring training), where he went into the concrete construction business. Along with going to Rays games, with his lovely wife Moya, a  life long hobby of collecting baseball cards remains paramount in his life