Baseball first

 

I did not collect a single non-baseball card for the first three years of my collecting history.

 

Although I do recall 1976 Topps football cards working their way into my collection, I don't think I bought a pack of the stuff.

 

Then came 1977 and two non-baseball sets grabbed me: the super-colorful Topps football set and the Star Wars blue-bordered Series 1 cards. Everyone collected those Star Wars cards.

 

But that was just the first non-baseball blip in my collecting history. They would come and go. In 1978, I bought a pack or two of Topps basketball. In 1979, I'd return to collecting Topps football and then I wouldn't buy another football card for two decades.

 

In 1991, I'd purchase the Pro Set hockey cards as well as the Pro Set Musicards.

 

It's all been very sporadic.

 

That's because it's always been baseball first.

 

I'm fascinated when I see collectors treat all sports equally, jumping between baseball, basketball, football and hockey. I don't know how they do it, I've concentrated on baseball because it's my first love, but also because I wouldn't be able to do any non-baseball set justice. I simply wouldn't care enough.

 

So, this is why when Chris, The Collector, put out a call for football cards to add to his stockpile, I jumped on the opportunity. Chris is one of those multi-sports collectors and he was willing to send out a PWE for any unneeded football cards. I sure had some of those, and off they went.

 

In response, I received a tidy envelope filled with baseball needs.

 

 

A needed 1998 Fleer Vintage '63 Eric Karros. Still looking for the Piazza in this set, and then I believe it's complete.

 

 

 

A long-forgotten player from the 2001 Topps Traded set, which is still teeming with needs.

 

 

 

A 2005 Donruss Studio need. I didn't realize how large the team-set was for this until I crossed Derek Lowe off the list.

 

 

 

One of those infuriating 2015 inserts with all of its parallels. This is actually the "base insert" (ugh, why is this a thing), while I still need the gold parallel.

 

 

 

And a super-appreciated 2017 '87-style Clayton Kershaw card. The Kershaws (yes, there is more than one) from this insert set have been elusive.

 

 

 

Looking beyond Dodgers, Chris also sent three 2005 Topps Update needs. This is a set that I'll probably be pursuing for years, as the desire has already cooled.

 

 

 

Also, Chris finished off the 1989 Fleer All-Star Team set for me with the Mike Greenwell card. What a strange positioning of the action image, where it looks like Greenwell's arm has been cut off.

 

 

 

Earlier, Chris sent me one of the final '89 Fleer flagship set needs in my pursuit, the Edgar Martinez card. I still haven't pulled the trigger on the three other needs in my baseballcardstore cart, which will complete the set for me. But it's good to know that Edgar won't be the last one I need.

 

Finally, a football card.

 

 

I've graduated to a couple of football binders and one hockey binder among all of the many, many baseball binders. There is also a catch-all binder that includes any other sport, stuff like basketball, tennis and the Olympics.

 

Although I enjoy things like Allen & Ginter with its nonsports subjects and I appreciate pop culture sets, none of it will ever match the volume of baseball cards that I have.

 

This is pretty common among collectors, I think, especially bloggers. Even as basketball and soccer cards go for crazy prices these days, and some football cards, too, I still think that baseball is the One True Love for collectors still. I think it will always be that way, until I'm gone anyway.