Nails biting

I can tell everything is fine because right now, I feel like re-organizing my card collection again.

I normally put the sets in 300 or 400 count boxes, and take out the players I like and put them in binders (and obviously the Blue Jays ones, that go in separate binders). 15 years ago, the Blue Jays cards were sorted by brand and by year, except for my favorite players, who had their own binder, sorted by player and by brand. My Knicks cards were sorted by player name (go figure why) and by brand, all in one big binder.

When I picked up that nasty habit again a couple of months ago, I took out all my cards and put them on the floor to re-arange them (yes, that's my process). This time, no more binders of certain specific players, they would all join in fraternity and be friends all over again. No more special treatment for Carter, Olerud or Devon White.

I also had some small PCs of players such as Royce Clayton, Bobby Bonilla (what got into me ?), Danny Tartabull (come on...), Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders (and others I forget). Some went in boxes, others were fortunate enough to stay in pocket sleeves.

There also was Lenny Dykstra.

The reason I used to collect Lenny Dykstra cards is very simple : he came to France. Yup, you read right, a baseball player did some kind of promo tour in France (because I suppose many actually come to France on vacation. A-Rod, Jeter and Trout could be playing catch in Paris and no one would come and bother them, other than to ask them what on earth they're doing, not kicking that ball). It was 1993, and I somehow read about it in the newspaper (I receive the Herald Tribune at home). I tracked down the place he was meant to make an appearance at, phoned them up, they explained that the signing was at 8 pm. There was no way my parents would let me go to Paris at that time (I live 80 miles from there and was much too young to drive). I did send an SASE though and included his 92 UD along with a note saying hi, I'm french, will you be my friend (yes, that's my thing). I wonder how many people showed up at that signing. I wonder if people showed up at all.

'Well Lenny, sorry about the turn out, but we DO have an enveloppe for you. Maybe it's the president.'

I'm sure that made his day.
It sure made mine when I received the card back, with his signature on it. Strangely enough, he signed it at the back. I can't seem to put my hand on that card, it's too bad, I wish I could scan it for you. This may just be my all time favorite card.

So yeah, right now I feel like organizing my collection by year instead of by brand. Somehow it makes more sense. I don't know...I'll have to think about it. I'll let you know.