Friday, March 5, 2010

I Am Really Stupid and I am Not Sure if I am Still a Card Collector...

I am an idiot. I am very depressed right now. Last night I was supposed to work outside and I thought I would have a lot of time to post. I spent about 4 hours scanning cards and packed all of them into a shoe box along with everything I had from my set collections that I hadn’t posted yet. Thursdays are normally really slow, so I brought a ton of cards with me. I didn’t have my Carl Crawford cards with me fortunately, but I did have all of my 1951 Bowman (43 cards including Campanella, Snider, Ford, Berra, Fox, Mize, Roe, Sain, Vander Meer, Robin Roberts, Larry Doby, Hank Thompson and Danny Murtaugh) and all of my 1965 Topps (Clemente, Mays, Koufax, Aaron) plus all of my Topps Gold Rays cards (over 100 total) from over the years and all of my new 2010 Topps relics which were going to be the focus of my next contest. I had all of the Rays cards that I posted 2 days ago with me. The Aki silk, plus the David Price and Carl Crawford silk cards that I had JUST purchased were with me. Everything that has been shown on this blog in the past 2 weeks EXCEPT the Crawford PC and the Allen and Ginter cards from Duane and MOST of my 1964 Topps Giants were in the box. The 3 newest 1887 Allen and Ginter cards I had acquired (Jake Kilrain, Gem Smith and Jimmy Carney) that were still in their stupid PSA slabs, were all in there. When I say “in there” I am referring to the shoe box filled with cards that I had left in my car last night when I thought I was going to work parking lot security. I didn’t lock the door because I thought I would be outside all night. Thursday is a very slow night and I planned on posting ahead, filling up the queue with a ton of posts to go up automatically. Underneath that shoebox of cardboard gold was 2 notebooks filled with story ideas and letters and class notes. I also had my Pirates and Rays media guides. I also had my address book (yes I still write all of my addresses and phone numbers down) which had all of my business contacts in it. I had just got the Bucs Media guide that day and I had a 1952 Bowman card of Billy Meyer bookmarking his page in it because I had a feature on him that I had been working on. All of the notes from that, including a letter from his grandson were in there. My AP Style book and calculus text book were also in there as was a 1966 Lou Brock card that I had just bought that day. I was trying to decide whether to be greedy and keep it or send it out to my favorite Cardinals fan. All of these things, plus my cholesterol medication sat on the front seat of my car. At least I had the sense to bring my lap top inside with me. Anyway, after work was done I was the last person to go out to my car. We shut down at midnight because it was so slow and we were shorthanded anyway. Normally we stay open 24-7. Anyway, when I arrived at my car the passenger’s door was ajar and EVERYTHING that I had left in it was gone. Cards that I had been collecting since I was a kid. Generous gifts from people all over the country and the world. Prizes for this silly blog. All gone. It was my fault, I didn’t lock my door, but it doesn’t change the feeling of emptiness I have going on right now. I have the flash drive with all of the images of all of these cards in my hand right now. Fortunately I had already mailed out some packages, so those cards didn’t get taken, but most of it was still there. Most of my Rays autos and all of my spring training autos were in there. Cards for my little brother (not all of them) were in there. I still have my 2010 Topps base cards and some inserts safely in my binder, but ALL of the relics are gone. My Longoria collection (except for one auto that is on my mantle) is gone. My new player collections that I was planning on unveiling on the Nitty Gritty of Billy Pierce, Mudcat Grant, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Don Newcombe, Tony Oliva, Bill Virdin, Bob Friend, Roy Face, Rod Carew, Duke Snider, Mike Cuellar and Steve Carlton are all gone. There were also 2 special baseballs that I got signed at spring training for my fellow bloggers and a piece of memorabilia from a Pirates pitcher that I know a Cubs fan really likes. I am pretty freaking bummed out right now. Some of the useless scans are posted here. This really sucks. The good news is there is only one card shop in town here. Someone will try and move these cards eventually and my friend Frank from Ryan's Sportscards knows exactly what I lost. I really hope this person trys to sell my stuff soon. Go Rays, troll out.

45 comments:

  1. dude, that blows.

    tell the card shop, and the pawn shops. Hit the flea markets and bazaars. tell the police. get a watchlist on ebay....

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  2. Oh my god. I am so sorry.

    If you have any serial numbered stuff that was taken, keep an eye out on ebay.

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  3. Ugh. I don't even know how you write after something like that.

    I'm very sorry.

    But be vigilant, my friend. That stuff is bound to turn up somewhere. Whoever took it is definitely selling it.

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  4. I feel horrible for you. Good luck getting them back.

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  5. Wow, sorry! A similar thing happened to me twenty years ago in high school. I lost all the cards I ever loved. It lead to my fifteen year exit from collecting, so I know how you feel.

    Hang in there!

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  6. Dude, that sucks! That is the worst thing I have ever heard about in this hobby so far, and like night owl says, how in the world can you write about this after it happened? That's gotta be horrible, I would be so mad if that happened to me. Sorry dude, you'll get them back eventually, somehow and someway!

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  7. Aren't our friendly FLORIDIAN neighbors great! I hope the person or people responsible are caught and punished!

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  8. Oh man. I'm so sorry to hear this. That's really awful news. Good advice from other commenters here - try to stay on top of this & hopefully some of the items will turn up.
    Best of luck Sir!

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  9. I feel physically ill after reading that. Words aren't enough to tell you how sorry I am for what happened to you. I hope that by some miracle you are reunited with your collection.

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  10. Sorry to hear about this! Dude, check Craigslist asap; being a vintage collector, thefts in the past have end up on Craigslist and on many ocassions, cards have been recovered.

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  11. Dude, like everyone else, I can't even begin to say how sorry I am to hear that. Hopefully the dumb SOB will head straight to the local card shop thinking he's going to make a killing.

    I'm sorry dude.

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  12. Oh my god. That nearly made me cry. I feel so sad for you. You are such a great and generous person and some lowlife who doesn't care about anything took it all. I hope this thief is caught.

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  13. I'm really sorry Bacon. That's awful and I hope that you can get it all back soon.

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  14. Someone who could do that should be strung up and paraded in public so everyone can throw things at them. There are just some things that you don't do.

    Hopefully, with enough people on the lookout for your cards, this spineless sniveling weasel will be caught and prosecuted.

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  15. People are rotten! The things we do to each other...

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  16. Dam that sucks. Man i don't even know what else to say. I hope you have some luck getting them back.

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  17. What can I say, so sorry, man! Maybe they'll turn up.

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  18. I have no idea how to comment on that. That is the worst news I have probably ever read about since starting reading blogs. I wish you the best in the recovery process.

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  19. As a fellow card collector that is such a heart breaking story. I don't really know what to say but if you need anything, feel free to contact me.

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  20. Wow man, that sucks. I hope things are looking up soon and they get that bastard.

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  21. Man that sucks! I don't know what to say either. You must feel really horrible. Sorry about all that. Hopefully they'll find the guy. I also suggest looking to ebay, flea market and craiglist. I'm sure somebody will try to sell them there.

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  22. That's a horrible thing to have happen. I'll check with a couple of dealers over here in the St Pete / Clearwater area to see if anyone has tried to sell them this stuff.

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  23. Ugh. I really feel for you. I will post the APB (all 3 people that read my blog will be on the lookout.)

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  24. Fuckin A man. I fell like shit just reading this.

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  25. I don't what else I can say that hasn't been said already.That is a terrible tragedy.When he is captured they should let all us meet with him in a locked room.Don't give up on collecting or all of your friends here!

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  26. That's one of the worst stories ever. Don't be too hard on yourself though. Things should turn around soon.

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  27. Wow...I read your email from work about other stuff and then I popped on blogger before going to dinner and damn...this is just awful. Who the hell would do something so awful to someone? I really hope you catch whoever did it...be it craigslist, be it ebay, be it a local card shop, I hope this guy goes down, and I hope he goes down hard. No one does that to the Troll and gets away with it!

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  28. I'm sorry to hear that, I hope you can recover it soon...!!!!

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  29. If it makes it any better, as soon as you get me your address I'll send you the cards I have for you. These bastards deserve to have their heads kicked in. You might want to try and run a classified for buying old cards, they may just end up coming to you. Best of luck! No way, My word verification was "suspect". I swear I had nothing to do with it.

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  30. That is total bullshit! Karma will get this jerk and he will get his. You're a good dude and the baseball gods will look out for you and hopefully return your cards to you somehow. So sorry this happened to you. Hang in there.

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  31. Aw crap man, that sucks. Save those scans, especially the autos, serial numbers and beat up vintage cards. You might be able to use them to identify a few if they are found. Check your e-mail when you get a chance.

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  32. There's just not a whole lot to say about this, Absolutely terrible, man. Terrible.

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  33. I'm so sorry. I wish you the best of luck in getting them back.

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  34. Man, that is really fucked up. I hope that stuff turns up somehow, especially the stuff that is irreplaceable. I am going to a card show next weekend and will definitely look for something for you.

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  35. Hey Troll,

    I'm sending some old school cards and Rays your way to get things started again. I hope it makes you feel better.

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  36. ah man...sorry to hear about the bad luck! Made me a little ill reading it. I hope you can get it back!

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  37. that sucks big time! I am so sorry! Keep an eye out and hopefully you can recover those cards! I doubt whoever took them is a collector, and they probably have no idea what they have! Hopefully it will turn up!

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  38. i don't know you and we have never traded before, but you may have heard of me. i fancy myself a card philanthropist and this story has hit me in my soft spot. please email me you address, troll, and i will have a package of rays and anything else i can round up in the mail for you this week.

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  39. I'm really sorry! I know what it's like to lose valuable stuff to punks like that. Send me your address and I'll try to help rebuild in any way I can.

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  40. Wow! I kept waiting for the happy ending. I'm so sorry buddy. I was shooting in Chicago last year and had my van window smashed in. They took my GPS and my laptop with all my work on it and my day planner (I'm like you, I write things down.) Lost a few commons that were in my computer bag, but nothing like the treasure you lost.
    I can't even tell you how bad I feel for you. Don't let this consume you.

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  41. Shit, man. Sorry to hear this. Where did this happen? State, city?

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  42. fucking unreal brother - that is terrible - im so sorry - SINK FLORIDA SINK!

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  43. Cardboard Icons-I live in Bradenton, Florida...
    Steve, exactly, Sink Florida Sink!
    Everyone, THANK YOU! Y'all have seriously raised my spirits big time!

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  44. You Can Take the Boy Out of Bradenton... but you can't take the cards out of his effing car! So sorry to hear about this, man- but don't let it get you out of the hobby! You've got a great community here to support you!

    -Andy

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