I start this post off with a note of sadness today. Back in 2002 or 2003, I used to go to Spring Training games in Lakeland, Florida, trying to get autographs from whomever I could. It was there that I met a kid named Zach, who was only 7 years younger than me. He lived in Michigan, and would come down every spring with his mom to go to games and get autographs. I saw Zach just about every year, and we had tons of fun getting signatures every year. Zach was always kind, once trading me an '02 Upper Deck 40-Man card of Steve Colyer so I could get it signed since I didn't have one. Another time, we were at some practice fields, and Matt Anderson gave him a bat and a ball, and Zach was nice enough to let me have the ball since I didn't quite get to Matt before he was finished giving things away. My favorite memory of Zach, though, was seeing the joy on his face when I gave him a '95 Topps card. We were talking about players with funny names, and I mentioned how I had a card of Bucky Buckles (a guy who I actually collect). He thought I was crazy, and I promised him I had a card of Bucky, and I looked through a box of duplicates I had, which I thought would have an extra Bucky card, and sure enough, it did. I came to a Tigers practice the next day with a Bucky Buckles '95 Topps card for Zach, and he started cracking up.
So while getting on SportsCollectors.net today, I came across a post stating that Zach had passed away due to a car crash a few days ago. I will always remember all of the fun we had graphing, but most of all, your kindness, Zach. RIP.
Here is a photo his mother took of us one spring.
I finally finished the '84 Topps set, and if I never have to do another custom with 2 photos on the same card, it will be too soon. '84 was the biggest pain in the butt set I have ever done, but it is now finished. I hope to get back to the '93 set pretty soon, and that should be easy as pie compared to '84.
With the '84 set now finished, I have completed the 1983 Topps, 1983 Topps Traded, 1984 Topps, 1984 Topps Traded, 1992 Topps, 1994 Topps, and 1998 Topps sets. The links to the completed sets are at the right side of my blog if you want to look at them (as well as the checklists of other in-progress sets). Many thanks to Marc Weiss, who helped with many of these, and to anyone else who helped add cards to the set for me. Without further delay, the 1984 Topps and 1984 Topps Traded sets:
So while getting on SportsCollectors.net today, I came across a post stating that Zach had passed away due to a car crash a few days ago. I will always remember all of the fun we had graphing, but most of all, your kindness, Zach. RIP.
Here is a photo his mother took of us one spring.
I finally finished the '84 Topps set, and if I never have to do another custom with 2 photos on the same card, it will be too soon. '84 was the biggest pain in the butt set I have ever done, but it is now finished. I hope to get back to the '93 set pretty soon, and that should be easy as pie compared to '84.
With the '84 set now finished, I have completed the 1983 Topps, 1983 Topps Traded, 1984 Topps, 1984 Topps Traded, 1992 Topps, 1994 Topps, and 1998 Topps sets. The links to the completed sets are at the right side of my blog if you want to look at them (as well as the checklists of other in-progress sets). Many thanks to Marc Weiss, who helped with many of these, and to anyone else who helped add cards to the set for me. Without further delay, the 1984 Topps and 1984 Topps Traded sets:
Congratulations, hopefully the future sets will be easier. Thoughts and prayers for your friend.
ReplyDeleteFine work. Sorry to hear about your buddy.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your friend. Thoughts are with his family.
ReplyDelete