Cards from Kerry, Gavin, and remembering 9-11

It's been a little slow on the card front lately, and rightly so. Back before Covid, I would randomly buy packs at Wal-Mart or Target just to get a sampling of new product. With things the way they are now, all of the Millenial idiots and non-Millenial scumbags have been hoarding up all of the cards that come on the shelves, leaving little for the rest of us people who actually have jobs and such. The last actual packs I've seen in stores have been Heritage, Big League, and Series 2, and I have yet to spot any Bowman, Archives, Allen & Ginter (not that I collect it), and whatever has released since the first group I listed. I haven't checked online to see prices for any of the stuff I am missing, but I wonder if all of this nonsense has caused the price to go up any on cards? People could theoretically buy all of the cards off of the shelves, and charge more than Topps charges from their site, driving the prices to absurd levels. Topps could then raise the standard price, and this could ruin collecting as we know it. 

Maybe I am freaking out a little. It appears that some bloggers have got their hands on some new cards, a few of those being Kerry and Gavin, who were nice enough to send me some Rays to help me try to complete some 2020 sets. 

First up, Kerry from Cards on Cards had a giveaway break a few weeks ago where he opened a few packs of 2020 Bowman, and some packs of late '90's Upper Deck Victory. I was lucky enough to get 2 Rays from the Bowman, and Kerry was nice enough to send me some more guys I needed from 2020 Archives, Topps Series 2, and Donruss Optic. I love the shiny and the McKay card. Thanks for doing all of the giveaways you have been doing, Kerry. Many collectors will look back on this time in years to come and not think of a time where cards were being hoarded off of shelves, but remember how you generously did a number of giveaways and breaks. 

Next up are some cards from Gavin of Baseball Card Breakdown fame. I sent him some Black Gold cards a while back, and he returned the favor with some guys I collect, and Rays that I needed. I could've sworn I had the Robertson, but turns out I just have the 'paper' version. The Huff Blue Refractor is sweet, and so is the Wendle Gold card. Thanks for the great trade, Gavin.

Lastly, I probably won't have tons of time to do a post tomorrow, so I figured I would write it today. Tomorrow marks 19 years since 9-11-01. It's hard to believe it's been that long. I was 18, had just moved about 8 hours away to Mobile, Alabama to go to college for my freshman year. I had just got to know a few people in school who would turn out to be the guys in my first ever band. I got breakfast on a Tuesday morning, and then headed to my first class, which was an early American history class with Dr. Hinson. When I got to class, everyone announced that it had been cancelled due to a plane crash. I went back to the cafeteria and just kind of reflected about everything with my friend Andrew. I didn't get the magnatude of eveyrthing then, I was just so sheltered and young at that point. Later, at lunch, I met up with the guys in the band, and we talked about it, and eventually, I ended up back in my dorm and me and my roommates watched the news for the rest of the day. My mom called and wanted to make sure I was ok. Everything was just so surreal during that day and for some of the coming weeks. I was actually crazy enough to take a plane ride home to Florida a few days before Thanksgiving that year, and although I had never flew in a plane before that, I could tell it was different than normal, as I had to get thoroughly searched, and the same thing with my bags. On the way back to Montgomery, I had stashed as many baseball cards as I could in my suitcases, and the guys doing security that day must've thought I was crazy. I kind of wish they would still be that vigilant with the security now, but technology has improved since then. 

I was actually lucky enough to visit Ground Zero in New York in 2008, while on a trip to New York City/Boston/Cooperstown. The tribute site hadn't been finished yet, and there was a piece of a broken cinderblock in the area of Ground Zero that I feel was probably part of one of the buildings, and I took it back home with me as a reminder of what happened. 

I also have a card that kind of relates to the day, an American Heroes relic of John Finn. He had just worked a night shift as a NYC fireman, and he bravely kept working to try to save people from the wreckage. At one point, I had his base card from the American Heritage set, and tracked him down on MySpace, and he was kind enough to sign it for me. Unfortunately, it was one of the cards I sold with my autograph collection. 

Lastly, there is kind of a baseball connection to all of this. Marty Boryczewski was a catcher in the Detroit Tigers system. I must've seen him play a game or two in Lakeland, because I have his autograph on a pennant. 

After baseball, he became a trader, and was in one of the towers on 9-11. I wish I would've payed more attention to the players back in '96 when I probably got this autograph, but I was only 13. It's kind of sad to know that I have an autograph of someone who was in the towers that day. I hope that everyone who was in the towers that day is remembered tomorrow and that those left behind can live their lives in rememberance of those who aren't with us. With things as crazy as they are in 2020, we all could use some brightness and hope (and packs of cards on shelves).

Thanks for checking out my latest post.

-Jeremy