It has been a year since I read it, but I really enjoyed Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It's a memoir about her youth, her family, her home, and her love for baseball. The time and place were primarily the suburbs of New York in the 1950's. One of the things that stuck to me was how she and her father were able to bond because of their shared love for the game - and particularly the Dodgers. When she was little, her dad didn't bother to tell her that the box scores would be in the newspaper. Instead, he taught her to keep a scorecard while listening to the radio. When her dad came home from work they would talk about the games. Baseball was woven into her childhood experience (and her subsequent memories) from year to year to year. Baseball cards are woven into mine.
I recently gave my kids some of my baseball cards from the late 80's to open and play with. I used to be fussy about keeping cards in mint condition, but I have a different perspective now. I've come to believe that it's better to let them play with them (at least the 'modern' cards that are as plentiful as locusts were in Egypt). My oldest son is eight, and he is by nature a collector of stuff, like me. He is really having fun sorting them into teams and looking for certain players. I'm excited to see him take an interests in something that I loved as a kid. I don't want him to go overboard with it as I did, but I see a simple pleasure that we can share together. It makes me think of Doris and her Dad - and the way she felt as a child.
All of my kids have seen my interest peaked this year. Most of my girls also have a pile of cards tucked away in their dressers. I think they are responding to the opportunity to share something in common with their Dad. One of my younger daughters makes a real point of showing me her baseball cards from time to time - particularly her Mariners. I can't figure out why on earth she would care about those silly cards at her age, other than the fact that she knows that I like them-and she loves me. It's a fun way to get my attention on her and me. I think it's so sweet. That's one reason I hope to do a little baseball card collecting with my kids. Because I love them.
1 comment:
So I had this funny conversation with Mads. She said she wanted to marry someone like you, but not so in to baseball cards. I pointed out to her that men are usually in to something and I would much rather have baseball cards than say, hunting, vintage cars, gambling, etc. All in all it is a fun hobby that you can do with the fam, that won't cost you a mill in the end.
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