Saw Erik Gonzalez’s name pop up the other day, thinking about his time with the Indians. Just one of those names that sticks in your head from a certain period, you know?
And it got me thinking, not so much about his specific stats or anything, though he was a solid player. Nah, it was more about what I was up to around that time. I was trying this little project, a personal thing.
My Grand Memorabilia Misadventure
So, I got this idea in my head that I wanted to get a few cool pieces of memorabilia. Not the super expensive stuff, just something neat. I figured, I’m a grown-up, I can figure this out. Maybe a signed ball, a cool photo, something like that. I wasn’t trying to make money; it was just for the fun of it, a bit of a hobby to get into.
My first step was research. Loads of it. I started looking at team rosters from around then, trying to see who was playing, who might be doing appearances. Players like Erik Gonzalez would have been on those lists I was scanning, just as part of the whole team picture. I’d spend evenings just scrolling through websites, fan forums, trying to get a feel for how you even go about this stuff.
Then I decided to try and get something in person. I heard about a card show, not too far away. Drove out there one Saturday. Thought it would be this cool, organized thing. Well, it was organized, I guess, but it was also a bit overwhelming. So many tables, so many people. And the prices for some things! Wow.
- I spent ages looking for parking.
- Walked around for like, two hours, feeling a bit lost.
- Realized I probably should have had a much clearer plan.
I talked to a couple of vendors. Some were nice, some looked at me like I had three heads because I didn’t know all the lingo. I saw a few things I liked, but then I’d hesitate. Is this a good deal? Is it even real? You hear stories, you know?
I ended up buying a couple of glossy photos of players – I think one was a pitcher who had a good season a while back. And a protective case for a baseball, even though I didn’t have a special baseball to put in it yet. That was my big haul for the day. The drive home, I just felt a bit deflated. It wasn’t the triumphant hunter returning with his prize, more like, “Well, that was an afternoon.”
So yeah, when a name like Erik Gonzalez comes up, and I think of the Indians from that general timeframe, my mind doesn’t just go to the games. It goes to that whole slightly awkward, mostly unsuccessful attempt to become some kind of memorabilia collector. It makes me laugh a little now. I still have that empty baseball case somewhere, I think. A reminder of my big plans!
