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Collector's Corner Showcase, Volume 9: Brewer Andy

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AmishDave

Featured Contributor, Collector Showcase, Senior M
Sep 19, 2009
12,383
37
Ely, MN
A big thank ya to Andy who is this weeks member for the Collector's Corner Showcase.


1) When did you start collecting Jeff Cirillo and other Brewers and why do you collect them?

Like a lot of you I started colelcting in 1987. I didn't even watch much baseball at the time, my 10 year brain wasn't capable of paying attention to a 3 hour broadcast. I'd been to a few games growing up before that and vaguely remember people making a big fuss over the Brewers in the early 80's. My mom came home from the grocery store one day with a couple packs of '87 Topps. I'm sure she had read or heard some human interest piece about people striking it rich on the booming baseball card market. My mom was a bit of a tom-boy and had even collected Braves cards when she was a girl (too bad Grandma threw them out). I distinctly remember pulling Bo Jackson and BJ Surhoff Future Stars cards out of those first 2 packs. Within 48 hours those first 30 cards were as round as drink coasters. It didn't take long for the kids at school to fill me in on proper storage. Oddly enough, the cards caused me to start watching the game of baseball as opposed to the other way around. This was a time when every kid who rode a bike bought and traded baseball cards. By the end of that summer I finally pulled an Andy Dawkins card to complete my set. By mid '88 I became a full blown player collector. I always enjoyed having a full 9-pocket page of one player or the same card. The brewers were great and Dale Sveum was my favorite. Not being an all-star, he didn't exactly have hundreds of cards to chase so I moved on to Mark McGwire. (Robin Yount was ok and all but he looked too much like my dad to be cool to a 10 year old and lets face it, 49 homers was insane for 1987). I spent the next 5-6 years going to card shops and shows with my mom, tracking down an endless supply of oddballs, regional issues, and unlicensed beauties.

Eventually I got older, got a job and a car, and the girls in my class got boobies. Cards took a back seat but I continued to follow the Brewers through some really miserable years. The lone bright spot was often Jeff Cirillo, my favorite player from that or any era, who has been referred to as "the Robin Yount of our generation". I grew up and had kids, a house, and bills. I reached a point where I needed to find a hobby I could enjoy as time away from life's stresses. Getting back into collecting coincided with the return of competitive baseball in Milwaukee. Drafting Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks was an exciting time and finally gave fans some optismism. I remember sitting in my car listening to Bob Uecker as Cory Hart made his Major League debut and thinking to myself, I should get some cards of these guys.

Like many of you, again, I dove back in head first completely shocked by this new "online" world of collecting and how SO MUCH had changed. I went through the required growing pains (the hazing) of trying to figure out what all of this stuff was and meant and probably spent too much money in the process. I needed focus and over a few years and peaks and valleys came upon what works best for me:
A) Brewers (duh)
B) Mostly Retired Players (they're cheaper in general, you know where they've been, where they went, and they're less likely to become a disappointment to you as a fan now that they're out of the spotlight)

I'm leaving out some details but that's already a long enough answer to a simple question.


2) What was the turning point in your collecting ____ ? What put you over the edge and made you completely focus on ______ ?

The turning point was more of a process as I alluded to, really just finding a happy medium of what works well for me, my time, and my budget (with kids it aint what I'd like it to be!) I have my player collections (Dale Sveum, Rob Deer, Jeff Cirillo, Jeromy Burnitz) and some small side projects that I've learned to take my time on like current and former Brewers autos and inserts that I buy at the low point after they've left town, a PSA graded '57 Braves team set, and rebuilding the collection I had as a kid (lots of junk era star cards that make me feel young)


3) What has been the high point in collecting Jeff Cirillo? The low point ?

There've been many high points: finally locating and acquiring and game used jersey from the 90's era (just last week!), meeting some great people who have shown incredible generosity. The low points haven't been particularly heinous (getting some cards stolen as a kid and adult), once you accpet the fact you "can't have everything" collecting becomes so much more enjoyable


4) What deal did you have slip through the cracks, that you regret ? Why didn't it work out ?

Nothing major springs to mind but I did miss out on the only Fleer Legacy 1/1 I've seen because I didn't know how to snipe yet and forgot about the auction. That one still stings a bit.


5) What's your favorite piece / card in your collection ? Why ?

It would be so difficult to choose one, I'll throw a few scans of my favorites at the end.


6) What's your wife / significant other / family think of your obsession (or collecting) for ______ ?


She doesn't say too much about it and has never actively engaged in the hobby or attempted to participate. She does see me sorting cards now and then and giggles to herself and tells me she thinks it's cute when I'm "playing with my cards". This one's a keeper.


7) What's your white whale or just a card you can't seemingly track down or acquire ?

Currently I'd say the Dale Sveum 1998 Pacific Online Winner card (or Cirillo). Mostly because I'm not sure its even out there. The rest of the non 1/1 cards I need I'm confident will show up someday if I live long enough.


8) Have you met the player you collect and what was the experience like ? (For set collectors, it'd be asking about meeting other set collector's of said set and having discussions with them).

I've gotten autographs in person from all of the guys I collect but haven't had any extended discussions per se. They have all been polite and respectful, I'd hate to come off as some sort of stalker.


9) What is your biggest pet peeve about collecting ______ ?

Right now it's gotta be the Topps exclusive license. I like choices and competition. Closely behind is probably people who quote "book value" and the lack of hobby shops/kids participating in the hobby


10) How have forums / eBay / COMC helped your collecting of _____ ? How have they hurt ?

Like the other guys, I can't think of a way it has been hurt by these sites. Growing up you had to look in magazine adds or call 1-900 numbers and listen to lists to try to track down a specific card. I'll say again the generosity of some of our fine members has been amazing over the years. There's a reason some guys get immortalized in my signature :smile:


11) How much competition do you face in your collecting of _____ ? How often do you check forums / auction sites for your player ?

For my player collections almost none until the rare cards pop up that set collectors or rare parallel collectors get in on. I check the sites several times each day afraid that I'll miss something. Thank God for smart phones.


12) Any thoughts of ever giving up the collection ?

At this point no. I have a few things that I could sell off if the need arises but the bulk of my collections are more valuable to me in terms of memories and nostalgia and thoughts of fading youth than most people would pay for a nice steak dinner. I do not collect for profit or investment. I've taken a loss on almost every card I have ever sold. But I'm completely at peace with that because I have a blast doing it!


13) How has the generosity of FCB'ers or other forum / site members helped your collection ? Elaborate.

I mentioned generosity above but specific examples that stand out from 2 of our members: [MENTION=1837]Dazed[/MENTION] once sent me an entire set of 4 Jeff Cirillo printing plates from '06 Upper Deck.......amazing to this day! Also, for years Burbank had an '01 Elite Status /7 Jeff Cirillo listed for over $90. [MENTION=2738]uniquebaseballcards[/MENTION] sent me one free of charge. There have been more but these stand out as those guys could have held me over the fire for some cash but instead sent me, a total stranger, gifts that absolutley made my day (often month!)

And then just a general wrap up, like an acceptance speech.

That's about it for my story. Just a dude in Wisconsin with 3 kids and closing in on 40 fast, trying to get away for an hour a day thinking about baseball and times when $0.25 could put Don Mattingly in your living room for a moment. A few scans of my personal faves are below for those that can appreciate and thanks for indulging me




RilloJSYFront_zpsf0cffe36.jpg

2001StatusGroup.jpg

1998LeafFractalMaterialsZ2Axis.jpg

1999SPSignatureAutographsGold.jpg

1999FleerMystiqueMasterpiece.jpg

2000FleerFocusMasterpiece.jpg

2005PrimePatchesPortraitsJumboSwatchPrime2.jpg

2005ToppsTurkeyRedSuede.jpg

2005PrimePatchesPortraitsJumboSwatchPrime.jpg

2004LeafLimitedThreadsButton.jpg

2005RookieCupOriginalRelic.jpg
 

Gwynn545

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2008
5,526
44
North Seattle
Ohhh...Your "name" is Andy and you "collect" Brewers...I get it now!
Good stuff! Very entertaining as always on both ends (writer and writee)!
 

Brewer Andy

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
9,634
21
Ohhh...Your "name" is Andy and you "collect" Brewers...I get it now!
Good stuff! Very entertaining as always on both ends (writer and writee)!

Many people over the years have assumed I enjoy making home brew.

-and because it's vital, it was Andy Hawkins from the '87 set, excuse the apparent autocorrect
 

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