Finally interviewed all of the '82 Topps "Future Stars"!

Several of you might remember the 1982 Topps Bonner/Ripken/Schneider triple signed rookie card I accomplished a few years ago. When the 1982 Topps Triple signed Bonner/Ripken/Schneider project happened I royally screwed something up in the process. I had spoken with Jeff Schneider and asked about the possibility of doing an interview with my request to send a pair of '82 rookie cards to sign. Jeff said he would think about answering some questions and that he would sign the cards. Well life happened and before I knew it some two years had gone by before getting back with Jeff. I sent a letter asking about the interview with a signed '82 from Bobby Bonner. The card came back signed with no mention of the interview. I genuinely felt terrible about the delay and called him earlier this year to apologize and ask if he would still answer some questions. Jeff was quick to point out that it was a long time ago and that he had not done an interview in a long time. I asked if he would at least look at some questions if I sent them in the mail. He said he'd look at them but made no promises.

I sent Jeff two pages with typed questions. A few weeks went by and I figured I blew my chance of getting his recollections about his baseball days. Of course this would be disappointing to miss out on talking to one of the guys on the 1982 Topps rookie card after corresponding with Bobby and Cal. Since Jeff is also in the 1981 TCMA, 1981 WTF set and participant in "The Longest Game" in baseball history I was pretty frustrated in myself. Today I got home late and found an envelope I had been expecting from IronManFan with contents about the Cal Ripken, Sr., Foundation. Under his envelope was an envelope I immediately recognized as a TTM envelope. I saw the Illinois postmark and ripped it open. There it was, two pages of questions with handwritten answers from Jeff Schneider. Jeff was willing to give detailed responses to every question that I asked. Needless to say I am thankful, relieved and thrilled!

I will do my best to make sure it doesn't take over 2 years to post what he had to say!

I cannot wait to read this ....

55_marlins_sp said:

I cannot wait to read this ....

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Thanks so much! Here is a quick copy/paste of what I asked:

1.You were drafted by the Cubs in 1970 but went to Iowa State. What influenced your decision?

2.Not much is on record in regards to the 1980 Caribbean Championship run with Caguas. How dangerous was it playing in Puerto Rico?

3.In the “longest game” you went 5.1 IP and only gave up 2 hits without issuing a walk while striking out 5. Can you share your recollections from before, during and after the game? Will we ever see another game go 33 innings?

4.You made your Major League debut during the 1981 season. What is it like getting the call? What was your favorite memory from your time in the Majors?

5.You are part of the 1981 TCMA (color) and 1981 WTF (black & white) baseball card sets. Do you have any recollections from the days the pictures for the cards were taken?

6.You share space with Bobby Bonner and Cal Ripken, Jr., on your 1982 Topps rookie card. What do you remember about the process of the pictures being taken? One of the things that has always stood out to me is that none of you are looking at the camera. Were you told to look away? Do you remember what you were looking at? Did Topps reimburse you for your appearance on the card?

7.Where did life take you after baseball?

Finally got around to posting the interview to the site. Please feel free to let me know if any of you spot any typos. I hope you enjoy the interview with Jeff!

Jeff Schneider Interview

Its funny how Topps has gotten lower with the card reimbursement. Most players on a Bowman card get $2.00.

19braves77 said:

Its funny how Topps has gotten lower with the card reimbursement. Most players on a Bowman card get $2.00.

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I thought it was $2 per auto. Do you have any backup for the contract paying players only $2?

When I worked there in 2002, active players got 5 bucks to pen a contract that said we could use them. If we did indeed use them, they got 500 (I think? I wasn't a money man).

Autos started at $1 per and went up to 60.

RITM said:

Finally got around to posting the interview to the site. Please feel free to let me know if any of you spot any typos. I hope you enjoy the interview with Jeff!

Jeff Schneider Interview

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Thanks for the read. I did see one typo in the first paragraph. "Amateur" was spelled "ameteur".

Alex

Always a good read.

Congrats on landing the interview. Thanks for sharing.

Its two dollars until you are on a 40 man roster.

Thank you to all of you for the positive feedback! Obviously I was thrilled to be able to land and share the interview. It's amazing how all of this changes my view about the 1982 Topps rookie card. Once upon a time it was "Cal's rookie card" when I would reference it. After learning the stories I try to reference it as the Bonner/Ripken/Schneider RC. It's also worth pointing out that all of the guys on the card were participants in the longest game in professional baseball history.

UMich92 said:

RITM said:

Finally got around to posting the interview to the site. Please feel free to let me know if any of you spot any typos. I hope you enjoy the interview with Jeff!

Jeff Schneider Interview

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Thanks for the read. I did see one typo in the first paragraph. "Amateur" was spelled "ameteur".

Alex

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Alex, thank you for pointing that out. I will certainly get that updated ASAP.

19braves77 said:

Its two dollars until you are on a 40 man roster.

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I think you're wrong, but it could have changed in the last 8 years.

Cool interview, Mr. OP

Great read. I had a pastor a few years ago that used that card as a metaphor a few times. Basically equating God to Ripken. Ripken made that card great a valuable because the other guys didn't really do that great in the majors. God does the same thing to us. We're not great and valuable without God "on our card" Anyway, thanks once again for a great read.

Cool deal. Linking to your site on my blog tomorrow morning, and just tweeted it as well.

Awesome that you finally snagged an interview.

But good god, the guy has a wooden personality. Formulaic answers with no life or insight at all. This guy approached the interview like Keanu Reeves approaches acting gigs.

This is in NO WAY an attack at RITM

kdailey4315 said:

Great read. I had a pastor a few years ago that used that card as a metaphor a few times. Basically equating God to Ripken. Ripken made that card great a valuable because the other guys didn't really do that great in the majors. God does the same thing to us. We're not great and valuable without God "on our card" Anyway, thanks once again for a great read.

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If you have not done so, take a look at the interview with Bobby Bonner. Bobby left baseball and became a Missionary to Africa. When Bobby goes on speaking engagements he uses his rookie card for an object lesson. He says something to the point of it being about the "man in the middle" that makes him valuable. I can't remember if Bobby said something about that in the inverview or if it was from a private conversation. Bobby recently sent me a signed copy of a publication that he hands out when he travels. I thought it was a very cool gesture.

topprospectalert said:

Cool deal. Linking to your site on my blog tomorrow morning, and just tweeted it as well.

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That is awesome, thank you so much! Although I totally enjoy being able to interview these people the foundation of the site has and always will be protecting fellow collectors. Every bit of exposure for the site only helps the cause. Thanks again!

JoshHamilton said:

Awesome that you finally snagged an interview.

But good god, the guy has a wooden personality. Formulaic answers with no life or insight at all. This guy approached the interview like Keanu Reeves approaches acting gigs.

This is in NO WAY an attack at RITM

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No offense taken.

This was a tough session to accomplish and I can only speculate as to why. When I have the opportunity to interact with someone who played ball with Cal I always ask for the opportunity to interview them. At first a lot of people blow off the idea. Maybe their logic is that I am just going to ask them for details about Cal. Several years ago I read an interview with Jeff where the person doing the interview solely asked Jeff for information about Cal. I am sure he has to deal with that a lot. I think there is something very telling in the fact that he mentioned life after baseball as being normal. In my time doing professional baseball media I found that a lot of players wanted just that, the ability to feel and be treated as normal. Going a step further it only makes sense that these guys wonder why someone would want to speak with someone that did not finish their career in the HOF. This is disappointing in that there are a lot of great stories out there being lost forever.

Again it's just speculation but I hope Jeff felt that I gave him the opportunity to be the focus of the interview.

Understandable. You asked some really good questions BTW.

Can you enlighten me on the 1980 Caribbean Championship? I've never heard of it