Why I collect what I collect.

So, the other day, my buddy mentions the White Plains Card Show, which will be this weekend, May 15th and 16th at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY, and lets me know that Scott McGregor is signing for free there. I pretty much say no thanks. His response is never turn away a free autograph, which has some validity to it. However, there is a reason behind my response of no thanks. which is not a commentary on Mr. McGregor, who was a good pitcher for the O's.

When I first started collecting, I was collectiong everything and everyone. If I had a card, It would get signed. If there was a card set, I tried to complete it. After a year or two, I realized I was trying to do too much with my collections and wasn't having fun with it. I was too busy trying to see if I can get a shortstop I never heard of, who played 2 games at the major league level for the Montreal Expos to sign a card I had. I sat back, thought things through and decided to alter the way I collect and what I collect.

I'm a die hard Yankees fan. Have been since 1976. I love the Jets and have since 1981. I enjoy watching the Knicks and have been a fan since 1983 and when it comes to hockey, I love watching my Devils. That love affair started in 1990 and I also follow the Islanders. That said, I decided those were the teams I would focus my collection on. Instead of putting together complete card sets, I would work on team sets. I would go after autographs from athletes who played for those teams. I would buy bobbles from those teams only. Figures, pictures, apparell. Only from those teams. I will admit to some rules with the autograph collecting.

My first rule is they have to be wearing a Yankee, Jets, Knicks, Devils or Islanders uniform in the picture or card I add. Secondly, they have to have actually played with the team be it an at bat, shift, or down, they have had to had physically played with the team. I will admit to owning autos of players from the farm that never played for any of my teams. I put those in my farm team collection and try to wait until they hit the majors before pursuing. I'm no prospector, but I sometimes will try to get a player to sign before they hit the big time and become an impossible auto.

With bobbles, As my collection grows, there may be teams in my collection that I don't collect. Reason for that will be whenever I go to watch a game, I will pick up a bobble. I will either pick up a mascot bobble or a generic bobble. I already have generic bobbles from the Brooklyn Cyclones and the New York Mets from Shea Stadium. I would like to add a Mr. Met from Citi Field this season.

So, based on all this, my collection is more personalized and I enjoy it more. Plus, there are tons of stuff from these teams that will have me pursuing new autos and items to add to my collection for the rest of my life and I will love every second of it.