1993 Select Chase Stars #15 Cal Ripken

This card is a 1993 Select Chase Stars #15 Cal Ripken Jr. baseball card.  Insert from the Select brand.  This is a great looking set that I have been after for a while now and the search continues for the other players.  Although, this set has lost some of its luster/price I still like them.  Back in the 90's when this set first came out the prices for them really skyrocketed.  Kinda glad they came down so I could afford some and get a few more in trades.

1975 Topps #320 Pete Rose

Ernie Banks 2005 Prime Cuts Timeline Material Combo CY HR #37

My first Ernie Banks game used baseball card.  I haven't collected much of his stuff but I really just had to have this one so I traded for it.  It's serial numbered to 25.  It has a piece of his jersey and game used bat.  Another great addition for me.

Andy Pettitte 2004 Bowman Heritage Threads of Greatness

Here is my most recent Andy Pettitte baseball jersey card.  Again in a Astros uniform instead of the hated Yankees pinstripes.  Purchased it off eBay.

Going to put together my first baseball card set

Ok, so it's not a big set, just 9 cards but it's a really nice looking one and a couple of the cards are a little expensive (Cal Ripken & Griffey Jr).  1995 Leaf Statistical Standouts.  This is the first one I got from a Beckett member who gave it to me for free.  If you have one let me know.

How Baseball Cards Literally Saved My Life By Annonymous Beckett Member

If this doesn't inspire you, nothing will.

Hello everyone Im a regular member on beckett.com and many of you know me , I just want to share something personal and something I am very greatful to the hobby for but would rather stay annonymous: please please take the time to read this It may help you or someone you love

Around 1998 I was involved in a very serious car accident and the responding officer told my wife at the time it was an absolute honest to god miricle that I lived through it, in result of that accident I needed quite a few operations due to the extent of my injuries, and as many people know the first thing after a surgery the first thing the doctor does is load you up with pain meds to keep the patient from and suffering. as for me I was the type of person who never drank and especially never ever would go near drugs, not even and asprin for a headache, so as normally I refused to take any of the pain meds the doctor tried to give me, but still he wrote some prescriptions and gave them to my wife to fill with out my knowledge. so the first day out my pain was pretty much unbearable to the point that it hurt to even breath, so by that night I had no choice but to take these very very powerful painkillers that the doc had my wife get from the pharmacy, and no longer than 45 minutes after I took them the pain subsided a very considerable amount and I was no longer in that gut wrenching pain and able to fall asleep, so I bit the bullet and admitted to myself that its okay to take them, that is what they are for to relieve me from suffering, and the doc says its fine to take

So as a person in my condition I pretty much was given and endless supply of what at the time I didn't know was a very very very addicting narcotic drug called oxycontin that is said to be stronger then heroin, all I had to do is see the doc and go to the pharmacy for my "medicine". well as time went on and I began to heal and had less and less pain but was taking more and more pills that the doctor more than happily gave me and I would say to myself "I mean if a doctor is giving it to me then I'm not doing anything harmful, I mean hes the one with all the diplomas"right? WRONG! and over time my habit became to a point that I would run out of my prescription two-three weeks before I could get more, eventually when it came time for the doctor to give me my month supply it now was only lasting about a week at the most! so I turn to the streets to supply and feed the unbelievable addiction I had aquiered, finally the doc got tired of my lies and stories and just pretty much cut me off and closed his door to me and never looked back, with not even giving me any advice on how to get help or stop. Eventually I found someone who I could buy as many as I wanted anytime anyday of the week and thats when things took a turn for the worst

So let fast forward 5 years its now 2003 I lost my wife, my family, my house, my car, and my job and pretty much living on friends couch and my whole life was revolved around how am I gonna get my next score, and how will I pay for it, and nothing els mattered, and the craziest thing is I was never able to admit that the drugs were the reason my life was in shambles,in my mind I was just a guy down on his luck that cant catch a break

Eventually after hitting many lows and getting arrested I was forced with an ultimatum either go to jail or go to rehab, so obviously I went to rehab which help for a bit but as time when on I was back out doing the same thing and still in denial that drugs was the reason that my life was completely and utterly a disaster, I went to rehab for a second time just to keep my family from basicly disowning me and just like last time I only stayed clean for a few weeks, and just continued living that vicious circle day in and day out. untill, one day I went to my parents house unannounced and my wife was there, little did I know this whole time she never stopped seeing my family and they looked at her more as there daughter then me as their son, it was the first time I seen her in nearly 3 years and I had the same feeling in my stomach as I did when I saw her for the first time ever, and It killed me to know that Ive lost her.

Third time back in rehab and this time I check myself in for me because I finally was able to look in the mirror and admit that I had a very very seriouse problem and If I dont stop and really do something I will end up dead or in jail all alone, so I completed a 90 day treatment plan and moved to a halfway house for people like I was,and started my 12 step program along with NA and it was no easy task, when I was at work or busy doing my house duties things were for the most part easy, but when there was down time, the cravings were unbearable to the point where all I could think about was using, and actually did slip quit a few times but over all stay on a straight path,

One day the I was at my parents house helping clean the storage room and I found this huge box with MY CARDS written on it, and it hit me that this was my baseball card collection from when I a kid!!!! So I wrestled it up into my car to take home with me to check out when I had time, I had no idea what I had inside it was over 20 years since I been in that box, so on the way home I stopped to see if Beckett still sold price guides and there it was Ill never forget the cover it was a yellow cover with a 2001 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols rookie auto on it and its said something like $3500 for this card????

I learned how much cards have changes since the 80s and was totally just drawn to the fact that there were pieces of jerseys that the players actually wore built right in the card and some are even signed???????So I had the price guide out to check my old stash and just one example I pulled out my complete set of 1987 topps all excited thinking it was gonna be worth a few hundered dollars and yes lol we all know the answer to that one, but still it was soooo cool to see all these old memories from when I was a innocent little boy all right in front of me I felt like I went back in time...But from reading the Beckett I couldn't wait to check out this new stuff that was out. So I found a hobby shop not to far from my house that I been driving past for years and never knew it was there? and bought a bunch of assorted packs of many different products that were out at that time and couldn't wait to get in the car to open them,and that was it my first pack I opened was a legendary cuts and pulled a cut auto of some old timer waite hoyte? or somethin like that( talk about beginners luck)

So as time when on I started picking up whole boxes so I could get the box hits and I was really into building sets and had a couple of players collections I started to work on. and for the first time in nearly 10 years I finally found what I was looking for to fill that empty void that was created by the horrible disease of addiction, and then eventually I found the mother load of all......Ebay!!!! endless amounts of cards to search and buy, and plus one of my favorite things to do, look at those super high end cards I will never ever be able to afford but its always fun to wish

As time when on I grew a huge collection with quite a few really nice hi dollar hits but didnt know what to do with the ones I really didnt want but knew others probably did. and a fellow collector taught me how to sell on ebay which was great and thats when my renewed love for collecting cards was the one single thing I can say brought me back from what was truely hell on earth
So now 3/13/2010 its 2 years to the day clean!!!! and I can truly say that I am a happy man and I am just so greatful for this hobby, this website, and all the wonderful people Ive met through this hobby like I said in the beginning if your a regular on these beckett boreds you know who I am as I am a regular on here daily, but just would rather keep all this on a annonymous level since its a very emotional subjuct and I do know that some people dont understand the struggle of addiction and can sometimes pass judgement that effects thier outlook on an me as an addict

If your young or old this can happen to anyone, I never thought it could happen to me since I was a very anti drug and alcohol individual,and just as innocently as I thought I had to do it just because a doctor said it was okay, it took ahold of me and didnt let go for alomost 11 years, oh and I am back living with my wife happy as ever for almost a year now and still attend NA 12 step meetings regularly.....I hope at least one person can learn from this and JUST SAY NO!!!!

10 Cards everyone should own!

Not nessesarily in any order.

1. 1969 Topps #260 Reggie Jackson RC
2. 2001 Bowman #264 Albert Pujols RC
3. 1982 Topps Traded #98T Cal Ripken
4. 1993 SP #279 Derek Jeter RC
5. 1994 SP #15 Alex Rodriguez RC
6. 1955 Bowman #179 Hank Aaron
7. At least one vintage Mantle card
8. 1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan UER RC
9. 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr.
10. At least one vintage Ted Williams card

2003 Bowman Chrome X-Fractors #100 Barry Bonds

Just bought this graded 2003 Bowman Chrome X-Fractors #100 Barry Bonds.  Got it super cheap too.  It's also my first 9.5 graded card.  I've got some graded cards coming back from Beckett so hopefully I will get somemore graded that high.

Nolan Ryan 2007 SP Legendary Cuts Masterful Materials

You can never have enough Nolan Ryan cards in your collection.  A great jersey card is cool to have too.  Just got this one in today.

2009 Bowman Sterling Prospects Gold Refractors #RS Rinku Singh

Just bought this card off eBay for pennies.  Not really sure who Rinku Singh is but if he turns out to be a good player this is a great card to have.  I have always really loved Bowman Sterling sets.  Even if he turns out not to be good player its a great looking card.

Tommy Hanson Baseball Cards are HOT!

Here is one of my 2009 Topps Tommy Hanson # HTA16 cards.  This guy is going to blow past batters this year.  If you don't have any of his cards yet, you better start before they really start skyrocketing.