The makers of these cards have always suffered from a collective lack of imagination. Hell, I could have taken better pictures than were on the 1970s Topps cards and when they totally screwed up the collectible nature through overproduction in 1981 (of a perfectly awful set) I even became discouraged. Silly Donrus and Fleer competition renewed my interest unitl 1989 when the Upper Deck ignited my enthusiasm once more and I more than doubled my collection. I worked briefly in a card shop and the 800-count boxes burgeoned.

Now I pick up a pack here and there, either at a dollar store or a re-packaged set from Walgreen's. Just enough to feed the addiction. The result is that I have a steel-trap memory for statistics and can estimate batting averages and ERA pretty much in my head.

Some of us are still out here, stockpiling the rectangles in hopes that our kids will at least gflance at them before allowing the auctioneer to gavel them all away.