What sparked your game used interest?

[Neal]

I am new to these boards, so this may be a topic that comes up often.

In any event, my brother in law gave me this as a gift a few years ago:



It is a 1966 Matty Alou gamer. This is what started my collection.

He received it from Matty himself (he is a big Pirates fan) and it was the same day he got an auto'd Koufax ball. So with some quick deduction, it had to be from 1966 - Alou was the NL Batting champ that year. I was hooked, although it has only been recently that game used items have surpassed cardboard in terms of personal hobby goals.

OT - The weight of this bat is fairly substantial (36 oz) for a player with Alou's stature.

So what did it for you guys?

Thanks

[TriplexXxSports]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

I started collecting 'Game Worn' cards. I was absolutely mesmerized by the multi-colored swatches, and the limited editions. I always shot for jersey cards that were #/25 or less.

Seeing as those cards were rare and what not, I started thinking about how cool would it be to own the whole jersey that these cards are made from. I started moving away from the cards and collecting cleats, and gloves since they were more affordable at the time, but ultimately wanted the sought after jersey.

After I had managed a big enough collection of high dollar jersey/auto cards, I sold most of them off to get my first game worn jersey. Ever since I laid my hands on it I was hooked.

[JasonBanz]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

Funny to say it, but GUU is what got my intrest sparked. I found a jersey on ebay and bought it. The seller thought maybe it was used. I wanted to look and see and came across this board. I then bought another jersey, thought it could possibly be game worn and it wasn't. Then I bought my first one from a reputible seller and then I was toast! Done! Officially obsessed! Thanks GUU, I now have a disease!

[TriplexXxSports]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

......I now have a disease!

Its like CRACK! I just can't say NO!

[Neal]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

Its like CRACK! I just can't say NO!

I can certainly appreciate that!

[gingi79]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

I started collecting because women really dig guys with pot bellies who wear dirty shirts..........

Honestly, my wife likes my collection so maybe my above comment isn't as silly as it sounds.

I got into the game because I have always liked the look of jerseys and after one too many chinese knockoffs off of eBay, I figured the only way to get "authentic" was to get the realest version. Tada! Game Worn

[bigtruck260]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

A buddy of mine did some yard work for Bernard Gilkey and asked me if I wanted an autograph. At first, I said no - but got to looking on eBay and found a 'game bat'. It had ball marks, tar, etc.

My buddy said he smiled when he saw it. It was one of his earlier bats....

I thought that was cool, it looked cool - and I have been hooked ever since.

[cohibasmoker]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

It was 1969. I was introduced to players and staff members of the Philadelphia Eagles inside the locker-room at Franklin Field. How do I know it was 1969? All of the Eagles jerseys had the NFL 50th Anniversary patches on their jerseys.

Jim

flaa1a@comcast.net

[joelsabi]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

negativity of baseball cards in 1994-1995. the parallel cards (gold version, artist proofs. silver version, etc.), the inserts, the continuous need to update the player checklist with new offering monthly, the outrageous prices, the inflexible card show dealers, the gas needed to go to cardshows (pre-ebay).

the spark: the ads in the sports collectors digesst for game used items of roberto clemente , dale murphy, ken griffey, and alex rodrigeuz for sale or on auction and thinking this would be an alternative.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

I'd love to answer this, but my memory is a little hazy when it comes to events that happened during the Revolutionary War.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[geoff]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

Loving my Team The Baltimore Orioles And wanting to get some of The Players Bats And Etc.Then went to Players I like.

geof631@yahoo.com


Always on The Lookout for Orioles Items.

Thanks
Geoff

[CampWest]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

I collected baseball cards for years... I'm pretty much out of that except for the occassional vintage rookie card, current player autographed rookie card, and superstar/HOF auto. I still love collecting sports memorabilia though and game used items are perfect for me.

I am sort of mildly OCD when it comes to certain aspects of my personal life and my un-glorious sports career, somewhat superstitious in following a pattern on game day, and fascinated by the smallest details that go in to making the whole so much greater than its parts (its why we love following the micro-details of individual soldiers in Band of Brothers more than the macro-strategy of an Eisenhower - the fascination is in the details and the personal trials). Game used bats, hats, jerseys,etc are perfect for all of that. All the quirks of the players come out in how much and what type of pine tar/moto stick, grip tape, bat length, weight, wood species, manufacturer, bat color, grain count, knob markings, etc.

I think GU collecting displays much better than cards, I think its a more tangible connection to the game and its history than cards. And I guess to really simplify it, I'd rather spend my money on 34" slabs of wood than 2x3" slabs of cardboard.

[godwulf]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

My whole life I'd never really been much of a sports fan, and especially with moving around in the Navy for over twenty years, I never thought in terms of having a "home town team" to be a fan of. Baseball is the only sport that I had ever had the slightest interest in (or understood), but even that interest was intermittent and low-grade.

I retired to Phoenix in '93, and in '95 we got an MLB franchise; the Diamondbacks started playing in '98, and it seemed very natural (and also very exciting) to be getting in on the ground floor of this new team, going to the games, collecting whatever I could get ahold of, and, really for the first time in my life, being a fan. Baseball - I caught it bad.

I discovered eBay at about the same time, and was amazed, one night, to discover an actual game-used bat for sale. I'd never dreamed that you could actually buy something like that. It was a Karim Garcia DBacks bat, and I don't even recall or have a record of what I paid for it - probably in the 40-50 dollar range.

Starting in '99, I began buying gamers from a media guy who knew some of the bat boys - that was before the Team Shop began selling game-used and inflating everyone's prices. I was buying pretty much every bat that he could get his hands on, and continuing to buy on eBay as well.

[metsbats]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

For me it was a natural progression. I started like a lot of folks collecting baseball cards, then went on to autographs attending card shows and standing in line to get Mickey, Joe D, Ted Williams, and countless of other HOFer autographs. After the Mick died in 1995 and the National Pastime and other NY show promoters went with him, game used was the next logical step.

[metsbats]

Re: What sparked your game used interest?

I'd love to answer this, but my memory is a little hazy when it comes to events that happened during the Revolutionary War.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Dave

I was a regular reader of your column in SCD ("Shirt off their backs")

That would date me to the Industrial Revolution I guess