Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

[Toowon]

I've been collecting for years, and all my favorites are stars. When I go to the items wanted and see people who are desperately looking for a Phil Plantier bat, I am honestly puzzled. Why collect no names? I know you guys are out there, and I'm not trying to be funny, but who wants this stuff?

[CampWest]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

To each his own.

Some people like to collect the players from their hometown teams, or guys that grew up locally. And some collect on a budget and can't collect merely Hall of Famers and perennial All-Stars.

[mbrieve]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I've been collecting for years, and all my favorites are stars. When I go to the items wanted and see people who are desperately looking for a Phil Plantier bat, I am honestly puzzled. Why collect no names? I know you guys are out there, and I'm not trying to be funny, but who wants this stuff?

I can tell you that many Tigers fans have fond memories of Matt Nokes. His 1987 rookie season was impressive and he was named to the All-Star team. Also, 1987 was the last time the Tigers won the division.

[Birdbats]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

Everybody has their reasons. Here are a few possible ones...

• Guy is the missing link in a set. Sometimes, the no-name guy's bat is the toughest bat to get.
• You know the player or met him one time and you just like the guy. Could be he was a minor league player that nobody knew, but you got to know each other when the guy was playing rookie league ball.
• He's from your school or hometown.
• You have something in common with the player -- anything from a medical condition to a passion for the same music.
• He did something once that was memorable. For example, my dad likes Roger Freed because Rog hit a walk-off HR against the Dodgers at a game we were at. Rog also smoked on the bench and kept candy in his back pocket -- kind of a big, endearing goof in my dad's eyes. I have 250 bats, my dad has one. Guess who.

When you see an ad where someone is looking for a non-star player's stuff, there's probably a good story behind it.

[CampWest]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I can tell you that many Tigers fans have fond memories of Matt Nokes. His 1987 rookie season was impressive and he was named to the All-Star team. Also, 1987 was the last time the Tigers won the division.

Yeah about .290/28-30HR/85-90RBI right? Not shabby at all.

[metsbats]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

Jeff hit most of the reasons I collect Ed Hearn

- Ed was a member of the 86 Mets and was one of the hardest bats for me to find since he only played that one season for the Mets.

- I was fortunate enough to meet and develop a friendship with him.

- We both share the same Christian faith.

- He juggled 3 baseballs in the 1986 Let's Go Mets Video.

[joelsabi]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I remember refusing $15 for a Phil Plantier Stadium Club RC at a cardshow in 1992. My brother-in-law still rubs it in once in awhile.

Anyways if I was a hardcore Sox fan I would try to locate the bat from this card.

FYI. Plantier did hit 30 hr and 100 rbi in a season latter in his career. Not a slouch at all.

[eisenreich8]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I have collected Jim Eisenreich for about 12 years as he is an inspiration to others with his history of facing down and defeating adversity, playing through it and sharing his time with similarly-afflicted kids (Tourette Syndrome). He is very humble and modest, a true gentleman, and I am thrilled to have met him. He never performed at a "star" level, but is popular with fans and was a steady presence throughout his 15 year career.

I've personally met many "stars" and "superstars" of sports, music, TV, etc. and some just don't do it for me personally. I have GU bats all over my basement walls of such players as Mike Benjamin, Donnie Sadler, Pokey Reese, Marty Barrett, Darren Bragg, and many more. Also Victor Martinez, Mike Lowell, and others who achieved more success, but for what it's worth, they ALL made it to the majors, I never did, so that in and of itself rates them for a spot on my walls. Lowell, for that matter, is a cancer survivor and shares the same character attributes as Mr. Eisenreich.

I am different and probably appear quite odd to state that even if I were inclined to spend the money to do so, I would not go out of my way to augment my collection with Williams, Yaz, or Fisk, for example, because to me, personally, "stardom" is not the criteria I use to collect player(s). I also have Julian Tavarez, Casey Kotchman, and a few other lesser-known players, because I somehow connect with them.

I know some collectors accumulate bats/balls/unis from big name players strictly so they can claim bragging rights. Others collect for investment purposes, and some for a mixture of reasons. But Phil Plantier or Joe DiMaggio is the same guy in some peoples' eyes. Just like you can't say everyone should listen to the Beatles or Stones.

The personal connection can and often is a stronger motivator to collect. Looking at some of the big stars of the past 10-15 years in baseball, it is no wonder that many a collector is worried about unloading some of their stuff and cannot because of the scandals.

Who would today invest much if anything in Tiger Woods-related items? Or Bonds? Where do you draw the line at who is a "star"? Seems like in some cases, the bigger they are, the leper they are.

[rj_lucas]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I have collected Jim Eisenreich for about 12 years as he is an inspiration to others with his history of facing down and defeating adversity, playing through it and sharing his time with similarly-afflicted kids (Tourette Syndrome). He is very humble and modest, a true gentleman, and I am thrilled to have met him.

I remember Jim's days with the Royals quite well. A class act, all the way, and a fan favorite. Best reason to collect a player IMO.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[staindsox]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I collect Jack Hannahan because I went to high school with him. When you've watched a guy develop since he was 14 years old, you're really invested...even if he does only hit .218 in The Show.

Chris

[Buster]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I have collected Jim Eisenreich for about 12 years as he is an inspiration to others with his history of facing down and defeating adversity, playing through it and sharing his time with similarly-afflicted kids (Tourette Syndrome). He is very humble and modest, a true gentleman, and I am thrilled to have met him. He never performed at a "star" level, but is popular with fans and was a steady presence throughout his 15 year career.

I've personally met many "stars" and "superstars" of sports, music, TV, etc. and some just don't do it for me personally. I have GU bats all over my basement walls of such players as Mike Benjamin, Donnie Sadler, Pokey Reese, Marty Barrett, Darren Bragg, and many more. Also Victor Martinez, Mike Lowell, and others who achieved more success, but for what it's worth, they ALL made it to the majors, I never did, so that in and of itself rates them for a spot on my walls. Lowell, for that matter, is a cancer survivor and shares the same character attributes as Mr. Eisenreich.

I am different and probably appear quite odd to state that even if I were inclined to spend the money to do so, I would not go out of my way to augment my collection with Williams, Yaz, or Fisk, for example, because to me, personally, "stardom" is not the criteria I use to collect player(s). I also have Julian Tavarez, Casey Kotchman, and a few other lesser-known players, because I somehow connect with them.

I know some collectors accumulate bats/balls/unis from big name players strictly so they can claim bragging rights. Others collect for investment purposes, and some for a mixture of reasons. But Phil Plantier or Joe DiMaggio is the same guy in some peoples' eyes. Just like you can't say everyone should listen to the Beatles or Stones.

The personal connection can and often is a stronger motivator to collect. Looking at some of the big stars of the past 10-15 years in baseball, it is no wonder that many a collector is worried about unloading some of their stuff and cannot because of the scandals.

Who would today invest much if anything in Tiger Woods-related items? Or Bonds? Where do you draw the line at who is a "star"? Seems like in some cases, the bigger they are, the leper they are.

Hello Mr. eisenreich8,

I always loved him too, and until I read your post, I never realized he had Tourette's syndrome! I thought he was a stutterer.

Is that maybe why he never did a lot of t.v. interviews, because he would always break out into a cussing tyrade? What a sad thing to have to worry about as a pro baseball player. The media must have had to censor conversations with him with a 10-second delay, aye?

Nice talking with you,

Buster

[joelsabi]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

I collect Jack Hannahan because I went to high school with him. When you've watched a guy develop since he was 14 years old, you're really invested...even if he does only hit .218 in The Show.

Chris

Your Hannahan Collection is impressive. Great quality and depth. I think its way tougher to get his items than to get stars item just because not many people would take the effort to hold onto his stuff. You seem like you are on the ball on getting his stuff. Keep up the great work. You photomatch his stuff or is it just tough since photographers dont take his photo.

Was Jack a classmate of yours in high school? Also has he ever seen your collection.

[CampWest]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

And to Jeff's/BirdBats' other point to complement your story... I really want an Eisenriech Royals bat, partially for those reasons, but also because he hit this one laser beam homerun off the face of the fountain signs at Kaufman one of the last games I ever went to with my dad... I can still see that HR when I close my eyes and think about it... it was that memorable.

I have collected Jim Eisenreich for about 12 years as he is an inspiration to others with his history of facing down and defeating adversity, playing through it and sharing his time with similarly-afflicted kids (Tourette Syndrome). He is very humble and modest, a true gentleman, and I am thrilled to have met him. He never performed at a "star" level, but is popular with fans and was a steady presence throughout his 15 year career.

[eisenreich8]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

Hello Mr. eisenreich8,

I always loved him too, and until I read your post, I never realized he had Tourette's syndrome! I thought he was a stutterer.

Is that maybe why he never did a lot of t.v. interviews, because he would always break out into a cussing tyrade? What a sad thing to have to worry about as a pro baseball player. The media must have had to censor conversations with him with a 10-second delay, aye?

Nice talking with you,

Buster

Buster,

The cussing manifestation is not universal and was not part of his problems. He had facial tics, rapid blinking, guttural, grunting sounds, clearing the throat all the time, and would hyperventilate in the outfield, during his MLB start with the Twins in the early '80's. The coaches thought he had stagefright, kind of berated him to get his act together if he wanted to play at the big league level and ultimately, he needed to leave the game for 2 years to get treatment and medication that worked.

He had the affliction as a kid and got laughed at a lot, but folks just got used to it. I know he was hurting inside getting teased and all. That's part of the wonder of how he developed the ability to play in front of crowds, and in 2 World Series, with the nerves, and succeeded. THAT'S why I collect him. Jeez, you'd think I know the guy or something.......

I hijacked the thread here and I apologize to one and all.

[Buster]

Re: Why do people collect Phil Plantier and Matt Nokes stuff??

Buster,

The cussing manifestation is not universal and was not part of his problems. He had facial tics, rapid blinking, guttural, grunting sounds, clearing the throat all the time, and would hyperventilate in the outfield, during his MLB start with the Twins in the early '80's. The coaches thought he had stagefright, kind of berated him to get his act together if he wanted to play at the big league level and ultimately, he needed to leave the game for 2 years to get treatment and medication that worked.

He had the affliction as a kid and got laughed at a lot, but folks just got used to it. I know he was hurting inside getting teased and all. That's part of the wonder of how he developed the ability to play in front of crowds, and in 2 World Series, with the nerves, and succeeded. THAT'S why I collect him. Jeez, you'd think I know the guy or something.......

I hijacked the thread here and I apologize to one and all.

Thank you for that info. I'm going to google his name and read about his life, all sounds very interesting. I did not know any of that, I just remember he was a good ball player. He reminded me of Pete Rose for some crazy reason. That type of hustling player.

Thanks for the explanation, sorry if I came off as ignorant in regards to his life and issues.