Game-used items that acquired future importance

[coxfan]

There's a related thread about g-u items that had significance that had been overlooked when you bought them. But this thread's a different slant: g-u items that acquired later importance after they were used.

For example, in 2005 I saw a foul ball leave the South Carolina Gamecocks' old stadium. When the ball was still unclaimed after the game, I picked it up. My memory was that it was hit by either Pearce or Tolleson in that game. I didn't think much more about it until I saw this morning that both Pearce and Tolleson played in last night's Baltimore win over Boston, with Pearce having two RBI's. And last year, my wife and I bought a g-u ball from the Rangers' August win over the Angels that we attended. That win later gave the Rangers a one-game advantage over the Tigers, that determined the ALDS pairings.

[sox83cubs84]

Can't say that for myself, but one of the veteran ballhawks, Rich Buhrke, caught home runs from Bobby Bonds in 1981 and Terry Steinbach in 1997 (?). They ended up being the last career MLB HRs of both players.

Dave Miedema

[gingi79]

More and more, teams are watching and counting stats in items they put for sale. Certain money grubing NHL Hockey teams now even stipulate that if something amazing or even mildly interesting happens while your jersey is worn, your pre-ordered and paid in in full jersey can be kept or the price can be changed to whatever the team feels it is worth.

That's simply unethical and illegal in any other world. Let's say I am a huge Chevy Camaro fan and collector. I'm thrilled when I find out that in 2005, they will re-introduce my beloved car and I run out and buy one on Pre-order. Hell, I even pay in full for a yellow one, my wife's favorite color. When Transformers came out, the car's popularity skyrocketed, can you imagine the dealer trying to get $15k more from me because of that? Or saying even though I have a Bill of Sale, now they will just refund my money and keep it?

[Preston]

This is a practice worn jersey of (former) Titans corner Cortland Finnegan where they switched out the nameplate and replaced Finnegan with "Pacquiao", to honor Cort's favorite fighter (of course Manny Pacquiao). Little did we know a couple years later Cort would do his best "fighter" impression with his scuffle with Andre Johnson.

Not sure how much future importance it has, but at the very least is an ironic foreshadowing of that much talked about fight.

[David]

Some collectibles gain significance with time as they suddenly become popular. I know of some antique baseball cards that no one gave a second thought about for years. For whatever reason, they became popular at one point and zoomed in value.