Why do you collect?

[suicide_squeeze]

Sadly, despite my collection, people constantly remind me - whether they mean to or not - that I am a second-class citizen and that I am inferior, because I am female.

This makes collecting a double-edged sword. I love to collect, but I constantly ask myself "why". Why not find a pastime where women are equals, where sexism isn't so rampant, and where I actually can dream?

Les,

Far be it from me to pass out psychological advice, but you should not feel that way. If you are around people that make you feel that way, then I would suggest you either eliminate the need to be around them, and if that's not possible, just simply change your mindset.

You are not a second class citizen. Being female is a blessing. How you handle it is completely up to you.

I have been around long enough on this site to see the past attacks you had to endure. I have seen your opinions and comments, and some of your posts, and although we all don't agree with eachother all of the time, I think a lot of the attacks you were hit with were because of the approach you were taking, fighting back against your belief that you were, as you referred to it, a "second class citizen".

That all horse poop, Les. We're all human beings, and equal. We have to go through this journey called life together. The ones that mean to their fellow humans are the losers. Don't follow them and fall into that pit.

Enjoy your collecting, your dreams, whatever they are. No one can take them away from you. As long as we, as collectors, keep our priorities in order, our collecting can only enhance our enjoyment of life. Do as you see fit, as don't ever let the words of someone else with a cold heart make you feel down. It's the one yielding the sword who in the end will get cut up. Trust me. Karma is a bitch.
Regards,

Steve

[allstarsplus]

History is made every day. Significant history like Buerhle's Perfect Game or Josh Willingham's 2 Grand Slam game are rarities. Events like World Series, All Star games, openings of new stadiums, closing of old stadiums, and then the walk off HRs and new player debuts always has me wanting more.

I started collecting back in 1998 and my theme was 500 HR Club members. After the whole steroid garbage, it tainted what I was doing so I had a great opportunity when Washington got the Nationals to focus my collecting on the new team and their star players.

So I like finding that significant piece. I only hold on to items that are significant to my collection and I sell the rest.

One day I would love to display my historic items at the stadium with a few other collectors that also have similar themes to my collection. You would be surprised how many there are with likekind interests which really makes it fun.

[shoremen44]

Quote:
Originally Posted by shoremen44
I have alwasy loved baseball... it is something my father and his father before him shared...

I collect because every bat is literally a piece of history, it is the connection to the game I love

That about sums it up for me, too.

You guys see "Field of Dreams"? There is a part where James Earl Jones gives a little speech.

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America is ruled by it like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will come most definitely come."

Baseball, to me, represents the pure and good in our lives. Ithelps us bond as human beings, ties our generations together with something that represents a wholsomeness that we can't find in other facits of life.

That, to me, is what drives me to collect little pieces of the actual history of the game. I like to surround myself by it. It makes me feel good about this often difficult life we all share.

Nicely done... On a side note... I have played baseball on the field of dreams field... it still stands in Dyersville, Iowa...

when I was there, there was some 16 year old kid pitching, and just random people playing... when a 5 year got his turn at bat the 16 year old lobbed it to him and we all threw the ball away like 5 times for an infield home run, the kid never stopped grinning... when I got up the 16 year old rared back and gave me everything he had... I am glad to say my ball sailed into the corn... Very very cool place

[buckeyegamers]

I collect mostly football items because it is the sport that I grew to love as a young boy and continue to coach today as an adult. That being said I couldn't agree more with shoremen44 about baseball bringing generations together. I can remember my grandfather taking me to games growing up. I too was lucky enough to visit the Field of Dreams field. We were on our way back to our home in Ohio from a youth baseball tournament in Iowa. We got to the field just before dusk the evening of July 30, 1998. We had the entire field to ourselves. It was just me and a friend of mine and our two 10 year old sons. We spent an hour or so out on the field just playing catch.I remember the day because one of my most prized pieces of memorabilia reminds me of it everyday. On my desk in one of those lucite ball cubes sits the baseball that my son and I used to play catch that day. The two boys went on to be college roommates one playing basketball and the other football but I know that they both still remember that day playing baseball with their dads.

[David]

All I can tell you is I was a collector starting when I was a little kid, and I was the only one in my family who collected. Genetics? I don't know. I still have a box of stuff I collected as a kid-- newspaper headlines, campaign buttons, sports cards, through the mail autographs.

[Manram]

I collect because my love for the game and having game used items makes me feel like I am really close to the game.

[dcgreg25]

Some really fascinating and touching answers on this thread.

For me there are several answers to this question, many of which have already been touched on. I grew up going to Indians and Browns games at the old Cleveland Stadium with my dad so there is a definite connection to my childhood and my father (a common theme).

At the same time, I am a big sports fan and am fascinated by the thrill of the hunt tracking down items to add to my collection. Collecting GU items is a welcome escape/distraction and I get great pleasure in displaying my items and meeting interesting new people through the hobby.

[geoff]

I love BaseBall And grew up on The Game And when I found out about Game Used Collecting back in 2005 And found this Forum I was Hooked.Plus I played BaseBall for 16 Years.BaseBall is something me And my Father always had in Common.He Collects Tobacco BaseBall Cards to this Day and we still talk BaseBall all The Time.I love going to Games and Game Used Items are a Big Part of The Game in my Eyes and always Study What a Player is using on TV or at The Stadium.


Thanks
Geoff

[metsbats]

Collecting to me is a way to preserve personal memories. It give me a connection to a significant event or era by having a tangible artifact.

[karamaxjoe]

Why do I collect? Because I woke up one morning about 20 years ago with a job, wife and three little kids and I REALLY needed a diversion from lifes many responsibilities. My collection takes me back to a more simple time.