Why Game Used Equipment Only?

[joelsabi]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

Trying not to duplicate the excellent points made and have nothing to do with money:

1. There is something special about a true piece of the game...that's what a good GU piece really is...a moment captured in time. It could be a moment in your life you recall through baseball or a moment in a game that was meaningful. I suppose an auto is also a moment caught in time...at a card table in a convention hall by some reseller. An exception is meeting an athlete and getting a sig...that can be memorable.

2. Each GU piece is different and the good ones tell stories. My GU World Series bat from 2007 still has fenway grass and dirt embedded in the tar. My hammered Reyes bat was used for 2 weeks and looks like it was caught in a combine harvester...imagine the action.

3. I enjoy the challenge of photomatching, though it is rare to get a bit hit like my GU Youk jersey that was used in his first grand slam, or my Ortiz World Series helmet. It was a real thrill to find the key pictures to prove the use. Most will not be matched, but once in a while...

4. The variety of equipment is huge. I have now branched out into GU hockey sticks (bobby orr!) and enjoy learning the players and models.

5. You can play with your stuff. I can wear a jersey at a game or let my kid's little league team swing a Griffey bat. My office has stuff you can pick up and people do. I guess they could pick up an auto ball, but it will just smudge.

Matt

Great list Matt. Its tough not duplicating reasons already given. I think Kyle may have something to say about the first part of #5.

[skyking26]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

I don't set any boundaries. I started collecting 30 years ago and collecting GU was a bit unheard of really.

My first GU purchase was around '88, with a Kingman bat and '75 Mets home Kingman jersey, which I foolishly sold a year ago to by Kingman's full '73 Giants uniform. Not foolish I bought the '73 as it hangs on my wall, but that I sold the '75. My wife was on my hard about $$ spent.

As a passionate collector, and a guy who is a player collector, I still get geeked up when Topps Vault releases a Kingman negative from his cards, etc. So, I still buy other things than game used!!!

I just can't stop myself. Some guys take drugs, some drink beer, some gamble, Bob collects sports memorbilia.

[godwulf]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

You will never show a player one of his Baseball cards, and watch him hold it lovingly while examining it, maybe take a half swing with it, and hear him say the words, "Yeah, this was a good one!"

[joelsabi]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

I don't set any boundaries. I started collecting 30 years ago and collecting GU was a bit unheard of really.

My first GU purchase was around '88, with a Kingman bat and '75 Mets home Kingman jersey, which I foolishly sold a year ago to by Kingman's full '73 Giants uniform. Not foolish I bought the '73 as it hangs on my wall, but that I sold the '75. My wife was on my hard about $$ spent.

As a passionate collector, and a guy who is a player collector, I still get geeked up when Topps Vault releases a Kingman negative from his cards, etc. So, I still buy other things than game used!!!

I just can't stop myself. Some guys take drugs, some drink beer, some gamble, Bob collects sports memorbilia.

Topps Player contracts and Topps Negatives are interesting to me too.

[joelsabi]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

You will never show a player one of his Baseball cards, and watch him hold it lovingly while examining it, maybe take a half swing with it, and hear him say the words, "Yeah, this was a good one!"

Great visual on making your point. Most players do seem to have an attachment to their bats.

[xpress34]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

You will never show a player one of his Baseball cards, and watch him hold it lovingly while examining it, maybe take a half swing with it, and hear him say the words, "Yeah, this was a good one!"

GW -

I'm more of a Jersey and Hat guy, but on the same note, I've had many a player ask, "How did you get my hat/jersey/etc.?".

Then you get to have a bit more of a conversation with them about the item itself, the game, etc.

Cases in point for me all have to do with Matt Holliday - I own his 1st 'MLB' jersey from his 1st MLB Spring Training (2000), 1st All Star Game BP jersey (THANKS ANDREW LANG!!!), Hat from his 1st World Series as well as the ORIGINAL artwork (oil painting) for his 2005 Diamond Kings card.

The 2000 ST jersey got Matt chatting with me, the Oil Painting got us talking more and since then, I can be in a crowd that is calling for Matt and if I call out, he will search me out and sign my items for me - in fact this just happened about two weeks ago at Coors Field when he signed the 06 ASG jersey (Gamer) as well as a 2007 ASG Jersey (replica/authentic) for me.

In 2008 when I took a Seth Smith Game Used WS Hat to ST, Seth and I got into a conversation about how the Rockies disperse player's uniform pieces after the season after he asked me, 'How the hell did you get my GU World Series Hat?'

- Chris

[joelsabi]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

GW -

I can be in a crowd that is calling for Matt and if I call out, he will search me out and sign my items for me - in fact this just happened about two weeks ago at Coors Field when he signed the 06 ASG jersey (Gamer) as well as a 2007 ASG Jersey (replica/authentic) for me.

- Chris

Thats like the biggest compliment a player can give a fan: to single you out and treat you different than the rest of the crowd. He must really know you are a huge fan.

[allstarsplus]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

GW -

I'm more of a Jersey and Hat guy, but on the same note, I've had many a player ask, "How did you get my hat/jersey/etc.?".

Then you get to have a bit more of a conversation with them about the item itself, the game, etc.

Cases in point for me all have to do with Matt Holliday - I own his 1st 'MLB' jersey from his 1st MLB Spring Training (2000), 1st All Star Game BP jersey (THANKS ANDREW LANG!!!), Hat from his 1st World Series as well as the ORIGINAL artwork (oil painting) for his 2005 Diamond Kings card.

The 2000 ST jersey got Matt chatting with me, the Oil Painting got us talking more and since then, I can be in a crowd that is calling for Matt and if I call out, he will search me out and sign my items for me - in fact this just happened about two weeks ago at Coors Field when he signed the 06 ASG jersey (Gamer) as well as a 2007 ASG Jersey (replica/authentic) for me.

In 2008 when I took a Seth Smith Game Used WS Hat to ST, Seth and I got into a conversation about how the Rockies disperse player's uniform pieces after the season after he asked me, 'How the hell did you get my GU World Series Hat?'

- Chris

That is awesome you got the All Star BP signed!!!!!!! So happy for you!!!!

[xpress34]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

Thats like the biggest compliment a player can give a fan: to single you out and treat you different than the rest of the crowd. He must really know you are a huge fan.

Joel -

I would be lying if I said it doesn't make me feel special. At the 1st game here, after I had called at Matt and he looked up and pointed me out, he went over and signed at the rail for all of the fans. I patiently waited above the dugout (10 rows up per Coors Field policy) and when Matt came in, he looked up and waved me down and kind of gave me a 'private' signing if you will as I am the only person who got called down to the dugout by him.

Matt is an awesome guy and has always been great ever since I pulled out his 2000 ST jersey (he was #84 - not very high in the pecking order at the time) when he 1st came up with the Rockies for him to sign, we just kind of clicked and he has always been kind with his time to sign for me and recognize my wife and myself even when we have just been part of the crowd at public signings he did here in Denver. Whenever we would approach the signing table, he would always stand up and greet us and ask what I had for him that day or what inscription I needed added...

- Chris

[xpress34]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

That is awesome you got the All Star BP signed!!!!!!! So happy for you!!!!

Andrew -

Thanks again for everything!!! I told you it would be signed and inscribed before the Cardinals left!!!







- Chris

[allstarsplus]

Re: Why Game Used Equipemnt Only?

Andrew -

Thanks again for everything!!! I told you it would be signed and inscribed before the Cardinals left!!!







- Chris

That is SWEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice "Game Used" inscription too!