"Pawn Stars" - Anyone in here collect baseballs?

[RoryN]

Okay - so, this old man runs a pawn shop in Vegas with his sons, and it's a reality show. I'm convinced the old man is an idiot and a would-be thief, and the sons aren't very bright. Here's why:

1. One of the sons buys an Atari with a few games from a kid for $100. That whole mess was worth maybe $25.

2. The old man is given the opportunity to buy an authenticated 1951 Yankees baseball with signatures from the entire team - including Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Keeping in mind that this is the only year those two would've signed the same ball (on the team together), the owner wants $3000 for it. The old man offers $800.

$800? I would've told him to fuck himself.

What do you think it was worth?

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by RoryN

Okay - so, this old man runs a pawn shop in Vegas with his sons, and it's a reality show. I'm convinced the old man is an idiot and a would-be thief, and the sons aren't very bright. Here's why:

1. One of the sons buys an Atari with a few games from a kid for $100. That whole mess was worth maybe $25.

2. The old man is given the opportunity to buy an authenticated 1951 Yankees baseball with signatures from the entire team - including Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Keeping in mind that this is the only year those two would've signed the same ball (on the team together), the owner wants $3000 for it. The old man offers $800.

$800? I would've told him to fuck himself.

What do you think it was worth?

I'll answer that by telling a here's-what-an-idiot-I-am story. This is an actual true story.

When I was a kid, my father was social friends with one of the players on our neighborhood major league baseball team. Every so often, said player would give us a signed baseball or bat. I sometimes got to go down to the locker room after games, and we even went to his VIP dinner. It was really cool, but I was too young or clueless to know how cool back then.

When I was maybe 7 or 8, and my friends and I used to play baseball after school. One day, they showed up at my house and realized no one had brought a ball.

Yours truly says, "That's OK, I've got one," and proceeds to get one of those baseballs, signed by the entire team--which, based on the year, would have included Tom Seaver--for us to play with. The next time I saw my dad (divorce) I told him I needed a new baseball, since we'd played with that one.

His face sunk, but to his credit, he did not beat me. When he died, I found a couple of other balls and a bat that he'd obviously held back for me as Idiot Insurance in his closet.

[RoryN]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

I'll answer that by telling a here's-what-an-idiot-I-am story. This is an actual true story.

When I was a kid, my father was social friends with one of the players on our neighborhood major league baseball team. Every so often, said player would give us a signed baseball or bat. I sometimes got to go down to the locker room after games, and we even went to his VIP dinner. It was really cool, but I was too young or clueless to know how cool back then.

When I was maybe 7 or 8, and my friends and I used to play baseball after school. One day, they showed up at my house and realized no one had brought a ball.

Yours truly says, "That's OK, I've got one," and proceeds to get one of those baseballs, signed by the entire team--which, based on the year, would have included Tom Seaver--for us to play with. The next time I saw my dad (divorce) I told him I needed a new baseball, since we'd played with that one.

His face sunk, but to his credit, he did not beat me. When he died, I found a couple of other balls and a bat that he'd obviously held back for me as Idiot Insurance in his closet.

One of those stories that you hear often, but it still stings. Can't beat yourself up over it, though. Baseballs are for playing baseball.

[pointless]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

I'll answer that by telling a here's-what-an-idiot-I-am story. This is an actual true story.

When I was a kid, my father was social friends with one of the players on our neighborhood major league baseball team. Every so often, said player would give us a signed baseball or bat. I sometimes got to go down to the locker room after games, and we even went to his VIP dinner. It was really cool, but I was too young or clueless to know how cool back then.

When I was maybe 7 or 8, and my friends and I used to play baseball after school. One day, they showed up at my house and realized no one had brought a ball.

Yours truly says, "That's OK, I've got one," and proceeds to get one of those baseballs, signed by the entire team--which, based on the year, would have included Tom Seaver--for us to play with. The next time I saw my dad (divorce) I told him I needed a new baseball, since we'd played with that one.

His face sunk, but to his credit, he did not beat me. When he died, I found a couple of other balls and a bat that he'd obviously held back for me as Idiot Insurance in his closet.

wow that makes me feel better about buying a pack of fleer basketball cards that contained scotty pippens rookie card that i then promptly trashed without knowing who he was until i found it a few years later and discivered that at the time it was worth fifty bucks. i was very sad. now i'm not so sad. thank you.

[Colonel Hogan]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

I'll answer that by telling a here's-what-an-idiot-I-am story. This is an actual true story.

When I was a kid, my father was social friends with one of the players on our neighborhood major league baseball team. Every so often, said player would give us a signed baseball or bat. I sometimes got to go down to the locker room after games, and we even went to his VIP dinner. It was really cool, but I was too young or clueless to know how cool back then.

When I was maybe 7 or 8, and my friends and I used to play baseball after school. One day, they showed up at my house and realized no one had brought a ball.

Yours truly says, "That's OK, I've got one," and proceeds to get one of those baseballs, signed by the entire team--which, based on the year, would have included Tom Seaver--for us to play with. The next time I saw my dad (divorce) I told him I needed a new baseball, since we'd played with that one.

His face sunk, but to his credit, he did not beat me. When he died, I found a couple of other balls and a bat that he'd obviously held back for me as Idiot Insurance in his closet.

I'm just glad you weren't playing "cowboys and indians" and your dad owned a hunting rifle.

[Beco]

Originally Posted by RoryN

What do you think it was worth?

It's worth what somebody will pay for it.

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by Colonel Hogan

I'm just glad you weren't playing "cowboys and indians" and your dad owned a hunting rifle.

Jews don't hunt.

[Colonel Hogan]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

Jews don't hunt.

Who do you think you're kidding?

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by Colonel Hogan

Who do you think you're kidding?

No, that's fighting. Jews fight. Jews don't "go hunting"--or play football or fix cars.

[Beco]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

No, that's fighting. Jews fight. Jews don't "go hunting"--or play football or fix cars.

Actually, thats defending your country from a sector of the world that wants you dead....

[John Doe]

Originally Posted by RoryN

Okay - so, this old man runs a pawn shop in Vegas with his sons, and it's a reality show. I'm convinced the old man is an idiot and a would-be thief, and the sons aren't very bright. Here's why:

1. One of the sons buys an Atari with a few games from a kid for $100. That whole mess was worth maybe $25.

An Atari what?

[RoryN]

Originally Posted by John Doe

An Atari what?

2600. 4-switch model from 1982 or so.

[John Doe]

Originally Posted by RoryN

2600. 4-switch model from 1982 or so.

Meh...

I'd say $25 is about right. When I was a kid my Dad found an Atari 2600 with two controllers and several games at a garage sale for about 20 bucks (I think that's how much it was).

But then, items at garage sales frequently have odd prices.

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by Beco

Actually, thats defending your country from a sector of the world that wants you dead....

I don't really have to break it to anyone that Israel is not "the Jews," do I?

[islandman]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

I'll answer that by telling a here's-what-an-idiot-I-am story. This is an actual true story.

When I was a kid, my father was social friends with one of the players on our neighborhood major league baseball team. Every so often, said player would give us a signed baseball or bat. I sometimes got to go down to the locker room after games, and we even went to his VIP dinner. It was really cool, but I was too young or clueless to know how cool back then.

When I was maybe 7 or 8, and my friends and I used to play baseball after school. One day, they showed up at my house and realized no one had brought a ball.

Yours truly says, "That's OK, I've got one," and proceeds to get one of those baseballs, signed by the entire team--which, based on the year, would have included Tom Seaver--for us to play with. The next time I saw my dad (divorce) I told him I needed a new baseball, since we'd played with that one.

His face sunk, but to his credit, he did not beat me. When he died, I found a couple of other balls and a bat that he'd obviously held back for me as Idiot Insurance in his closet.

You're from Queens?

[Beco]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

I don't really have to break it to anyone that Israel is not "the Jews," do I?

yes, break it down

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by islandman

You're from Queens?

Yup (back then).

[islandman]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

Yup (back then).

Whereabouts?

Woodside here (back then).

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by islandman

Whereabouts?

Woodside here (back then).

Rego Park--63rd Drive &...something, it'll come to me. Anyway, down the street and around the corner from Alexander's.

[Sonny Limatina]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

Rego Park--63rd Drive &...something, it'll come to me. Anyway, down the street and around the corner from Alexander's.

While I'm thinking about this--and because I just came back from visiting my father's cemetery--I'll add that Willis Reed lived across the street from us. I was a little kid. That guy looked like an actual giant to me back then.

(I'm not the world's tallest grown-up either. He'd probably still look that way to me.)

[islandman]

Originally Posted by flat5ive

Rego Park--63rd Drive &...something, it'll come to me. Anyway, down the street and around the corner from Alexander's.

I know the area. Tandoor has excellent roti.