Picture Cards & Bubble Gum

1964 Topps Pete Rose
Wow. I normally stay away from those “mystery pack” type deals on ebay. This seller was promising “1 vintage star, one patch or auto card, and one rookie” in each pack. There were 2 big cards in the 75 random packs and this was one of them. So I bid on a few of them and won them for 3 bucks a pack. This was in the last pack I received.

I have always wanted this Rose card, even more than his actual rookie card (which was one of the “Rookie Stars” 4 way split cards in the 1963 set). I’m a sucker for the giant All Star Rookie trophy.

I remember when news broke of Pete Rose being banned from baseball and made ineligible for the Hall of Fame. I remember thinking “what’s the big deal about betting on baseball?” My mom explained it to me as best she could, and I remember feeling sad for Pete. I now have a better perspective on the situation, and understand that it was a well deserved banishment. I still feel sad for Pete. It seems almost criminal that someone with so many amazing achievements should have to live the rest of his life without the glory that his lesser peers received. He was signing in So Cal for a charity event the year before last and I got the chance to get a ball signed by him. With the addition of this card I think my Pete Rose collection is complete.