Rookie cards ... at Goodwill ?? Guess who !

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love Goodwill Stores.

But what is Goodwill?
The following two paragraphs came from the Goodwill website.

For nearly 110 years, Goodwill® has been an entrepreneurial leader, environmental pioneer and social innovator of the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice.
Goodwill diverts more than two billion pounds of clothing and household goods every year from landfills by recovering the value in people’s unwanted material goods. In the process, we create job-training opportunities as well as entry-level and skilled green-collar jobs for people in need of work.

Founded by Dr. Edgar J. Helms, 1941."Goodwill is simply too powerful an idea to stay within the borders of one country." As a result, there are currently 165 Goodwill organizations in the U.S. and Canada with 14 Goodwill affiliated organizations in other countries around the world.

About three months ago they opened a "second chance" store in downtown Sandusky. Items that don't sell in the regular area stores go there for one last chance at $1.00 each. I asked the store manager what happens then, and he said that any metal or other items that can be, are recycled. Cloth items and clothing are donated to those who need them.

So we donate all we can to to Goodwill and also buy many items that we can use in our daily lives. For me, especially any baseball related items !

Which brings me to my story today.

A week or so ago, I wandered into one of my favorite Goodwill stores. There are three of them right on my way home from work. The book shelves are right on the left as you walk in the door. While I was perusing the titles on the shelves, it seemed like one gentleman was following me. He was, sort of. But as it turned out, he was just looking at the books too. He wandered away and I kept on searching for baseball titles. I did find a book about Clemente and then headed toward housewares.

As I walked past the glass cases near the checkout, there was this same guy, standing there looking through two boxes of baseball cards ! I thought " Oh, crap !" I missed out on that !

I headed on back to look for white, three-ring binders. I need to revamp my Indian cards and spread them out a little. I can usually find some here. Not today though. A quick pass through the toys and games, still looking for baseball puzzles, bobbleheads or what ever I can find. Nothing else today !

I head toward the front of the store to pay and spotted the guy again , now in electronics. He wasn't carrying the boxes of cards though. As we got closer to each other I said something like " No good cards today?". He said he only collects Topps card sets and the boxes were just old Fleer. I had visions of blinding, canary yellow auras lurking inside the boxes. He had no interest. We talked cards for a couple minutes, I told him how to find my blog if he was interested and we parted.

So Rick (I think that was his name, I'm getting really bad that way !) if you are reading this, I'm sorry but you had first dibs !! I left the store that day without even looking at the cards.

A couple days later I wandered in again. You have to go back on a regular basis because it is always changing. I checked out the books again. Nothing. Went past the glass cases and the cards were still there. Now they are in my little baseball cave !

The first box was mostly 1981 Fleer. No yellow !

There were 29 rookie cards in that box. These were the most significant.

The second box was more of mixture of years. There were these from 1982.

And these from 1985.

1989. I never knew Joe was Cubbie !

After sorting the first box, it was a complete 1981 set !

Aside from the rookies, there were a lot of stars and HOF 'ers in these two boxes.

Which, by the way, after a Buckeye card discount (special discount card you receive in Ohio when you turn 60. Discounts at Goodwill, motels, some restaurants and other places.) I only paid $9.00 for both boxes. I felt that was pretty good deal !

Oh, there was one more I almost forgot.

I don't who donated these, but thank you very much !!!!