My (All-New) LCS / Meet The Parkers

Months ago, before the move to Indiana, I documented my Local Card Shop experience at a joint in suburban Chicago called Matt's something or other. "Matt's Cards?" "Matt's Sports Cards?" Beats me. All I know is the terse fella who owned the place wasn't named Matt.

The gist of the experience: uncomfortable. * stretches collar a la Rodney Dangerfield *

So, once in Indiana, I wasted no time heading to an LCS in a nearby small town. My first visit was just swell. The gentleman behind the counter is apparently the co-owner and a font of information about cards. We chatted for a solid 45 minutes about card shows, the types of cards they carry and nefarious dealers. It was, well, nice.

The shop mostly carries boxes of newer product as well as a fleet of relic cards and autos and Jarrod Parker cards galore. If you missed my previous post, it explains this shop's Jarrod Parker fixation. Sidebar: If you missed my previous post ... Where were you!? Are you not following me!? How dare you good sirs (and two ladies)!

Anyway, this new-to-me LCS is a small shop and, sadly, has no dime or quarter boxes. But, I'll surely stop in now and then to talk cardboard and baseball, snag a relic and perhaps even buy a hobby box.

I'm not a big relic collector - at least not high on the one-color whites and grays - but I do love the striped jersey or the one-colored swatch that screams a certain team. That's what I took home from my first visit.

To wit:

Not related to the aforementioned Jarrod Parker.

I really love this relic - the large cut of cloth, the unmistakable Pirates' color, how it pops against the black and white.

To cap it off, Dave "The Cobra" Parker was one of my favorite players growing up, long before playing for my beloved Reds. The "We Are Family" 1979 Pirates left a big impression with me at age 11. In fact, I've been a closeted fan of the Pirates ever since. I should rank my favorite teams, being the list maker that I am. I believe they'd rank #5 or #6.

Parker, a two-time batting champ, not only has a World Series ring, but was the 1978 NL MVP and the 1978 All-Star Game MVP. I won't mention his usage of cocaine (which he confirmed in testimony against a drug dealer). But you just did mention it! Oops.

A seven-time All Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, he finished his career thusly: .290 batting average, 2,712 hits, 339 home runs and 1, 493 RBIs. But Parker never received more than 24% of votes on Hall of Fame ballots and his 15-year Baseball Writers Association of America eligibility expired on the 2011 ballot.

Parker, now 60, owns several Popeye's Chicken franchises in Cincinnati and has two fake knees. But in his day, at 6'5" and at a playing weight of 230 to 240, he was an intimidating physical presence.

He's also the only known baseball player to wear a hockey goalie mask to the plate, which he did while pinch-hitting in his first game back from a fractured jaw and cheekbone.

Dave Parker, without question, a man to be reckoned with.