The Collection

These are the cards that Fran chose as best representing his collection as well as himself. There are 12 of them, so please be patient while they load.

	Lou Clinton Fleer, 1963 On September 9, 1962, Lou Clinton of the Boston Red Sox made an amazing catch in Yankee Stadium, robbing Roger Maris of a home run. The next day, the Red Sox came to Baltimore to play the Orioles. My dad and I arrived at Memorial Stadium during batting practice. Dad was holding an Evening Sun sports page which prominently displayed two pictures of the catch. While Clinton was shagging batting practice fly balls, my dad was in the first row of the bleachers waving that sports page and yelling, "Hey Lou, what a great catch yesterday, fantastic catch. Could you please throw a ball to me for my boy?" Persistent, but not belligerent, dad continued this for a couple of minutes. Then, Lou Clinton gave a ten-year-old boy the thrill of his young life as he turned around and tossed a ball to my dad. I immediately became a lifetime Lou Clinton fan. That ball became, and still is, one of my most cherished possessions. My dad's persistence in getting that ball and Lou Clinton's kindness remain one of my best childhood memories.
	Johnny Temple Bowman, 1955 I became a Johnny Temple fan by accident. When I was six years old, my dad took me to get my first glove. He told me the price range that was acceptable and told me to pick out the glove that I liked the most within that range. I don't think that I realized that the gloves had players names on them. I chose the glove that caught my fancy and after we got home realized that I had a Johnny Temple glove. I chose this particular card, because the glove memory is an early childhood memory, and I remember that when I was that young, I loved the 1955 Bowman cards, even though I didn't have that many of them.
	Richie Ashburn Topps, 1958 My dad was from Pottsville, Pennsylvania and grew up a Phillies fan. I can remember him telling me what an outstanding player, especially defensively, Ashburn was. Many years later, I got Ashburn's autograph. I don't have that many autographs because I detest the long lines and/or chaos that come with getting an autograph. However, getting Ashburn's autograph was a joy as he challenged the line of autograph seekers with baseball trivia questions. The 1958 Topps set isn't one of my favorite sets, but I wanted to have the 1958 set represented on this page because 1958 cards were the first cards that dad purchased for me regularly.
	Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC Topps, 1961 Every year my dad took me to 20-25 Orioles games in Baltimore. Additionally, there were two other games that we saw every summer....one in Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia and one in Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. I love this particular card because of the memories it brings back of our trips to Griffith. It also reminds of what a fan I became of Mickey Mantle. I'll never forget how excited I was when, during a trip to Cooperstown in 1991, the operator of the inn where we stayed told me and my wife that we were staying in the same room that Mantle had stayed in earlier that same year.
	Jim Gentile Topps, 1963 Diamond Jim is the first Oriole slugger of whom I have vivid memories. Although I do remember Gus Triandos, I was so young during his best years that I only have hazy memories of him.. Jim was somewhat famous as a player for his volatile temper, but when I met him several years ago, he was as polite and gracious as could be. I got him to sign a ball that my dad had caught during batting practice preceding a 1961 game. Jim noticed that my dad had marked on the ball, as he always did, the date and outcome of the game. I told Jim that after I left the autograph show, I was going to my folks' house to show the autographed ball to my dad, who was then sick. Jim told me to be sure to say hi to dad for him.
	Bill Ripken Fleer, 1989 Okay, I had some misgivings about choosing this card because of the profanity that appears on some versions of it. However, Bill Ripken is one of my favorite players; I have trouble not liking players who are very sound fundamentally, and Bill is as fundamentally sound as they come. Also, this card helped to resurrect my interest in cards after my interest had gradually waned between the late 1960s and the late 1980s.
	Brooks Robinson Ted Williams Card Company, 1993 Diving catch. Shotgun throw. Genuine humility. Barehanded pickup. Consummate gentleman. Miraculous stop. Unfailingly polite. Clutch hit. Team player. Role model. How fortunate I was to grow up in Baltimore during the era when Brooks Robinson played third base.
	Brooks Robinson ( & Frank, too) Ted Williams Card Company, 1993 Most of my best baseball memories from the 1960s are dominated by two guys named Robinson. How could I resist a good card that shows both of them? Furthermore, I'm pleased to have representatives from this outstanding Ted Williams set.
	Brady Anderson Upper Deck, 1993 I remember being excited when the Orioles obtained Anderson for Boddicker. My wife and I saw his first game in an Oriole uniform. I told her that I expected that we would see Brady playing outfield for the Orioles for many years to come. I'm glad I was right.
	(front) Ben McDonald Leaf, 1993 I've been a Ben McDonald fan since his college days and was sorry to see him leave Baltimore for Milwaukee. A friend of mine once had a serendipitous fifteen minute encounter with Ben on the morning of a day that Ben was scheduled to start. His description of how Ben handled the encounter confimed all of the good feelings that I had about Ben.
	(back) Baltimore City skyline Leaf, 1993 Both my wife and I loved the 1993 Leaf cards. What is unusual is that what we loved is the backs of the cards. The reverse side of every card has as a backdrop for the player photo a scene from the city represented by the player. I found some of the Baltimore cards, including this one, particularly appealing because included in the city photo is the office building (the big red one) that I have worked in since 1985.
	Brett Butler Upper Deck, 1996 Even though Brett has spent much of his career with National League teams, he has still become one of my favorites. I also admired the courage he displayed as he battled his recent illness. I chose this particular card because I always had an affinity for cards that clearly show players and fans together with the players signing autographs.
	Cal Ripken, Jr. Topps, 1996 I have been fortunate enough to attend over 700 major league games, including many Opening Days, a no-hitter, several Championship Series games, an All-Star game, and several World Series games. Out of all`of them, none was as emotional or memorable as the game I saw on September 6, 1995. Almost two years later, I can still become emotional by just thinking about the magic that enveloped Camden Yards in the middle of the fifth inning that night.