A 20-year-old surprise arrival for baseball card collector
Front view of 1991 Upper Deck #494 Kevin Reimer baseball card. Image courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the former Ruston High School and Louisiana Tech University pitcher was into collecting baseball trading cards big time.
He would work odd jobs, from mowing yards to washing cars, to save up enough money to buy the latest pack of cards that would arrive at Baseball Card Mania on Ruston’s Mississippi Street.
Telford and I.A. Lewis classmate Derek Schorsch would bicycle down to the shop and check with Owner Mark Cramer about the latest collectibles.
“Mark was always willing to talk to us about cards and such and I know I probably drooled more than a few times looking and dreaming about the day I had enough money to buy cards like a Nolan Ryan rookie, a Mickey Mantle card and others,” Telford said.
But such superstar cards were too expensive for Telford and Schorsch, so they settled for lesser known players and did so often via a Beckett’s Price Guide, considered the “Bible” of sports collectibles.
“The Beckett’s Price Guide included addresses of players, and Derek and I talked about how we should send cards, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, to see if we could get some autographs through the mail,” Telford said. “We figured that our chances might not be as good if we sent them to well-known players like a Ryne Sandberg, Barry Bonds or Cal Ripken, Jr. So we chose to send our requests to the lesser known players on each roster.”
Players such as Kevin Reimer.
One day in 1990, Telford enclosed a card of the Texas Rangers’ outfielder-designated hitter in an envelope, along with an SASE, and mailed it from his home.
Then he waited.
“I can remember sitting in the house, looking out the window and getting nervous when I saw the mail truck,” said Telford.
While cards of other players eventually made their way to his home, the one bearing Reimer’s signature didn’t.
The years would pass and Telford would marry and become a successful businessman – the owner of Dowling’s Smokehouse B-B-Q in Ruston.
He never knew what happened to that Reimer card _ until just recently.
“I am working with my crew during lunch at Dowling’s Smokehouse,” he said, “and one of my employees walks in the back and tells me that a lady is at the front counter claiming to have mail for me.”
It was a woman who had moved into Telford’s childhood home.
“She tells me that a letter had recently come to the house and that whoever had sent it obviously didn’t know that I hadn’t lived there for over 12 years,” Telford said. “That was how long ago she had bought the house and moved in.”
Telford immediately recognized the envelope.
“It was mine because I used to write much more legibly when I was younger than I do now,” he said.
This particular envelope had the logo of the Texas Rangers on it.
“I guess I looked at it for what seemed like an hour, wondering what treasure might be inside,” he said.
The 29-cent stamped envelope carried a Seattle postmark and was dated May 21, 2011.
And inside was a signed, mint condition 1991 Upper Deck Kevin Reimer card.
“I am still in shock over it,” he said.
Reimer, a Macon, Ga., native made his debut with the Rangers in 1988 after being selected in round No. 11 of the 1985 draft. He retired in 1993 after playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The value of the 1991 Kevin Reimer Upper Deck edition is listed just below $2.50.
No matter. To Telford, it’s priceless.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best autographed card I have ever received,” he said.
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Information from: Ruston Daily Leader, http://www.rustonleader.com/
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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
Front view of 1991 Upper Deck #494 Kevin Reimer baseball card. Image courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com.
Back of 1991 Upper Deck #494 Kevin Reimer baseball card. Image courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com.
