A White Whale Hooked

The hustle and bustle of the holidays are upon us. Add the already hectic holiday time to a crashed hard drive and you've got the makings of a Christmas disaster.

Beyond all miracles, Christmas has been salvaged big time by a group break from I Am Joe Collector. Not one, but two Joe Jackson bat cards were pulled from the boxes. One for each grouping. Not too shabby!

When I learned about the first Joe Jackson bat card available, it instantly went on my want list. That 2001 SP Legendary Cuts card is still on the list, only now it's not as high a priority. This officially becomes my coolest card. My best pull. The only thing that could possibly top this would be a relic from the 19th century with a White Sox connection. Come to think of it, that might not even top this.

I have tasted the forbidden fruit of Joe Jackson and I like it! Regardless of Jackson's involvement in the misdeeds of others, this is a bat relic of an elite player who was cut down in his prime. Not by illness or death, but by banishment. It has a gritty allure to it all. This feels like something that should not be. By all means, it shouldn't be here at all.

I have strong reservations about butchering historical artifacts for the greed of today's collecting market. The players of nearly a century ago did not have the same mindset about the collecting market that today's players have. There was no collecting market back then. All that was around were a bunch of kids and a few eccentric adults with time on their hands. That's part of what makes this card so unique and special.

I'm still pinching myself to make sure it isn't a dream. It's a reality and my smile is still ear to ear.