Conference school::sports_memorabilia

    re: .2
    
    	Thank you for correcting me.  I did mean '91 cards, and thank
    you for the very informative reply.
    
    		Ben
    

    I heard on the radio that the owners said that they
    would open up the camps, if the players agreed to not 
    strike, and the union said something to the effect of,
    "up yours!"
    
    Who's to blame now!!!!
    GG

    I think it would be nice to see a set like the quality 53T set made
    with artistic qualities.  Since 1955, I think the set have been boring,
    with no imagination!  I think I'm going to stick with sets prior to
    1956, and the heck with the new stuff.  They will also have to start
    making sets which include the owners, those terrible owners, those money
    hungry, money mongers, who have no feelings for the fan or card
    collectors, or even card companies for that matter.  What is baseball 
    coming too??  Lock out leads to Strike, which leads to a very boring
    summer, without baseball.  I'm on the side of the players, the owners
    have kept them down long enough, their is Millions of dollars in
    Revenues coming in from TV, cable, promotions, and expansion, so why
    not spread it around.  I don't understand why the players, if there so
    intelligent, don't start there own league, kick out the owners, and get
    all the lawyers together, and start one united league, NO OWNERS.  Look 
    at DEC, we started our own softball league, we don't have owners.  All
    you need is one united body to govern the whole mess, rent and lease
    the ballparks, share in the consession proceeds, and promotional
    aspects, and we the fan wouldn't have to put up with all this salary
    nonsense every two to three years.  I'm tired of it, and won't pay to
    see a game anymore because its against my principle to pay for
    something that is so messed up.  The last time I paid $9.00 per seat
    at Fenway, I felt terrible.  Why am I paying $18 for tickets, 8.00 for 
    parking, $2.65 for tolls, and $5 for gas to get in here, to watch these
    over priced premadonnas?

    Does anyone think that the prices of the '90 cards will generaly
    be lower?(like the '86 cards)
    
    I agree that the players are being a little babyish about this lock
    out.  The owners offered to open the camps but the players said
    no.  What are they fighting for?  Bigger pensions?  Just one question,
    what do the guys with the million dollar contracts need with a pension.
    
    -Bonnie-
    

    re Strike
    
    Bill Conlan a sports writer from Philadelphia believes the owners are
    trying to break the union just as the NFL owners did.
    
    As far as cards go, the rookie values can be affected either way.
    Certainly no rookie will have a Mark McQwire type rookie season, but if
    a rookie has a great 2/3 of a season, investors will be speculating
    what said rookie can do with a full season under his belt.
    
    John

    Roy's reminder that the card companies would normally take the photos
    for the 1991 cards during the 1990 spring training just points out how
    inexcusable the number of error cards is.  They've got SEVEN MONTHS in
    which to get things straight.  Also, the spring training photos strike
    me as kind of artificial, especially now that they're used almost
    exclusively. I'd much prefer to see some action shots with recognizable
    portions of real big league parks in the background.  Fleer does this
    occasionally, as I can remember seeing the green monster in the
    background here and there.
    
    As for the lockout, I understand the players at least offered a
    compromise of 2and1/2 years before arbitration.  To which the owners
    offered to open camps in return for a no-strike promise. Since the
    strike is the players' only leverage, I can't blame them for not
    accepting.
    
    Rick

    There was an article in the Boston Herald yesterday (Mike Shalin?)
    speculating that the owners were playing this whole thing like a
    violin. Their intention being to destroy the union. 
    
    It's all TRASH! Play ball.
    
    I can't stand the pictures taken in spring training! The players
    are wearing those "fake" softball shirts. The 1990 Upper Deck Ellis
    Burks card would be a nice picture if he played in the DEC softball
    league.
    
    John G.

    
    Mike Andrews (ex sox player) was on a radio show yesterday with 
    Loren & Wally WVBF 105 to give his input on the strike. He said
    that he never thought he would say this but,he has to agree with
    the owners on this one. Every ball player today is a millionaire,and 
    if he's not he will be in due time. The ball players are getting to
    greedy,and are not concerned about (JOE PUBLIC) who pays their
    salaries. If these BUMS,and CRYBABIES get what they want,you know
    who'll be paying for it don't you ? These guys are in their early
    and mid 20's,and the majority of them have college degrees,and when
    their carreer is over,I'm pretty sure they won't have a hard time
    looking for a job that pays,and has good benefits. I'm just getting
    sick and tired of listening to this BULLSHIT about their families 
    future. They got you comming and going no matter how you look at it.
    Baseball card shows,try to get a free autograph for your kid,if you
    don't have $8.00 and up,they can care less about YOU and your KID(s).   
    Why don't the Commisioner start throwing his weight around and do
    something about this strike.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    The only "strike" going on is by the Greyhound bus drivers. The
    "lockout" has been called by the owners, and since the commissioner is
    an employee of the owners, he doesn't have much weight to throw around.
    I too find it hard to have much sympathy for the Will Clarks, and have
    even less for people like $900,000 Neal Heaton (check his stats) but
    I'm not sure if "most" ballplayers are millionaires, and I'd be willing
    to bet that the percentage of college grads is lower in baseball than
    in football.  Whatever we call it, though - lockout, strike, etc - it
    means there's no baseball going on.  Fans have no say in the matter
    because they're not ORGANIZED!  A nationwide organization of fans and
    cards collectors could conceivably bring sufficient pressure to bear by
    vowing to boycott games, networks that carry games, and licensed
    products for a certain length of time.  You sound pissed enough to
    start such a union, John. If you do, I'll sign up!
    
    P.S. Maybe the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) could be a
    starting point. Hmmmm.

    If the players are so concerned about pensions why don't they just
    go out and have great seasons after they have loaded up on their
    own baseball cards?  This way they can ensure money for themselves
    in the future by selling their cards.  The better they play now,
    the more they can make hawking their autographed junk on the home
    shopping network ala rose, palmer, and uecker.  I have stopped caring
    about the Phillies long ago(for obvious reasons), the strike just
    amplifies my feelings against them.  I will be going to minor leagueand
    local school games this summer.  My nephew even plays a better caliber
    of ball considering that he has to pay them to play!!  
    
    sv

    I don't think Bob Ueker is a good example for your agument.
    
    John

    Then I guess the prices I saw on his old Topp's cards were out of
    line:  Phillies catcher card for $75.

    I meant that Uecker is not a good example of a player loading up on his
    cards, going out and having a good career and making money off his
    cards. Look at his stats. Uecker said ( on WMIII ) , tongue in cheek,
    that he was glad he didn't do well as a ball player because it would
    mess him up now. Bob Uecker is an exception because he makes fun of his
    mediocre career, that was the point I was trying to make.
    
    John

    I agree.  He is kind of the antithesis to the argument I was making.
    Good point...sv