A WISHFUL WHALE TALE

              As I mentioned a while back I am in the midst of completing my 1967 Topps set. All I need is 3 cards This Ed Spiezio card #128, Bill Denehy/Tom Seaver aka Mets Rookies #581 Brooks Robinson #600. I just wish everytime I go through the common boxes or vintage binders of `67's I can find that Spiezio or even find it in a box of unknown cards at a garage sale or Flea Market or an antique store or even at The National Sports Card Convention. But those are just wishful whale thoughts. 

       
 I recall during 2020 I was in a Flea Market outside of the Toledo, Ohio area & I stumbled upon this card for my friend Greg of The Collective Mind blog.

I recalled that Greg needed this card from his wantlists but I skipped passed it rather quickly after realizing that it wasn't a 1991 Fleer,1990 Topps & 1988 Donruss card in the batch of junk wax commons. I went through the pile again just to get a closer look at Mr. Loes card cause I wanted to make sure it was 1 he needed after seeing it was Billy Loes I kept talking to myself why does this Billy Loes sound familiar its the right year cause at the time Greg was building a 1959 set so I quickly put Billy to the side brought out my phone brought up Greg's list after what seemed a long time cause Greg lists his needs in reverse chronological order compared to me doing it in chronological order. I read he needed #336A Billy Loes No trade line well......not knowing what to look for I went to TCDB.com site click on 1959 Topps Errors/Variations scrolled through until I saw Billy's name looked closely at the picture looked at the card I had on hand do they match yes they match now how much does it say these cards in this box say they are $0.05 per card. Quickly I kept it to the side continued looking through the box rummaging to see if perhaps I could find this bad boy for him. 

 

After all I did find Billy maybe He'll luck out & get the final 2 off his list. Well......he didn't luck out so I continued to look at other stuff that I might find at this flea market. I found 2 books that I needed at the time for my Time/Life series Mysteries of the Unknown. So I paid for my purchases the books were $4 a piece & then I handed the clerk Billy told the lady which booth it was from she then asked was this in the box that was $0.05 per card I told her it was my total was $8 cause she why charge you for a card so I gave the money walked out to my waiting girlfriend was in the car ready to head to our next destination I told her I needed to call Greg tell him the good news about Billy. 

Greg finally picked up the phone & I did my best Jack Buck impression Saying "......I don't believe what I just saw & tell me on your phone is this your card....." with that I sent him a text picture of Billy he was was shocked he was like "Yes that's one I needed its a wishful whale to find & you were able to find it eh!!!! How much was Billy." when I told him the cost he was stunned I even told him I tried to find Ralphie Boy in my best Ed Norton voice (I eventually found Ralphie Boy for him but that's for another post.) But finding whale's for others is sometimes what I do when I am not able find anything on my lists.

I can only sit in my man cave looking through my 1967 Topps set & wonder if I ever will find that Wishful Whale as well find a descent cost for the other 2 missing in action. So my question is for my readers have you ever located another persons Wishful Whale or has anyone sent you a Wishful Whale that you thought you never would get & were overwhelmed from their thoughtfulness to you let me hear what you have to say in the comments. Believe me if anyone should find me the Spiezio I definitely would honor them in my blog.  Until then I am reminded that quote from Rogers Hornsby "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."