Joy and Sorrow

I had the privilege of attending MLB's All-Star Fanfest at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. (I'm on vacation! Woo Hoo!!) It was a wonderful event with countless things to do, see, and buy, such as autographed uniforms, caps, bats, balls, baseball cards, photos, paintings, plaques, awards, trophies, old baseball contracts, team paychecks with famous signatures on them (now worth many times their original value), souvenirs, toys, bobblehead dolls, posters, artifacts, free satellite radios (with not-so-free satellite subscriptions), autograph sessions, contests, giveaways, clinics, interviews with Hall-of-Famers, food (Can't forget the food), even a scalper outside the building selling tickets to the Yankee game in full view of several cops. And the Yankees were in Toronto! Either that guy was looking for a major-league sucker or it was the poorest excuse for a low-budget sting operation I've ever seen. Or both. Only in New York, eh?

Anyway, most of the memorabilia was up for auction and some items were certain to fetch $100,000 or more. A friend I was with remarked on how much money could be tied up in all of it. It made me think and when we got to a certain exhibit I was struck by the thought of the value a celebrity's life can have to certain people and how much can be made from it. In the collectors items area there was a section devoted to the late Thurman Munson, one of the most popular Yankees of all time who passed away 29 years ago. Assorted bats, gloves, uniforms and other of the usual mementos were on display and up for sale/auction. However, what gave it an almost scavenger-like feel was the sight of many of Munson's personal items like jewelry, rings, wristwatches, his first signed contracts, his acceptance papers to college and the New York Yankees organization, his driver's license, deeds for his houses, among other things. It was all donated by his wife Dianne. It does seem a bit morbid to think of buying his swimming pool contract or his poker table (yes, those are available, too), and although it seems like a profit grab by Ms. Munson, it's pretty clear that her motivation is not limited to financial gain. "I wanted to downscale my life. Let's face it, I'm getting up in years," she said. "Plus, a lot of things have been locked up and they haven't been appreciated. Thurman had such a loyal fan base. It's a way to share Thurman with other people. He was so loved."

Although I have to admit to wondering who would buy Thurman Munson's wallet (and why), it's perfectly understandable why she would take full advantage of the cutthroat memorabilia industry and get what she can, and make no mistake; she will make a bundle. Good for her. Even though the idea of the parts being worth more than the whole may seem somewhat insensitive, it's a lot better than just throwing it all away and forgetting.

A sad irony: On July 12, Former Yankee star and broadcaster Bobby Murcer passed away due to complications from a brain tumor at age 62. Murcer was also a very popular Yankee and a close friend of Thurman Munson's. After Munson died in August of 1979 when the jet he was piloting crashed in Ohio, the entire team attended his funeral and Murcer gave one of the eulogies. Afterward, the team flew back to New York and that night, Murcer homered and also drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Yankees an emotional victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He considered that one of the best moments of his career. “There is no way to explain what happened,” said Murcer. “We used every ounce of strength to go out and play that game. We won it for Thurman.”