willie mays is in my hall of famer collection

say hey!  willie mays is in my hall of famer collection, thanks to this card:

that's a 1997 topps willie mays reprints autograph card.  here's the back:

my dad saw mays play a few times. he even roadtripped up to candlestick a couple of times, primarily because he enjoyed driving (so do i!), and he would take highway 1 up the coast in his sports car.  i've been to candlestick once, but it was to see a 49ers game circa 2007.  i know mays from the baseball history books and the highlight reels and that terry cashman song (that also featured a shout out to steve garvey!)".

one year while on vacation, we found ourselves in a book store as we often did.  book stores, antique stores, comic book and baseball card stores were always on the agenda as we drove all over the western part of the us and canada.  anyway, i was hanging out in the sports section looking for something to read having pretty much memorized the 'handbook of baseball' book i had brought with me. i coerced my dad in to buying "willie's time" for me.  the conversation that followed between my parents led me to believe that perhaps there was a feeling that i was focusing too much on baseball, and my dad justified the purchase by saying that the book was about more than just baseball.  he was right, but i think he would have defended his purchase even if it had not been the case.

here's my hall of famer collection as its been documented so far:

babe ruth - 2003 topps tribute world series edition world series tribute relic 351/425:

bob feller - 2001 topps archives

jackie robinson - 2004 topps clubhouse collection clubhouse relics

roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic

warren spahn - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures

willie mays - 1997 topps willie mays reprints autograph

hank aaron - 2004 topps originals 1979 topps all-time record holders rbi 03/32:

harmon killebrew - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures

bruce sutter - 2003 topps all-time fan favorites

pete rose* - 2018 panini flawless legendary signatures 15/25

you can find the full list of hall of famers (and some not - yet) that i aim to include in this collection at my want list site.

*not currently a member of the hall of fame