a moment for carl erskine

it's been over a week since we learned of the passing of carl erskine, and i would be remiss if i didn't take a moment here to acknowledge it. aside from being a member of the dodger franchise and "the boys of summer", erskine was a member of his community whose good works won't be forgotten.

i recently added his 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph card to my collection

to go along with the 2004 topps team legends auto of his i already owned. i've been remiss in trying to finish off the dodger team set of these autograph cards, as they come from my favorite fleer "legends" set of all-time. the problem is that i look at what the tommy lasorda card will cost me and kind of lose hope over picking up the others (joe black, roger craig, preacher roe, and duke snider) that i need.

erskine left his mark on my collection in other ways, as he was a fantastic signer of cards through the mail. i sent ttm requests to him once or twice or actually six times, and the cards always came back. i wonder if he kept track of people who sent him cards, because only with my first request did he include his own personalized card.

that card highlighted the carl d. erskine rehabilitation and sports medicine center in his hometown of anderson, indiana where he also donated land for an elementary school that bears his name. it makes no mention of the many organizations that erskine gave his time to, including b.a.t. and the special olympics. although he lived to 97, i think we could have used a few more years from carl erskine.