European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Be our guest the Day Don Mattingly wore a dress 1 a a it. 1 cd. Jon s. Brighter. A. A guest columnist is i he idea struck me a full two years prior to the birth of my second child. A fabulous idea. A once in a lifetime idea. A sneaky idea. I would Start a col Lee Tith a a collection for my As yes in. Born son a baseball card collection. The idea was perfect a Honey Quot i said a after All we want another child and what better father son bonding tool can there be Quot and so it began. The. 1987 Topps Complete set followed by the .1987 Topps traded set. On to 1988, and. Another Complete set was add Etc to the growing collection. Then came the fateful Day. A Day that will forever be ingrained in my mind. On that morning a my wife looked lovingly into my eyes How Beautiful she looked kneeling at the toilet As she announced a a we have conceived a of the elation my heart nip flopped within my Chest. Everything was going As planned. Two full years of cards already collected. The 1989 set already on order. And now a son on the Way. Yes life was Good. A. Now. Done to get me wrong. It is possible for a father and daughter to enjoy a Hobby together but just not baseball cards not that i Hadnot tried. On numerous occasions i had explained to my daughter the importance of statistics and a mint Quot condition is. A a Good Quot collection. 1 must admit everything seemed to be going pretty Well too Well. Then it happened. I walked into her bedroom and saw him. Don. Mattingly crudely Cut out lying there adorned in a Barbie dress Pink no less. A tear welled up in my Eye and slowly rolled Down my Check. It was then it came to me. Females and baseball cards just done to mix. Period. End of subject. I should have known. Every Man can Tell the same Many of you had baseball cards As boys How Many of you still have them sur icy says. 10 percent. The other 90 percent excuse the bluntness but ill just Sav it their mothers threw them out. Mothers All Over the country Are just wailing for their sons to go away to College join the service or get married and Why so they can go into your bedroom search until they find your sports card collection gather up your Sisters and Sacri fico your childhood to the gods. But digress. My son was on the Way i would undo All the Quot a previous wrongs when he turned 12 he would he blessed with 15 full years of Topps baseball cards. Cards to do with As he wished statistics to share with dear old dad stories about games players favorite teams a huh the sheer Joy. He would continue to save each year the collection would grow and by age 18 the collection would reach 21 full years a. ,. And then lie la go away to College join the service or possibly get married and his Mother will go in to clean out his room and. No a flaw the perfect idea was flawed. Then i knew what i had to do. Pray. I prayed like never before a please god of please if you never answer another prayer please Grant me. This. One wish. Make it a girl Quot Quot it was the Only solution. After All baseball cards were not for boys boys done to understand mint condition boys eat chocolate and handle their cards boys Trade. A is ome old Guy named Willie Mays Quot for Darryl Strawberry. Yes some things Are Only meant for Menand yes i can honestly say that one of the happiest Days of my life was witnessing the birth of my second child. A daughter. I la keep collecting. I already have a full four years and All i be told my wife. A do you want our daughters to grow up thinking that their father is a quitter Quot certainly no besides it s in investment. Someday these cards Nuiya be Worth enough Money to put my Daugh Krs through College. And so then ill sell them. Really i will. Maybe. Air Force Stah sgt Jon s Brightbill is with Tho 7401 munitions Supply squad at Rimini Italy a. Feedback what a the first thing you la do when your spouse gets Back from the persian Gulf Angie Robinson surgery dental assistant at the 92nd med Del Hanyu Germany i look Forward to spending a lot of time together eating at Chi chips mexican. Restaurant in Wiesbaden. 1 will also fix his favorite meal a Steak and potatoes. Sandra Paris family member in Erle see Germany he has to open his Christ Mas presents and birthday make him his favorite meal and then i m going to sit there and look at him. Susan Loney family member from la Ibold Germany ill definitely have to Grill out a big Juicy Tbone Steak. In a hoping lie la he Quot. Here for our wedding anniversary in May. J be missed the last two. Hetty Sanford family member from Eric see Germany the first thing i la do is grab him and hold him and Lake a Good look at him. Compiled by stars and stripes staff March 17. 1991sunday Quot a
