Why I love readers

The other day, I received a panic-inducing comment on my "Top Five" Mark Grace post from none other than Jim (aka GCRL) of the newly christened "Cards As I See Them" blog:

"My favorite Grace card is the UD MVP card that shows him on the mound. If only it showed his Mike Fetters stare."

My initial reaction was OH MY GOD...YOU MEAN THERE'S ACTUALLY A CARD OF MARK GRACE PITCHING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! This was something I never thought existed. Surely there had to be some mistake, and if there wasn't, I needed to acquire this card immediately.

Turns out Jim was absolutely right, and -- plot twist! -- I'd had the card in question for years already. It's the very 2003 UD MVP issue of Gracie you see above. I'd never really looked closely at it, but sure enough, there it is for all to see: Mark Grace on the mound during what would be his only career pitching appearance.

The card I'd been wanting for as long as I could remember was mine all along.

This is why I love people like Jim who read this blog.

You've taught me way more about cards than I've taught you. I can't tell you how many cherished cards I've discovered thanks to the eagle eyes of others, some of which -- like the Grace -- were right in front of my eyes the whole time.

As fate would have it, Jim's "double dip" and "final tribute" themes (among others) were one of the reasons I started mini-collecting in the first place, and a package I received from him a while back help boost a few of my own themes.

Here's a new hit to my anthemic mini-collection (with bonus appearances from Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick which make me semi-nostalgic for '90s ESPN).

Not surprisingly, Jim's cards were heavy on the Dodgers, and here's a couple pitchers at the plate in the Dodger blue.

The Hershiser is a box bottom, which are always adored here in the Dime Box household.

A couple Ruthian mini-collection hits from Leaf's all-Bambino set last year which, I've discovered, was actually a fun set despite its sole focus on one player.

Looks like I've found an accordion player for the baseball card band I've been putting together, which includes Randy Johnson on drums and Bernie Williams on guitar, among others.

And while I've never declared it an official mini-collection, I've always sought out cards of players wearing green St. Patrick's Day jerseys, and the Alvarez is my newest addition to that chase.

Last up is a card that Jim said every Garvey player collector should own.

This '83 Topps Traded issue of Mr. Clean was a former Dime Box Dozen need of mine for the sheer fact that it was the last one I needed to own every Topps card of Steve Garvey. Somehow I knew Jim -- the most prolific Garvey collector I know -- would be the one to send it to me.

If you think about it, blogging would be a boring job without anyone reading your stuff. Not only for the sheer feedback of it all, but also for the fact that it would be quite a limited life without the perspectives of other people who read blogs all around the country, many of whom have seen a lot more and collected for a lot longer than I have.

I know my collection would look a lot different right now without my readers.