|
HOMETOWN: South San Francisco, CA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 300+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie Autographed WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I grew up in a small town with no cable TV, but for some reason I received WGN (the Chicago affiliate station) on my rabbit ears. I started watching the Cubs right around Mark's rookie season and that was it...He is Mr. Baseball to me. Plus back in the day it made for great rivalry because my best friend loved Will Clark (and where is Will now?...ha ha) I win. |
|
HOMETOWN: Montgomery, AL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 2,000+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1998 Donruss Collections Preferred Prized Collection ($64) or 2000 Fleer Skybox Dominion #76 (There's just somethin' about him leaning full foward with his elbow going straight at the catcher's head that is a prime example of what a badass he is.) WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Because he's the most solid and under-rated player in the history of the game. Batting gloves? HELL NO!!! He ain't no wuss like that!!! I'm sure you all read the his interview with CNN after he got his ring, "It's funny I can't play first base for the Cubs, but I can play for the world champions." Damn it, I love this guy. Nicest guy in the world, but don't piss him off. He'll give you a 12-gauge enema. It all started for me in 1990 (I was 9) when I traded some cards for a lot of others. I got 12 Grace cards and thought, "gee... this guy must suck for his cards to be so common.". Then I started lookin into it and was floored. 13 years later, I'm still addicted. I'm just waiting for him to get into the Hall-of-Fame so I can sell all my dups and retire early. Who could have guessed a childhood fanfare would pay off so much?!?! |
|
HOMETOWN: Knoxville, TN NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 70+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1991 Upper Deck WHY I COLLECT GRACE: He was my idol as a young baseball player and also played on my favorite team. I always studied how he played so I could imitate him when I played. I like him because he's a fun baseball player to watch and because he has gained respect in baseball without being a power hitter. |
|
HOMETOWN: Erie, PA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 50+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Growing up as a lefty firstbaseman myself and a die-hard Cubs fan, Grace quickly became my favorite player. Not only is he a solid player but an all around great guy. He might be at the twilight of his career but he has given me and many others plenty of great memories that we will never forget. You just had to tear up when he got that hit in Game 7 and went on to win his ring. Even when he retires he will still be entertaining us from the broadcast booth...have you ever heard Gracie? Of course you have...look who I'm asking...the guy is HILARIOUS! Not to mention extremely educated about the game. Gracie is truly a legend. |
|
HOMETOWN: Andover, NJ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 1,238 Unique/Different (4,000+ Total) FAVORITE CARD(S): 1997 Finest #262 - Common Bronze card with a rustic appeal to it WHY I COLLECT GRACE: My favorite player growing up was Cubs First Baseman Leon "Bull" Durham. Still have his baseball card in my wallet. Had no choice but to dislike his replacement: Rafael Palmeiro. Then came along Mark Grace to push Palmeiro back to left field and ultimately out the door. From that point forward, I have been a huge Mark Grace fan. |
|
HOMETOWN: Tustin, CA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: Every card through 1996 FAVORITE CARD(S): Autographed 1988 Fleer Rookie Card WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Being a fellow alum of Tustin High School, it is impossible not to root for him (and Shawn Green and DeShaun Foster). He still comes back to THS to visit teachers and talk to students. On the field, he is a good player, but off the field, he is an incredible person. Peoplesay McGwire and Sosa saved baseball, but I give all the credit to Grace. OK, maybe that's too much, but he is the perfect role model for young players. I know he was for me... |
|
NAME: Deana Stewart HOMETOWN: Nashville, TN NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 100+ not sure really FAVORITE CARD(S): I have to pick? Impossible! WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I became a Cubs fan in ’90 and being 14 I picked the cutest guy on the team. In high school I became a ‘serious’ fan and began to follow stats and stuff and even argued with Brant Brown (not realizing it was him) why Gracie was so underrated as a player one year at Spring Training. I love the fact that he’s a class act player, consistent, and a team leader. Just wish we could get him to hold off on that first pitch…esp. now that he sees the DH spot a little more. Oh yeah almost forgot the best part….most of his cards are cheap cause he gets forgotten!! Love the looks I get when I ask for him specifically at shops or card shows and I get pointed to the “common” box. |
|
HOMETOWN: Silver Gate, MT NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 90 (6 are jersey or bat, 1 is autographed rookie card FAVORITE CARD(S): 2002 Upper Deck Vintage Vintage Special Collection Game-Worn Jersey WHY I COLLECT GRACE: He plays for the love of the game. |
|
HOMETOWN: Streator, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie (autographed) WHY I COLLECT GRACE: He plays the same position I did when I played, he wears my favorite number, and he and my daughter share the same birthday. The Cubs used to be my favorite team for many years, but when they didn't want to sign him again I switched to the Diamondbacks. The D-backs are much closer to me now that I live in Las Vegas. |
|
HOMETOWN: Pittsfield, MA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 400 FAVORITE CARD(S): 1987 Pittsfield Cubs WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I collect Grace because I was the batboy for the 1987 Pittsfield Cubs team which Grace was on. He was always so kind to us. I was only a kid then (11 years old). Ten years later when I was in Philadelphia working on my undergraduate degree and working for the Philadelphia Phillies, I had a chance to talk to Mark, and he remembered my name and was as kind as ever. |
|
HOMETOWN: Glenwood, Iowa NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Iowa Cubs ProCards WHY I COLLECT GRACE: When I heard Harry Caray talk about him on Bob Costas' old radio show, Harry had nothing but good things to says about the kid. Also I believe he is my generation's "Mr. Cubs." |
|
HOMETOWN: Elmhurst, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 150+ (I'm only 13) FAVORITE CARD(S): 2001 Upper Deck Gold Glove Edition WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Mark has been my favorite player since I was around 2 because he is a great player with a great glove who can hit above .300 "easily." |
|
HOMETOWN: Berwyn, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 1,000+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 2002 Upper Deck Vintage Vintage Special Collection Game-Worn Jersey WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I started off a Grace fan because we have the same name and the same initials(M.E.G). As I started to get older I realized how good he was and how he exemplified a true baseball player. Hopefully, he realizes he can still be a starter somewhere else and go after 3,000 hits. And solidify a spot in the Hall of Fame. |
|
NAME: Rob Litt HOMETOWN: Springfield, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 300+ FAVORITE CARD(S): His Cubs years. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: He's an allaround great player, but seems to keep that sense of humor and good spirit that's kept him one of the most respected players in the game. |
|
NAME: Matt McClamrock HOMETOWN: Atlanta, GA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 75 FAVORITE CARD(S): Too many to choose from! WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I first noticed him during the 1989 N.L.C.S. and became a die-hard Cubs fan. Drove to Chicago from SW MO in 1996 to see him play in person, but he was on the DL. I have a goddaughter and a cat named after Mark. I was sad to see him leave Chicago, but when the Diamondbacks won the World Series last year, I was extremely emotional - very happy for Mark's triumph. I wish him all the luck and would thank him for the hours of entertainment he has given me. |
|
HOMETOWN: Minneapolis, MN NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 50 FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Donruss Rookie WHY I COLLECT GRACE: When I was growing up, my father was an avid Cub fan (still is one!). We would watch many games on TV and have had the pleasure of going to Wrigley Field. My sister and I both had our favorite players on the Cubs, mine always being Mark Grace. Though I will always be a true Cub fan, nothing beats watching a baseball game with Mark Grace! |
|
HOMETOWN: Memphis, TN NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 200+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My two favorite Grace cards are his 1988 Donruss "Rated Rookie" card and 1988 Fleer rookie card. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: In early August of 1988 I was living in College Station, Texas, and attended a Cubs-Astros game with a friend and his family. Naturally, there was a crowd of autograph seekers surrounding the Cubs' dugout 90 minutes before the game. But a young, relatively unknown rookie first baseman started at one end of the mob worked his way all the way down, politely signing every item thrust before him -- including the '88 Donruss and Fleer cards I had. I moved to Memphis, Tenn., (one of Grace's childhood hometowns) the following year, and was thrilled by the Cubs' dramatic season and enjoyed the Grace-Will Clark battle in the NLCS when the rest of the country knew what Cubs fans knew: that Mark Grace was one of game's best contact hitters, fielders and pressure players. In the summer of 1990, my family and I made our pilgrimage to Wrigley Field for a Dodgers series immediately following the All-Star game in Chicago. The series opener (July 12, 1990) was a night game with temperatures in the 40s and a 15-mph wind coming off the lake. That night, Grace -- on the first swing I had ever seen him take in person at Wrigley -- deposited a fastball into the "basket" in left-centerfield. I was hooked. In fact I was so hooked that when the Cubs made it clear that he was not a critical element of their plan for the 2001 season and Grace signed with the Diamondbacks, I mothballed every Cubs item I owned and immediately jumped on the Diamondbacks' bandwagon. As we all know, that was a good bandwagon to jump on and a good time to do it. Although I believe you would be hard-pressed to find any Cub in the history of the franchise who gave more effort and loved the team and city more, I don't hate the Cubs for what they did to Grace. They had a business decision to make and did it. Grace did the same. And all parties got what they deserved. Grace singled to start the ninth-inning rally in Game Seven of the World Series; the Cubs watched on television, just as they will for every Fall Classic for hundreds of years to come. |
|
HOMETOWN: Manchester, MI NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 1400+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1995 Flair. I dig the color, quality, and candid photo of Mark in this one. Fleer 94 All Star card. The American Flag is totally appropriate for Gracie because he is an All-American guy. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: WGN. I grew up in Michigan and it was the Tigers, Braves, and Cubs that I saw everyday on local, TNT, and WGN television. He just struck me as a role model right off the bat (no pun intended). I started collecting cards the same year he was a rookie and I was told to grab as many of your favorite player as you can and if you are lucky, he might be in the hall of fame someday and your collection could be valuable to others as well as you. That is my goal and if Gracie can tough it out for a few more years....it just might happen! |
|
HOMETOWN: Bayonne, NJ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS:
400+ (including every bat and jersey card
and many PSA 10 graded cards) FAVORITE CARD(S): My top 2 are 1989 Topps Tiffany and 1990 Leaf. The 1989 Topps card is best in Tiffany form because they are almost perfect in condition and the slight gloss only makes this card more awesome. Also, how can you not love that he has number 53 on in the photo?! Looks like Luis Salazar in the backround as they wait to get in some pre-game BP. It's also his "trophy" card, how can you not love those? The 1990 Leaf card shows Grace's kinetic energy at its best. He's tensed and about to tear into a first pitch fastball. Also you can see every detail on his bat...the wood lines, some tar, the Rawlings mark, etc. The look of Gracie's pure determination, not to mention him wearing the old-school eye black under his eyes...and he's not choaked up on the bat, probably gonna rip one of his 9 homeruns that year! WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I first started playing baseball in 1989 and really came into sports that year. Grace was in his 1st full year. Grace was such a precise hitter and fielder. Very tough too! From his first pro fight with Frank Dipino, to his fights with Andre Dawson...classic quotes and one-liners are his forte. You 've got to love him. Not to mention his epic battle with Will Clark in 1989. From then on the Grace/Clark matchups were awesome! One of the last few 1B one on one battles. Add to all that the majesty of Wrigley Field and how can you not love this old-school, no batting glove wearing, smooth as ice fielding, eye black wearing throwback?! I made my first trip to Wrigley in 1998 and got to see them play the Cardinals during the great Sosa/McGwire HR race...it doesn't get any better then that! |
|
HOMETOWN: Arlington Heights, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): Topps Gold Label... I like the dual image of him batting and fielding. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I appreciate his tenacity as a player and his dedication to his team. I am a CUBS fan until the day I die, but no one was more thrilled (aside from him) when he finally won a World Series. He deserved this after years of hard work and awesome abilities. He has been a role model to me as a baseball player and as a man. |
|
HOMETOWN: McHenry, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 1500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite card of Mark is his 1989 Score card that I got in my first pack. I eventually got this card signed, and soon thereafter got another signed for my friend Dan. WHY I COLLECT
GRACE: I got started on Mark Grace when I lived in
Oregon. I bought a pack of 89 Score, and the top card was of a
baseball player with a perfect swing....Mark Grace. That was my
first pack of cards, and there were many more to come. Lots of
trades (and eBay) later I was up to 1500+ cards by my senior year in
highschool. I just want to thank all you Mark Grace fans out there for contributing to this great internet site....it has been a great time watching Gracey all these years...let's root for him to go for several more, what do ya say?! |
|
HOMETOWN: Paulsboro, NJ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): In a Diamondbacks uniform, it's the 01 UD Gold Glove Game Jersey card. Defense is his excellence. In a Cubs uniform, it's the 89 Classic purple. That card just caught my eye. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: You're going to laugh... in '89 I got a pack of Topps and got 4 cards of his in one pack. Unheard of! I remembered his name in a Cubs game and started from there. He's a gamer. He is a solid, underrated ballplayer. I hope he gets 3000 hits. He'll have to play into his 40's? Possible Hall of Famer. Stress POSSIBLE. Donnie Ballgame (Don Mattingly) might not get in, and he was awesome... just like Grace! |
|
HOMETOWN: Warwick, NY NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 750+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite card would have to be one that is worth a buck and everyone has it. An '89 Score Young Superstar #3. It was one of the first cards in my collection. The hair flowing out of his helmet, his aggressive posture, reminds me of when I was a kid aspiring to be a big league ball player. Cheezy, maybe. Nostalgic, definately. My favorite card. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: It was the '89-'90 baseball season when I began my collection. There were a few young players that were hot at the time: Sabo, Grace, Joyner, Big Mac, etc. I made a choice. Now, here I am with about 750 different Mark Grace cards and nobody to appreciate it. (NY fans are brutal) For me the collecting is what it is all about. You see, I don't care whether it is a common or a gold-plated, platinum scripted, finger-jointed, refracting, #4/5. If I don't have it, I want it. The value of the cards are not important to me. I do not plan on selling them, just adding to them. I, like Grace, go through slumps. I don't even look for new cards for months. It is a time to replenish my soul as well as my wallet. Our greatest ally in our fight is that Mark is not a premiere player. Simply put, it keeps costs down. Having written that, there are other things I would like to get off my chest. There has been a lot of talk about Mark going to the Hall of Fame. For this to happen I feel that he must get 3,000 hits. Grace is in a power position and has never hit 20 home runs in a season. His fielding is the best out there and that should help. His career batting average will be over .300. That in and of itself is a great feat but, a friend mentioned that (and I agree with him) Mark Grace has never been the best player on his team. Consistent yes, but always in the shadow of players the likes of Sandberg, Dawson, Sosa, and now Gonzalez. Mark is 37 years old now and still going strong. Let's hope that he stays productive for a few more years. I am not only a fan, but a realist. Getting on to brighter subjects, I am still, to this day, amazed at how many different cards there are out there. I remember when I was young and all there were was one Topps, one Fleer, --hell, that was it! I can't complain though, it keeps me busy. It is still fun for me. I would like to thank Mr. Wackerlin for his website and wish him luck in the future. As for anyone that reads this, take care, and above all else, have fun in what you do. Thanks, Matt. |
|
HOMETOWN: Gilbert, AZ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 75+ FAVORITE CARD(S): This is a tough question and a tough decision to make but I would have to say my 2001 Upper Deck SPJersey Gold Version numbered 03/25. The reason why is because it is a card that I didn't believe to even exist until just recently when I was able to pick it up pretty cheap and thus complete my "game-used" Grace set. I also like the 2000 Pacific Invincible Patch card numbered to 125 because it is a good looking card and also Grace's first and so far only Patch card. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I first noticed Mark Grace in about1990 when my family moved from Illinois to Arizona. It just so happens that Mark Grace was moving from Chicago to California at the same time. My family had rented space on one of those huge United Moving Trucks and there were a couple of different people's stuff on board. When the movers got to our house in Arizona we helped him move our stuff in the house and that is when I found out from the driver that one of the other persons' stuff was none other then Mark Grace. This is a true story by the way, no one could make up something like this. Anyways, I started to talk to the truck driver and he found out that I collected baseball cards and wanted to know if I wanted to sell him one of my cards so that he could get it signed for himself. I sold him a card and also gave him one to get signed for myself and thedriver could send it to me when it got signed. Well sure enough in about a week or two I got a envelope in the mail along with an autographed Mark Grace 1989 Fleer card that I still have to this day. Before that day I was a pretty big Tom Herr fan (second baseman for the Cardinals and other teams) and I still am but no one comes close to being a class act like Grace. My family even named our cat after him, Gracy the Cat. In 1998 the Diamondbacks came into existence and so did my fanfare for the D-backs. I remember saying to my friends that now we finally got a baseball team in Arizona I wished my favorite player would join my favorite team and in Dec. of 2000 it came true. So far this year I have been able to obtain a Grace foul ball that he hit off Kerry Wood and even a nod of appreciation from the man himself when after a round of batting practice he was walking into the dugout and myself and my lovely girlfriend were right next to where the players come out and I remarked, "Have a day Gracie" He looked up and nodded and gave me a wink. I am very glad that Grace will actually get a legitimate chance to win a World Series this year or next with the D-backs. I really felt bad for him when the Cubs didn't want him back after putting in so many great years there but their loss is Arizona's gain! Great man. Great player. And future Hall of Famer! |
|
HOMETOWN: Gilbert, AZ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 50+ FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie. That was the card that started my baseball card collecting in general, especially Mark Grace cards. My prized possession for me is the picture I have of Mark Grace and I together. It was taken in March of 1991 or 1990, I can't remember because I forgot to write the date on the picture. I was 11 or 12 years old and he was signing autographs at Dillards in Scottsdale, Arizona with Joe Girardi and Mike Beiliki while the Cubs were in Arizona for Spring Training. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: The Cubs were my favorite team when I was a kid growing up and the first time I saw Mark Grace, which was on the back cover of the Aug. 1988 Beckett, I immediately became a Grace fan and have never stopped since then. Now he plays in my home state and I have the opportunity to go see him play all the time. |
|
HOMETOWN: Atlanta , GA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 438 FAVORITE CARD(S): 1988 Topps Traded--I like this one because it took me forever to find it. When I did I got a great looking one at a great price. 1997 Leaf--I just like the look of this card: the shading on the sides, Grace with his arms raised triumphantly with a big smile! What a great card! 1998 Donruss Crusade--I have both the Green (98/250) and the Purple (71/100). These cards are very cool looking cards, and I got them at a steal. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Grace became my favorite player during the 1989 NL Championship game (I was a Giants fan at the time). He just played great, and he and Will Clark just laughed and cut up each time on of them was on first. I mean, here's a guy in his second year in the bigs playing in the NL Championship game, and he's laughing and joking like an old-timer. What poise! |
|
HOMETOWN: Manalapan, NJ NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 250+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite cards have to be my 1988 Score Rookie Traded and 2001 Donruss , because I got them autographed in person by Mark! I wrote a poem on Mark which was published in Sports Illustrated for Kids. We contacted the Diamondbacks, one thing led to another, and I got to meet him at a Diamondbacks-Phillies game! He signed my poem in the magazine and the two cards, and I gave HIM a card of him on the D-Backs (he didn't have one yet, I read it in Baseball Weekly) and a magazine with the poem in it. It was the most exciting day in my 13 year old life! WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I was a born Cubs fan. As pathetic as that may seem, its true. I started out a Ryne Sandberg fan, but when he retired the first time, I was hooked on the Cubs and picked up on Grace. Since then, I have compiled as big a Grace collection as possible for a kid. I went to Chicago just to see him play when I was 9. Grace is a complete player-great hitter and excellent fielder. He is also a team leader, and a great role model. I try to emulate him when I play baseball in my town. I think Grace could and should be a Hall of Famer. |
|
HOMETOWN: Atlanta, GA NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 7,500+ (244 Unique) FAVORITE CARD(S): As a collector of limited means when I was 12, the '88 Score Traded card eluded me for years. I used to get my mother to drive me to a card shop in Fayettville so I could see if the price of the set had gone down any. When I discovered E-Bay, it was the first card I bought. Asthetically, I really like the 1989 Upper Deck card. The picture on the back of Gracie stretching for a throw at first is gorgeous. It really shows off the location (the Astrodome) in an artistic way. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I was ten years old late in the '87 season when my father took me to a Cubs game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Despite living in Atlanta my entire life, my dad had raised me to be a Cubs fan. I was ecstatic when my favorite player, Jody Davis, came over to sign autographs near the Cub dugout before the game. He worked his way down the line toward me, signing everything anyone handed him. As he approached, a coach called him over to do some drills. My father encouraged me to throw my card on the ground so he would pick it up and sign it before returning to his drills. I refused, trusting that my hero would sign my card without my resorting to such chicanery. He got to the person immediately before me, signed their card, and then said "sorry guys, got to go." The person after me in line threw their card on the ground. Jody picked it up, signed it, and returned it to the kid before taking off, leaving me in the dust. Flash forward to the next spring: I still liked Jody, but the incident had shaken my faith in him. I needed a new favorite player. One day my mother went to a yard sale where the kid in the family was selling some baseball cards. I had only a quarter in my pocket so I bought the only Cubs card I saw that was going for $0.25. That card was the '88 Donruss Grace Rated Rookie, and the rest was history. I followed him every day of the season, raging as Chris Sabo was unjustly given the all-star nod and Rookie of the Year award, but smiling as I checked Grace's box scores and traded with my friends for more Grace cards. By 1990, my collection stood at around 50. Through a fortuitous trade with my home room teacher's son, I got my hands on a second-year Michael Jordan basketball card which I promptly turned around for the other Cubs fan in my school's entire 50 card Mark Grace collection. Sitting on 100 cards, I began to wonder if I in fact had the greatest Mark Grace collection in the world. Kids can be naive. Over the next couple years, I drifted away from collecting baseball cards due to the eighteen gazillion sets being published every year. My Grace collection went on hiatus, stuck in a notebook in my desk, but moving with me as I family moved, when I went off to college, and finally off to the work place. Then about two years ago, I discovered eBay. I promptly went nuts. I bought and bought and bought. I promptly got my hands on the 1988 Score Traded card that had eluded me for so long, and then I got twenty more of them. I bought large lots and individual graded cards. I bought minor league, oddballs, and memorabilia. I again began to wonder if I might have the best Mark Grace collection in the world. Then yesterday I found Brad's website... |
|
HOMETOWN: Miller, IN NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 700+ FAVORITE CARD(S): This is a hard question to answer, but I would have to say that my favorite card is his San Diego State card. It was the hardest card for me to find, but it was worth all the effort! WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I fell in love with Mark Grace as soon as he joined the Cubs. I grew up a Cubs fan and adding him to the team made me more of a fan. I can remember him playing in the 1989 playoffs. He was so adorable! The more he played, the more I liked him and the more I got into baseball. I became a die hard Cubs fan even though they weren't the best team. I started my Grace collection with his Fleer rookie and it took off from there. My collection is still growing, but at a much slower rate now. And finally meeting Mark Grace has to be one of my happiest moments ever! I think that the smile I had was stuck on my face for about week! He is an awesome player and deserves the World Series win even though he is no longer with the Cubs! |
|
HOMETOWN: Kinston, NC NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 5000+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite is definitly an 89 Classic autographed card. I love the look of the card anyway, plus it's the first autographed card I ever recieved. Even though I have about a dozen signed Grace items now, this one is definitly my favorite! A close second is the '94 Upper Deck. The front is a close up of him batting, but the back says it all. Mark is standing in the dugout with a white shirt that says "SHUT UP AND PLAY!". That's important because of the players strike that occurred that year, and you can see by the shirt that Grace isn't an over paid crybaby, he just wanted to play baseball! Although not cards, my top two other favorite Grace items I own are the Bobblehead given away this year (2001) by the Diamondbacks, and a ball signed by Grace/Sosa during Spring Training '99. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I've always enjoyed playing baseball, but didn't start paying attention to baseball on T.V. until 1989. That just happened to be the greatest N.L.C.S. of all time led by Mark Grace and Will Clark! About this same time a friend of mine bought a pack of baseball cards and he happened to get a Mark Grace Rated Rookie in the pack. I traded him several G.I. Joes (I was 12 ok?) for the card, and I was hooked I could now collect my new hero on baseball cards! Too show just how much of a fan I am, when I graduated High School I had the option of going to Rio de Janeiro to see a friend for a week, or flying to Chicago to see Grace and the Cubs. Grace went 3 for 5 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. |
|
HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 100+, but also many photographs FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite card is his 88 Donruss rookie, probably because mine is autographed. It also reflects how long Grace has been is baseball. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: I've been a Grace fan since the week I moved to Chicago from the stixs of Missouri. My fist pro game ever was at Wrigley and I've been hooked on baseball,the Cubs,and Grace since. To see an athlete with a true love for the game is rare these days. Everyone is in it for the money, not Grace, he loves this game. He's what I call and old-school player; no batting gloves, pants pulled up with stirrups, black under the eyes, and a great swing. A true ballplayer. I've never got anything personally signed by him, though I do have a great collection thanks to family and friends. My favorite piece is my autographed ball followed by a Mark Grace bat. I'd love to meet him someday, if for nothing else to let him know what a great ball player he has been throughout the years. The Tribune company made a huge mistake trading him, I hope they are kicking themselves for it. |
|
HOMETOWN: Berwyn, IL NUMBER OF GRACE CARDS: 500+ FAVORITE CARD(S): My favorite card is the Fleer EX Century Behind the Numbers jersey card. WHY I COLLECT GRACE: Grace has been my role model for fifteen years and he is great to watch! |
NAME:
Jonathan D. Bishop
NAME:
Donald McCanless
NAME:
Thomas Ingram
NAME:
Rich Brantis
NAME:
Casey Winn
NAME: Cassie Hartman
NAME: Marc Vincelette
NAME:
David Schoening
NAME:
Jay Garneau
NAME: Mark Harris
NAME:
Nick Murphy
NAME:
Adam Reidel
NAME:
Ethan Beckler
NAME:
Rich Valentino
NAME:
Matt Houston
NAME:
Eric Wicoff
NAME:
Melethia Crusenberry
NAME:
Eric Strow
NAME:
Scott Lange
NAME:
Mary Ellen Passarelli
NAME:
Matthew Heath
NAME:
Rich Dastice