My First Football Card
November 8th, 2008 | Published in My Collection | 2 Comments
Well, it wasn’t really my first card, but it was the one I was after. Pete Banaszak was from my hometown, Crivitz, Wisconsin, and he played for the Raiders when I started getting interested in football. I wasn’t even sure he had a card, but I spent a lot of dimes looking for it.
There was a Red Owl grocery store down the block from our house, and that’s where I spent most of my dimes. I remember being annoyed at the sales tax, which was new at the time. Getting only four dime packs for my five dimes seemed to me like a complete rip-off.
When I finally found Pete, I pinned him to my bulletin board, and he remained there for years, maybe even through high school. He played for the Raiders for 13 years, a long time for a running back, finally retiring when I was in college.
- See all of Pete Banaszak’s cards in the Vintage Football Card Gallery
- Find Pete Banaszak cards on eBay
November 14th, 2008 at 6:35 PM (#)
Always nice to hear “first card” stories. Old Pete was a survivor in the NFL and was reliable in the clutch.
My first card came from a pack of ’56 Topps Football that my Dad purchased at the local tobacco store in Parma, Ohio. The very first pull was Deacon Dan Towler of the Rams. After seeing that bright red background, I was hooked.
Since then I have compiled a complete set of PSA 8’s and 9’s, but for a couple of Redskins I will have to get around tosubmitting to PSA. Who knew all the way back in ’56?
Love the new site and dealing with your fine company over the years.
Bob
November 15th, 2008 at 5:48 PM (#)
Hi Bob, thanks for being the first to leave a comment. And congratulations on that beautiful 1956 set!