RIP, Mr. Banks

As of now you've all heard that baseball lost a legend, Ernie Banks. I've heard and read nothing but good things about Mr. Banks, both before and after he passed. He certainly was one of the many gems that baseball has provided us with.

Sadly, he never got a taste of the World Series. I wonder if that would have been different had more teams made the playoffs back then, a la today. Alas, we'll never know.

A few years ago, I picked this Hillshire Farms Ernie Banks auto up. I had seen these cards around, and they could have been had pretty cheap. I don't think I paid much more than $5 for this, as the time. I'm certainly glad I did.

Autograph of Ernie Banks

I’ve always been a fan of Ernie Banks. Not sure why. I’m not a Cubs fan, although I don’t necessarily dislike them anyways. Growing up, I had a friend who had two signed baseballs that his grandmother bought him on QVC – one was Willie Mays, one was Banks. I was always envious of those baseballs, and I think why I subconsciously have always wanted an auto of each.

I’ve tried Banks a few times TTM, but with no success. I’ve bid on a few certified autos too, but I’m not ready to pay a hefty fee for something I can live without. I recently put in a bid on eBay for a 1999 Hillshire Farms card signed by Banks. My bid was $5.99. I lost. But then something happened. I received a second chance email…and I could buy the card for my highest bid - $5.99 – plus $2 shipping. $7.99?! I pulled the trigger and got this:

It also came with a certificate of authenticity. Pretty good deal if you ask me.