I had a crude grip on the pencil when I filled in these squares–
High up the neck and held too tightly,
The hexagon imprinting
Lines on my fingers
That would remain there for hours.
This was the sixth and final series and summer was over–
Second grade had started, and I imagine
That white-haired Ms. O’Connell
Was impressing on me
The need to hold a pencil correctly.
During lunch I’d sit at my desk with a secret stack of cards:
Blefary, Archie Reynolds, Griffin In Action,
Willie Montanez, Foli,
Dunning, Kaat, and Bahnsen,
Paul Blair but no Bill Virdon.
The checklist is a fossil now and only half complete–
Did I stop recording progress,
Or end that year’s collecting
To instead absorb stern lessons
On how to hold a pencil?
I dig it.
Well, I don’t really dig checklist cards. Mine marked in pen and not so neatly. I needed Ms. O’Connell, I guess….
I wondered why Jim Kaat got to have his picture on a checklist but Koosman didn’t.
Always a pleasure to read.
Thanks for bringing me back. Baseball cards played a solid role in my childhood. Biking to the store to buy wax packs and chewing stale gum on my way home.
i read this article multiple times
every word on all 20 lines
tho i searched high & low
and tried reading it slow
i found not one damned word that rhymes
now i make no claim to being a poet
if i tried i’m sure i would blow it
however i must strongly insist
that you immediately desist
and stick to cards for which you’re an all know it
it may seem my critique rather strong
in this i know i’m not wrong
in your field of strength you are topps
whilst mine be simply barley & hops
but you sir, should forever avoid song
i’ll take my leave of you now doug parker
as the nite sky is growing more darker
tho my words may fade to mist
the next time you want to complete a checklist
instead of rhyme try a black magic marker
jbh