Sports Memorabilia can sometimes be the most personal item a person buys. Whether as a gift or for a collection, every item is attached to some emotional moment in time. I was on the phone with an older gentleman the other day chatting about autographed sports memorabilia in general and autographed baseballs in particular. He was interested in buying a signed ball to give to the son of one of his best friends as a way of showing his appreciation for the respect this kid had always given him. It sounded to me like it was going to be a reward for being a good citizen. The more I thought about this the more I liked it. My guess is that kid will keep that ball for a long time with a fond remembrance of his father's friend and the reason the gift was given.
With this in mind I started looking for some item that represents that spirit of good citizenship. I wasn't really interested in "role model" stuff, just some athlete who quietly does his own thing in his own community. Well, I came up with two, the teacher and the student, Tom Brady and Andrew Luck. Both of these guys support local charities and put in the time. Quietly. Good citizen stuff. So if you're ever in the mood to surprise a young person with a keepsake, think about something that supports a higher ideal.
