Rick Burleson, 1987 Donruss Opening Day #134

Professional wrestler and sometimes author Mick Foley is one of my favorite people in this world. I own both of his novels and all four of his memoirs. I've gotten autographs and awkward photos with him at two public appearances, and I went on a bus trip to Philadelphia a few years back to see him win the TNA World Title in a steel cage match. So when he announced recently that he was auctioning off his childhood baseball cards to raise money for RAINN (a national anti-sexual violence organization), I was helpless to resist. Rarely do my interests dovetail so beautifully. I won an auction for a lot of 160 1976 Topps cards, all formerly the property of an 11-year-old Mickey Foley. The cards arrived today, and thumbing through them, I got a glimpse into the world of the future Hardcore Legend:

-Every kid has that one card that keeps turning up in pack after pack, seeming to mock him. Judging from the four Rick Burlesons in this lot, "The Rooster" was that guy for Mick.

-Most of the cards were in a "well-loved" condition. I would expect no less from a bunch of 35-year-old cards that were owned by a kid back before cards were thought of as investments. Plenty of dings and creases, but very few mutilations.

-Larry Dierker wasn't so lucky. His photo had several gouges. I guess Foley wasn't a fan.

-There were two Duffy Dyer card backs fused together, back-to-back...actually, I guess they were stuck front-to-front. Couldn't pry them apart. Not sure that I'd want to.

-A Rick Manning card had "Denise" written on the back in pen. Who is Denise? I've asked Mick via Twitter. I'll let you know if I get a response. (UPDATE: Direct from the source: "No idea. Really." So, give me your guesses.)

-The lot included about 20 of those so-awful-they're-great 1976 Topps Traded, complete with shoddily airbrushed caps and fake newspaper headlines.

-Mick grew up on Long Island, and I believe he was a Mets fan. There weren't many Mets in this collection, though - well-worn Bud Harrelson and Traded Mickey Lolich cards, and a better-kept Del Unser. There was a four-player rookie card featuring Ron Guidry that was in surprisingly good shape.

-A few Orioles to be found, though of course I already had the team set: Dave Duncan, Al Bumbry, Lee May, Ken Singleton, Tony Muser. Among ex-Orioles, there was the sight of Boog Powell in a tomato-red Indians jersey.

So, there you have it. I got to donate to a good cause, add to my vintage card collection, and talk tangentially about rasslin'. It's a win-win-win...for me, anyway. I'm not sure what was in it for you.