My mementos of St. Louis Cardinals, Roberto Clemente, Pete Maravich draw interest | Adams

My column on “office mementos for sale,” drew plenty of interest. I appreciate the literary contributions.

But I would appreciate financial opportunities even more.

Robert writes: I grew up in West TN (Savannah) and the StLu Cards were all we had on the radio (KMOX-Dizzy Dean, Harry Caray, Jack Buck) ... $150 subject to inspection if original. If you are on hard times, you should consider installing walk-in showers.

My response: Hard times haven’t hit yet. But I can see them from here.

I will get back to you when they arrive. Thanks for your interest.

The baseball is in pristine condition.

Michael writes: I have been a Cardinals fan since 1962.

A friend had given me the guts of an old floor-model radio. I rigged a serious antenna and pulled in the Cardinal games from KMOX.  Harry Carey and Jack Buck had the play-by-play and I spent many a summer night sitting in the dark in my bedroom listening to the games.

Anyway, if no one else wants the baseball, I’d be honored to have it. I would keep it as a treasure, not for resale, if that makes any difference.

My response: We share similar baseball experiences, though we were rooting for different National League teams.

I appreciate your interest, but interest won’t pay my future bills if I get laid off. Robert is offering $150, so you know where the bidding starts.

Ken writes: Roberto Clemente was my all-time favorite baseball player. I was fourteen when he died. I spent many nights listening to the Pirates on KDKA, Bob Prince and Nellie King on the call. Clemente, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillan, Steve Blass, etc.

My response: I could listen to KDKA at my home in Clinton, Louisiana, at night. The best reception came late. So, as a devout Pirates fan, I relished the West Coast games against the Dodgers and Giants.

I listened to Blass make his first major league start against the Dodgers. The entire broadcast came in crystal clear. That was the subject of my next day’s English theme.

I didn’t get much sleep that night but got an “A” on the theme.

Kevin writes: If you’re serious about selling your dust collection, I’m a baseball fan and would be interested in the 1964 Cardinal Baseball and the Roberto Clemente photo.

Roberto Clemente was my childhood idol. I have his baseball cards and I have an autographed photo, which I’m told might have been signed by someone in the Pirates office. Either way, it means a lot to me.   If you’re selling your two baseball items, I’m interested.

My response: If one of my editors calls and tells me to come to the office with my laptop, I will call you right away.

Many people have told me Clemente was their favorite player. He wasn’t just talented, but played the game with unmatched flair.

Mark writes: I just read your column on memorabilia.  You have a lot of interesting items.  I was privileged to count Pete Maravich as a friend for the last two and a half years of his life.

Over the past 38 years, I’ve been fascinated by all the connected facts, circumstances, and “coincidences” relating to his life, death, and legacy. In the last year, I’ve come to see that there is a “bow” that ties all these things together.  The result is a letter, “Heart of a Hero: The Legacy of Pete Maravich.”

It is a little lengthy, but it needed to be fact-filled and logical. But if you can devote 20 minutes or so to read it, hopefully you will see that there is a very simple, yet very profound truth at the conclusion.

My response: Maravich led a fascinating, but short, life. Watching him play basketball for four years at LSU was one of the highlights of my college experience.

Nobody else could do what he could with a basketball.

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Kevin writes: I know Marty (Martin Scorsese) was pleased to be mentioned as having lunch with me in a Christmas wish-list column.

My response: Scorsese might be wealthy and famous. But having a friend like you is priceless.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@gannett.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: My mementos of St. Louis Cardinals, Roberto Clemente draw interest