| A Loyal Fan of The Big Cat |
Andres Galarraga collector Jody Wong
by: Frank Barning
|
Jody Wong is a loyal Montreal Expos and Andres Galarraga fan. That his
hero has gone from the Expos to the Cardinals after the 1991 season,
on to the Rockies a year later has been stressful. Adding to the
emotional roller coaster for the 27-year old computer technician was
the Big Cat’s signing with the Atlanta Braves in November.
"When your favorite player is with your home team and he is traded, it can be a shock," he said. "It was somewhat of a shock when I woke up to find an article in the Montreal Gazette about Andres’ signing with the Braves. I had mixed emotions when I saw him on the news later on that evening wearing an Atlanta Braves cap and jersey. Here he was, my favorite player, wearing the uniform of the rivals. It kind of leaves you speechless. But at least by being in the same division, we may see more of him than when he was with the Colorado Rockies." Through it all, Wong remains loyal to the big Venezuelan. He really appreciates that "Collecting Andres Galarraga memorabilia doesn't cost much. Not too many people collect Andres Galarraga cards, so they're always plentiful in card stores." Wong has approximately 140 different Galarraga cards (1986-1997) in his collection. And non-card items are also important. Newspapers are a great source for articles about his hero. A 1991 Galarraga Water Bottle that was given out at an Expos game is high on his list of favorites. The most prized item in his collection is an autographed 1991 Upper Deck card (#474). "I remember going to the Rockies’ hotel in Montreal with my friend Ron one warm summer evening back in 1993 in hopes of getting his autograph. We waited and waited for almost half an hour, but no Andres. We got tired of waiting so we left after about 40 minutes. I went back to my car and Ron went in another direction. As luck would have it, Andres was walking down the block as Ron was walking up. Ron had me shaking my head the next day when he showed me the autograph that he got less than three minutes after I left."
But Wong would not abandon his quest for an autograph. "Later that day, we went back to the hotel to see if we could catch him. When we got there, I looked inside and who was standing there? Yes. Soon I was, walking up to the Big Cat saying, ‘Mr. Galarraga? Could I have your autograph?’ "I guess that he thought I might try to sell it after because he said, ‘I only sign one.’ I didn't care. An autograph was an autograph but this was an autograph from him. The Big Cat, Le Gros Chat, El Gran Gato.. in person."
Not a Baseball Town Because Montreal is more of a hockey than a baseball town, Wong deduced that there aren't too many people he knows who are interested in Andres Galarraga. "I have been able to come into contact with numerous others who have a similar great interest through the Internet, quite a few from Colorado and Venezuela," he said. "Venezuelans are quite proud of him. Most of these other fans have found me by way of my Andres Galarraga web site." For information on the site, e-mail Wong at jody_wong@hotmail.com. Like many other single-player specialists, Wong brags about the size of his collection. "I am confident that mine is the largest Andres Galarraga collection in Canada. There are, perhaps, a few collectors in Colorado who have similar collections rivaling or surpassing my own." It's taken him almost seven years of searching. "There aren't too many card stores left in Montreal and those that still exist stock mainly hockey cards. Despite this, my collection continues to grow, but slowly." Wong is looking forward to seeing his hero in the Braves’ powerful lineup. But the hurt produced by Galarraga’s departure from Montreal still stings. "Twas a sad day in Montreal when he was traded away by Dave Dombrowski in '91 for Ken Hill.," he said. Jody Wong would enjoy contacts with others who appreciate the Big Cat. |
Source: Sports Collector Digest - January 9, 1998 Issue; BARNSTORMING, Page 60
Jodeman Note:In the past little while, I've received over a dozen pieces of mail/e-mail from numerous Galarraga fans in response to the above article. Of the ones that I received through the mail, only a few were from fans who shared a passion for the Big Cat and were interested in talking about him. Danny Bray of DJ Enterprises, Shirley Todd, & David Karl.. all from Colorado.All the others letters contained a short note followed by a "Here's a list of the Galarraga cards that I have.. let me know what you need." I thank all those who have taken the time out to write to me. However, I collect Galarraga items (ie. magazines, cards,..) for fun.. not out of neccesity. While I'd love to discuss the Big Cat with other fans, I'd prefer not to receive large lists of "Let me know what you need." Galarraga Cards.
© Copyright 1998. All rights reserved.
This story was reprinted here with kind permission from Frank Barning and Sports Collector Digest. Thank you from all Andres Galarraga Fans for sharing this story.