Like many young athletes growing up in the 1960s, I fell in love with sports through baseball and football cards. While most folks in my hometown of Joplin, Missouri were cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals, I found myself drawn to Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees.
In 1964, my biggest sports thrill became a reality when I met Mickey Mantle at his restaurant in Joplin. He signed my 1963 Yankees yearbook, “To my pal Randy, Mickey Mantle.” Over 60 years later, I still remember that moment like it was yesterday—and that single autograph helped spark a lifetime passion for sports collectibles and storytelling.

Today, I travel across the country sharing our Sports Collectibles Collection with fans of all ages, keeping the memories of the game alive—one story, one piece of history at a time.