Stranger than fiction

[khw72004]

So as you all know right now, I have been collecting racket for some time now. I have had such a great time collecting rackets that I have more than 200 rackets. But my main collection consist of Head rackets. Over the last several years I have to apologize for beating you on the big action cite winning racket over all of you. Its been an amazing time and have grown to love my rackets with a passion. I love my Head collection so much that some times I can just sit down in front of the my rackets and think about the times i got each one. Where I got it, how much it was, how luck I was to find a good deal or how I got ripped because I wanted the racket.

So recently, I left my collection to go on vacation in the Bahamas, Life was simple there. I didn't have to worry about what was next on the bay, selling something to make money for a new classic head racket I so wanted, I left my life back at home. I was gone for about a week and now I am trying to pick up were I left off, but some things are just not as important anymore. I have hundreds of rackets sitting in my house. all but around 3-4 that I don't play with. At some point I know I was a proud owner of what I had, but after this vacation it all changed. I am not looking on the bay as much for new members of my collection. I am not focused on my once beloved classics that I have worked so hard to obtain.

Right now I seem to be confused about this. I know that I have once enjoyed the love of pursuit of these rackets. Will it come back again? Or am i head towards a different path?

 

[joe sch]

Very interesting indeed.

Im thinking maybe I should take a vacation to the Bahamas and see if that works for me

Racket collecting is very addictive, maybe spend more time playing all those great head classics and try not to get interested in all the classic Wilsons

Cheers,
Joe

 

[Virginia]

I would hazard a guess that once the effects of the holiday have worn off and you look at some of your treasures again, you'll reaise what a great collection you have.

But it's probably a good opportunity to consider whether you should continue adding to your 200. In my own case, I knew that once I reached 500, I couldn't accommodate any more comfortably, so I've stopped.

Well, that's not quite true, but certainly if I come across a racquet I want to buy, I have to let one go, so that the total remains constant.

200 is a nice round number, so maybe you could follow the same strategy.

 

[retrowagen]

It is a sign of maturity when one clarifies the relationship with his belongings, in that he realises that he owns his things, not his things own him.

 

[Clintspin]

My sad story will bring you back to your senses. I faithfully stop into the local thrift stores to look for interesting racquets but lately the closest store has not turned up anything. Months of stopping by and coming out empty handed. So, I slacked off and have been driving by even though it is really close to my house. Today I said I am going to stop by and have a look but first I will go into the grocery store for some cat food before my cat eats me. Afterwards I drive to the thrift store park and sit in my air-conditioned car for a minute (it was 100 here today) and I see this guy and his wife walk out with a bag of stuff with a racquet sticking out. I jump out and say, "can I see what racquet you found?" He pulls out a Wilson Jack Kramer Staff graphite in absolutely perfect, never used condition. He paid $ 4.00 for it and I suggested he should not play with it that it was a pretty cool racquet and I would give him $25 for it. He thinks for a minute and says yes. Big problem, I had spend all but a few dollars in the grocery store. Obviously I can't pull out a credit card and pay. So I said that I live only a minute away and could be back in less than 5 minutes. His wife says no problem we are going into the pet store. I rush back and make it in less than 5 minutes. They are no where in sight. I am sure they started to think they had a gold mine and jumped in the car and drove away before I could return. I didn't even think about walking with the guy to either of the two banks that were only a few steps away from us. I couldn't have used my money machine card. If I had gone to the thrift store before the grocery store, the beauty would have been my for $ 4.00. This guy planned to use it to hit around with his wife and trust me, you could tell neither of them ever play tennis. I will be bummed out for a few days.

Get over that vacation and back at it. My Jack Kramer should turn up on **** any day now. Look for a Jack Kramer being sold by somebody from Maryland, USA and you will have my racquet.

 

[pshulam]

Right now I seem to be confused about this. I know that I have once enjoyed the love of pursuit of these rackets. Will it come back again? Or am i head towards a different path?

Time will tell. Detachment is a good thing! Good luck.

 

[pshulam]

It is a sign of maturity when one clarifies the relationship with his belongings, in that he realises that he owns his things, not his things own him.

Exactly. Obsession of anything may interfere with true happiness.

 

[Lakers4Life]

Very interesting indeed.

Im thinking maybe I should take a vacation to the Bahamas and see if that works for me

Racket collecting is very addictive, maybe spend more time playing all those great head classics and try not to get interested in all the classic Wilsons

Cheers,
Joe

Joe did you ever talk to Charles about his collection?

 

[Virginia]

Clintspin, I feel for you - I really do. I once missed out on a Prince Woodie in never used condition and going for a song, on our local Auction Site, Trademe, simply because I got up 15 minutes late that morning.

 

[Clintspin]

Thanks for sharing in my misery, Virginia. I looked last night and the guy has put the racquet for sale on the big auction site already.

 

[tball]

People do not generally have 1 obsession for life. They evolve and move on. I am sure something new will come up for you. Until it strikes, celebrate your detachment. You won.

 

[Fearsome Forehand]

My sad story will bring you back to your senses. I faithfully stop into the local thrift stores to look for interesting racquets but lately the closest store has not turned up anything. Months of stopping by and coming out empty handed. So, I slacked off and have been driving by even though it is really close to my house. Today I said I am going to stop by and have a look but first I will go into the grocery store for some cat food before my cat eats me. Afterwards I drive to the thrift store park and sit in my air-conditioned car for a minute (it was 100 here today) and I see this guy and his wife walk out with a bag of stuff with a racquet sticking out. I jump out and say, "can I see what racquet you found?" He pulls out a Wilson Jack Kramer Staff graphite in absolutely perfect, never used condition. He paid $ 4.00 for it and I suggested he should not play with it that it was a pretty cool racquet and I would give him $25 for it. He thinks for a minute and says yes. Big problem, I had spend all but a few dollars in the grocery store. Obviously I can't pull out a credit card and pay. So I said that I live only a minute away and could be back in less than 5 minutes. His wife says no problem we are going into the pet store. I rush back and make it in less than 5 minutes. They are no where in sight. I am sure they started to think they had a gold mine and jumped in the car and drove away before I could return. I didn't even think about walking with the guy to either of the two banks that were only a few steps away from us. I couldn't have used my money machine card. If I had gone to the thrift store before the grocery store, the beauty would have been my for $ 4.00. This guy planned to use it to hit around with his wife and trust me, you could tell neither of them ever play tennis. I will be bummed out for a few days.

Get over that vacation and back at it. My Jack Kramer should turn up on **** any day now. Look for a Jack Kramer being sold by somebody from Maryland, USA and you will have my racquet.

As they say in New England, that is a wicked pissa!

We all have our racket that got away stories. I had my own nightmarish epic just last week and I am still pissed off about it.

But, with racket collecting, as with most things in life, you win some, you lose some.

There is definitely a degree of OCD/hoarding behavior among serious racket collectors. I know some of the guys here have hundreds of frames. I have about 80 vintage frames right now, too many for me. Must sell some off to get down to a more reasonable level like 25.

Certainly there are much worse pastimes so better for one to engage in racket collecting than a thousand other things that have far worse consequences.

 

[Fearsome Forehand]

Thanks for sharing in my misery, Virginia. I looked last night and the guy has put the racquet for sale on the big auction site already.

Perhaps it was the sight of you salivating in the parking lot that led him to suspect he might have found a lost masterpiece.

I looked on fleabay and didn't see the racket you are talking about.

You hear stories every now and then about people finding treasure in the trash. Some guy around Philly bought a painting at a flea market for $5 because he liked the frame. Turns out there was an original copy of the Declaration of Independence mounted underneath the painting which he found when he torn the canvas out. Such a rare document is worth millions because so few exist.

Another guy picked a painting out of the street trash in Europe again because he liked the old frame. If memory serves, it was a priceless Rembrandt. Crazy stuff!

 

[VGP]

If it's become an addiction type of thing, it's good to just not turn on the computer. Stay away from the 'bay'. Stay away from here. Don't go to thrift stores. Don't go to garage sales. What you don't see won't hurt you. Just as probable as there is a deal there also might be nothing to be had.

khw72004 - if you're feeling less anxious about looking of the deals out there on e-bay or elsewhere and that's a good feeling then by all means enjoy it.

If your 'collection' feels more like a hinderance than an enjoyment, then perhaps selling some frames is in order. Keep your best frames, let others buy what's left.

If you're content with what you have, then enjoy what you've got.

But, if you feel the 'itch' and decide to start collecting again and are not putting yourself or your family in financial strain or if your living space can handle further additions, then that too is up to you.

 

[VGP]

We all have our racket that got away stories. I had my own nightmarish epic just last week and I am still pissed off about it.

Now you've got me curious.....mind sharing?

 

[tennis4josh]

People do not generally have 1 obsession for life. They evolve and move on. I am sure something new will come up for you. Until it strikes, celebrate your detachment. You won.

Very true. I have myself been through collecting match box covers, glass marbles, coins, stones and postal stamps. Talking about sports, my last obsession was ping pong, and now all things tennis.

One should be obsessed / passionate about something. That gives you the push or the motivation to keep going even when other things in life may not be turning out as expected. But at the same time you should balance it out with other important things in life. Too much of anything (even good stuff) is bad.

Also it would not be interesting if every thing case your way easily. Ultimately its the journey not the destination that makes you happy. The whole process of going after something, missing it narrowly, and eventually getting it makes it interesting and fulfilling. It leaves you with nice memories and interesting stories to share.

 

[Clintspin]

It was on the big auction site for only one day and did not sell. For some reason they seemed to pull it off an hour early. I didn't know you could even do that.

When I talked to the guy in the parking lot, I was not salivating but I didn't want this knuckle head to go out and play with this beauty. I would rather him sell it on the big auction site then mess it all up. I have been in thrift stores more than a few times and seen someone about to put a really nice classic in their cart for their 10 year old son to hit with. I talked one lady into another racquet one time to save a classic.

I think we all go through life with something to entertain us for a while. How bad can it be to collect racquets for a few years. At worst you could give them all away at some point and at best sell them for a profit. If it wasn't racquets it would be something else. When I had more time to go backpacking, I had 3 backpacks and two backpacker stoves. I only need one of each but it was fun to have a choice between an external and an internal pack and a gas stove or the very cool little wood burner I had.

 

[Virginia]

Nobody even blinks at people who collect stamps, or clocks or other small items. Why should tennis racquets be any different? :evil:

 

[petercoffey]

In the last year I'm up about $1100 on rackets, skiis & stuff through the local thrift stores, but I think it evens out in the end... I do feel better about getting these rackets into the hands of those who will appreciate them.. I try not to make a total killing & it is fun to try out some sweet old sticks...my latest fav is a Pro Staff Classic 4.2.. I'm thinning the herd right now & just keeping my top ten...mostly Kneissls & and Adidas from the Lendl years

 

[Thepowerofchoice]

It is a sign of maturity when one clarifies the relationship with his belongings, in that he realises that he owns his things, not his things own him.

Very true! I am staying away from _bay because I catch myself going through the whole racquet section at least once a day. I need to stay away from here too but its almost impossible. A member on here once said this...TalkTennis is like Hotel California, "you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave"...

 

[khw72004]

Nobody even blinks at people who collect stamps, or clocks or other small items. Why should tennis racquets be any different? :evil:

Its great to see people's faces when they see your collection. They always wonder how I get all of these rackets like I stole them or something. But its not even like that. There are some times people wonder if I am exaggerating so i show them a picture and they are blown away.

 

[pshulam]

Its great to see people's faces when they see your collection. They always wonder how I get all of these rackets like I stole them or something. But its not even like that. There are some times people wonder if I am exaggerating so i show them a picture and they are blown away.

Your collection of Head racquets is stunning.

 

[zapvor]

Its great to see people's faces when they see your collection. They always wonder how I get all of these rackets like I stole them or something. But its not even like that. There are some times people wonder if I am exaggerating so i show them a picture and they are blown away.

can you link me to the collection

 

[VGP]

Your collection of Head racquets is stunning.

Hopefully with khw72004's permission:

khw72004 - I've seen your auctions on e-bay.......how's the culling of the collection going?