Cape Girardeau man sells off part of sports memorabilia collection

After 45 years of collecting sports memorabilia, Kim Ferguson of Cape Girardeau decided the Christmas season could be a good time to unload nearly two-thirds of his St. Louis Cardinals yearbooks, historic newspapers, sports magazines and novelties by holding a one-man show at CrossRoads Fellowship in Jackson on Saturday.

Ferguson displayed more than 500 items, most of which he said he picked up on trips to Busch Stadium, at flea markets or as gifts. One item he said he was surprised did not sell was a Chicago Cubs poster for $1. Someone did buy a collectible 1965 Pete Rose baseball card, and Ferguson said he expected to sell a near-mint-condition Mickey Mantle card from the same year for $250. At one time, Ferguson said, he had what was considered to be a medium-sized collection of baseball cards numbering around 20,000. He still owns around 10,000, he said.

Kristi Jansen of Leopold, Mo., shopped for Christmas gifts to fill her son's playroom and bathroom because they are redecorating with a Cardinals theme.

"I'm a little overwhelmed because there is so much," Jansen said.

She bought a CD of broadcast calls of Mark McGwire's 70 home runs, a baseball trivia game and a book, "101 Reasons to Love the Cardinals." Her 11-year-old daughter Brice searched for items themed with her favorite player, Yadier Molina.

Ferguson's favorite items in the sale were his Cardinals yearbooks, but he said he knew it was time to let go of some of his collection.

"If I can't display it, I don't like leaving it in crates," he said, "so hopefully people will find things they really like this way."

Many of his Cardinals items are from the 1960s, because Ferguson said going back to that period is when St. Louis really had some great teams, and he was just the right age to become hooked on baseball. His connection with the team, he said, is a sort of coincidence in that 1954 was the year he was born and a big year of transition for the Cardinals.

"It was just after the Busch family took over, the stadium was renamed and Jack Buck and Harry Caray came on board," he said.

Ferguson said the bottom line for him in the reason why he collects is that it is just fun and that he especially enjoys baseball and history.

He holds season tickets to Cardinals games and goes about 20 times per year. He said he likes to learn about the history of stadiums as well as visit them. So far, he has been to Fenway Park in Boston, Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field, as well as visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

He plans to hold another sale in early spring.

Pertinent Address:

4400 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO