I have been called an old soul in my day, and I guess that translates into my collecting life as well. I typically prefer my cards to be vintage, my autographs to be in ballpoint and my packs to contain bubble gum. But even this old dog can learn a new trick every once in a while, and I recently had an opportunity to do just that with a fresh box of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) trading cards from Parkside Collectibles.
I happen to love the sport of lacrosse. I played on club teams for my high school and college, and have worked with youth lacrosse in my area for many years. I also happen to collect lacrosse cards, which have been around since the 1870s, though few hobbyists even know they exist. In fact, PSA has graded several copies of the first lacrosse card ever produced, which is part of the 1878 Huntley & Palmers set. So when I learned that new MLL cards were being issued by Parkside in 2019, I jumped into the release and began building my set. With lacrosse being the fastest-growing sport in the country over the past decade or so, the eventual popularity of lacrosse trading cards seems like an inevitability, and Parkside has produced the first regular issue lacrosse set in nearly a decade.
Now comes the old-dog-new-trick part… I made an attempt at a modern, YouTube-style box rip. I had a lot of fun doing it, although it undoubtedly lacks the bells and whistles that the cool kids provide in their videos. I can see that my hands and fingernails look clean (mom would be proud), but my voice could maybe use a bit more excitement. Still, it was the first time I have had the experience of opening fantastic cards representing my favorite sport while talking on camera, and I had a lot of fun. Take a look for yourself. These MLL cards are sweet!
