Picture this: a simple stroll through a Goodwill store in tranquil Flemingsburg, Kentucky, with no bigger agenda than perhaps picking up an obscure novel or a kitschy piece of vintage cookware. But for Christopher Kidney, that ordinary outing quickly transformed into an extraordinary brush with the hidden world of sports memorabilia—a realm where history, fandom, and treasure hunting converge. What he walked away with was far from expected: a treasure trove of authentic, autographed baseball memorabilia that set the hearts of collectors racing.
On this fateful day, with just under $20 in his pocket, Kidney unearthed an array of goodies that included signed cards from baseball luminaries like CC Sabathia, Don Mattingly, and Chuck Knoblauch, in addition to a Super Bowl XLII card bearing the signature of Plaxico Burress. Yet, the prized artifact in this stash is undeniably a baseball that boasts the handwriting of none other than Yogi Berra himself, a luminary of the sport and a figure as famous for his quirky sayings as he was for his on-field prowess.
Aware of the gravity of his find, Kidney expressed his sentiment to Newsweek with an exuberance befitting a sports enthusiast who just hit the proverbial jackpot. “When I saw the names on the cards, I could tell they were real based on the brand,” he recounted, brimming with the excitement of his serendipitous discovery.
And as fate would have it, Kidney’s intuition proved spot-on. Adding credibility to his experience, Kidney confirmed the authenticity of the items through his passionate peers in the collecting community—folks to whom trading tales of finds is as joyous as the finds themselves. With their confirmation, Kidney knew he had something special. Before long, his memorable treasure was rehomed, for a respectable sum exceeding $500, to someone who could appreciate the essence of these items.
The tale of Kidney’s luck wouldn’t be complete without a nod to one of the baseball greats—Yogi Berra. Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of baseball lore knows Yogi, a titan among catchers, immortalized in the Hall of Fame back in 1972. The gentle giant of the sport secured 10 World Series rings with the Yankees, a record unequaled to this day. Stumbling on a Yogi Berra-signed baseball in a thrift store, gathering dust among outdated cookbooks and tarnished cutlery, isn’t simply serendipity; it’s something akin to a miracle in the collectors’ realm.
Embracing the modern age’s joy of social media, Kidney shared his incredible find with fellow enthusiasts in the digital space of Reddit. His post, entitled “Incredible, still shaking,” quickly ascended into viral fame, collecting over 1,500 upvotes while basking in admiration from collectors and sports aficionados worldwide. Comments poured in by the dozens, filled with humor, envy, and congratulatory banter. One quipped, “Thank goodness your Goodwill doesn’t have an in-store Googler pricing these near eBay comps,” capturing the luck of finding unassessed gems in second-hand stores.
Remarkably, this isn’t even Kidney’s first successful foray into thrifty glory. Not too long ago, he nabbed a 1949 book signed by Honus Wagner—a player whose elite status in baseball history is almost legendary—for a pittance of $1.59. To Kidney, this was not just financial fortune but a spiritual alignment involving memories of his late grandfather who had ties to major league teams. It’s a personal narrative of nostalgia interwoven with his passion for collecting.
Through his adventures, Kidney acknowledges the emotional and communal support of his family, particularly backed by his wife Ashley and his closest friends, Brad and Christopher Davisson. While resale is a gratifying aspect of this hobby, for Kidney, the deeper joy lies in connections, both to history and to the community that shares his zeal.
For the rest of us, Kidney’s experience isn’t just a testament to beginner’s luck or a seasoned collector’s acumen—it serves as an enthralling reminder of the stories waiting on thrift store shelves. Among forgotten knickknacks might lie artifacts whispering echoes of iconic sporting moments, just waiting for a knowing eye to find them.
