Alexander’s love for baseball began at a young age. He fondly remembered going to games with his dad and grandpa, cheering on their hometown team. While other kids his age were into video games and toys, Alexander was drawn to the stats, stories, and nostalgia of America’s pastime.

Over the years, Alexander amassed a sizable collection of baseball cards. There were rookie cards of legends like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays. He had complete sets from the late 80s and 90s that brought back memories of ripping packs with his allowance money. In total, there were probably a few thousand cards tucked away in boxes in his closet.

While Alexander took great joy in his collection, it had become unorganized and difficult to appreciate all the players and moments captured on the small cardboard rectangles. He wanted a way to better showcase his collection while also learning more about the rich history of baseball. That’s when he got the idea to organize the cards into a book.

The process would not be easy. First, Alexander needed to go through all the boxes and sort the cards. He decided the book would be chronological, so the cards needed to be ordered by year. This took several weekends of sorting through piles of cards. Alexander created a spreadsheet to keep track of what years and players he had. There were definitely some duplicates, but he was pleased to find he was only missing a few years.

Once the cards were sorted, Alexander had to decide how he wanted to format the book. After researching collector books online, he settled on protective plastic sleeves that would allow the front and back of each card to be visible without risk of damage. This would let him include stats and bios on the players. He estimated needing around 150 sleeves to cover the span from the 1800s to the 1990s.

To keep costs reasonable, Alexander decided to make the book himself rather than pay a publisher. He found a simple leatherette binder and archival-safe pages online that would give the book a nice classic look befitting its baseball-themed contents. The total cost of supplies came to around $75, which was well within his budget.

Over several weekends that spring, Alexander meticulously worked on the book. He wrote brief bios for each player using baseball reference websites to ensure factual accuracy. Pictures and career stats were included where possible. Alexander learned so much in the process, such as the origins of the game in the 1800s and colorful characters from baseball’s early eras. Filling each sleeve was part history lesson, part nostalgia trip down memory lane.

By late May, after over 50 hours of careful work, the book was complete. Alexander titled it “Diamonds Across the Decades: A Visual History of Baseball 1890-1990”. He was thrilled with the final product and how it beautifully displayed his vast card collection. Flipping through the leatherbound pages felt like walking through a baseball museum.

Word of Alexander’s unique project spread among his friends and family. They were impressed not only with the scale of the undertaking but the care taken to include credible historical facts. His grandpa especially loved reminiscing over the old cards and players he remembered watching. The book became a conversation piece and way to share Alexander’s love of baseball with others.

In the years since, Alexander has continued adding to the book with cards from the 1990s up to today’s stars. It has become a treasured heirloom, documenting over a century of America’s favorite pastime. More than just a collection, the book is a testament to one boy’s passion and the memories and stories contained within the world of baseball cards. Alexander looks forward to passing it down for future generations to enjoy for many years to come.