THE BASEMALL

In baseball, it can be said that many of the greats took their chances. Pete Rose bet on baseball — and history finally came around to become more forgiving. Well, perhaps this has suddenly increased your appetite for a greater risk, even if just a little bit.

If you find yourself confused by your newfound openness to such a MYSTERIOUS transaction, do not panic. First, relax. Second, simply shift your thinking into the MYSTERIOUS MINDSET. If successful, the shift includes consideration of the following:

Treat each BASEMALL Mystery as a one-of-a-kind experience. Few are the same. No guarantees. Cards, jerseys, collectibles — sometimes you will not know what is inside until you open it. That's the whole point.

Some mystery packages promise a particular player, but not a particular card or version of memorabilia. Others offer any one player from a larger list, such as a single player from a particular team, or a jersey signed by a mystery All-Star, an unidentified Hall of Famer, and so forth.

It is critical that you be flexible. Review each listing very carefully. Know that this is a chance transaction. Try to have a little fun with it and simply enjoy the surprise.

As is true with mystery dinners, cruises, novels, etc., mystery purchases are not for all. Truth-be-known, they are not for me. Not my thing. Many others would tell you the exact opposite. They simply love them and they are gaining traction. The vast majority of mystery shoppers end up engaging in several more mystery purchases throughout the year.

To be clear, mystery purchases must be non-refundable. therefore, if you need a few moments to decide, by all means take your time. If you remain on the fence, just remember that there are plenty of other unique pieces of memorabilia and baseball cards being offered that are not part of the mystery component. Again, these transactions are a tremendous amount of fun for those who love them. For those that do not, we have about 800 other solutions that may be a mor satisfying match.