(In reverse alphabetical order) Woody Williams. Aeneas Williams Adam Wainwright
Joe Thurston So Taguchi (in English and Japanese) John Smoltz Jason Simontacchi
Reggie Sanders Abraham Nunez Albert Pujols (in English and Spanish) Wally Moon
Yadier Molina Kerry Robinson Cody McKay Dave McCoy Andy McCollum Kyle McClellan
Mike Matheny Eli Marrero Braden Looper James Laurinaitis Ricky Horton Wayne Hagin
Don Gordon Randy Flores Cal Eldred Mike Easler J.D. Drew Ken Daley Bob Carpenter
Paul Byrd Lou Brock Kent Bottenfield Charlie Blyth Andy Benes
Individual and personalized attractive collectors’ cards for each of these well-known sports figures have been prepared through the years … listed here in reverse alphabetical order, mostly St. Louis Cardinals, but some with other teams and sports.
Collectors cards for many of them are still available (but not all) … for you to have and distribute. To get a quantity for distribution, Call Randy Curless at (636) 248-3749.
A lot of inspirational sports stories in this radio conversation. The Jim and Judy Boen family have always been huge St. Louis Cardinals Baseball fans, often going to their annual spring training in Florida … and to many games throughout the season. This led to personal friendships of the Boens’ and the players and coaches, with daughters Angela and Christi Boen often babysitting for some of their children.
In 1999 one of those friendships was with Cardinal sensation J.D. Drew of Georgia. Being very shy, he told the Boens how uncomfortable he was in signing autographs, for which he had so many requests. Christe Boen (now Doctor of Chiropractic Christe Boen Mirikitani) offered to produce for him a personalized ball card that would picture him in his Cardinal uniform on one side and his brief testimony — since he was a born-again Christian – on the other. J. D. liked the idea … and Christe made it happen. Instead of signing an autograph, he would give out his card.
In the Cardinal clubhouse, other Christian players saw J.D.’s cards and asked where he got them. The Christian players let the Boens know they would like such a personal card for themselves. So, at their request, Angela Boen (now Noll) would interview each player about their Christian testimony and summarize it to fit the back of their card. The Boens, with their support of others, had the cards produced in large quantities.
On the back side of the player’s card under their testimony is written a suggested prayer of heart commitment when one will “… call upon the Lord …” for the Bible promises “… the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call upon him, for ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Romans 10:12, 13)
Also from the Bible, from Ephesians 2:8-10, this important passage: “For it is by grace [unmerited favor] you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
And for those who would “… call on the Name of the Lord …” the following suggested prayer of commitment is found at the bottom of each of these collector’s cards:
“Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me. I know I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I know that you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I want to turn from my sins and give you control of my life. Please come into my life right now, Lord. Help me to follow you always. Amen.” (Acts 3:19; II Corinthians 5:17)
The prayer of calling on the Name of the Lord is so similar to my personal prayer of commitment when I called upon the Name of the Lord the night I received Jesus Christ into my life decades ago … when I was a high school teen-ager.
Thank God for J.D. Drew’s shyness! It was used of God to advance the Great Commission of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20.
Many players have advanced the gospel using their cards.
Not only in English, but Albert Puljos has cards written in Spanish. Albert Pujols is one of only four players in the entire history of major league baseball who has to his credit 3,000 hits and 600 home runs!!
And Japanese St. Louis Cardinal So Taguchi has his card written in Japanese. Missionaries and Christian visitors have distributed the cards in Japan.
Want to get in on this as another opportunity to obey Jesus command in Acts 1:8? Thousands of these cards are still available … with your promise for you to pass them on to others.
Randy Curless of Sports Crusaders (www.sportscrusaders.org) has agreed to oversee much of the distribution of the cards. Randy can be called at (636) 248-3749.
Hear Judy Boen and daughters Angelia Boen Noll share some of these great stories … in their own words.
RELATED PREVIOUS RADIO FROM THE PAST …
To hear (1) … “Judy Boen, Daughter Angie: made sports collectors’ cards; player on one side, testimony on the other” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2018/05/31/judy-boen-daughter-angie-made-sports-collectors-cards-player-on-one-side-testimony-on-the-other/
To hear … “Judy Boen, secretary to astronauts; fiery deaths of 3 of them forever motivated her to share Jesus!” ... click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2013/03/13/judy-boen-secretary-to-astronauts-fiery-deaths-of-3-of-them-forever-motivated-her-to-share-jesus/
To hear … “Dr. Christe Boen Mirikitani: re annual STL bus trip to see Albert Pujols play, hear his testimony” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2018/08/13/dr-christe-boen-mirikitani-re-annual-stl-bus-trip-to-see-albert-pujols-play-hear-his-testimony/
To hear …”Found! Radio w/STL Cardinal great Wally Moon, author of “Moon Shots;” & his fan club President Judy Boen “ … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2014/11/08/found-radio-wstl-cardinal-great-wally-moon-author-of-moon-shots-his-fan-club-prez-judy-boen/
To hear … “Judy Boen, secretary to the astronauts; death of astronaut friend Gene Cernan, last to walk on moon” ... click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/2017/01/28/judy-boen-secretary-to-the-astronauts-death-of-astronaut-friend-gene-cernan-last-to-walk-on-moon/