Heard an interview with recently enshrined Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson that will likely leave you in disbelief. Apparently back in the late 1980s when Henderson was one of the game's top draws and easily one of the game's best players, he was given a $1 million bonus after signing a $3 million deal with the Oakland A's. The $1 million was a signing bonus and was presented in the form of a check.

Nowadays, the $3 million contract and the ensuing $1 million bonus seem pedestrian, but we're talking about 20 years ago when $1 million really meant something. Because it was a record-setting deal, Henderson did what most of us would've done, he framed the check and hung it on his wall for all to see. A little more than a year went by and Rickey continued to be Rickey when the A's accountant had some trouble closing the team's books on the 1989 season because the records showed there was $1 million unaccounted for.

Turns out, while Rickey was busy being Rickey, he forgot about the expensive wall hanging and never got around to cashing it.

Something similar actually happened to me when I was 10. I got a $20 check placed strategically in the front of a Greatest Sports Photos book my grandma gave me for my birthday. I was a big fan of the book, so much so, that I ran to my room and stashed the check in my dresser drawer before tearing into the book which featured images of some of the best sports moments of all time. I thumbed through that book for hours and revisited it often in the years to come.

Seven years later, my family moved and I was forced to do some major cleaning to lighten the load of stuff we had to bring to the new house. As I cleaned out that dresser I found that birthday check. It was a nice surprise and because I had about the same amount of money I had all those years earlier, I tucked it into my wallet, smiled and treated it as found money on my way to the bank the next day.

Not sure if Grandma ever figured out why her check book was off $20 all those years and I can't help but wonder what book Henderson buried himself in that made him forget about his million-dollar wall decoration. Whatever it was, I definitely want to read it. It's got to be even better than the one I couldn't put down, right?

After a couple admittedly shaky weeks of picking winners, the Blogger bounced back last week, hitting eight of the 10 games but it wasn't enough to beat the field. Two contestants, Steve Emmerick and Blane Arrington, each scored 10 of 11 to win authentic signed 8-by-10 color photos last week, now it's your turn. The Blogger's picks will be posted below so you know what you're up against so get your picks posted before the start of the first game on Saturday so you can add your name to the list of contest winners.

Spread the word about the contest to your friends and good luck.
You Make The Call: Can You Beat The Blogger?

I was checking out some memorabilia prices on eBay recently when one particular item jumped out at me: a ball signed by "Mr I'll throw anybody under the bus for a quick buck" Canseco.

The baseball was inscribed "The Grandfather of Steroids, Jose Canseco" and sold for $100. Following up on Pete Rose's "I bet on baseball" inscription from a couple years ago, Canseco proves once again that two wrongs definitely don't make a right. You would think that the world-renowned author and reality TV star would have plenty left in the bank but apparently plastic surgery and a posse of bodyguards to keep all his disgruntled ex-teammates away from him are more expensive than I realized.

Sure, it's a free country and if people are dumb enough to buy it, why not? Well, for one, it's yet another black eye for a hobby that is starting to resemble Rocky Balboa prior to Mickey going to the razor in the original Rocky, and because it makes light of a serious subject and allows a scumbag like Canseco to prosper from it in the process.

If you have an extra $100 you're looking to throw away on a bad investment why not purchase some GM stock instead? At least that way you have a small chance to get a return on your investment someday.