It’s root, root, root for the home team

Perhaps we collectors need to create a numismatic hobby jersey to wear on our backs, a cap for our heads and a team pennant to fly if we happen to be members of the American Numismatic Association. I think we need them. They would help us all know how to behave.

Perhaps it is unusual to think about the ANA as a baseball team to root for, but I am thinking this way since we are now in post-season play in Major League Baseball and I have had a week to collect my thoughts after the firing of Larry Shepherd as the ANA executive director.

Think about it.

What do baseball fans do when the manager of their team gets fired? As far as I can tell, nearly all of them are right back in there next season as fanatical as ever. Let’s look to the Boston Red Sox fans to show us how it is done.

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What do baseball fans do when they don’t like the owner? Yankee fans in the era of George Steinbrenner can probably do an educational forum about this for us if we collectors need the guidance. As far as I can tell, Yankee fans were every bit as committed to their team as were any other franchise’s fans while he was alive.

What do baseball fans do when a player is traded away? Do they change their team loyalty to the new team? I don’t think so.

So why would ANA members find it difficult to absorb the news of Shepherd’s departure?

Surprise? Of course. I was surprised.

Curiosity? Naturally, I was curious.

But then I see some grousers online with the usual statements about resigning, or being glad they are not members.

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But that’s what grousers do. Team fans know how to take that in stride.

When Shepherd managed the ANA team, the organization had some good seasons. Now he’s gone. As a professional, he has signed on with Harlan Berk.

While the ANA board of governors doesn’t own the ANA, they are acting like owners on behalf of the membership, which just voted them in during the recent election.

When all nine members of the board vote to do something, that’s a pretty strong indication that they have made up their minds and have set themselves to take a new approach. Let’s hope it’s a winner.

Who will be the new ANA team manager? I don’t know. I look forward to finding out.

I have been a proud ANA member since 1978 and a life member since 1988. In my time, Team ANA has had some good seasons and some bad ones, but through it all, it is still Team ANA, my numismatic team of choice.

From time to time the president of the ANA gets an invitation to Congress to present the hobby’s view of proposed coinage legislation. During those hearings the ANA president represents all of us to the best of his ability.

Unless we want to show Congress that ANA members know how to bicker and gripe just like members of Congress, we should continue to root for Team ANA.

Now, what should the team colors be?