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I Was Lucky Enough To Know Kyle Cominek

10/9/2013

7 Comments

 
Picture
If you're reading this blog, you most likely have a passion for sports, for history, for sports history and for collecting wonderful littlie pieces of cardboard. We are kindred spirits. Each and every weekend we meet at VFW posts, school gyms, churches, hotels, or convention centers and talk, view, trade, buy and sell sports trading cards. I have observed over the years that my kindred spirits come in all shapes and sizes. I have kindred spirits who can't speak, yet we communicate perfectly. There are others who don't see too well, or don't get around too good, or have a myriad of disabilities, yet we are much the same.

Everybody's pal Kyle Cominek was a kindred spirit. He loved sports, sports history, and little pieces of cardboard. He lightened up the atmosphere each and every Sunday at the Fred Copp sports card shows in suburban Chicago. I've known Kyle for years. He has been coming out with his dad Randy to the shows for what seems like forever. Kyle liked Thurman Munson, Ron Santo, William Perry and Brian Piccolo. He had many questions about these players and I was always happy to answer them. He usually had a sandwich bag of change and would purchase a Brian Urlacher or a William Perry for a quarter. Occasionally, this old miser would give him some cards because I knew he was a kindred spirit.

When I didn't see Kyle much this summer, I wondered where he was. I was informed recently that he had a series of surgeries. I last saw Kyle at the September 22, 2013, card show at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. His energy was down. That tremendous spark he gives the room was dampened. He had many opportunities to razz Beanie Don, his favorite target, yet didn't do so once. It was a quiet day for Kyle and in turn a quiet day for the show.

Kyle had great wit and I thoroughly enjoyed when he would chide Beanie Don over some fictitious crime. It was funny. It made everybody laugh. He was always happy. He possessed an innocence and enthusiasm I wish I could have bottled and sold.

I was in Orland for a show over the last weekend of September. Kyle and Randy live in the Western Suburbs, they never make the long drive southeast to Orland. This past weekend, Sunday, October 7, I was set up at the Schaumburg show, a usual stop for Kyle and Randy. Midway through the day, Ted, one of the dealers, wondered out loud where Kyle was. I wondered too. This morning on the Fred Copp Baseball Card Shows Facebook page, Ted posted the news that Kyle had died. Kyle had another surgery on Sunday and didn't make it through. Visitation was today.

I went to the funeral home after work. While there is usually nothing pleasurable about a wake, when I walked into the room filled with baseball cards, photos of Kyle, dozens of sports jerseys draped over chairs, and seeing the members of Kyle's family all clad in White Sox, Bears or Blackhawks jerseys, I was pleased. What an incredibly neat way to honor and celebrate Kyle.

The Fred Copp shows won't be the same without Kyle. None the old codgers that sit behind the dealer tables have much energy, myself included. Most customers are buried in binders or boxes of cards trying to find that gem. No spark there. Man, I'm going to miss that guy! Thanks Kyle for being you!!


I bet Kyle's chatting it up with Thurman Munson just about now. He's probably telling Thurman a joke about Beanie Don. I wish I could hear it and laugh too. I appreciate all my kindred spirits. I appreciated Kyle.
7 Comments
Will
10/10/2013 09:12:59 am

Excellent blog Tony makes me wish I knew him.

Reply
Tony
10/10/2013 09:47:47 am

Thanks Will. Kyle was just a real nice kid. A fixture at the Fred Copp shows.

Reply
ted lee
10/10/2013 09:55:40 am

I went early and Corky was also there. I thought to myself while walking in that this was going to one sad wake. I was ready to start crying when I approached Randy and Michelle. When I saw that Randy was wearing a Towes jersey I thought that this was not going to be as bad as I thought. I was right. Randy and Michelle were in good spirits. Maybe it hadn't sunk in yet. Kyle brought so much fun and excitement to the shows. Randy at one point said that Corky and I should get behind the table of cards start selling them. Kyle was so jubilant that he made even customers have a good time at the shows. He will truly be very very missed by me.
Thanks for this blog, If you don't mind, if I can figure it out, I would like to print this blog and give it to Randy.

Reply
Tony
10/10/2013 11:41:49 am

I'm sorry I missed you. It took me a while to drive there in rush hour traffic. It definitely was a celebration of a wonderful person. Please, give a copy to Randy. I hope he still comes out to the shows.

Reply
Ted Lee
10/11/2013 09:01:26 am

Randy told me that he will still keep coming to the shows. When he walks in I think everyone is still going to think when is Kyle going to walk in. That will be the hardest point to comprehend. In reality Randy without Kyle is just not a normal show. Knowing that Kyle will never be there again is a hardship for the shows. He brought so much joy and laughter to everyone at the shows.

Reply
Chuck
10/12/2013 03:32:30 am

I didn't know Kyle personally but I do recall being at one of Fred's shows and I'd be looking at cards and Kyle would ask me about a player- Mickey Mantle comes to mind one time, although it may have been anyone. He from the little bit I knew of him was a very outgoing young man and will be missed.

Reply
Erin Luedemann (Cominek)
3/12/2014 09:16:16 am

Thank you for the kind words about my brother. We miss him dearly. He was truly a special kid.

Reply



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    Tony Gordon

    Vintage Sports Cards Addict

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