Originally published Friday, April 18, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Bellevue fan wins Times' R.A. Dickey campaign button

We asked readers to choose one player for whom they'd like to wear a campaign button. We made one for each Mariner as part of our special...

We asked readers to choose one player for whom they'd like to wear a campaign button. We made one for each Mariner as part of our special section, "The Great Debate" (March 30) — so that is what the best entry for each player will receive. Today's winner: R.A. Dickey.

Winner:

I feel I owe the guy my respect. You see, back in 1997, I was a 12-year-old kid who was into collecting baseball cards. To be precise, I was an unwealthy 12-year-old kid into collecting baseball cards, and often spent my dollars on cheaper packs of cards, usually with a stick of gum and little monetary value beneath the wrapping.

The 1997 Bowman Baseball set changed my outlook on collecting, however, and after serious deliberation I decided to splurge and dropped $3 on a pack, hoping to obtain one of a future superstar. Upon unwrapping my big spend, I was faced with the disappointment of having scored but one rookie card, that of a young Texas Rangers pitching prospect by the name of R.A. Dickey. Shoot. I held on to that card, though, if for no other reason because it one day, just maybe, might gain some value if Dickey made it big. So far that hasn't happened, but I've been pulling for the guy for 11 seasons because of a face on a baseball card that now represents more to me than the handful of pennies it's worth.

Without ever knowing too much about the man behind the card, I heard an interview with R.A. last week, and in a refreshing bout of honesty, the knuckleballer came across as eloquent, respectful and truly kind, which is all too often sacrificed in the sports world. I can only hope that he sticks with the big club and keeps getting his chances. To R.A., I say good luck and continued success with the knuckler.

— Alex Akita, Bellevue

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