Checklist Chipaway: Mark Smolder, I Mean Mulder Autograph

When the lovely wife and I started dating, she had only a very mild interest in baseball, especially compared to my obsession.  However, over the years, her interest in baseball has grown quite a bit and she's a pretty knowledgeable fan now.  I'd like to think it was because my passion for the game was so contagious.  Perhaps that's part of it, but I can pinpoint the moment she started paying attention to the game, and it had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the ever so dreamy Mark Mulder.

You don't worry me, pretty boy.

The A's were playing on TV, and there was a camera shot inside the dugout of Mulder.  I don't remember what the announcers were saying, but I do remember the lovely wife (girlfriend at the time) snapping to attention in her chair and asking, "Um, who is that?"  

"It's Mark Mulder.  He's a pitcher."

"Yeah.  He's hot."

I started to ask what he had that I didn't have, and quickly realized I probably didn't want to hear the answer to that question.  So I just sat quietly and picked my belly button lint and let her ogle the TV.   

Clearly, things turned out fine for me in the end.  The lovely wife still consented to marry me and we've lived happily ever after.  Mulder has been out of baseball a few years, and other than seeing him on Baseball Tonight periodically, I don't have to worry about him getting her attention too much anymore.

So I felt safe enough to pick up this Mulder Auto from the 2003 Diamond Kings master set I'm building:

I was going to hide this card from her, lest she try to steal it and hide it under her pillow.  But he looks kind of dorky here, so I'm not too worried.    Besides, if she gets a little worked up looking at it, I'll be the one to benefit, if you know what I mean.   Am I right fellas? Am I right?