NEW YORK (AP) — Brad Balukjian tore open a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards, chewed the stale, brittle bubblegum and then planned a road trip most sports fans could only dream about.

The college biology professor set out to meet every player whose image appeared on those old pieces of cardboard — from Garry Templeton to Rick Sutcliffe to Carlton Fisk — and see what life after baseball has been like.

"Whether it's musicians or artists or baseball players, I'm just fascinated by what happens when they're done after the spotlight," Balukjian said in a telephone interview with The Associated Pres...