Byline: D. CRAIG MacCORMACK (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)
Cory Lidle merchandise might spike for a few days, but collectible store owners predict it won't last as the memory of the pitcher's fiery crash into a Manhattan high-rise fades.
'This is Red Sox territory,' said Bob Rice, owner of Hobby USA in Ashland.
Collectors say they aren't planning to stock up on the New York Yankees pitcher's cards or baseballs.
More importantly for the business owners, buying high on players who have died never is a good idea, they said yesterday.
'Every year someone gets in an accident and you don't see a big increase in value,' said Todd Sutherland, owner of Premier Sports Cards in Wayland.
A ball autographed by Lidle was selling yesterday for $250 on eBay, with other items in the same price range fielding no bids.
The most noticeable jump for local athletes was after Boston Celtics captain Reggie Lewis died in 1993.
Lidle's plane crash into an Upper East Side condo complex was one of the top stories searched on the Web for the day, according to sites tracking hits.
