Beatles collector specializes in 'offbeat' memorabilia

Some people like The Beatles. Some people love The Beatles. Some people have a room full of Beatles memorabilia. Jim Cushman falls into that last category. Cushman, a Mattapoisett resident and native of Middleboro, has an extensive Beatles collection that includes a pair of John Lennon’s long johns , a locket of Paul McCartney’s hair, Ringo Starr’s drumsticks and a t-shirt that belonged to George Harrison.

“They’re a part of me now. They’re in me, just like my wife and my sons and my granddaughter,” said Cushman of the band. “They’re an important part of me. They made me who I am.” Cushman, 59, began to accumulate Fab Four artifacts almost 30 years ago. But Beatlemania first gripped him as a 9-year-old when he tuned in with about 73 million people across the country to watch The Beatles perform for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show. When The Beatles took the stage on February 9, 1964, 50 years ago, they became an instant phenomenon in the U.S. “Nothing’s ever been the same,” said Cushman. “‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ was like a kick in the head. I had never heard anything like that.” As a child, Cushman collected Beatles trading cards and bubble gum cards as well as  figurines. The items were stolen, but Cushman never lost his love of the band.

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Source: Sippican Week, MA

Photo Credit: Georgia Sparling