Beer Collector

When could a can of beer be a life saver? Maybe when you collect it! The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports a McAlester man believes his beer collection saved his life.<br/><br/>Roger Holding's beer

Monday, June 25th 2007, 9:59 am

By: News On 6

When could a can of beer be a life saver? Maybe when you collect it! The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports a McAlester man believes his beer collection saved his life.

Roger Holding's beer collection covers more than one wall in his spare bedroom. Beers most of us have never seen or heard of, a can of Grain Belt, next to a Maxx Select and a Lucky Lager, lots of different kinds..

"Anybody ever asks me I've got over 444," beer collector Roger Holding said.

That's because he started counting them once and gave up at 444, so the real answer is he doesn't know.

The collection started with a heart attack, his.

"I had a massive heart attack, they lost me three times and brought me back," Holding said.

Doctors told him he would have to have bypass surgery to extend his life.

"I never had it, they told me I wouldnâ€™t live five years, here I am," said Holding.

That was in 1976. His wife told him he needed a hobby, needed to start collecting something. He bought a motor home and started traveling looking for unusual beer.

There's a can of Dixie Beer, and one from Chippiwa Falls Wisconsin, and a Golden Crown from somewhere. He's got beers from Germany, Australia, there's nude beer, mash beer, Worlds Fair beer, football beer, baseball beer, even a can of Spike Driver. Itâ€™s quite a collection. Holding lost track not only of how many, but what kind of beers he has a few years ago, so he put together an alphabetical listing in a binder.

Roger Holding doesn't travel anymore, but every now and then he'll find an odd looking label or brand name he's never seen before, so the collection is still growing.

Watch the video: 444 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall