Picture Cards & Bubble Gum

1989 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan Also in honor of Game 7 of the World...

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:26:00 -0400

1989 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan
Also in honor of Game 7 of the World Series, my second favorite Nolan Ryan card from the 1989 Upper Deck set (the first coming before he was signed by the Rangers). As a kid my mind was blown seeing one of my favorite players throwing a football on a baseball card. I had no idea what was going on! It turns out throwing a football was one of Ryan’s preferred ways of warming up. Is a modern card of a Hall of Famer better than a vintage card of an average player? Is this an indication of who will win tonight? Answers: “I don’t know.” and “No.” I have to root for Rafael Furcal and the National League though. Sorry Nolan.

1955 Topps Gordon Jones In honor of Game 7 of the World Series,...

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:14:58 -0400

1955 Topps Gordon Jones
In honor of Game 7 of the World Series, here is one of the last old Cardinals cards I have that I haven’t shown yet. Beautiful card, but I have no attachment to it. Wanna trade?

2001 Topps Archives Ron Cey certified auto I don’t always...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:20:34 -0400

2001 Topps Archives Ron Cey certified auto
I don’t always buy autographed cards. But when I do I buy awesome certified autos of the Penguin for less than 5 bucks shipped.

1955 Bowman Al Corwin available for trade I love the 1955...

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:27:13 -0400

1955 Bowman Al Corwin available for trade
I love the 1955 Bowman set, I hate this card. The “TV set” is such an iconic release for vintage cards. It’s kind of funny that the aspect ratio of the TV is much like modern widescreen TV’s but in the 50’s design. I’ve had it since I was a kid and I don’t remember how I got it. I do know that it is a Giant, and the back of the card mentions their pennant win the previous year over the Dodgers. So, someone out there, give me another 1955 Bowman card for this card. I don’t care if it’s worse shape, It doesn’t even have to be a Dodger, as long as it’s not a Giant.

1958 Topps Don Newcombe I don’t know what’s going...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:36:18 -0400

1958 Topps Don Newcombe
I don’t know what’s going on with Don’s arm and leg on this card. Some sketchy 50’s production value. The back is pretty amazing though, even with the missing piece of cardboard.

Anyone who’s been to more than a few Dodger games has probably seen Newk around the stadium, sharply dressed in a suit and hat. One of my favorite Dodgers of all time, he’s apparently been a huge influence on Matt Kemp, who is one of my other favorites.

1968 Topps Harmon Killebrew Just a spectacular card of a...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:04:05 -0400

1968 Topps Harmon Killebrew
Just a spectacular card of a spectacular player.

1965 Topps Bob Uecker In honor of the end of the regular season,...

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:26:00 -0400

1965 Topps Bob Uecker
In honor of the end of the regular season, I present to you : possibly the best card in my entire collection. It’s even Postseason related! 1. He was a Cardinal, who I’m rooting for vs the Phillies because they knocked the Dodgers out of the Postseason two years in a row and the Cards have Rafael Furcal who was one of my favorite Dodgers. 2. He’s now the radio announcer for the Brewers, who I’m rooting for vs the Diamondbacks because I don’t want another NL West team in the World Series.

And now for why this might be the best card in my collection. 1. 1965 Topps is one of the best sets of the 60’s, if not all time. I’m still considering making it my only long term set collecting goal. 2. The PERFECT baseball card pose. Smiling, posed batting stance with great depth of field, and a team hat logo front and center. 3. Bob Uecker! When I was growing up I didn’t even know Bob used to be a Major League Player. Like everyone else my age, I knew him from Mr. Belvedere and the movies “Major League” and “Major League 2.”

Bonus Story: Uecker holds a special place in my heart because my mom’s boyfriend looked VERY similar to him. At the height of Uecker’s fame people were always coming up to him and asking him to sign things or take a picture with him. He would always correct them if they said “Are you Bob Uecker?” or called him “Bob” or “Mr. Uecker.” If they just came up and asked for those things without using a name he’d oblige and sign their paper with his name, or take a picture with them, it always cracked me up.

1953 Topps Art Schult avalable for trade This was my first 1953...

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:24:13 -0400

1953 Topps Art Schult avalable for trade
This was my first 1953 Topps card. The first time I had seen one in person, and I like it. However it’s a Yankee, and now I have a few other ‘53 Topps cards that I LOVE. So I’m willing to let this one go.

1970 Topps Tom Seaver I acquired this card sometime in the late...

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:47:22 -0400

1970 Topps Tom Seaver
I acquired this card sometime in the late 80’s, I don’t remember how or where. I do remember knowing I had a vintage card of a soon to be Hall of Fame pitcher. Every time I flip by it in my collection I can remember when it was the only card I had in a card saver (even though it was so beat up), when it was in a binder with a bunch of random cards, when it was in a top loader randomly thrown in a box of stuff at my mom’s house, and now back in my collection.

1964 Topps Pete Rose Wow. I normally stay away from those...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:03:39 -0400

1964 Topps Pete Rose
Wow. I normally stay away from those “mystery pack” type deals on ebay. This seller was promising “1 vintage star, one patch or auto card, and one rookie” in each pack. There were 2 big cards in the 75 random packs and this was one of them. So I bid on a few of them and won them for 3 bucks a pack. This was in the last pack I received.

I have always wanted this Rose card, even more than his actual rookie card (which was one of the “Rookie Stars” 4 way split cards in the 1963 set). I’m a sucker for the giant All Star Rookie trophy.

I remember when news broke of Pete Rose being banned from baseball and made ineligible for the Hall of Fame. I remember thinking “what’s the big deal about betting on baseball?” My mom explained it to me as best she could, and I remember feeling sad for Pete. I now have a better perspective on the situation, and understand that it was a well deserved banishment. I still feel sad for Pete. It seems almost criminal that someone with so many amazing achievements should have to live the rest of his life without the glory that his lesser peers received. He was signing in So Cal for a charity event the year before last and I got the chance to get a ball signed by him. With the addition of this card I think my Pete Rose collection is complete.

1989 Upper Deck - Nolan Ryan I might have been a Dodger fan but...

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:45:00 -0400

1989 Upper Deck - Nolan Ryan
I might have been a Dodger fan but Nolan Ryan was my favorite player as a kid. I was on the Rangers little league team, he was throwing no hitters, kicking ass, and had about 10 times the amount of baseball cards as any other player at the time.

I remember pulling this card while hunting for Griffey Jr. Rookies and just thinking .. “cool!” The triple exposure, the classic Astros logo, the stirrup socks. It’s still an amazing card.

1980 Topps Steve Yeager Fun facts about Steve Yeager: • ...

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:24:00 -0400

1980 Topps Steve Yeager
Fun facts about Steve Yeager:
• He’s the Nephew of Pilot Chuck Yeager
• LA Mayor Tom Bradley was the best man at his wedding
• He’s part owner of a Jersey Mike’s sandwich franchise.
• He and his family were on Family Feud for 6 days.
• He appeared nude in Playgirl in 1982 (I’ll let you google that one)
• In the 1981 World Series he was co-MVP with Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey
• A piece of Bill Russell’s broken bat punctured Yeager’s esophagus while he was standing in the on deck circle. This led to the invention of the throat protector for catchers mask by Dodger trainer Bill Buhler.

Even more interesting stuff on his wikipedia

1953 Topps Roy Campanella I was going to save this, to space out...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:15:00 -0400

1953 Topps Roy Campanella
I was going to save this, to space out my “Dodgers Retired Numbers” posts. Instead I’m posting it in honor of Matt Kemp winning the Roy Campanella award.

Campy came up to play for the Dodgers the year after Jackie Robinson in 1948. He went to the All Star game every season except for his first and his last. He won the NL MVP award three times, the last time he won was the Dodgers first World Series Championship. A tragic auto accident cut his career short, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. His number, 39, was retired by the Dodgers in 1972.

In 1953 Topps released their second baseball card set, and this year the entire set was hand painted, no photographs. Ever since I saw Campy’s card, I knew I had to have it. It’s absolutely beautiful. Recently I saw this one, in decent condition, mislabeled as “1959 Roy Campanella” and ended up winning the auction for less than half of what this card would normally fetch in this condition. Awesome right?

1957 Topps Space Cards #26 - Flying Practice This is the one...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:47:00 -0400

1957 Topps Space Cards #26 - Flying Practice
This is the one non-sport card in my collection. I really wanted to put together the entire 88 card set, but the prices on these things are more expensive than ‘57 baseball cards. Even this ONE card in poor condition cost about 3 bucks. Someday I’ll pick up a few more hopefully, but a set looks out of my reach.

1963 Topps Rookie Stars available for trade Gaylord...

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:21:00 -0400

1963 Topps Rookie Stars available for trade
Gaylord Perry’s “Rookie Card” even though he had a rookie card in 1962 Topps. This is another one of the cards I unlocked in the Topps Million. It’s cool but, it’s available for trade.

Panini Redesign 2 Taking it a step further from...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:12:00 -0400

Panini Redesign 2
Taking it a step further from yesterday’s post what if we got rid of the wood grain all together? Take a step away from the ‘62 Topps vibe and towards a ‘65 or ‘75 colorful vibe. I’m available for freelance Panini.

1960 Topps Don Drysdale All Star Another installment of my...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:57:00 -0400

1960 Topps Don Drysdale All Star
Another installment of my Dodgers Retired Nubmers cards. Also, like the manager cards from that year, another amazing subset from 1960 Topps. Don Drysdale’s number 53 was retired by the Dodgers in 1984 when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was as fearless as he was feared on the mound, an amazing pitcher that might not fit into today’s game.

I got this card in the same lot as the 1969 Hank Aaron card. Quite a deal.

1970-71 O-Pee Chee Gump Worsley This will probably be the...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:46:00 -0400

1970-71 O-Pee Chee Gump Worsley
This will probably be the only Hockey card you will see on this blog. I’m not a Hockey fan, but after hearing the Weakerthans song “Elegy for Gump Worsley” I had to find out more about the man they were talking about. Who couldn’t be curious about a man named “Gump Worsley” who didn’t wear any head or face protection while playing goalie? Well his wikipedia page and this mini documentary on youtube didn’t let me down.

I’ll tell you what, I wish I was a hockey fan because the 69-72 O-Pee Chee sets are beautiful. If I had to pick a favorite thing about this card it might be the little cartoon on the back that shows Gump tossing his mask. The smiling over 40 year old Gump on the front with the pepto-bismol pink background is equally terrific. Gump said “my face was my mask” and what a face it was.

Panini Redesigns Panini’s preview first, the second three...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:55:00 -0400

Panini Redesigns
Panini’s preview first, the second three are mine based on their design.

So the collectors out there have heard by now, the Major League Baseball Players Association signed a deal with Panini America to produce baseball cards featuring Major League players.

What does this mean? Well, it means Topps no longer has the monopoly on baseball cards any more. Sort of. Panini only has a deal with the MLBPA, NOT the MLB. So while they can put players on their cards, they cannot put players wearing any MLB trademark on their cards. Which shouldn’t be as long as MLB produces some nice looking cards. Judging from the preview card above, they are not. So I took it upon myself to do some mock ups where I went and “fixed” up their design.

So here are the problems I see. First, the giant banner with what I am assuming is the brand of the set. That thing looks like a football logo, it’s ugly.If that much space is taken up on every card in the set than this thing is dead in the water. I took it and put it in the corner as a smaller logo.
Second, the photo. It needs to be bigger and more interesting, so I mocked up a version with a background and a version with cloned out logos.
Third, the Panini logo. Sorry there is no need to keep it that big and in colors that draw away from the entire front of the card.
Fourth, the color blue is everywhere. A lighter background draws your attention to the photo.
Last, the fake team logo. If you can’t have the real logos you don’t have to make a fake team logo. An understated position, city, and league across the top border does the same job much more elegantly.

I also did a mock up of what their autograph inserts could look like, after all the press release is all about Josh Hamilton’s contract with Panini. What do you think, do mine look better than the preview card or not?

1969 Topps Hank Aaron Do you want an ebay tip? Expand your...

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:46:00 -0400

1969 Topps Hank Aaron
Do you want an ebay tip? Expand your searches. Let’s say you want a Hank Aaron card…

“You want a Hank Aaron card.”

Don’t search for “1965 Topps Hank Aaron.” Search within the Sports and Memorabilia > Cards section for “Hank Aaron.” Thats it. The auction I found this card in was titled only “Hank Aaron”… nothing else. It had 7 cards, including 2 ‘53 cards, a star Dodger card, and a star ‘65 rookie card. If i had seached with a year, even within the descriptions, it wouldn’t have popped up. I scored all 7 cards for less than the price this card usually goes for alone in this condition. Not bad right?
I love the 14 years of stats on the back, along with the line calling out his 500 HR milestone. Hammerin’ Hank went on to break the all time Home Run record, and still owns it as far as I’m concerned. Is this a great card, or what?