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.
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.
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 spectacular player.
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.
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 “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 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:
• 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 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?
