Quandary

 I have a bit of a dilemma.

I saw this card on eBay and bought it. It is a 2001 Topps Archive reprint of card 202 from the 1970 Topps set commemorating the Baltimore Orioles win in the AL Championship Series and is signed by Paul Blair. Blair is obviously the key featured player on the card and, if it was a thing back then, would have probably been the series MVP (the first championship series MVP was awarded in 1980.) But, he is not named on the card, except as a line on the series box score and this card doesn't appear on the lists of Paul Blair cards.

So, player collectors out there, is this a Paul Blair card or not?  If it is, I guess I will need to get the original Topps and OPC versions for the Blair binder.

What I am listening to: New York Comeback by Lucinda Williams (with Bruce Springsteen)

Favorite Cards of 2013 - Part 2

8. 2001 Topps Archive Paul Blair Autograph

This card is always coming up on EBay, but it took me over two years to actually get one. Why? Because I thought I already had it.  Paul Blair shared a rookie card with Dave Johnson.  However, when Topps decided to issue sets devoted to past players, this card made several appearances. Indeed, I currently have 5 different versions of this card from Topps Archive, Team Topps Legends, and the Topps Shoebox collection.  Once I figured out I didn't actually have this card, I snapped up the first one to be had at a fair price.

 7. 1963 Fleer Roberto Clemente

If I had to choose one player that I could see play if I could, it would be Roberto Clemente. I would want this card even if  I wasn't building the 1963 Fleer set.  Indeed, someday I would like to have all of Clemente's playing days cards.


6. 1967 Topps Venezuelan Paul Blair

This particular card is not in the greatest of shape, but it is a Venezuelan.  They come available so rarely, and at such high prices, that I never realistically expected to own one. 


5. 1963 Fleer Dick Howser

This card filled two needs for me.  At the time I got it, I still needed Howser to complete my '63 Fleer set.  That I found such a nice version that was also autographed made it special. This is the second autographed card of a deceased player I acquired as part of that particular quest.  Out of 66 cards in that set, 19 are of deceased players.  This will obviously limit how many '63 Fleer I will ever get autographed.

What I am listening to:  Born to Lose by Social Distortion (Note: NSFW language.  Also, not the best quality, but the video was taken at CBGB.)

New PC Addition

It seems like it has been a while since I added anything to my Paul Blair player collection.

2001 Topps Archive Certified Auto Refractor.

 I am not sure why it took my so long to add this to my collection, as they seem to come up on EBay with some degree of frequency.  I do recall trying to trade for it on the Diamond Giveaway site back in 2011, without success.  Anyways, it is mine now. It is the 97th unique card in this particular player collection and the 29th with an auto.

A couple days ago I got a big trade pack in the mail from Cory over at Rectangle Men. I really should have posted about it by now, but I have stuggled to figure out how to make it interesting. I think I have my angle, but I have a full weekend planned and probably won't get it published until mid next week. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait.

Oh, that big weekend? I am driving up to Kansas City to see the Royals-Yankees game on Sunday! 

2011 Card Countdown - Number 1

A drumroll please.





My favorite card of the year:



2001 Topps Archive Reserve Willie Mays Aut

This is far and away the best card I got from the Diamond Giveaway Transmogrifier.

I don't have much else to say. I sat and did the last 9 writeups in one sitting before Christmas and ran out of what little creative juices I had. My coffee cup was empty too. As you read this I will be somewhere between Columbus, OH and Saint Louis, MO making my way back home. Here is hoping you all had a safe and joyous holiday season and your new year will be a happy one.

See ya on the flip side.