2024 Retrospectively - 2025 Prospectively

 While sports card blogs are no longer the fashion, the year-end retrospective is still a thing amongst those of us who still do blog (some more than others.) So, I suppose I should review my 2024.  As a word of warning, I have just reused images from elsewhere in my blog and, as such, they may not all present as the same size.  I just couldn't work up the ambition to rework or rescan images. Mea culpa. 

2024 was one of the odder years in my collecting life.  There were several long periods of inactivity when adult life interfered in my personal (and financial) lives.  I've had such layoffs before, notably in 2011-2012 and 2021-2022 when I was faced with job changes.  But, that wasn't the case in 2024, just general life stuff.  Anyways, it wasn't a completely unproductive year. I did manage to finish three sets:

1958 Topps Baseball - I started this set (in a manner of speaking) in 2012, when I bought a low grade Mantle card for the then princely sum of $100. I finished it 12 years later, with the Ernie Banks base card.

1973 Topps Football - I bought a partial set (65% complete) of 1973 football back at the beginning of 2020 and finally knocked it off 4 years later. The last card wasn't actually Fran Tarkenton, but rather one of the unnumbered team checklists.  Fran was actually the last base set card and one I actually scanned.

1972-1973 Topps Basketball - I started this set back in 2018, so just over 6 years to complete.  This was another situation where I bought a partial set. I don't remember what the last card was. I finished the set with about a dozen commons from Sportlots. so I'm just going to post a random card.

I did also make progress on other areas of my collection:

1967 Topps baseball - I went from 35% to 86% complete in 2024.  I really didn't realize I made that much progress. Though, in another sense, I didn't.  I am 96% complete on the first 5 series, 68% complete on the semi-high 6th series and 45% for the high number 7th series. Unfortunately, most high numbers I acquired were double printed in the series. So, with one exception, most of the expensive high numbers are still on my want list.  My one victory, if you will, was that I was able to pick up the Carew RC in December.    

I would like to finish in 2025, but the Seaver RC and Brooks short print will make that a challenge even beyond the 40 other high numbers.  And while I try to keep things positive, I do need to crab about card 605, Mike Shannon.  Despite a Beckett high book value of $50, this card almost always sells for 2 or more times that price. Even in mid-grade condition.

1969 Topps Football - I am only 42% complete but I have all the major stars. I haven't really haven't spent any time recently moving this forward.  When '67 baseball gets me down, I should probably work on this one.

1970 Topps Football - 13 cards to go. 95% complete. I have all the major stars, but I am having trouble finding reasonably priced commons to finish this out.  Truthfully, I could probably finish this out for around $50 on Sportlots.  But, the cumulative high book value on the remaining needs is $37. Which means, I am willing to pay up to $20 for the remaining cards.  Sportlots is odd.  I try to maximize what I buy from each seller. I was able to finish out my 1973 football set quite reasonably.  For 1970 though, there is only one seller who has all the cards I need (and in several cases the only copy of a card on the entire site) and he is pricing them well beyond where they should be.  In the end, paying his prices won't break the bank, but I struggle with rewarding such behavior.

Fleer Autograph project: I added 3 new signed 1960 Fleer cards (Sam Rice, Paul Derringer, and Pie Traynor) and 2 new 1961s (Babe Adams and Donie Bush.)  That isn't a huge number, but I am at the point in the project where all the commonly available cards are already in my collection and I am down to the cards that are either ungodly expensive or ungodly rare.

Paul Blair collection - I have written about this several times this year and won't go into depth here. My major accomplishment was reorganizing the collection.  My favorite addition  was a 1968 Venezuelan.

Johnny Antonelli collection  - Not unlike the Fleer autograph project, this is collection is generalu stalled due to the rarity of the remaining needs. I did add a few picture pack photos although I did complain about trying to differentiate them in an earlier post. My favorite was the packaging for a 1956 Big League Statue.  

 

So, what is on the agenda for 2025?

Nothing definitive. I am anticipating additional adult responsibilities this year, so I am not planning on any big hobby achievements.  I would like to make progress on each of the projects mentioned above, but I am not going to put a number to most of it.. The only thing I definitely want to complete is the first five series of 1967 baseball for which I am only 17 cards short of completion.  The only major cards among those 17 are Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.  Neither are cheap, but both will probably still be had for a price less than even the commonest of high number commons.

Additionally, I would like to start putting together the 1969-70 Topps basketball set. I probably shouldn't due to the Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) rookie card, but since I already have the Wilt Chamberlain, I don't see much issue with slowing adding to the set build in anticipation of having a time in the future I might be able to get the Alcindor and complete the set.

That is about it. No huge plans. I would like to make a trek down to Dallas this year for the big show they have every other month.  I have been wanting to since I was last at that show in 2022.  But the fund commitment needed to justify a 3 hour drive each way may preclude it.  

Anyways, I am looking forward to 2025 and I hope you have a safe, fun, and successful year!

What I am listening to: Locked in the Trunk of a Car by The Tragically Hip

1961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 45

It had taken five years, but I have finally managed to achieve something: I caught COVID.  

Lordy, did I feel like crap.  Christmas day started off normal enough, but as the day wore on, I got more and more tired. By early evening, I was having chills and was achy all over. The next two days were a blur. I tried working from home, but both days I only made it to lunch before I crapped out; Friday I went to bed at 6 PM and basically stayed there for the next 12 hours. I was feeling better on Saturday, better still each subsequent day, and I hope to return to the office Thursday (1/2)

Anyways, in my attempt to not overdo it, I am going to knock another one of these posts out.  

Hughie Critz was considered one of the best defensive second basemen of his era.  A light hitter, his facility with the glove saw him mentioned in the same breath with his more offensively adept contemporaries like Honus Wagner, Eddie Collins, and Frankie Frisch.  What else do we know about Hughie?

1. He was the son of a university president. His father was at various times president of the universities know known as Arkansas Tech and Mississippi State.  Despite being a ballplayer himself, the elder Critz was not happy when his son went out for baseball during his junior year  Mississippi State (nee Mississippi A&M)
2. After graduating college, he started working as a cotton broker in Greenwood, MS but a agricultural depression that crashed cotton prices put paid to that choice. He became a pro ball player when his semi-pro team joined the Class D Mississippi State League.
3. After the 1921 season, his contract was sold to the Memphis Chickasaws of the Class A Southern Association.  Following that season, he was promoted to the Double A Minneapolis Millers where he put in one full, and one partial season before being called up to Cincinnati in May of 1924. He was inserted immediately as the everday second baseman for the Redlegs and hit .322 over the course of the season. This represented his career high water mark for batting average.
4. He went 2 for 4 in his debut game; hitting two singles off of the great Chicago pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander.
5. He had a reputation as a smart player, though in self-effacing style he once said “Such stars as Johnny Evers and Eddie Collins had set the fashion and brains and second base sort of went together, So I decided to appear smart, too. I shifted to the right for this batter, to the left for that one, guessed wrong half the time but got away with it.”
6. In 1929 after a hard slide by Riggs Stephenson took out Hughie, injuring his knee, an on-field fight ensued between the Cubs and the Reds.  Making the incident noteworthy, the teams continued the brawl post-game while waiting for their respective trains.
7. Critz was long coveted by NY Giants manager John McGraw, who finally managed to trade for him in 1930.  This allowed him to make his sole post season appearance with the Giants in their 1933 World Series victory.
8. Critz was very superstitious. One such superstition was the need to move his rival second baseman's glove when he took the field at the start of an inning.  Frankie Frisch would deliberately take his glove with him to the bench and Fritz would have to chase him down to touch the glove in order to satisfy his compulsion.
9. In retirement, he owned a 1,000 acre plantation and a Ford-Lincoln dealership in Greenwood.
10. While not a familiar name today, Hughie was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and was chosen by Cinci fans as the second baseman on the Reds’ all-time team in 1969, nearly 40 years after he was traded away.

I suppose I should do a 2024 retrospective and goal setting for the 2025 collecting season.  Perhaps this weekend.  In the mean time...

What I am listening to: Sing by Travis

Fleer Autograph Project - Parts 19 and 44

 I suppose the title is a bit confusing if you have been following my long term, but infrequent series on the players featured in my signed 1960 and 1961 Fleer collection.  To the extent that your interest rises to that level, allow me to clear it up.  This post will feature my 18th signed 1960 Fleer card and my 44th signed 1961 Fleer card since they are both the same player: Hall of Famer Sam Rice

What is interesting about Sam Rice:

1. Over the course of a 20 season major league career, he tallied up 2,987 hits.
2. He actually broke in as a pitcher. He appeared in 9 games over his first two seasons compiling a 1-1 record with a 2.52 ERA. In his first ML season, he only appeared as a pitcher, but hit .375.
3. He didn't appear in professional baseball until the age of 22 in 1912. Prior to that, he did play semi-pro ball in Watseka, IL where he worked on his family farm.  At the time of his pro debut, Sam had already been married for 4 years and had two children.
4. Unfortunately, his wife, both children, mother and two sisters were killed by a tornado. The storm was part of a multi-day tornado outbreak which was significant enough to merit it's own Wikipedia page.
5. Following the 1912 season, he ended up in the Navy and stationed on the battleship USS New Hampshire. He and his shipmates were part of a landing force that took the port city of Veracruz  after tensions between the US and Mexico escalated.
6. In 1914, after his furlough from the Navy, he resumed is baseball career with the Petersburg Goobers of the Virginia League. The following year, the Goobers struggled financially (as well as on the field) and the owner of the team gave Rice's contract to the major league Washington Nationals in repayment for a loan.
7. In 1916, after several successful appearances as a pinch hitter, he became a full time outfielder.
8. Rice didn't have much power, stroking only 34 home runs over the course of his career. He did have speed and had 351 stolen bases over his 20 years and hit over 30 doubles in 10 of those seasons.
9. During spring training in 1918, he was drafted into the military and deployed to France.  However, WW1 ended before he saw any combat and he found himself back at Spring Training in 1919.
10. He and teammate Joe Judge held the record for longevity as teammates after 18 seasons together with Washington.  The record has been broken twice in recent decades, first by George Brett and Frank White, then by Alan Trammel and Lou Whitaker.
11. In Game 3 of the 1925 World Series, Rice made a catch on a long drive by Pirates catcher Earl Smith that saw him fall over the outfield wall and not return to sight until after a short delay.  Controversy ensued whether he really successfully caught the ball. It waw ruled he did and, well into his retirement when asked if he truly caught that ball he always responded, "the umpires said I did."
12. He continued to play well through is age 42 season, after which his decline was notable.  After the 1933 season he was released and signed with Cleveland to play for his former teammate and Nationals manager Walter Johnson.  He struggled as the season wore on and finally retired in September.
13. In retirement, he had a chicken farm for a while, bred racing pigeons, and invested in real estate.
14. Sam Rice was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1963 and was a regular at the induction ceremonies through 1974, after which he passed away.
15. In 1965, at the request of a HOF historian he wrote a letter documenting the definitive story of that controversial catch in the '25 World Series with the stipulation that it not be opened until after his death.  Once the letter was subsequently found and opened, it was revealed that Sam had made the catch and never lost possession of the ball. The delay in returning to the field was due to being dazed by the fall on the opposite side of the outfield wall.  However, the controversy was never resolved as there were witnesses who continued to claim the opposite.

What I am listening to: Something We Regret by Willow Avalon

New Blair Item

 After my little hissy fit about cut signatures a few months ago, my player collections went into early hibernation and I resigned myself to only adding new cards once a year or so.  In particular, with my Paul Blair collection.there isn't much left. It breaks down mostly like this:

Topps Flagship (unsigned)     3
Topps Flagship (signed)       13
OPC                                        1
TCMA                                    1
Various Buybacks                 11

That actually looks like a lot, but the two flagship categories are, to a certain extent, filler. I have the complete run of Topps flagship Blair cards, but thought I would put together both signed and unsigned versions just to have something to do with this PC.  However, since making that decision, I have done exactly nothing to make it happen.  So, was it really decision?  Trees, forests, etc.

There actually is two other categories not mentioned above. The first is regional and team issues from the late 1960s that I have never seen in the wild and (enjoy the contrast) 2004 Upper Deck Timeless Team parallels.  

2004 UD Timeless Teams is a confounding set.  It covers the significant team or teams from between 1964 and 1995. Great concept and I love the design. It is a set I would want to collect. Except that the execution is horrible.  You would think they would have the one dominant team for each year and perhaps the dominant team from each league for each year. Makes sense right?  However, there are no teams represented from 1971, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 1994.  But, there are three teams for 1969, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1986.  There are 11 players each representing the 1969 and 1970 Orioles (the same 11 players mind you,) but only 3 players representing the 1987 and 1991 Twins, and the 1992 Blue Jays. 1977 and 1981 had both the Dodgers and the Yankees, but 1978 was the Yankees only.  

See what I mean?  A complete mess.

Anyways, there are 6 versions of each card:

1. Base
2. Bronze (# to 50)
3. Gold (# to 5)
4. Signed
5. Signed Gold (# to 5)
6. Signed Platinum (# to 1)

I have a saved search on eBay that I scan daily for new items, but I have probably failed to find Blair cards I needed from this set because I scan quickly.  However, at this point, I have 8 of the 12 Blair cards. Of the 4 that I am missing two are, not surprisingly, the 1/1s.  I will need to do a better job of looking for the other two (1 Bronze and 1 Gold).

I am starting to wake up out of 4 month hobby slumber.  I have a new (to me) signed 1960 Fleer card being delivered tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be able to whip up a post about it on Tuesday.

What I am listening to:  Outlaws and Mustangs by Cody Jinks

Alternate Collection Update

 For any of you who were around for the golden age of baseball card blogging (peace be unto you) you may remember San Jose Fuji asking a question:

My response was to show the various pets my wife and I have.  Over the years, there have been additions and, such as life is, losses.  The most recent loss was the death of my Great Pyrenees- Akbash mix Buddy.  Buddy was actually in that first post where I introduced all my pets.

Since then I have been fine with only having two dogs to wrangle. However, a few weeks ago I came across a Facebook post from a local rescue about a Pyrenees they had up for adoption. The post was over 2 months old, so I messaged them to ask if the dog was still available.  He was but get this: he was being fostered in Buffalo, NY.  Apparently, it is easier to adopt Pyrenees in the Northeast, since most folks down this way only want them to be livestock guardian dogs.  

Anyways, as I mentioned a few posts ago, my wife and I were heading to Ohio on vacation. So, instead of accompanying my wife to West Virginia for the Glass Gathering, I took a quick trip up to Buffalo to officially adopt him.  

Meet Beauregard:

1960 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 18

I decided to knock this one out before I head out for vacation at the end of the week.  It is the 18th signed 1960 Fleer card in my collection, out of 43 possible. This card is the sole thing I have bought for my collection in nearly 2 months.  

This card, which came with a JSA certificate, is somewhat rare. I am led to understand from a friend that exclusively collects autographed cards that many of the signed Derringer cards floating around were ghost signed by his wife.  So, despite having lived until 1987, his autograph is not particularly common.

The research for this post wasn't nearly as enjoyable as others.  Derringer was not necessarily a sympathetic character, having anger management issues that plagued him through out his career and may have contributed to having been thrice married.  To be fair though, his last marriage lasted 27 years.

Anyways:

1. Derringer had a 15-year major league career, starting with the Cardinals for 2 full and 1 partial season.  This was followed by 10 years with the Redlegs and concluded with 3 years with the Cubs.
2. In 1933, he started three games for St Louis and put up a 0-2 record. On May 7, he was dealt to Cincinnati in a six-player deal that saw Leo Durocher head in the opposite direction.  In the Queen City, he put up an anemic 7-25 record across 31 starts and 2 relief appearances.  Interestingly, modern sabermetrics rate his '33 season better, giving him a roughly league average 103 ERA+ and credit for 2.0 WAR.
3. In that season, he was being upbraided by Reds GM Lee McPhail for a baserunning error.  He picked up an ink well off of the desk and threw it at McPhail, thankfully missing.
4. On June 27, 1936 his temper got the better of him and he attacked one Robert Condon (a highly decorated soldier who had enlisted as a private and retired as a Brigadier General) in Philadelphia. Condon, at that time a member of the executive committee of the American Legion, Derringer lost the resulting lawsuit and had to pay (with help from the team) the sum of $8,000. The equivalent sum in 2024 is $181,000.
5. He put up four 20-win seasons with the Reds in 1935 and 1938 through 1940, with 1939 being hte best with a 25-7 record and a third-place finish in NL MVP voting.
6. He appeared in four World Series, 2 with Cincy and one each with the Cards and Cubs.  He pitched to a 2-4 record and a 3.42 in those series that saw his teams win 2 and lose 2.
7. He never got along with Dizzy Dean and their mutual dislike led to a fistfight in 1939.
8. After his MLB career was over, he put in one last minor league season with the 1946 Indianapolis Indians.  In a game against the Montreal Royals, he decided to throw at Jackie Robinson to see "what he was made of."  After being dusted in his first at bat, Robinson hit a line drive single. Repeating his challenge in the next face off, Derringer saw Jackie hit a triple. Paul commented afterward to Royals manager Clay Hopper that "he will do."  This led Hopper to let Branch Rickey know that Robinson was ready to move up.
9. After his career, he worked as a plastics salesman and a troubleshooter for the American Automobile Association (AAA)

This puts me up to date on 1960. But I am still woefully behind with 1961. 28 cards behind to be exact.  With the holidays coming up, I really don't expect much hobby spending until after New Year.  So, maybe I can post more of my signed 1961 Fleer cards. 

What I am listening to: Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston

1961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 43

 It has been nearly five months since my last post in this series.  I am going to try to pick it back up again, but I've said that before.  As it is hobby life has been quiet and will continue to be so for a while.  Adult life has a way of causing that.  There haven't been any great personal struggles or tragic events. Just adult stuff  You all deal with the same from time to time, so no need to bore you with details.

Additionally, we have scheduled a fall trip back to Ohio.  The first weekend we will be going to Halloweekends at Cedar Point for the first time since 2020. And the second weekend we will be attending the Annual Glass Gathering at the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia. I think I have mentioned that my wife collects midcentury barware, with a few smaller side collections of swung vases and midcentury ashtrays (oddly neither of us are, nor have been, smokers.)  Over the course of this year, she has really gotten involved with the barware collecting community and it has been fun to watch her collecting really take off.  I don't even mind that it has made me more intentional about how I collect.  With all that on my plate, I don't expect to do much card collecting until the new year.  

Anyways, let's get back to it. I haven't added any new signed 1961 Fleer cards in a while. I am still sitting at 72 cards (out of 96 possible) for 1961. Of the 29 cards between here and there, we will be seeing 21 Hall of Fame members. There will be familiar names, but really only one that is considered among the best of the best. I have added one additional 1960 card, but more about that in the future. 

So, next up is Travis Jackson.  

What caught my attention:

1. He had a 15-year MLB career, all with the NY Giants. He was discovered as a 14-year-old by dead ball era player, and then minor league manager, Kid Elberfeld.   Elberfeld gave him his first pro gig several years later with the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association.
2. After two years at Little Rock, he made his major league debut at the end of the 1922 season, appearing in 3 games and going hitless in 8 plate appearances.
3. The following season he stuck with the big club and became the first teenager to ever appear in the World Series.  He appeared in only one game, Game 2, pinch hitting for pitcher Jack Bentley against Yankee HOFer Herb Pennock. Jackson flew out to left field to end the game that saw the Bombers beat the Giants 4-2.
4. In 1924, he took over the starting shortstop position from Hall of Famer Dave Bancroft.
5. After concluding his MLB playing career, Jackson managed the Jersey City Giants for a year and a half (1937-1938) and was a coach for the New York Giants in 1939-1940. After which he retired due to contracting tuberculosis, which he fought for 5 years.
6. In 1946, he returned to baseball and managed the Jackson Senators in 1946 and coached for the Giants again in 1947 and 1948 under manager Mel Ott. When Ott was replaced by Leo Durocher, Jackson was let go and then embarked on a 13 year run as a minor league manager in the Boston/Milwaukee Braves organization. This included leading the 1954 and 1955 Lawton Braves to Sooner State League championships. He retired again, this time permanently, in 1961.
7. His admission to the Hall was championed by former teammate and Veterans Committee member, Bill Terry.  While Terry never succeeded in getting Jackson enshrined during his tenure, his advocacy was ultimately successful, as Jackson was elected by the Vet's Committee in 1982.
8. His enshrinement paved the way for other middle infielders who, while not putting up flashy offensive numbers, contributed significantly on the defensive side of the game. Edward Stack, president of the Hall of Fame, would lead to more serious consideration for players like Pee Wee Reese and Phil Rizzuto.  Both were elected by the Veterans Committee in subsequent years.
9. In something I always look at with these old timers, Travis was alive and able to attend his induction ceremony. (I'll never forgive MLB for denying Ron Santo that honor)

What I am listening to: Heavy Load by Cody Jinks