tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83427768858968947172024-03-19T01:48:36.073-07:00Cardboard Catastrophescarlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.comBlogger687125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-47718901261591313562024-02-16T07:25:00.000-08:002024-02-16T07:25:49.730-08:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 41<p>It has been a rough few weeks here. My senior Great Pyrenees had to be euthanized. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer since before Christmas, but it was ineffective. His health took a turn for the worse and we made the choice to end his suffering. On top of that, I have had cascading plumbing issues associated with my barn mostly due to the half-assed work prior owners did. Some repairs I did myself, but others required more specialized skills. I won't bore you with the details but suffice it to say I am about done with country living and wouldn't mine moving back into town where I don't have to deal with fixing someone else's work. I've lived here 20 years. You would think I would have found it all by now.</p><p>Not a lot of hobby activity, although I did manage to get 3 of the remaining 4 cards I needed to complete my 1958 set. The only remaining card is #310 - Ernie Banks. The card is of sufficient cost that I probably will hold off on chasing after it until my life and checkbook return to something resembling normalcy.</p><p>Anyways, onward. Here we have Roger Peckinpaugh, another noteworthy, but not all time great, player. He was something the opposite of our previous subject, Riggs Stephenson. Where Stephenson was a good bat attached to a weak fielder, Peckingpaugh was considered one of the best shortstops in the Dead Ball Era, while generally packing a below average offensive punch at the plate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuXQGqdQOqefYaIHMLXLUo10RanHzeAE9moXUpyZZjcCa-UV4FD8KqyKqEbGW6EcflNJksl_sYJy4wELVTlPbpwviq2JXXZttYHXzpNagoxR6GTNn8UmHyQZVP0gxjHJxqKYxW9yWX-est6_Y7z6d-2bfB0SjYjBS_djclGvz7EgWfg1_k25lDBSlWd0/s1107/1961F_132A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="847" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuXQGqdQOqefYaIHMLXLUo10RanHzeAE9moXUpyZZjcCa-UV4FD8KqyKqEbGW6EcflNJksl_sYJy4wELVTlPbpwviq2JXXZttYHXzpNagoxR6GTNn8UmHyQZVP0gxjHJxqKYxW9yWX-est6_Y7z6d-2bfB0SjYjBS_djclGvz7EgWfg1_k25lDBSlWd0/s320/1961F_132A.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><p>Some interesting facts about Peckinpaugh:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>He was the youngest manager ever in MLB history when he took over the New York Yankees on an interim basis for the last 20 games of the 1914 season. He was 23 years old.</li><li>Born and raised in Ohio, he started his major league career with Cleveland when the team was known as the Naps.</li><li>In a case of be careful what you ask for, he was traded from the Yankees to the Washington Senators after the 1921 season when Babe Ruth, while complaining about skipper Miller Huggins, suggested Peck would be a better choice for manager.</li><li>While with the Washington Senators, he was part of a formidable double play combo with player-manager Bucky Harris and acted as an unofficial assistant manager. They won the World Series in 1924 and the AL pennant the following year.</li><li>Despite what amounted to league average hitting, Peck's fielding and leadership led to him being the 1925 AL MVP. When sorted by the modern WAR metric, he would have been in 20th place among all the players recieving MVP votes that year.</li><li>He returned to Cleveland as a manager twice. First from 1928 through the first 51 games of the 1933 season and again for the 1941 season. He was succeeded in 1942 by 24 year old player manager Lou Boudreau, who I've featured here previously.</li><li>After leaving baseball, he became a manufacturer's rep for Cleveland Oak Belting. a company that appears to still be in business. One of their current product lines is conveyor idlers, a component that my employer uses in their quarries.</li></ol><p></p><p>What I am listening to but probably shouldn't: Maggie's Song by Chris Stapleton</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6PTcr33AAhI" width="320" youtube-src-id="6PTcr33AAhI"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0msoyrUUbc-EhpYeZRjReb2bzSgDoP6k2WJVsouLsupo-033A0d9pVoU4GFG_slvLQDGZtW1_0X87Xe7KDKEfmGAxxoNxg6KAMUWQmwQWtE7zQE61fOosKQCRGRpxQYTC5MHQrg6SbR96JMQ_tr5ELVh09gm8YkielYYVSngK5H2ZPokW9OuuS_Ux_8/s1280/IMG_1421.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0msoyrUUbc-EhpYeZRjReb2bzSgDoP6k2WJVsouLsupo-033A0d9pVoU4GFG_slvLQDGZtW1_0X87Xe7KDKEfmGAxxoNxg6KAMUWQmwQWtE7zQE61fOosKQCRGRpxQYTC5MHQrg6SbR96JMQ_tr5ELVh09gm8YkielYYVSngK5H2ZPokW9OuuS_Ux_8/s320/IMG_1421.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-18165594775460991522024-01-28T05:19:00.000-08:002024-01-28T05:20:07.238-08:00How Did That Work Out For You?<p> Do you ever just feel like the hobby gods are trying to send you a message? </p><p>I have mentioned a couple things here recently. First, I am not particularly fond of 1967 Topps. It is just a bland, uninspired set both front and back. Second, a while back I bought a lot of collector grade 1966 and 1967 cards with the intent of getting a jump start on my '66 set build. But, I ended up with only 20% of the '66 set and over a third of '67.</p><p>Moving on to yesterday, the local OKC show was actually held at the county fairgrounds here in Norman. A 10 minute drive instead of 45 minutes. I was a little skeptical as it was held in the same building that hosts livestock shows, which means there is a dirt arena right smack in the middle. But, it ended up okay. The show was well attended by sellers and the aisles were nice and wide. Other than it being a little cold in the building I couldn't ask for more.</p><p>My intent was to look for 1966 commons, find the last 3 cards I need for my 1973 football set and some of the last 5 cards I need for my 1958 baseball set. I failed on all three counts. However, my normal go-to vintage dealer had a 5000 count box of...you guessed it... 1967 Topps. So, I started going through and found a significant number of cards I needed. The seller cut me a good deal and I was on my way home. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01dezbIu8BPj5RcgWxyjEJPPqB-AuN9LsAf9Z1Q4XwYb0DV0Kzg4kV7CLMJJjCVdmzOVEm6h03o6ZOu5Gbl5GsLaooK6RHK3Wm9Az8AJ-uCd5R4W3c6K6sWZEWvQnJl4gVxjHbsst-yzEd1YHdPkBANJpkbQU0YHmau-NbXVjGFKFi4zo7dGAa2RezVg/s1134/1967T_311F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01dezbIu8BPj5RcgWxyjEJPPqB-AuN9LsAf9Z1Q4XwYb0DV0Kzg4kV7CLMJJjCVdmzOVEm6h03o6ZOu5Gbl5GsLaooK6RHK3Wm9Az8AJ-uCd5R4W3c6K6sWZEWvQnJl4gVxjHbsst-yzEd1YHdPkBANJpkbQU0YHmau-NbXVjGFKFi4zo7dGAa2RezVg/s320/1967T_311F.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>In the end, I found nearly 160 cards and I am now sitting at 62% complete on the set. So, am I working the set? I guess so. But, there are challenges ahead. I have none of the major star cards outside Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and well-loved Whitey Ford and Roger Maris cards. I also have exactly <b><i><u>zero</u></i></b> high number cards and only 26 of the 76 semi-high numbers. <p></p><p>Because I am a glutton for punishment, I decided to look a bit at statistics for the set and where I am in terms of completion. There are 609 cards in the set and when I looked it last their total Beckett high book value added up to $8,477.00. That works out to $13.92 per card. My progress is 379 cards with book value of $1,856 or $4.90 per card. Math tells me I have 230 cards to go with a average book value of $28.78. Ugh. So, while I guess I am working the set, my level of ambivalence hasn't changed any.</p><p>Anyways, whining isn't the sole reason for this post. When I am at a show, I generally look for card numbers on my want list, check condition, and either set aside or put back. For some reason, I took a look at the back of the Ed Brinkman card.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSsFSm9Hz2TlhsWMmLB4TpviGsghBcz6KKPYUkzxqYf6kr-wNJOzYYa2nMPhjxRZvj6f5Fx-l5hnJBJCR2YBDnwpSE5HuHSpXTLzNseaPoAEIq9wqCSO609D3v_VZ5-Vvedp9M-HRh6-GJyRS3bOszvpECq54Rc30qbxA-VP-XzYb-ptJds5K__MxTc4/s1141/1967T_311B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSsFSm9Hz2TlhsWMmLB4TpviGsghBcz6KKPYUkzxqYf6kr-wNJOzYYa2nMPhjxRZvj6f5Fx-l5hnJBJCR2YBDnwpSE5HuHSpXTLzNseaPoAEIq9wqCSO609D3v_VZ5-Vvedp9M-HRh6-GJyRS3bOszvpECq54Rc30qbxA-VP-XzYb-ptJds5K__MxTc4/s320/1967T_311B.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Obviously, 57 years later we know that Ed never developed into one of the American League's big stars. He never hit consistently well, but did manage to stay in the starting lineup for 11 years out of 15 he played in the majors. He is considered one of the finest fielding shortstops of his era, but only won 1 Gold Glove in his career because he was playing at the same time as one of the finest fielding shortstops in all of baseball history, Mark Belanger.<div><br /></div><div>In a sad similarity, both Belanger and Brinkman died young (54 and 66 respectively) due to lung cancer.<br /><p></p><p>What I am listening to: The Flood by Charles Wesley Godwin</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EQfgXWDG9nM" width="320" youtube-src-id="EQfgXWDG9nM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-48934180416732675422024-01-13T06:22:00.000-08:002024-01-13T06:22:52.775-08:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 40<p>Before we get started, can we just acknowledge the utter lack of visual appeal in this card? The crude signature combined with the extreme diamond cut of the card makes it one of the less attractive cards in this project. Yowza.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRNBhIAp37YlSeakw0bx61AWKPiPeHNg-Yhn4jtxeveuXnXrzdmZllrL8EnsnjX8p8X8ws96Myanb2po2GlGpc8Z7hXGwSonQG0GLEXbmhFzCHXmEDTpWmh3HpoE004X7Zb1KGUNs0QsXeCjjzv8HTr5A0GxBVCWJRjzoKQLaILxvwOZGebcgThne2EE/s1120/1961F_140A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="833" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRNBhIAp37YlSeakw0bx61AWKPiPeHNg-Yhn4jtxeveuXnXrzdmZllrL8EnsnjX8p8X8ws96Myanb2po2GlGpc8Z7hXGwSonQG0GLEXbmhFzCHXmEDTpWmh3HpoE004X7Zb1KGUNs0QsXeCjjzv8HTr5A0GxBVCWJRjzoKQLaILxvwOZGebcgThne2EE/s320/1961F_140A.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>I've mentioned before that the 1960 and 1961 Fleer sets engage in a bit of mis-advertising. They are called Baseball Greats, but there are a fair number of subject players that, while noteworthy, are not necessarily great. Riggs Stephenson here is a good example. A solid hitter, his defensive deficiencies along with a history of injuries meant that he was only was a starting player for 4 seasons in a 14 year career. Interestingly, he received MVP votes in 3 of those 4 seasons. This included coming in 5th place in the 1932 race behind winner Chuck Klein, but ahead of such notables as Mel Ott and Pie Traynor.<p></p><p>Some interesting facts about Stephenson</p><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>His major league career ended in 1934, but he continued to play in the minor leagues through 1939. This included a 1936 stint as player-manager for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association. That year, he was the offensive leader of the team, hitting .355 while leading the team to the league championship.</li><li>He was a three sport standout at the University of Alabama, earning 3 varsity letters each in football and baseball, and 1 in basketball. His football coach at 'Bama described Riggs as “better football player than Jim Thorpe."</li><li>While at Alabama one of his baseball teammates was future Hall of Famer Joe Sewell.</li><li>He appeared in both the 1929 and 1932 World Series for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubbies lost both series through no fault of Stephenson who hit .316 and .444 respectively in the two series.</li><li>After his baseball career ended, he returned home to Alabama to farm and run various successful business ventures.</li></ol><p>What I am listening to:: Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty by Herbie Mann</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8JI_fLg0xgM" width="320" youtube-src-id="8JI_fLg0xgM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-79712024372107071382023-12-31T05:52:00.000-08:002023-12-31T05:52:58.420-08:00New Year's Review<p>Today is the last day of 2023 and I suppose it is time for reflection on the year and to make some promises to myself for 2024. Logically, there is nothing magical about January 1 with regards to self-assessment and new resolutions. But, I live a fairly busy life and having a lot of down time at the end of December does give the opportunity to look back...and then forward. I won't bother you with the personal, though it was generally a better year for me after two lousy years in '21 and '22. I will stick to the hobby stuff that you are here for:</p><p>Overall, 2023 was a good year hobby wise if a bit scattered. I managed to complete two sets during the year:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1955 - I started building this set in earnest in 2013, so this was 10 years in the making. As I reported earlier, the last card I needed was a common, Gale Wade. The second to last card was Jackie Robinson. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5wBTMnhi3gydDZlSI7zDOIEnYaGzlKtN20022QFU11-_q7lsusQ5WR-UpdK-JvCZWD5kK-h2ustEOtuIbD1WOJ0Bf38OAwW67KVcXitc0bRouv-VBicMQiToV0LK7BTmWidzfPJJvtSYl5p3r2hJ8S9X6qZPNpuIkJZNkaGgcJ3mrrq315e_3ZpfNfU/s1182/1955T_50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1182" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5wBTMnhi3gydDZlSI7zDOIEnYaGzlKtN20022QFU11-_q7lsusQ5WR-UpdK-JvCZWD5kK-h2ustEOtuIbD1WOJ0Bf38OAwW67KVcXitc0bRouv-VBicMQiToV0LK7BTmWidzfPJJvtSYl5p3r2hJ8S9X6qZPNpuIkJZNkaGgcJ3mrrq315e_3ZpfNfU/s320/1955T_50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></li><li>1969 - I wasn't planning to finish this set in 2023, but I discovered that my bank has rewards program for debit card use and I was able to convert over a years worth of points into a nice pre-paid VISA card. The last card was Al Downing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kJVGACdpIUZNl8cGFvnjYKqtYJNjCQ7hhU82tzboZQ0Ogj8mVmB-iEJoj0w1pkCQO9hDgAV02caffBCEK0wkDaK46jvv0rR4xvd5Tm-qV3Y5uc8wYH54dSh0J5HFtrOHiprFFf9DcZKgKngCHog2d50rLt3C6vDJ97EUY7I38DNFL75sfSqcRLfdatg/s1120/1969T_292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="829" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kJVGACdpIUZNl8cGFvnjYKqtYJNjCQ7hhU82tzboZQ0Ogj8mVmB-iEJoj0w1pkCQO9hDgAV02caffBCEK0wkDaK46jvv0rR4xvd5Tm-qV3Y5uc8wYH54dSh0J5HFtrOHiprFFf9DcZKgKngCHog2d50rLt3C6vDJ97EUY7I38DNFL75sfSqcRLfdatg/s320/1969T_292.jpg" width="237" /></a></div></li></ul><div>So, the other highlights of 2023 were:</div><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fleer Autograph project - I started the year with 15 signed cards from 1960 and 62 from 1961. I will close out the year with 16 and 70.</li><li>Started both 1966 and 1967 Topps baseball - I haven't mentioned it here, but I bought a large stack of 1966 and 1967 baseball commons in low to mid-grade for about $0.02 a card. I am planning on working on 1966, but after I sorted through the stack and separated out the cards in G condition or better, I found that I had about 20% of the 1966 set and 35% of 1967. know I said I would probably never build 1967 as the design doesn't interest me, but 35% is pretty far along. So, I may need to hold my nose and build the set. Hopefully, the high numbers are affordable in G to VG condition.</li><li>Added a few cards to my Paul Blair and Johnny Antonelli collections. The only one I was actually excited about was a 1960 Topps Venezuelan card of Antonelli that I got dirt cheap.<br /><br /></li></ul><div>What does 2024 portend? I have 5 sets I would like to complete:</div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1958 Baseball - with only 25 cards to go, I am going to prioritize getting this one done. Having started in 2012 when I bought the Mantle, 12 years is long enough.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF0m0jRup6I_elWSccNPQc0IzQ0UcFNXrmKZ7DCIDaUQjRecCM-5nuXPtV_013vHU2PbGI820r3y5KOZO_NILgwBn03LBOI__8HmIheEbT-6aya_NWw9TgwKmiOghoKs_lOm9EiNdEck/s711/1958_150F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF0m0jRup6I_elWSccNPQc0IzQ0UcFNXrmKZ7DCIDaUQjRecCM-5nuXPtV_013vHU2PbGI820r3y5KOZO_NILgwBn03LBOI__8HmIheEbT-6aya_NWw9TgwKmiOghoKs_lOm9EiNdEck/s320/1958_150F.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /></li><li>1972-73 Basketball - I started this set in 2018 and have 33 cards to completion.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoGIYpAxTc1ikI-p3ErebOlAml4Ys5tZmpU9UNm4K921jMUhAzHRH5Ldp1Ai4TbdY1TSzNnmTWZ61mESkgYZ9eH7aJjaCJeNoH1A9MMiC1ZUBnY24Wa4RqAQaPjmlKjxU3NtsLSg1KRAZVqymRrwfB0WvnSPskx60xivwVed7WBawqvv_-Onon06afZ0/s800/1972BB_60F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="571" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoGIYpAxTc1ikI-p3ErebOlAml4Ys5tZmpU9UNm4K921jMUhAzHRH5Ldp1Ai4TbdY1TSzNnmTWZ61mESkgYZ9eH7aJjaCJeNoH1A9MMiC1ZUBnY24Wa4RqAQaPjmlKjxU3NtsLSg1KRAZVqymRrwfB0WvnSPskx60xivwVed7WBawqvv_-Onon06afZ0/s320/1972BB_60F.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /></li><li>1973 Football - I started this set in January of 2020 and have 24 to go towards completion.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl39ZWBAfoAsGd_V2wG4GC9s6lxQxtOWml9wj2ZObN7B3ZdX0sz6OAkFy3UUpRU9Pcs0B2DnNctXcmSB_lsP5lGJJs0r9Nyryyw2qfGUIv3NdXgEF_oHMnTKfGhHtt_zitFV0K2_ApNRs/s1088/1973f_jn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="794" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl39ZWBAfoAsGd_V2wG4GC9s6lxQxtOWml9wj2ZObN7B3ZdX0sz6OAkFy3UUpRU9Pcs0B2DnNctXcmSB_lsP5lGJJs0r9Nyryyw2qfGUIv3NdXgEF_oHMnTKfGhHtt_zitFV0K2_ApNRs/s320/1973f_jn.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /></li><li>1974 Topps Baseball - Wait, what? I've said that I've completed the entire Topps run between 1968 and 1979, so what gives? What gives is that I need one card (599 - San Diego Small Print) to finish the master set. I rarely see that card for less than $30-$40, which seems excessive for what is essentially a common. But, I am close enough to completing the master set that I just need to hold my nose and get one.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ixsCYq8jbiVn3xO9AwqzllziZkCQxtT4zaJsn_9T59do6Lxau3GHkVmijvuakeURVwSnwVDtTQH-TbuBD7oU8_xLfq3IEQ7_ZHZtpQ2QZ57BWWX-mKAE-znbkuZ2HTmU0BhfuzryH_c/s726/2011_Favorite_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ixsCYq8jbiVn3xO9AwqzllziZkCQxtT4zaJsn_9T59do6Lxau3GHkVmijvuakeURVwSnwVDtTQH-TbuBD7oU8_xLfq3IEQ7_ZHZtpQ2QZ57BWWX-mKAE-znbkuZ2HTmU0BhfuzryH_c/s320/2011_Favorite_6.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /></li><li>2009 Tristar Obak - I started the three Obak sets in 2011. I finished 2010 and 2011 long ago and only need 7 short prints short of finishing 2009. They don't come available all that often and when they do, the prices are generally unreasonable. So, I probably should just be happy to make progress.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ19kLNL1cDlDDoQluvnoHIU5ig5nLdloNQAYuv97MkcoB_YV9LjtwrNalwojIDIxG51JpVU3ck1uLE-Tehoc5IfZTv8Bo_0BW_RwlHmHcftEktCCV4ykPHkRtm2_YZggV2tmheWkB0c/s725/2009Obak_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZ19kLNL1cDlDDoQluvnoHIU5ig5nLdloNQAYuv97MkcoB_YV9LjtwrNalwojIDIxG51JpVU3ck1uLE-Tehoc5IfZTv8Bo_0BW_RwlHmHcftEktCCV4ykPHkRtm2_YZggV2tmheWkB0c/s320/2009Obak_5.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /></li></ul><div>Beyond that, I will just let the hobby tide carry me and look back in a year to see what else happened. Though, I would like to post more of my signed 1961 Fleer cards. The last I posted was 39 and I have 70, so 31 to go. I won't get through all of them, but one a month seems doable.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy New Year to you. May your 2024 be your best year yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I am listening to: Auld Lang Syne by The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin</div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W_6Vs8pADrQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="W_6Vs8pADrQ"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><br />carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-70854817124432090392023-12-24T14:53:00.000-08:002023-12-24T14:56:00.885-08:00To The Stars<p>I hope you are all well this holiday season. Other than been fighting a case of bronchitis for almost a month now, I am great and grateful. Last Christmas wasn't particularly happy for me, but I have much to be thankful for this year and I hope 2023 was good to you also.</p><p>I don't believe I have mentioned this before, but I love Star Trek. I have watched all the live acted series all the way through, some more than once. While the current Strange New Worlds is wonderful, my favorite series is Deep Space Nine. I like it for several reasons. First because there are multi-season story arcs. Not just end of season cliff hangers that are resolved in the next season. But real, substantive storylines that carry through the entire run off the show. Second, it is grittier than most other Trek series. While most Star Trek ships and stations are antiseptically clean, the DS9 space station isn't. It has a nice patina of wear and is generally gives the impression of being held together with spit and bailing wire. But, that grit has a second, deeper level. Most Trek is built on a firm ethical foundation to the extent that it can often come across as preachy. DS9 didn't shy away from moral ambiguity. I appreciate that as a more realistic portrayal of human complexity. So, while I have watched the entirety of most Trek series once, I have seen DS9 all the way through 3 times and am about to start my fourth trip.</p><p>Anyways, with that as prologue, I just got back from a trip to Ohio with my wife to visit our families for the holidays. While there we visited a Star Trek store in Sandusky. While there, I bought a Morn action figure (my favorite DS9 character) and a reasonably priced hobby box of DS9: Memories From the Future.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_teKBttMrXet30lHrsBtsRURW66rWfZNg_OUe94zgpsKCplrAT6b6OXV2cZWtxRBYq6uVuHuF4hamQEcl_jOwc5VZhdqo_5YKaAApxbMtCg5FLE1a5eQAupHQfzbJxxUURmBV7Avd4kBn5cqOBZNgIdd10ugTlO1Fmcwis1LtLzM4WmZ6A223vNV8Pnk/s1133/DS9_43F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1133" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_teKBttMrXet30lHrsBtsRURW66rWfZNg_OUe94zgpsKCplrAT6b6OXV2cZWtxRBYq6uVuHuF4hamQEcl_jOwc5VZhdqo_5YKaAApxbMtCg5FLE1a5eQAupHQfzbJxxUURmBV7Avd4kBn5cqOBZNgIdd10ugTlO1Fmcwis1LtLzM4WmZ6A223vNV8Pnk/s320/DS9_43F.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7TWn_LlX1OtzsthtUu1Dcy4Q59FzugrrL_sshUeuZikxM3d2apznmT1xffTBYddZMQecReT0O5o8ti2qK739NzbO7OdWtz_Qy63ihfuA5tf17ii9ZkA6IeXG4S4wTMZKV_Ip6Zg5NNtPLdQj5KM_VPw3ndVZe5otpaDxXY35UtwdQ_CsrSCnOjmiTGM/s1173/DS9_43B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1173" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7TWn_LlX1OtzsthtUu1Dcy4Q59FzugrrL_sshUeuZikxM3d2apznmT1xffTBYddZMQecReT0O5o8ti2qK739NzbO7OdWtz_Qy63ihfuA5tf17ii9ZkA6IeXG4S4wTMZKV_Ip6Zg5NNtPLdQj5KM_VPw3ndVZe5otpaDxXY35UtwdQ_CsrSCnOjmiTGM/s320/DS9_43B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This card represents my favorite DS9 episode ("The Visitor") and, honestly, my favorite episode of any TV series ever. It is a compelling story even for non-science fiction fans and features an outstanding performance by actor Tony Todd as the adult Jake Sisko. Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5lEoNCMWbY"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">this scene</span></i></b></a> to see what I mean.<div><br /></div><div>Anyways, the box contained 36 nine card packs through which I needed to complete a 100 card base set. The base set highlights 99 different episodes with one checklist card. The front includes a picture from the episode and a phrase to summarize a key aspect. The back includes a summary of the episode and a quote from it next to a washed out cropped part of the front picture. How did I do? Not great. I only got 94 of the 100 cards. With 324 cards inside the box, I should have been able to finish at least one, if not two, complete base set. Pretty lousy collation, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well....</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xb6ye18b61imU9S0g2fbUVn8fwOwaWKEOooxYvDXE5opuS3kDeQMQB_vMw8ik6v5VWdzoYVNp3tyUotndlK7DrrxHRlDjzJ3zQhzzgKoDYHPFjJMWa2HYHcihs1F7ePhKVEFWT6yQvh8nZ-KdFx19CMZaqASxaVDdRdP0TNGxrp3t8HBdmXECJcIx60/s1096/DS9_AR8F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1096" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xb6ye18b61imU9S0g2fbUVn8fwOwaWKEOooxYvDXE5opuS3kDeQMQB_vMw8ik6v5VWdzoYVNp3tyUotndlK7DrrxHRlDjzJ3zQhzzgKoDYHPFjJMWa2HYHcihs1F7ePhKVEFWT6yQvh8nZ-KdFx19CMZaqASxaVDdRdP0TNGxrp3t8HBdmXECJcIx60/s320/DS9_AR8F.jpg" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAeH4AwW45L9wU9HaZngSI2-vPlz-ABaweFFV0fX09qhrGL3zGKmmd4cSmW12sIvlk-rUV9vQVXG4XRfIVkCJL0eqIA8RR5VGEdc15gL7ztecgc7pefYYshrxQBFp5BqPhLYKYeh65Zv_lZRxTY7dMTulfAK1eHNHdgq2DsnrCQ44_SVl1U0UhzgYW0A/s1088/DS9_AR8B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1088" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAeH4AwW45L9wU9HaZngSI2-vPlz-ABaweFFV0fX09qhrGL3zGKmmd4cSmW12sIvlk-rUV9vQVXG4XRfIVkCJL0eqIA8RR5VGEdc15gL7ztecgc7pefYYshrxQBFp5BqPhLYKYeh65Zv_lZRxTY7dMTulfAK1eHNHdgq2DsnrCQ44_SVl1U0UhzgYW0A/s320/DS9_AR8B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This card is part of the 9 card Greatest Alien Races insert set that was in 1 of 4 packs. I managed to get exactly 9 of these out of the 36 packs and, get this, I got the entire insert set with no duplication. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyo52YL2W8mxZFSRzzPlaZw08YFae8VbLSuAfS253rG4vxlgd_mdYE4co8oJxw0whdMSS3Rrqf-NMoBuF6z4zjk6iF746RaCuL3lL0CVbcPuc3mA3SFpwxkAfTByB8pxgT_0cb3oHlUZAknp30GGtnTEXP8bDmdG2bNMCpXg0Ip0PnNdYNgqO2R2plGg/s1104/DS9_L5F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1104" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyo52YL2W8mxZFSRzzPlaZw08YFae8VbLSuAfS253rG4vxlgd_mdYE4co8oJxw0whdMSS3Rrqf-NMoBuF6z4zjk6iF746RaCuL3lL0CVbcPuc3mA3SFpwxkAfTByB8pxgT_0cb3oHlUZAknp30GGtnTEXP8bDmdG2bNMCpXg0Ip0PnNdYNgqO2R2plGg/s320/DS9_L5F.jpg" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIMQhDXxJZKdNJjFmJt1d7jDad9pfk5K0_T3QB8Cik0g7PpaLELTiQhUsDN8dY5NFY_NEkMGaXwAF2et_Qr_6Pl4ItWbY6sVrlrQVof_NbBvkF-IKrSNQJPYt-A8bpP6eyJbSB0EBsh3DTkhCJSVobV8k6RziSAH4nuPD95evx8Q_U56ZHdpdwhAW87E/s1156/DS9_L5B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1156" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIMQhDXxJZKdNJjFmJt1d7jDad9pfk5K0_T3QB8Cik0g7PpaLELTiQhUsDN8dY5NFY_NEkMGaXwAF2et_Qr_6Pl4ItWbY6sVrlrQVof_NbBvkF-IKrSNQJPYt-A8bpP6eyJbSB0EBsh3DTkhCJSVobV8k6RziSAH4nuPD95evx8Q_U56ZHdpdwhAW87E/s320/DS9_L5B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This card is from the 9 card Greatest Legends insert set that features various main characters. It had 1:6 odds per pack. I got exactly 6 with, again, no duplication, I chose O'Brien because I am an engineer. Well, I was for the first 5 years of my professional career. I have been in various management roles ever since. But, if you ask my wife, I still act like an engineer. To be clear, she doesn't intend that to be complementary.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg_C0RRqkrCdaNCFVeKbgvthnROys7Uu565z2FBsM_4tdFX0o2ABuYNmg158hDZg__3kYyjET0UIROjj515bbwaOXwRRCbPfBtjCheo7ntbu7dsmMZ-m9RWpJx7e4QFHfzkuDGIrVCVGj0hqOODXG0bOt-JAvixgGHbjG0JHsgkZjy_F1NSFdUuzrxtQ/s1096/DS9_SB4F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1096" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg_C0RRqkrCdaNCFVeKbgvthnROys7Uu565z2FBsM_4tdFX0o2ABuYNmg158hDZg__3kYyjET0UIROjj515bbwaOXwRRCbPfBtjCheo7ntbu7dsmMZ-m9RWpJx7e4QFHfzkuDGIrVCVGj0hqOODXG0bOt-JAvixgGHbjG0JHsgkZjy_F1NSFdUuzrxtQ/s320/DS9_SB4F.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzUECMGFchbYNavV4eMI21UCDXcmLcJryk7RcG7MnuqOHtoBWvOjWYmUMryZOAy22wyzkeS34rzuLlUlx5rPpffJ-5RQNM4bf2E4C-ORHBhnKyG2dMj8ItqdIurhJYUqeE3a1qVTXDCGE-HE8KbGktbbUArDNnW1pUgMbHM1b893YRdKG1vsSros_zMc/s1103/DS9_SB4B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1103" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzUECMGFchbYNavV4eMI21UCDXcmLcJryk7RcG7MnuqOHtoBWvOjWYmUMryZOAy22wyzkeS34rzuLlUlx5rPpffJ-5RQNM4bf2E4C-ORHBhnKyG2dMj8ItqdIurhJYUqeE3a1qVTXDCGE-HE8KbGktbbUArDNnW1pUgMbHM1b893YRdKG1vsSros_zMc/s320/DS9_SB4B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This card is from the 9 card Greatest Space Battles insert set and had 1:12 odds. I got exactly 3 with no duplication. I realize that front is pretty dark, but I chose it because it features the character Enabran Tain, who was the head of the Cardassian Obsidian order and father to Garak. He was played by the wonderful actor Paul Dooley who has had a long and successful Hollywood career, including voicing Sarge in the Cars movies and several turns in Christopher Guest mockumentaries and is still (minimally) active at the age of 95.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDI0IyefopTMkP29IPwJ8x_AlGJMoBdGcXutIvnhVQtaUIonhUwbn5I0EnYsgGnQAM5ca3UNCTGQpHUzTL0FWDeqOjPrhyHdKJLhc3-BbfFFeP87p3AyOhqglXfhpuDs7pOYSXxGRsioQTpf4hO7i1Zsdfie1lFBBoi-U4-ZgoIEaTi5Ol9awwNz4DgE/s1080/DS9_A9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="771" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDI0IyefopTMkP29IPwJ8x_AlGJMoBdGcXutIvnhVQtaUIonhUwbn5I0EnYsgGnQAM5ca3UNCTGQpHUzTL0FWDeqOjPrhyHdKJLhc3-BbfFFeP87p3AyOhqglXfhpuDs7pOYSXxGRsioQTpf4hO7i1Zsdfie1lFBBoi-U4-ZgoIEaTi5Ol9awwNz4DgE/s320/DS9_A9.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>This is the box guaranteed autograph hit (1:36 packs) and features actor Aron Eisenberg who played the character Nog who had one of the more compelling character arcs in the series. Eisenberg was born with health issues and died 4 years ago at only 50 years of age. There are a total of 20 different autographed cards and I would like to build that set, but a quick look at EBay shows that there aren't that many listed and the prices are ridiculous. So, I may just pick up a few here and there. I would like the Odo (René Auberjonois) and Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) cards because both were such wonderful actors. In fact, I think Fletcher's Winn is one of the all-time great TV villains in any genre.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, that is it. I intend to finish this up set and all the inserts (except the autographs) and probably will also see about starting other DS9 sets since there are a few others.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you all have a great Christmas and I'll see you on the other side.<br /><p>What I Am Listening To: Them Shoes by Patrick Sweany</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0liDfrzzDTU" width="320" youtube-src-id="0liDfrzzDTU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-79711349902584033202023-12-10T07:31:00.000-08:002023-12-10T07:31:31.583-08:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 39<p>I created the skeleton of this post on September 24th and it has been staring at me ever since. I want to get this knocked off before the holidays start to ramp up. As it is, I have not added any more signed Fleer cards to my collection since Jimmie Foxx. Not surprising, of course, as I knew I was looking at reduced activity after splashing out for the Foxx. I've picked up a few things here and there, but nothing noteworthy.</p><p>So, here is the 39th card in my signed 1961 Fleer project:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEg1-eYnFRL2TrLztjtoJkUdbIut9s1IzziAWd0yFLKTbF-pulbF1mbUQMeHdpeLmLo1YLkCf7dT7gcDCAEYtBIV0JrfzNlVZGFvVxksJyWVD4aunjw7tKQ4mdy8EAPMutvlM-Fuokkf5RM83gYD1Wi9ZutpPRVzokckkuiG7k8_jCpDv2EKdnBUZZwIU/s640/IMG_0312.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEg1-eYnFRL2TrLztjtoJkUdbIut9s1IzziAWd0yFLKTbF-pulbF1mbUQMeHdpeLmLo1YLkCf7dT7gcDCAEYtBIV0JrfzNlVZGFvVxksJyWVD4aunjw7tKQ4mdy8EAPMutvlM-Fuokkf5RM83gYD1Wi9ZutpPRVzokckkuiG7k8_jCpDv2EKdnBUZZwIU/s320/IMG_0312.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Johnny Vander Meer was a fireballer known for wildness rather than racking up strikeouts. In fact, over the course of a 13-year major league career, he averaged 4.8 walks against 5.5 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched. His win-loss record was similarly balanced at 119-121. Vander Meer's main claim to notoriety is he is the only person in the history of major league baseball to throw back-to-back no-hitters, a feat he accomplished in June of 1938. The first no-hitter, pitched on the 11th, was against the anemic hitting Boston Bees. In his next outing, against the Brooklyn Dodgers, saw him strike out 7 while issuing no less than 8 free passes to first base.<div><br /></div><div>A few other interesting facts:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>His major league career was effectively over after 1950, with him pitching only 3 ineffective innings for Cleveland in 1951. He did however continue pitching in the minor leagues through 1955.</li><li>From 1953 through 1962, he managed in the Cincinnati minor league system. During his stint as a manager, he led such notable players as Pete Rose, Jim Wynn, and Lee May.</li><li>After leaving baseball behind, he worked for the Schlitz Brewing Company for 15 years.</li><li>He was buried with a baseball in his left hand. </li></ol><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What I am listening to: Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gZ_kez7WVUU" width="320" youtube-src-id="gZ_kez7WVUU"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-8205938948154733292023-12-03T11:59:00.000-08:002023-12-03T11:59:48.873-08:00New Focus - Basketball and Hockey<p style="text-align: left;">While there are plenty of sets who's designs I like enough to collect, I'm going to limit this to sets that I like enough to collect and actually have some.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1969-1970 Topps Basketball</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGuKvszohqDrcBnVfclAkpKGn2Twh5I1lq5q86qL7C_BlxSs1TN39KCXfWFkuQgq3MdoJMOUpBC_8aG7SxA-hyPUWRoLY62-wm_vI_OKhB-QleUyYPw905GMt_OE1La9vB8GzLl-y7Debn8hBPxPSB-RHjVH4oc0UuAF7-B6COEaEn-9ZQ__rwQIXI9M/s1471/1969BB_98F.jpg" style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGuKvszohqDrcBnVfclAkpKGn2Twh5I1lq5q86qL7C_BlxSs1TN39KCXfWFkuQgq3MdoJMOUpBC_8aG7SxA-hyPUWRoLY62-wm_vI_OKhB-QleUyYPw905GMt_OE1La9vB8GzLl-y7Debn8hBPxPSB-RHjVH4oc0UuAF7-B6COEaEn-9ZQ__rwQIXI9M/s320/1969BB_98F.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL2EB1nu6_ZMUybdD1szayUI30HZBTfQPz7QALkRE6CcvFiaKeeXBcRcTW_E6O9KpAx7VZp1DaV2uk7MrH0XwNHTHcSzZCP1XzmcLj9MLjtgtSfBN6wc0IXhhy9LfAen7tRRsktu5Ivk43m8CXn_ESnzccJTy6U7gDIR4Z6GROiTlcSB-7bT8J_54_Js/s1413/1969BB_98B.jpg" style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL2EB1nu6_ZMUybdD1szayUI30HZBTfQPz7QALkRE6CcvFiaKeeXBcRcTW_E6O9KpAx7VZp1DaV2uk7MrH0XwNHTHcSzZCP1XzmcLj9MLjtgtSfBN6wc0IXhhy9LfAen7tRRsktu5Ivk43m8CXn_ESnzccJTy6U7gDIR4Z6GROiTlcSB-7bT8J_54_Js/s320/1969BB_98B.jpg" width="181" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>How complete:</b> 9 of 99 cards (9.1%)</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #25 - Lew Alcindor RC with a Beckett high book of $2000</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> Walt Frazier, Wes Unseld</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Funky design with a easy to read back<br /><b style="background-color: transparent;">What I don't like about it:</b> Odd size requiring 6 pocket pages. That Kareem RC is the type of thing I am trying to <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>avoid by diversifying away from baseball. 13 cards have BV greater than $100</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1971-72 Topps Basketball</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9OvHSSimAJxmlt06LKS0Xl_AFwglqiAB2DNdOtbkviDcr4skY3U8BNCkFTnW1U-9FgMqA6jTmaXVrKxGEDWdjxh-t-IiA2SZ_likEvK8yEHWVsok0vVrDeD6N6Hkb8m8CAf3pXtAJuQku23BHTZwSTijkhOh0nCynJyeNnqnUIoaDL1nbjMTDLjAMOM/s1104/1971BB_105B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1104" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9OvHSSimAJxmlt06LKS0Xl_AFwglqiAB2DNdOtbkviDcr4skY3U8BNCkFTnW1U-9FgMqA6jTmaXVrKxGEDWdjxh-t-IiA2SZ_likEvK8yEHWVsok0vVrDeD6N6Hkb8m8CAf3pXtAJuQku23BHTZwSTijkhOh0nCynJyeNnqnUIoaDL1nbjMTDLjAMOM/s320/1971BB_105B.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3lamrTZbM4oLnjuDRbvSqNQOef4aE3bAlrW1INFx8neF0fALNznT6vHbrrmKntnJOg6Gd0h5hUz_6DjSw0LTAPA0fVqf1ZGpE2r37zT0787zyzRdCkKHb50lbORUVNzaJ7kzHewOVox5hOWWmW4ZR0nqtX8anM75V5FfBWKgk20s3Ii_gagaUHVBWII/s1128/1971BB_105F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="806" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3lamrTZbM4oLnjuDRbvSqNQOef4aE3bAlrW1INFx8neF0fALNznT6vHbrrmKntnJOg6Gd0h5hUz_6DjSw0LTAPA0fVqf1ZGpE2r37zT0787zyzRdCkKHb50lbORUVNzaJ7kzHewOVox5hOWWmW4ZR0nqtX8anM75V5FfBWKgk20s3Ii_gagaUHVBWII/s320/1971BB_105F.jpg" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>How complete:</b> 2 of 233 cards (0.8%)</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #100 - Lew Alcindor with a Beckett high book of $250</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> Connie Hawkins</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Fun Design capturing the zeitgeist of the time<br /><b style="background-color: transparent;">What I don't like about it:</b> Not a huge fan of all the yellow on the back, but at least it is readable</div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1972-73 Topps Basketball</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoGIYpAxTc1ikI-p3ErebOlAml4Ys5tZmpU9UNm4K921jMUhAzHRH5Ldp1Ai4TbdY1TSzNnmTWZ61mESkgYZ9eH7aJjaCJeNoH1A9MMiC1ZUBnY24Wa4RqAQaPjmlKjxU3NtsLSg1KRAZVqymRrwfB0WvnSPskx60xivwVed7WBawqvv_-Onon06afZ0/s1140/1972BB_60F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="814" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoGIYpAxTc1ikI-p3ErebOlAml4Ys5tZmpU9UNm4K921jMUhAzHRH5Ldp1Ai4TbdY1TSzNnmTWZ61mESkgYZ9eH7aJjaCJeNoH1A9MMiC1ZUBnY24Wa4RqAQaPjmlKjxU3NtsLSg1KRAZVqymRrwfB0WvnSPskx60xivwVed7WBawqvv_-Onon06afZ0/s320/1972BB_60F.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHfRKOjX5QQFmaTmA0akdkwDZT4PQ-T1EVUJL6d1IAUJcM4pwJomfOOVmCgj-MrA7HRbNDybFJvmqDfTXrXApHIM9IFJCAEDUHX7HFyCqDSZkkEUZE3l_AYVQ3xNVDoJa6NU8GMNTQ_0QdHQX-qGKCVX17GSGOkI4crWLaStvWlUJzlOrWZrM2a8KTP4/s1108/1972BB_60B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="791" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHfRKOjX5QQFmaTmA0akdkwDZT4PQ-T1EVUJL6d1IAUJcM4pwJomfOOVmCgj-MrA7HRbNDybFJvmqDfTXrXApHIM9IFJCAEDUHX7HFyCqDSZkkEUZE3l_AYVQ3xNVDoJa6NU8GMNTQ_0QdHQX-qGKCVX17GSGOkI4crWLaStvWlUJzlOrWZrM2a8KTP4/s320/1972BB_60B.jpg" width="228" /></a><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>How complete:</b> 226 of 264 cards (85.6%)</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #195 - Julius Erving RC with a Beckett high book of $1200 (it was $300 when I started)</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> Julius Erving, Phil Jackson, Pete Maravich, Jerry West</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Simple design but still projects that early 1970s vibe</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>What I don't like about it:</b> Nothing sticks out.</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1971-72 Topps Hockey</b></span></p><p style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLtcCPafmY2-0_5_bLATw9oku6mkvRi0HHDXjjlvxU1f94jnkpWCMsy_NIfKU4vzEdZP2HnB-AEtyLTWDTaa9TWpwNBG9I9Sgcvs5dPC7dgjRnr-t_iLihtnfACuSlgpTXYycmoefnjK4LIsbIDHboQ1Txwwa6Lr_FktOq79zC9TwuiENw-tGnwEWjoY/s640/IMG_0943.jpg" style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLtcCPafmY2-0_5_bLATw9oku6mkvRi0HHDXjjlvxU1f94jnkpWCMsy_NIfKU4vzEdZP2HnB-AEtyLTWDTaa9TWpwNBG9I9Sgcvs5dPC7dgjRnr-t_iLihtnfACuSlgpTXYycmoefnjK4LIsbIDHboQ1Txwwa6Lr_FktOq79zC9TwuiENw-tGnwEWjoY/s320/IMG_0943.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ygk40VvYedB8N5721PWQGLq0FWpbjJfNkudkjL2KgCy3AjOdQ6YRxxGbstzjnFiolr6iHNMcdN6tZyvhPMZnmzs3SY61-H35cDOySRDMypbMzNScWSHu8ZOriJ7qxUidvn__POau-D4PzE-zcqY4IcFkDQW4vrAwz_yb-g1hOThFhD_BpM7hkNjeqcE/s640/IMG_0945.jpg" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ygk40VvYedB8N5721PWQGLq0FWpbjJfNkudkjL2KgCy3AjOdQ6YRxxGbstzjnFiolr6iHNMcdN6tZyvhPMZnmzs3SY61-H35cDOySRDMypbMzNScWSHu8ZOriJ7qxUidvn__POau-D4PzE-zcqY4IcFkDQW4vrAwz_yb-g1hOThFhD_BpM7hkNjeqcE/s320/IMG_0945.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><b>How complete:</b> 1 of 132 cards (0.7%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #45 - Ken Dryden with a Beckett high book of $125</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> Bobby Orr</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Another fun Topps design in or around 1972<br /><b style="background-color: transparent;">What I don't like about it:</b> Egads! That back is ugly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;">What I am listening to: Song for the Dead by Queens of the Stone Age</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NfLROtRVN0c" width="320" youtube-src-id="NfLROtRVN0c"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-26294720588845036942023-11-26T08:14:00.000-08:002023-11-26T15:19:22.788-08:00New Focus- Football<p>Like many collectors, I have had occasion to reconsider how I collect in light of the run-up in prices that started with COVID and don't seem to have abated. As a set collector, it is hard to work around skyrocketing prices. You just have to suck it up and pay the man. But, my completist tendencies have a limit. As I've said previously, I will not be building any sets prior to 1955 because of the presence of multiple grossly expensive cards. I struggle with what to do about 1963 because of the high number Pete Rose rookie card. </p><p>But, I have now also decided to only collect sets that have a design that interests me. So, sets like 1957, 1962, and 1967 Topps baseball are unlikely to ever get built. Instead, I've decided to look at other sports sets that interest me. Thankfully, basketball, football, and hockey do not command the same premium prices that baseball does, </p><p>I have in the past picked up cheap cards from the 1960s and 1970s of football stars. So, when I was able to pick up a cheap lot of common cards from that era, I jumped at it. Thankfully, I liked all the designs.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1968 Topps</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5h2gLdF2ai8NasOwlp78uRGMHTn5am0jEw58q2sxUvShmovJ79eyX885JR_085WhPGTv9gmJOecpbIdjPk_5k0U2sBiTiK1iqVYbzilVKp_r2GhaQPvSqBCwtL_f01CxMGMatLR6v9UoR7PVaTg7Mi0OBzhd-JGW6xPwqWQ0vJzl0ml5grp0oLPllw0/s1096/1968GS_F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="783" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5h2gLdF2ai8NasOwlp78uRGMHTn5am0jEw58q2sxUvShmovJ79eyX885JR_085WhPGTv9gmJOecpbIdjPk_5k0U2sBiTiK1iqVYbzilVKp_r2GhaQPvSqBCwtL_f01CxMGMatLR6v9UoR7PVaTg7Mi0OBzhd-JGW6xPwqWQ0vJzl0ml5grp0oLPllw0/s320/1968GS_F.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__MasQDEwow07qGlixrnG4Rr0aUiSqo-yHCBsc8OgnJhShDFh2c_vd-Jx7eW7uC8caPNi0MadTXg_966Iv60iFkLg84RkSRly5SwELYC4H5wHKNggmbQeDW04_NXZe1WtgE-E-TXeVjEAQAz-hh4xJy0qpYkoVy_aB0WTPCi4XXK6CMUStIXKZoZlVyk/s1122/1968GS_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="801" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__MasQDEwow07qGlixrnG4Rr0aUiSqo-yHCBsc8OgnJhShDFh2c_vd-Jx7eW7uC8caPNi0MadTXg_966Iv60iFkLg84RkSRly5SwELYC4H5wHKNggmbQeDW04_NXZe1WtgE-E-TXeVjEAQAz-hh4xJy0qpYkoVy_aB0WTPCi4XXK6CMUStIXKZoZlVyk/s320/1968GS_B.jpg" width="228" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>How complete:</b> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>51 of 219 cards (23.3%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: <span> </span>#196 - Bob Griese with a Beckett high book of $200</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> <span> </span>Gale Sayers (obviously), Joe Namath</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>What I like about it: </b> <span> </span><span> <span> </span></span>Simple design with a visually interesting text box.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>What I don't like about it:</b> The first series uses a light green on the back which is hard to read. <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span>Thankully, the second series uses blue ink which is easier on the eyes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1969 Topps</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6AbvhJu0O9A98rwZRL_R8I3WVgUu2hw3EsR1ZbimU6snbo7TaGslGxXZoaxMRH5YCi4gH-rKRsrVbToa8Nx2xbNfxOrOc4IJHIQ2eJJx5lSoJvqzHdos2zXCCLu6ME8HtKQynJWFUjfSoaBlkp5btd0hTpO2bm7q6ngRI2b4Fq169sez88O9PzQhccY/s1125/1969GS_F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="804" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6AbvhJu0O9A98rwZRL_R8I3WVgUu2hw3EsR1ZbimU6snbo7TaGslGxXZoaxMRH5YCi4gH-rKRsrVbToa8Nx2xbNfxOrOc4IJHIQ2eJJx5lSoJvqzHdos2zXCCLu6ME8HtKQynJWFUjfSoaBlkp5btd0hTpO2bm7q6ngRI2b4Fq169sez88O9PzQhccY/s320/1969GS_F.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZB5aG9Jk1lKUcBkAaDRogOiRRCIG2PK73mR65hUmLUo9mcKfZdMmGx9Y2wEYZk8axC07vKXfEZit-3ZWvXXuIyPJPEoF6oSfiEopj6AXU-wqxhOvWqdEtC8kaHmOx3sn5f9jrpm9nE22do7UZlpFtoESCup95CSJ-AZbOobaLmAhoxQyjDyqX_teCBE/s1096/1969GS_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1096" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZB5aG9Jk1lKUcBkAaDRogOiRRCIG2PK73mR65hUmLUo9mcKfZdMmGx9Y2wEYZk8axC07vKXfEZit-3ZWvXXuIyPJPEoF6oSfiEopj6AXU-wqxhOvWqdEtC8kaHmOx3sn5f9jrpm9nE22do7UZlpFtoESCup95CSJ-AZbOobaLmAhoxQyjDyqX_teCBE/s320/1969GS_B.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>How complete:</b> 49 of 263 cards (18.6%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #120 -Larry Csonka with a Beckett high book of $150</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> Gale Sayers , Johnny Unitas, Brian Piccolo, Bob Lilly, Don Meredtih, <span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> </span></span>Joe Namath, Fran Tarkington, Bob Griese, George Blanda</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Again, simple design and I am very fond of the primary color background</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I don't like about it:</b> The back is rather drab in comparison to the bright front</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1970 Topps</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jyq0clJrkvC0FCjUjRKppP5sOg4Log1svYe9mTeWdak-YNxFqLAUgiGf9wwoX-pbwWGU464_zjcWj-YFFBx0uh5TyZ9uGZ8uZnklCp416nldA2ttK0G4JzvuLUYaJHNgCU9GoK2GRp69MRHBVkLpgE-gabPlMu8BFy1bnDSMaBhn31uus57FkPHmzEo/s1088/1970GS_F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="777" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jyq0clJrkvC0FCjUjRKppP5sOg4Log1svYe9mTeWdak-YNxFqLAUgiGf9wwoX-pbwWGU464_zjcWj-YFFBx0uh5TyZ9uGZ8uZnklCp416nldA2ttK0G4JzvuLUYaJHNgCU9GoK2GRp69MRHBVkLpgE-gabPlMu8BFy1bnDSMaBhn31uus57FkPHmzEo/s320/1970GS_F.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJF9dpY0JI09R6DCrzR18q7195fxLxVPWk0Zo3BC6nNrdPRf8TpIrkkt5JrMYWnujVU-JyvwG1ZGGdEuYobErKIybWHzrAEwuiSGLxPkbNDOZRnFP9vCBokTBM4kHSPOaK6njjBpo-uZzCg2uoBK-BWr9B8zC-cVzDk48EhiryQW13VewSaWRu0R5G4JQ/s1124/1970GS_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1124" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJF9dpY0JI09R6DCrzR18q7195fxLxVPWk0Zo3BC6nNrdPRf8TpIrkkt5JrMYWnujVU-JyvwG1ZGGdEuYobErKIybWHzrAEwuiSGLxPkbNDOZRnFP9vCBokTBM4kHSPOaK6njjBpo-uZzCg2uoBK-BWr9B8zC-cVzDk48EhiryQW13VewSaWRu0R5G4JQ/s320/1970GS_B.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>How complete:</b> 122 of 263 cards (46.4%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #90 -OJ Simpson RC with a Beckett high book of $250</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> OJ Simpson, Bart Starr, Alan Page, Gale Sayers, Fred Biletnikoff,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Bob Lilly, Larry Csonka, Merlin Olsen, Alex Karras</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I like about it: </b> Color choices are quirky, but is an easy to read, visually interesting back</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I don't like about it:</b> The tan background somewhat offsets the nice silhouette design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1973 Topps<br /><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkannGMOLjFzeEZeilVAK_PHDbLbFN_HbkNxlOFrdmcU0A-OyF25Nip-ORF5cjbw2SY3kILc1qlluPxe-nuefhJ4k3Xg9QWKLLzZIL6yiX_6KgyZ5lmPONFVBUeR9LJxSw0VysRpHIeTBguHfeH6DDgfytr-bMa7lF9p7b2skXNJUApAEHAM5Uq24k_to/s1174/1973F_475F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="846" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkannGMOLjFzeEZeilVAK_PHDbLbFN_HbkNxlOFrdmcU0A-OyF25Nip-ORF5cjbw2SY3kILc1qlluPxe-nuefhJ4k3Xg9QWKLLzZIL6yiX_6KgyZ5lmPONFVBUeR9LJxSw0VysRpHIeTBguHfeH6DDgfytr-bMa7lF9p7b2skXNJUApAEHAM5Uq24k_to/s320/1973F_475F.jpg" width="231" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzqVAWkaeJXI2oPa6opEO1NYGMDKQPIlh31Idbqhyphenhyphen86NGvK9A0KFrKBPfRXHJZE-9t1NPY9Y_dAYrLKH-I8QWBmk57r6La-kzwUZv2E5u3OcivkD_tflP16l2EZ9HOQcvKZE0o7k8ed6A8ESv1HyKkZbW1AVeA8leh9R20yqCBtv6ac1Z_ZlDANHeucc/s1091/1973F_475B.jpg" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzqVAWkaeJXI2oPa6opEO1NYGMDKQPIlh31Idbqhyphenhyphen86NGvK9A0KFrKBPfRXHJZE-9t1NPY9Y_dAYrLKH-I8QWBmk57r6La-kzwUZv2E5u3OcivkD_tflP16l2EZ9HOQcvKZE0o7k8ed6A8ESv1HyKkZbW1AVeA8leh9R20yqCBtv6ac1Z_ZlDANHeucc/s320/1973F_475B.jpg" width="242" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>How complete:</b> 529 of 554 cards (97.2%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Most valuable card</b>: #89 -Franco Harris RC with a Beckett high book of $200</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Stars I already have: </b> All except George Blanda and Fran Tarkington</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I like about it: </b> I had a fair number of these cards as a kid, so a nostalgic favorite</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I don't like about it:</b> The back is just depressingly drab and hard to read.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>What I am listening to</b>: Homecoming by Josh Ritter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WrBAdzACig0" width="320" youtube-src-id="WrBAdzACig0"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Nostalgia is an odd thing. This song always makes me think fondly of my hometown of Rochester, NY. Yet, last night was my 40th high school reunion and I did not attend. The distance notwithstanding, I just had no interest in going. I pretty much floated through high school. Good enough grades to get into college, but not better. Neither part of, nor opposed to, any particular cohort. Just there. I don't need to revisit that.</div></div></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-34598404644240887942023-09-24T04:52:00.005-07:002023-09-24T04:52:54.313-07:00Quandary<p> I have a bit of a dilemma.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9to0fvDrT9lboXpqSCaXmSFM7WfPTFXZFdaXIIYzye89XeL_cmZX2kTSBbp6SMT2aN6Z-xxqafjxG5zTiLQ6k6RFM6WHSln0JCfhdvy0z1WKbOWWqmLqx5bvGYgdB5tQAOA2nPZUS_EZGwm9JvqJZMJK_vGBLsSS2bO_aTBNCeTj9q047KnREErCBexg/s1128/2001TA_441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1128" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9to0fvDrT9lboXpqSCaXmSFM7WfPTFXZFdaXIIYzye89XeL_cmZX2kTSBbp6SMT2aN6Z-xxqafjxG5zTiLQ6k6RFM6WHSln0JCfhdvy0z1WKbOWWqmLqx5bvGYgdB5tQAOA2nPZUS_EZGwm9JvqJZMJK_vGBLsSS2bO_aTBNCeTj9q047KnREErCBexg/s320/2001TA_441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I am listening to: New York Comeback by Lucinda Williams (with Bruce Springsteen)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_pIdZ_RAdfQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="_pIdZ_RAdfQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-67943762954184351642023-08-27T15:47:00.006-07:002023-08-27T15:47:37.355-07:00New Player Collection Additions<p> As I mentioned in my previous post, my hobby activity has basically gone on hiatus for a while. I have added three cards to my player collections.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZUy_wPeCxA9vdmryvzlY3a3CsqNoGIqCRcvpScFH3d_eG7nWTHQCCjFUzvqTKywQmA-5z4KELpJUNoFWltfp4aCF7-ILZtrFEnn9Sq-_r4uxvtXS7nZUKh1GihvmDVCBC3xYTXXAwP5bnviigzuXzqAHzfVRWmM3ZNPzlxDCX2_S3Cm-JY9TE9-DPzU/s1142/1970T_285BB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZUy_wPeCxA9vdmryvzlY3a3CsqNoGIqCRcvpScFH3d_eG7nWTHQCCjFUzvqTKywQmA-5z4KELpJUNoFWltfp4aCF7-ILZtrFEnn9Sq-_r4uxvtXS7nZUKh1GihvmDVCBC3xYTXXAwP5bnviigzuXzqAHzfVRWmM3ZNPzlxDCX2_S3Cm-JY9TE9-DPzU/s320/1970T_285BB.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBSEGjf28POLUgbydKuwlN_QU4tga6KivkfgZUIkrgKzQwVLQGqDppqmo1wQlzClZE5NoOYIZgrIPABG7tZ_aHfljyQQFXBF4OPRGH-6Kpf-OW1oFBQ29E3Hrlqs0yamL9pll0_I7RSZLQGolrLttV_xwaqkAZPl4WYydSmFK2Vh4Nzk5xikl19QU1EE/s502/1971T_53BB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="361" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBSEGjf28POLUgbydKuwlN_QU4tga6KivkfgZUIkrgKzQwVLQGqDppqmo1wQlzClZE5NoOYIZgrIPABG7tZ_aHfljyQQFXBF4OPRGH-6Kpf-OW1oFBQ29E3Hrlqs0yamL9pll0_I7RSZLQGolrLttV_xwaqkAZPl4WYydSmFK2Vh4Nzk5xikl19QU1EE/s320/1971T_53BB.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have always been ambivalent about buybacks. While I don't necessarily consider them a defaced vintage card, I do consider them little different than the pre-stamped vintage original. But, my Paul Blair player collection has stalled with only a few additions each year. Certainly, so few I can count them on one hand. Currently, I sit at 159 unique cards in my Blair collection out of 211 on my list, for a respectable 75%. The problem is what I lack. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of the 52 cards I need, most are cards that I have little interest in:7 more vintage buybacks, 13 unlicensed cut autos (mostly Tristar), 10 low-pop serial numbered cards from 2004 UD Timeless Teams, 4 printing plates, and three uncut panels for cards I otherwise have. See what I mean? I am too much of a completist to just throw up my hands and consider this done, but further progress means picking up cards I would otherwise ignore. I am not sure whether it is a blessing or a curse, but most of those remaining cards are valued too highly by their current owner and are priced well beyond what I will pay. An unlicensed cut auto card for $40. No way. But these two were cheap enough with both being around $10 delivered.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyways, this is what I am most excited about:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky7K06LdVRLytgIkrn2KoTl5Sa3LoECjsObWfGHoWc-MqcZ3HdDYBqLO5LoRtuDqsSqqU03kfvmsTLuTYO5SihV-KcXR0XEgrSBB-QBNJ3GTFxkao6qsrxxBZxyGC_5DkmZAV60lUwTvWJKGvVX1C2SXcT5G0Y1Q07pI3KCdmzno0WR3256PgGSwLhZQ/s1237/1960V_80.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1237" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky7K06LdVRLytgIkrn2KoTl5Sa3LoECjsObWfGHoWc-MqcZ3HdDYBqLO5LoRtuDqsSqqU03kfvmsTLuTYO5SihV-KcXR0XEgrSBB-QBNJ3GTFxkao6qsrxxBZxyGC_5DkmZAV60lUwTvWJKGvVX1C2SXcT5G0Y1Q07pI3KCdmzno0WR3256PgGSwLhZQ/s320/1960V_80.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>I realize that may look like a well-loved 1960 Topps card of Johnny Antonelli. And, it is. But, what isn't obvious from the image is that it is on thinner, poorer quality stock which identifies this as a Topps Venezuelan. In well over a decade of collecting, this is only the second 1960 Venezuelan card of Antonelli I have ever seen. And I got it for about $15 delivered.</p><p>With regard to progress, I have 71 unique Antonelli items out of my identified population of 100. The remaining items I don't have are mostly photocards/postcards, buybacks, and a handful of<span> reprints. I've never seen most of them, so this may be one of the last cards I acquire for this collection. </span></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p>What I am listening to: Bring Me to Life by Evanescence.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span></span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4rTofvb1xkk" width="320" youtube-src-id="4rTofvb1xkk"></iframe></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-46989200355112845672023-08-06T06:25:00.007-07:002023-08-06T16:21:09.865-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 38<p>Now back to your (ir)regularly scheduled programming: the real Part 38 in this series.</p><p>A little over a week ago, Night Owl had <a href="http://nightowlcards.blogspot.com/2023/07/ca-2023-topps-heritage-1974-flashbacks.html">a post that referenced cards</a> that featured Comissioner Bowie Kuhn and mentioned how rare it is that any card features MLB commissioners. And guess what card was next up in this post series?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdx97WVi3bT_DpS7oWrsSTyq9UzFYGWzPSJcL07KDL9dfGal9tC1egSgVV7mGhX-A5D2Z1lbWoLMFZ6DniZ1Jo2zPWDCTD1aatnjSyHzTLFYN8NvV0dyhQ7xxrwt38bpVcvDkoAEN5iWP3wWuhZPX5P4rGSYBrGIA3VLzEIEOzVomNs5PRcVmOzRzbBc/s640/IMG_0260.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdx97WVi3bT_DpS7oWrsSTyq9UzFYGWzPSJcL07KDL9dfGal9tC1egSgVV7mGhX-A5D2Z1lbWoLMFZ6DniZ1Jo2zPWDCTD1aatnjSyHzTLFYN8NvV0dyhQ7xxrwt38bpVcvDkoAEN5iWP3wWuhZPX5P4rGSYBrGIA3VLzEIEOzVomNs5PRcVmOzRzbBc/s320/IMG_0260.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Warren Giles! Night Owl mentioned a Beckett article that he just finished about commissioner cards. Alas, I don't read Beckett and <b><i>when I do read I apparently have comprehension issues as you will see in the comment from NO below.</i></b> I've already got books that have been on the nightstand for over year untouched and I always feel a twinge of guilt when I climb into bed and see them sitting there waiting for me. So, I have no idea whether he mentioned 1960 and 1961 Fleer in that article. Hopefully, he will confirm or deny in the comments <i>{stares in cardboard appreciation.}</i></p><p>Strictly speaking, Giles was never commissioner. Rather he was the NL President from 1951 through 1969. His tenure mostly overlapped with Ford Frick occupying the MLB Commissioners office. Frick will appear in Part 53 of this series, assuming I get there before I shuffle of this mortal coil. In case you are wondering, the AL Commissioner during this time, former HOF player and manager Joe Cronin, does not appear in the set in any form. Anyways, let's learn a little bit more about Warren.</p><p>The last two years of my life have been dominated by career issues and have involved two separate job searches. One interview question I hate is "Where do you see yourself in five years?" If you were to parachute into any time during my 35-year post college work life and ask me that question, then drop back in 5 years later, you would find that not only was I not where my 5-year plan said I would be, I was nowhere close. That is a tortured, and all too long, set-up for how Warren Giles kicked off his baseball career.</p><p>After serving as an army officer in France during the First World War, Giles returned to his home in Moline, IL to work as a tradesman with his father, a general contractor. He was involved in running a local football team which led to being invited to a meeting regarding how to save the locally owned minor league team, the Moline Plowboys. In a classic case of no good deed goes unpunished, speaking out at the meeting led Giles to be appointed to the unpaid position as President of the team.</p><p>Ater turning around the Moline club, his career as a baseball executive took off with 4 subsequent stops before assuming his post as NL President:</p><p>1922 - 1924 -St Joseph (MO) Saints<br />1925 -1927 - Syracuse (NY) Stars<br />1928 - 1936 - Rochester (NY) Red Wings <br />1938 - 1951 Cincinnati (OH) Red Legs</p><p>During his tenure as NL President, he was considered an effective representative of ownership and, thus, not necessarily friendly to a nascent labor movement in organized baseball. However, he had a decent working relationship with the umpires, likely due to his time as a basketball and football referee early in his career. Indeed, the NL umpires unionized during Gile's tenure. He also presided over a period of team moves, including both the Giants and Dodgers moving west, while the Braves vacated Milwaukee for warmer climes.</p><p>I could go on, but you would better served reading his <a href="https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/warren-giles/" target="_blank">SABR biography</a>. I will share one interesting anecdote about Giles, who's s advocacy for ownership was tainted with accusations of undue deference specifically to the Dodger's Walter O'Malley. In 1963, Giles promulgated a directive strictly enforce the balk rule that said a pitcher must stop his windup for one full second while pitching from the stretch. Why does this show favoritism towards O'Malley? Well, the rule worked to the advantage of a baserunning oriented team and theprevious season, the Dodgers young phenom Maury Wills won the MVP while stealing 104 bases, the most since Billy Hamilton swiped 111 in 1891.</p><p><br /></p><p>What I am listening to: Worn Out American Dream by BettySoo</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2xWU0bFSXcc" width="320" youtube-src-id="2xWU0bFSXcc"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-21903699637266836222023-07-21T17:56:00.004-07:002023-07-21T17:59:20.636-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project Part 38 70<p>It arrived and I am beyond excited.</p><p>Because I am a big jerk, I am going to put my white whale after a jump break. In the mean time, here is a picture of a white whale.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhU9hebrIVpfRir7RCftqXZYbMsLz_ovx3_gRgJtIMxGdIG-sq53Rzy4hxneTcrz27aBEkqXB_Bd9ELORLZ18lNZ_4reMCkMwajcGjgYP4HpUwAaEONv7ivN5u-mH4B2HNTOE9411OzaPjWEuEWKEl7trgjrx8Lj67-JvBcq7criBMBEiYzP1AnGs1iagc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="2000" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhU9hebrIVpfRir7RCftqXZYbMsLz_ovx3_gRgJtIMxGdIG-sq53Rzy4hxneTcrz27aBEkqXB_Bd9ELORLZ18lNZ_4reMCkMwajcGjgYP4HpUwAaEONv7ivN5u-mH4B2HNTOE9411OzaPjWEuEWKEl7trgjrx8Lj67-JvBcq7criBMBEiYzP1AnGs1iagc" width="320" /></a></div><br />Let's run down the 1961 Fleer set a bit, if for no other reason than to prolong the reveal. Though there is nothing stopping you from skipping ahead. <p></p><p>The 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats set was actually issued in 1961 and 1962, The first series, consisting of cards 1 through 88, was issued in 1961 and, to state the obvious, the second series of cards 89 through 154 in the latter year. While cards 1 and 89 were checklists they did feature players on the front and I have seen autographed versions of each card, however I don't have either. All of the subject players were retired, though Ted Williams had just retired at the end of the 1960 season. Many of the players had died before the set was issued, but there were 99 players that were alive on January 1, 1961. Three died during the year: Schoolboy Rowe on January 8, Dazzy Vance on February 16, and Ty Cobb on July 17. It is safe to say that it is improbable that there are signed versions of the first two and I consider it unlikely there is a Cobb. I've certainly never seen one. So, we're down to a total of 96 cards that could theoretically exist in signed form. </p><p>In my previous post, I defined white whales as the cards that were of truly great players who died shortly after the set was issued. I said there was four, but when I relook at it, there are only three:</p><p>Rogers Hornsby (d. 1963)<br />Paul Waner (d. 1965)<br />Jimmie Foxx (d.1967)</p><p>So, now you know the options. Let's cut to the chase.</p><p><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUlNdlsf5negEV8Ikct3vpplwRdh9kG6cfa7_mM60cy_7kRhGmFbGeZtgwpMNtjO9kMYazEt7KYejRiXdlBbIIDJ0YO6_pplvz8C5xgCmu05x1ZyUIDfeyvFgj-ggJpTBXimTufBn0tv9t2GB86KfznB_feHx21fl7_BBt1EPSB2wqT1zEuP3hrb5kWo/s2016/IMG_0149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUlNdlsf5negEV8Ikct3vpplwRdh9kG6cfa7_mM60cy_7kRhGmFbGeZtgwpMNtjO9kMYazEt7KYejRiXdlBbIIDJ0YO6_pplvz8C5xgCmu05x1ZyUIDfeyvFgj-ggJpTBXimTufBn0tv9t2GB86KfznB_feHx21fl7_BBt1EPSB2wqT1zEuP3hrb5kWo/s320/IMG_0149.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jimmie Foxx. First ballot Hall of Famer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fun fact about Double X here: In 1945, his final season, he actually pitched in 9 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, including two starts. Over the course of 22 2/3 innings he compiled a 1-0 record with an ERA of 1.59, adding up to 0.8 WAR. Not too bad!</div><p>There was actually a multi-card lot in the same auction that included the Paul Waner, but the reserve price was way beyond my means. By itself, Paul Waner would be expensive but inside what I could budget for. But, even factoring in selling off the duplicates, I was not going to front up the nearly $4000 needed to even be in contention on that lot. So, I focused on this Foxx and managed to win. </p><p> I won't be able to go to a show for while. And, I am going to push finishing my 1969 into next year. But, at the moment, I think it was worth it.</p><p>What I am listening to: California Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KOok1WzZbOY" width="320" youtube-src-id="KOok1WzZbOY"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-38108026606733301182023-07-17T18:26:00.000-07:002023-07-17T18:26:03.390-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 37<p>I am really excited. I just won an auction for what will be my 70th signed 1961 Fleer card. And it is one of four cards that I would consider the white whales of the project: cards of all-time great players who lived only for a short time after the set was issued. I will probably skip over Parts 38 through 69 and post that card next. At the rate I am posting these, it would probably be 2030 before I got to #70 otherwise. Oh, I'll loop back and start again at 38. There are some good ones in there, but #70 just can't wait its turn.</p><p>Wait a minute, you might be thinking. Isn't this set called Baseball Greats? Why do you only consider 4 cards to be white whales? I'm glad you asked. You see, much like the Greats of the Game sets that Fleer issued between 2001 and 2006, only some of the subject players were truly great. All were notable, to be sure. But, notable is not the same as great. Let me give you an example: Ray Mueller</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3BR38rbpQVOt23090YdT241JoMg-fI2Q2fm8JJ82WZSXRcHf5TliFpkT4HBq-GE_CxICAyRd6wtxpHj2LvDnXVLCGd9BPEb-VQqyBH44Y2U8uKf6vOsfbXmNZKkq7K51er9CCQgKgkvm8IvwtwNY6tXzazzdw4lrQTgv35nSJbcetB2SAW0cg9Vf/s640/IMG_9043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3BR38rbpQVOt23090YdT241JoMg-fI2Q2fm8JJ82WZSXRcHf5TliFpkT4HBq-GE_CxICAyRd6wtxpHj2LvDnXVLCGd9BPEb-VQqyBH44Y2U8uKf6vOsfbXmNZKkq7K51er9CCQgKgkvm8IvwtwNY6tXzazzdw4lrQTgv35nSJbcetB2SAW0cg9Vf/s320/IMG_9043.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Ray Mueller was a baseball lifer. Starting in 1932 with the Harrisburg Senators of the New York -Penn League, it spanned over 40 years ending in 1973 as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. His career included turns as a minor league player-manager and major league coach and scout. He was a teammate of Babe Ruth for the 1935 Boston Braves and coached Willie Mays with the 1956 NY Giants. Notable, but his time in the majors was mainly as a backup catcher. He only played more than 100 games in a major league season twice, as the starting backstop for the Cincinnati Redlegs.<div><br /></div><div>Anyways, here are few interesting tidbits abour Mueller.<br /><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>In 1944 he was an All-Star and received two first-place votes for NL MVP. </li><li>On July 21, he hit a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning of a 5-1 win over the Cardinals. On his trip around the diamond, he passed his cousin Don Gutteridge, who was manning third base for St. Louis.</li><li>During Mueller’s time with Boston, he was friends with Donald Davidson, who stood just 4’0”. Mueller helped him become the team bat boy, which he parlayed into a role with the team’s publicity department. When the franchise moved to Milwaukee in 1953, Davidson became the public relations director. Davidson is credited with giving Henry Aaron the nickname “Hammerin’ Hank.” Davidson was another baseball lifer, though never as a player.</li></ol><div>That's all for now. Keep your eyes out for that next post. I'm so stinking excited.</div><p></p><p>What I am listening to: Smooth Sailin' by Leon Bridges</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HYplnRjMVhM" width="320" youtube-src-id="HYplnRjMVhM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-49193884453286480602023-06-23T23:25:00.001-07:002023-06-23T23:25:16.696-07:00Another One Bites the Dust<p> I am the worst. </p><p>I have this blog. I have an interesting collecting project. One that gives me the opportunity to research baseball players that have been mostly lost to time and I can't even manage one dang post a month. I intend to correct that.</p><p>Just not now and not with this post.</p><p>This will be a throwaway post. So, let's get to it so we can just put it behind us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUf7HoYtLKb5ScYiH5CtZid2iH5bt0yjwZaj7kM_F-NowNFHxYrkm5GqXKMIsklFIP8dtSvQT7cOp_sGXzaJw-L7XEdclg53PwL2uXhUtbonYBk61BX-oZ1wK6lSyZfBC8yDLGLquWkVmO7_7SKX5gD0DXKRlv-VJATrHtvxzRlpiAeq1ZA0DLIuaU1U/s1418/1955T_196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1418" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUf7HoYtLKb5ScYiH5CtZid2iH5bt0yjwZaj7kM_F-NowNFHxYrkm5GqXKMIsklFIP8dtSvQT7cOp_sGXzaJw-L7XEdclg53PwL2uXhUtbonYBk61BX-oZ1wK6lSyZfBC8yDLGLquWkVmO7_7SKX5gD0DXKRlv-VJATrHtvxzRlpiAeq1ZA0DLIuaU1U/s320/1955T_196.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This, my friends, is the last card I needed to complete my 1955 Topps set. It will be oldest set I will build. The second to last card I needed was Jackie Robinson. Why am I not showing that off? Well...it is kinda ugly and it is already in the binder. So, chalk it up to laziness. </p><p>Anyways, about every set older than this has <b><i><u>at least </u></i></b>one card that is ungodly expensive and I am just not about that. If I am going to splash out, it isn't going to be on a set build. Frankly, I am still undecided about whether I should have opened my wallet wide enough to get that Clemente rookie card for this set. Don't get me wrong. I love that card. But, I still think about the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost">opportunity cost.</a></p><p>Anyways, I'm done with 1955 Topps.</p><p>What I am listening to: "Loan Me a Dime" by Boz Scaggs</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-RTh5t8yEqI" width="320" youtube-src-id="-RTh5t8yEqI"></iframe></div><br /><p>NB: The original studio version of this song featured Duane Allman on guitar, but I am partial to live versions. There are several youtube videos with the original version. Go listen to them.</p><p>NB2: I am guessing only two of my readers will immediately get "NB"</p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-21920503301690322612023-05-07T13:34:00.004-07:002023-05-07T13:41:58.417-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 36<p>I keep saying I need to get more active here and I never do. I just received my 65th signed 1961 Fleer card and I am working with a friend on a deal to add three more to that total. At a minimum, I need to be posting faster than I am acquiring them. Surely, I can manage that? The answer is yes because I expect this project will grind to a virtual halt as I am getting down to the very rare or very expensive cards yet to go. Okay, next up in the signed 1961 Fleer project is Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jksmMj_lnaCVDcjUYfpKGDvXiTD6mHGQ0lQjCg40HV6l6B2ylnomBjnYCyHRXdiNeW6KmJou0-N_IYjcmlqKP5-aDTdY656FyDDapdD8an3qkDvRp5lm1DdvoC65C5NY5NTLHk3V4P2PedD2lmGiU8xalmpJZ6q5y2QBmX9WzkTgHlgRwxB42644/s640/IMG_9041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jksmMj_lnaCVDcjUYfpKGDvXiTD6mHGQ0lQjCg40HV6l6B2ylnomBjnYCyHRXdiNeW6KmJou0-N_IYjcmlqKP5-aDTdY656FyDDapdD8an3qkDvRp5lm1DdvoC65C5NY5NTLHk3V4P2PedD2lmGiU8xalmpJZ6q5y2QBmX9WzkTgHlgRwxB42644/s320/IMG_9041.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Boudreau was certainly one of the better players in the 1940s. But what made him special is that for 8 of those years he was also the manager of the Cleveland Indians. He became a player manager in 1942 at the tender age of 24 and continued through the 1950 season, when he was released by the Indians and signed as a free agent by the Boston Red Sox. He is listed as a player-manager for the Bosox in 1952, but only appeared in 4 mid season games as a pinch hitter, so it is something of a questionable designation,</div><div><br /></div><div>That said, I was curious how he stacked up against other player-managers. Through the course of MLB history (note: Negro League baseball wasn't accounted for in the list, although there were undoubtedly numerous examples) there have been 222 player managers. Most, (170) were in the deadball era, with another 32 in the time between the world wars. There were only 20 player managers in the post war era and most of them only appeared as such in a single season. Only Phil Cavarretta and Pete Rose acted as player managers for more than two seasons in the post-war era. So, it is probably fair to say that Lou was the last of a dying breed</div><div><br /></div><div>His roles as a star player and team manager peaked in 1948 when he was the runaway winner of the AL MVP and led his Indians team to the 1948 World Series where they prevailed in 6 games over the Boston Braves.</div><div><p>Other fun facts about Lou Boudreau:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>He isn't so much credited with inventing the infield shift as he was of bringing it to more popular attention. He did this on July 14, 1946 against Ted Williams during the second game of a doubleheader. Williams laughed when Cleveland deployed the shift, but then promptly grounded out to none other than Lou Boudreau.</li><li>Despite not ever being confused as a speed demon (one of his nicknames was "Old Shufflefoot," he was an excellent fielding shortstop.</li><li>In 1990, the Cleveland Indians established The Lou Boudreau Award, which is given every year to the organization's Minor League Player of the Year.</li><li>Boudreau is only one of three Illinois Fighting Illini athletes to have their number retired; the other two athletes being Illinois Fighting Illini football players Red Grange and Dick Butkus.</li><li>He was Denny McClain's father-in-law.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p>What I am listening to: El Dorado by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bFRCY7RKJrw" width="320" youtube-src-id="bFRCY7RKJrw"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-12169159833616573712023-03-14T05:25:00.001-07:002023-03-14T05:25:50.894-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 35<p> I really need to get my rear in gear here. Previously, I had mentioned that I had a bit of a curve thrown at me by life late last year. That situation is now coming to close. As a celebration, I have bought another signed 1961 Fleer card to my collection. That one will be, once I receive it, the 63rd such card. So, I really need to get this party going. Hopefully, I can actually make regular entries in this series as there is a long way between 35 and 63.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7bsWexr4p4z4DQmRBIhUbbg5xXMBCcFYwWG8uk4BzcX65nxln5LdtlIzV0YXLnk6UETpRPcJrWi5i9xtiF8oX8EgC97c6U11CVKfQ2Gmv3BsMeYEq-rvZYqsThsPcni46djNrLGVHGpwW-ezdaWqg4KKdGi5El94lXPmp0PlReV-9fKhMl-xw-7Q/s640/IMG_8012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7bsWexr4p4z4DQmRBIhUbbg5xXMBCcFYwWG8uk4BzcX65nxln5LdtlIzV0YXLnk6UETpRPcJrWi5i9xtiF8oX8EgC97c6U11CVKfQ2Gmv3BsMeYEq-rvZYqsThsPcni46djNrLGVHGpwW-ezdaWqg4KKdGi5El94lXPmp0PlReV-9fKhMl-xw-7Q/s320/IMG_8012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Fred "Firpo" Marberry is often considered the first relief specialist. To be sure, there were relief pitchers before Marberry's time, but it was never really a specialty. Indeed in the 1910's, the decade before Firpo started his professional career, over 62% of the games ended in complete games. Over the space of his major league career that level decreased but was still substantially around half of all games.</div><div><br /></div><div>I would have researched this further, but I really didn't want to pay for more detailed access to Baseball Reference, so I tried another approach. Using the free part of B-R, I looked at the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/GF_progress.shtml" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">progressive career leaders for games finished</a> and looked to see which of the various leaders had more than half of their career appearances in relief. Only one name stuck out: Doc Crandall. Over a 10 year career, Crandall made 302 appearances, 168 of which were in relief. In contrast, Marberry made 365 relief appearances in the 551 games he appeared in.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some random facts about Marberry (mostly stolen) from his <a href="https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Firpo-Marberry/">SABR biography</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>A big man, Marberry stormed around, throwing and kicking dirt, glaring angrily at the batter. He and catcher Muddy Ruel would put on an act during warm ups intended to psych out opposing batteers.He was Al Hrabosky a couple decades before Al Hrabosky was even born.</li><li>Marberry acquired the nickname Firpo because of his size and facial resemblance to Argentine boxer Luis Firpo. </li><li>At the time, games at Griffith Stadium typically started at 4:00. In the faster-paced games of the time, this meant that “Marberry Time,” as it was soon called, would arrive at about 5:30 or 6:00, with the shadows rolling across the diamond. For a fastball pitcher like Marberry, this was an ideal environment.</li><li>He had a short stint as an American League umpire in 1935, but found the job too lonely.</li><li>Even after his major league career was over at the age of 37 in 1936, he continued pitching in the minors, mostly the Texas League, for 5 more seasons.</li><li>He owned a 600-acre farm near Marberry ‘s boyhood home in Mexia and, at various times, he operated a wholesale gas distributorship and ran a recreation center in Waco.</li></ol></div><p>What I am listening to: Honeysuckle Blue by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yJNHnmxGoDo" width="320" youtube-src-id="yJNHnmxGoDo"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-46677709195890741682022-12-31T21:59:00.001-08:002022-12-31T21:59:00.172-08:00Happy New Year!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo-tDqYn4Ewadp9OGzESGVeS0k722e4eIV_0gU3qV_YhIlHygWvN7HUwpBCxQ9wqx7hZoCqY30q1kFPbraZ0lHIwPQcuBUGoy87nPFHwlvAyV85QdCR_nH4Om4rw9rIrWX9lnOhr1oZ92-LS7YU1GXKcDqvEF4dei66ovBjUobemOGInZotGQAluA/s960/FlT9TyNX0AEqjNb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo-tDqYn4Ewadp9OGzESGVeS0k722e4eIV_0gU3qV_YhIlHygWvN7HUwpBCxQ9wqx7hZoCqY30q1kFPbraZ0lHIwPQcuBUGoy87nPFHwlvAyV85QdCR_nH4Om4rw9rIrWX9lnOhr1oZ92-LS7YU1GXKcDqvEF4dei66ovBjUobemOGInZotGQAluA/w640-h400/FlT9TyNX0AEqjNb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>What I am listening to: Auld Lang Syne by The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W_6Vs8pADrQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="W_6Vs8pADrQ"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-90478847677974902222022-12-24T07:43:00.000-08:002022-12-24T07:43:04.058-08:00Night Owl Delivers<p> It's been nearly 3 months since my last post. A lot has happened since then n my life, though not on the hobby front. You're hear for the cards, so I won't waste time on life events other than to say I've been thrown a curve, but all is generally well for me. And it is the holiday season!</p><p>I got back into the hobby just about 12 years ago, attending my first show and getting my first cards in December of 2010. I began trading cards online shortly thereafter, though as a marginal blogging personality (at best) it was always a small part of my collecting experience. I went back and looked to see who those early trading partners were. The first person I traded with after re-entering the hobby was Chris over at Nachos Grande. The second was Night Owl. Fast forward to today and I do some sporadic trading over Twitter (though I intend to leave there soon) and at Net54. But, for the most part, my only consistent partner now is Night Owl, with whom I trade with a couple/three times each year.</p><p>Anywho, I mentioned previously that I'm shifting my collecting focus somewhat. Specifically, I won't be building any sets from 1954 or prior due to the cost and will start building some of the sets from the 1980s. Sometime back I bought a huge box of junk wax for $10 and it included a substantial amount of 1989 Topps. A few weeks ago, I got an email from Greg asking incredulously "Are you really building 1989?" When I confirmed that I was, Greg was generous enough to knock off my entire want list for the set. And here is a sample of what he sent. Knowing his feelings for the man, I am most surprised that he parted with a Jack Clark card.</p><p>Or, perhaps more accurately, I am surprised he allowed a Jack Clark card to take up space in his house for any length of time. Either way, I'm glad to have it and glad to have 1989 in the books.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZH61BarmMZ0sryrJ_p5uLuRJq9avs9j9N4Ue6R_8vLyko_vSxfp5O1MKwd_bXr9PM--fPYhBobdVi_iVwEQKPq_vuky5UG6eTy4Naz4orM96s7Qh0DQ7jKyR_GGxRgThT9BDekEbe7Mm5qsRkmX5kqW7BqInBpHSFHA3TmKYsezdfF3w11A-W_0H/s640/IMG_8437.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZH61BarmMZ0sryrJ_p5uLuRJq9avs9j9N4Ue6R_8vLyko_vSxfp5O1MKwd_bXr9PM--fPYhBobdVi_iVwEQKPq_vuky5UG6eTy4Naz4orM96s7Qh0DQ7jKyR_GGxRgThT9BDekEbe7Mm5qsRkmX5kqW7BqInBpHSFHA3TmKYsezdfF3w11A-W_0H/s320/IMG_8437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Greg didn't stop there, though. See for yourself:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPimWZ8ZpmLMP_4_nAIO1ak_VVXoHit9BKxhYLb6aI_0t2V_U2_vMb6XH97vmWAxRhj7HgAFmYDYbJp5d_Cmpd9Kb3JbsHz-k2MBU4hpGBzvbkM76Z8MAwFwmyzVzn1gtH-8pGuvqrQdnRlg54w5YA2epZItE3fRFX6VLXaGsyKQ5VV1rLB_n92PgK/s640/IMG_8443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPimWZ8ZpmLMP_4_nAIO1ak_VVXoHit9BKxhYLb6aI_0t2V_U2_vMb6XH97vmWAxRhj7HgAFmYDYbJp5d_Cmpd9Kb3JbsHz-k2MBU4hpGBzvbkM76Z8MAwFwmyzVzn1gtH-8pGuvqrQdnRlg54w5YA2epZItE3fRFX6VLXaGsyKQ5VV1rLB_n92PgK/s320/IMG_8443.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><p></p><div>A 1966 Roger Maris. Damn. I mean, damn!</div><div><br /></div><div>This is probably a good launching off point to talk about my 2022 and plans for 2023. It seems like an awkward segue but bear with me.</div><div><br /></div><div>2022 was generally a sedate year, hobby wise, as I was preparing for a job search. But, at the same time it was very productive, as I managed to finish 3 sets (starting in December 2021): 1960, 1965, and 1968. I also made substantial progress on my 1969 set.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, what is in store for 2023? My goals will be simple:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>I'd like to finish my 1955 Topps set, because I only need 5 more cards. Those 5 are Jackie Robinson, Harmon Killebrew (RC) and three high number commons.</li><li>Finish my 1969 set. I am 15 cards from completion, with the biggest names being Clemente, Bench, and Nolan Ryan.</li><li>To the extent, I finish at least one of the two above mentioned sets, I'd like to start a new set. 1966 has vaulted into the lead now that I have Maris. Logically, 1967 would be the choice since I have completed 1968 through 1979, but I have heard too many horror stories about the high numbers in '67. So, '66 it is.</li><li>Start one set from the 1980s, with '82 and '85 being the leading candidates.</li></ol><div>So, not only has Night Owl sent me a really nice, valuable card, but he has helped clarify my goals for next year. Thank you, Greg!</div><div><br /></div><div>What I am listening to: Colors by Black Pumas</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0G383538qzQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="0G383538qzQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-90765037595352231542022-09-27T17:46:00.001-07:002022-09-27T17:46:04.278-07:001961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 34<p>It has been a bit over a year since I last posted about my autographed 1960 and 1961 Fleer project. In that post, I shared that I won a lot of 47 signed 1961s, of which I needed 18. The other 29 were shipped off to an auction house and I netted back about half of my original lot cost. I've added a few more over the last year and, as of today, I am sitting at 61 signed cards from this set. So, we have some catching up to do.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-gz_97J2xOol5WiqhoONqlwaP33TvhAwBsgXkOoRlBWWEpXs-8DuLpyfe2uYfgng9inSJ50y61q2OknZmAAirKGmtsxviZOUyHAdHEvH8Z6vppDX9afkJXVBsACh0ZcMa812JW5thwXmddSyKDCEvtImozfSOQ4s7BTh3b-ln9T5t1WJFeaUVW9r/s1532/1961F_34A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-gz_97J2xOol5WiqhoONqlwaP33TvhAwBsgXkOoRlBWWEpXs-8DuLpyfe2uYfgng9inSJ50y61q2OknZmAAirKGmtsxviZOUyHAdHEvH8Z6vppDX9afkJXVBsACh0ZcMa812JW5thwXmddSyKDCEvtImozfSOQ4s7BTh3b-ln9T5t1WJFeaUVW9r/s320/1961F_34A.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br /><p>Hall of Famer Lefty Gomez (1972 Veterans Committee) pitched in 368 games across all or part of 14 seasons. All but one of those games were with the NY Yankees between 1930 and 1942. The sole game where he didn't where the pinstripes was an ineffective 4 2/3 inning start for the Washington Senators in the first game of a twin bill on May 30, 1943. His finest season was probably 1934, when he went 26-5 with a 2.33 ERA and finished 3rd in the MVP voting behind only Mickey Cochrane and fellow hurler Charlie Gehringer. Oddly enough, he finished ahead of teammate Lou Gehrig, who was 5th in voting despite hitting for the Triple Crown (the only time he ever did so.)</p><p>His best game may have come on May 24, 1932 against the Philadelphia Athletics. Lefty pitched a complete game while allowing only 3 hits and 1 walk against 13 strikeouts. One of the hits was a ground ball single by Jimmie Foxx, who was hitting .441 at the time and was well on his way to the first of his three MVP seasons.</p><p>Gomez was known as one of the funniest men in baseball, though much of his humor was self-deprecating. An example was when Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon in 1969, and he and NASA scientists were puzzled by an unidentified white object. Upon hearing of it, Lefty said, “I knew immediately what it was. It was a home run ball hit off me in 1937 by Jimmie Foxx.”<br /></p><p>What I am listening to: Down by the Water by The Decemberists</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D86ze36tFCo?start=32" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-16771417079419427822022-09-11T04:38:00.005-07:002022-09-11T04:38:37.197-07:00Good God!<p> I realize the gap between this post and its predecessor isn't all that long, at least for me. I am trying to get ramped up to post more about my signed 1961 Fleer project, since when I last left off I was posting about my 33rd such card, and I just picked up my 61st. But, I want those posts to be informative and that involves taking time to research them. Currently, I am really busy at my new job and I have several large projects I want to finish around the farm before the cold weather sets in, so I have not found the time to sit down and focus on the research. So, this is basically a throwaway post.</p><p>As you know, prior to working on a signed 1961 Fleer set, I was working on a signed 1963 Fleer set. And, when we last left that project, I had autographed versions of 65 out of the 66 cards in the set; lacking only Roberto Clemente. I have only ever seen that card come up for auction a couple of times and it always finished waaaay outside my budget, Another showed up in the Most recent Memory Lane auction. The opening bid was $2,500 so I was out of the running before the auction even opened. The auction closed last night and check this out:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzgD_guMRvtQvpoaJtkLq-CjNQtOfy7PV_kLM2V-ssFtbrx0YqQbJz0ACtXzfiIs1BgF9bAG_6tD1MxHImzrsdD_Mn6MVwdyV1CC425aHO5dzruSEHNWFlxKyYGZnP4LevH1Z-yamqulopHrjafMS8DX9PWilDeWEjz1IwFqzX7sPiWRZgT5_oQFK/s1053/1963F_56A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1053" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzgD_guMRvtQvpoaJtkLq-CjNQtOfy7PV_kLM2V-ssFtbrx0YqQbJz0ACtXzfiIs1BgF9bAG_6tD1MxHImzrsdD_Mn6MVwdyV1CC425aHO5dzruSEHNWFlxKyYGZnP4LevH1Z-yamqulopHrjafMS8DX9PWilDeWEjz1IwFqzX7sPiWRZgT5_oQFK/w400-h239/1963F_56A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Absolutely crazy. I cannot even imagine. If I had $10K drop into my lap I have plenty of things I could do with it: put it towards a new car, knock a chunk off my mortgage balance, put it away for retirement, the possibilities are legion. Buying this card would be pretty close to the last thing I would do. </p><p>Anyways, back into my hole. </p><p>What I am listening to: Resignation Superman by Big Head Todd and The Monsters</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YnQwk7C-r8Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="YnQwk7C-r8Y"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-32343363882540804752022-08-27T10:24:00.006-07:002022-08-27T15:45:57.688-07:00Pleasure and Pain<p>As I mentioned earlier, I had lived frugally for over a year in order to prepare for a job search. And, since I was only off for 6 weeks, I had some extra money saved up. Most was used in a responsible, adult way. Some as a supplement to our retirement savings, and I also bought a used utility tractor for use around our acreage. But I did decide to do a little celebratory hobby spending. Some of it you saw in my previous post. Here is the rest of it:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmclaarOo3vClP-fLfFKYNyhQ0MfBrFQ1qn4syNa5NQNJEs_3V-ksYSseEVE_07EBgKSyP8tzS5fzDygxzqSmDV784a0lURnykWbFGmfZm3okI-oungZj0wr3UYTb2sPNhj247AM3H_r4mbTG9vOzjz1o77HafUnHl6pnXwvkEi1GU87PVe5UPk2R/s1600/IMG_7782B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmclaarOo3vClP-fLfFKYNyhQ0MfBrFQ1qn4syNa5NQNJEs_3V-ksYSseEVE_07EBgKSyP8tzS5fzDygxzqSmDV784a0lURnykWbFGmfZm3okI-oungZj0wr3UYTb2sPNhj247AM3H_r4mbTG9vOzjz1o77HafUnHl6pnXwvkEi1GU87PVe5UPk2R/w400-h300/IMG_7782B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I honestly didn't think I'd get this. I threw a bid on it that was 30-35% below comps for a PSA 4 and actually won. I am assuming it didn't command a typical price because of that side-to-side centering. But, I have always been a corners and edge man. As long as there is border all the way around, I am happy. And there is border all the way around here. So, good to go.</p><p>But this comes with a cost, since this card was many multiples of my previous most expensive purchase. I did have to "borrow" against future hobby spending, And that cost, not surprisingly, is severely curtailed hobby activity at least through the end of the year. I will try to knock off the commons I need for my 1969 set and I may actually start working on some of the junk wax era sets that interest me. But, that is probably about it.</p><p>Speaking of which, that big box of junk wax I bought a couple months ago for a tenner? It had a near complete set of 1989 Topps and I have thrown a want list over on the sidebar. I had previously decided to not work any base sets newer than 1979. But, as I sneak up on retirement in 6-8 years, I am re-evaluating how I want to collect between now and then and, of course, afterwards. I have already decided that 1955 is the oldest set I will build, And I will likely start moving forward in time from 1979. Most of the 1980s Topps sets are growing on me. I'm not a fan of '86 or '87. In fact, I absolutely hate 1987. But the rest of the decade is fine and will make a nice way to keep collecting without having to open my wallet too wide. Along those lines, that big box of junk had a partial set of 1988 Score, which I also like well enough to build the set and may even post about.</p><p>So, there you have it. I have reached the pinnacle of my collecting life with this card. But, I am looking at the future without any sense of melancholy. I am happy to have this card, but I also got a great deal of enjoyment out of the Felipe Alou card I needed to finish my 1965 set, which I started working 5 years ago. That is the beauty of this hobby. You can do it any way you like on any budget you like.</p><p>What I am listening to: Starlight by Yola</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5UOMB64iRdc" width="320" youtube-src-id="5UOMB64iRdc"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-41378815113007632042022-08-19T19:57:00.001-07:002022-08-19T19:57:05.177-07:00Card Show Pickups - Miscellaneous Stuff<p> In my last post I mentioned I bought a few cards at last weekends show just because they caught my fancy. And here they are.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfn3hjRKyb0zVLJuxTPQVEAJI-PwtIz5LSsM3AnFfCXSoCSGXFGI1wAtkgkFzk3FR3X1Nlp6GlFsCLYlQRqcvc4DV5kx2HrypVESPxN9k3MSlbuQudYjm2pBAVa_UPMOSKrDivDCrBgLAXCT7VaC79d4nYkBkhQj5ohtJlGYWNQYOuiJxoQmcznA-/s1070/1977T_359A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="764" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfn3hjRKyb0zVLJuxTPQVEAJI-PwtIz5LSsM3AnFfCXSoCSGXFGI1wAtkgkFzk3FR3X1Nlp6GlFsCLYlQRqcvc4DV5kx2HrypVESPxN9k3MSlbuQudYjm2pBAVa_UPMOSKrDivDCrBgLAXCT7VaC79d4nYkBkhQj5ohtJlGYWNQYOuiJxoQmcznA-/s320/1977T_359A.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I found this signed 1977 Willie Randolph in a $5 box. The more I look at it, though, the more convinced I become that it is not authentic. So, basically, a fiver down the drain.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0b7av5F5IZSDcUXZgqrodoDq_e5A0CgefyZP5-Ht_ccsk0Xos6V_qE0o_6wvRX6-ZPC-sKobw-9SnwXK-4CvfUTM45SRAXNf6L2oJKMOUzh7ie7pLZsyg8jh9796hdW3kp0V5XWZ_r3ggBKHppl7u4B2c4vyAZCJZ3b9XzPuo3SKlTcL8G-oRRBM/s640/IMG_7731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCXik8C5QzjVHZ4BSsG7eDc5XpNqkN0xp_sNAjftoPjTBCr8RQ5XByY-_YDQkUpRnGxvW5WqRblNCTJ3UZe6SBWarusYyu04H7Cbk5IU8KeXi7m0k6MQro5weykSzuSOOCZ9oUKbvV6SwbHG10g9u-wMlUEtPasLPu4MufT8synDQVS9PnyDW_M_X/s1108/1970TFB_Belit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="791" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCXik8C5QzjVHZ4BSsG7eDc5XpNqkN0xp_sNAjftoPjTBCr8RQ5XByY-_YDQkUpRnGxvW5WqRblNCTJ3UZe6SBWarusYyu04H7Cbk5IU8KeXi7m0k6MQro5weykSzuSOOCZ9oUKbvV6SwbHG10g9u-wMlUEtPasLPu4MufT8synDQVS9PnyDW_M_X/s320/1970TFB_Belit.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHeqzNlKHtBOpfwqukjJFri5661-6-q0I3P7roh1vLH0ngo5h5-kihztsIZEJ-RsB1Ks3lu-y5Yek7lwDAompyb4nKwunwKOqfZBszaprQ2lwoV17UObAdwwjSBimL2T4VvYdBAZx4rUK-7aLPIXgUO-1FhqYmLLUJlMJJLxmxbMK4BF1yyFr6d43/s1098/1971TFB_Otto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="784" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHeqzNlKHtBOpfwqukjJFri5661-6-q0I3P7roh1vLH0ngo5h5-kihztsIZEJ-RsB1Ks3lu-y5Yek7lwDAompyb4nKwunwKOqfZBszaprQ2lwoV17UObAdwwjSBimL2T4VvYdBAZx4rUK-7aLPIXgUO-1FhqYmLLUJlMJJLxmxbMK4BF1yyFr6d43/s320/1971TFB_Otto.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0b7av5F5IZSDcUXZgqrodoDq_e5A0CgefyZP5-Ht_ccsk0Xos6V_qE0o_6wvRX6-ZPC-sKobw-9SnwXK-4CvfUTM45SRAXNf6L2oJKMOUzh7ie7pLZsyg8jh9796hdW3kp0V5XWZ_r3ggBKHppl7u4B2c4vyAZCJZ3b9XzPuo3SKlTcL8G-oRRBM/s640/IMG_7731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKEG9bxumineEnKSTCQ4X9kd7jyi5EHoxEIDdCI8aJeHEbOPfBLi1_0JLBnk0j7g9x85lsS6TFmuzBdNFuNLNrFb1TMgDMQDF4BIopZWdrqy50oatICnLCs67MCV2eDAG8BwynrMmZg4gLHK8ZTfC41MvKFwfjZ3nATWnJQdTQduwGOErWE6Ci86_/s1072/1967TFB_Capp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="766" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKEG9bxumineEnKSTCQ4X9kd7jyi5EHoxEIDdCI8aJeHEbOPfBLi1_0JLBnk0j7g9x85lsS6TFmuzBdNFuNLNrFb1TMgDMQDF4BIopZWdrqy50oatICnLCs67MCV2eDAG8BwynrMmZg4gLHK8ZTfC41MvKFwfjZ3nATWnJQdTQduwGOErWE6Ci86_/s320/1967TFB_Capp.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhOQdp78h-2GwRaOAfCePHDsl9BbfUIzNvX_4Da1HyWc5tm4Az0Infizm7H0okLaVLBRqrNm7STD7YLS70UUJ_BVoCbLbcqoz0Vh3-atu-qItG91h_PD824zx7uE0fxF_MvvsNDWE-Ayw957BYm4Fv4yc3MJXEJYIaE2Ryy_iw6dqfhiOlQsmBvjO/s1109/1967TFB_Capp_B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhOQdp78h-2GwRaOAfCePHDsl9BbfUIzNvX_4Da1HyWc5tm4Az0Infizm7H0okLaVLBRqrNm7STD7YLS70UUJ_BVoCbLbcqoz0Vh3-atu-qItG91h_PD824zx7uE0fxF_MvvsNDWE-Ayw957BYm4Fv4yc3MJXEJYIaE2Ryy_iw6dqfhiOlQsmBvjO/s320/1967TFB_Capp_B.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the last few shows, I've picked up individual vintage football cards of HOF players. Nothing expensive, but mainly players who names I recognize and I may have watched as a youngster. I really like the 1967 Topps Gino Cappelletti; enough that may try to build that set. At the time, Topps only had the license for the AFL. NFL cards were issued by the Philadelphia Gum Company. The dilemma I face is whether I should also collect the 1967 PGC cards also. Generally, I like the design of the Philadelphia cards, which were issued between 1964 and 1967. But, 1967 was ugly with a canary yellow border. So, I may just stick with Topps. It isn't anything I am going to start soon, so who knows what will happen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another thing to note here is the back of the card, which is very similar to the back of 1968 baseball. I am assuming Topps got a deal on that godawful yellow ink. As they probably started the printing the baseball cards after finishing up the football set.<br /><br />Capelletti is an interesting fellow. He was both a placekicker and a receiver. He passed away at the age of 88 earlier this year.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttvnnNnkA118xJIeN9Z6YqzoO9k-OpMjWeqRAbMD8xHr56HbLrp-jehmeVRct9OXAU9bN66IA44sJUScUbMLAQkdwgrLzoTFhpj0o6hh1W3hL-hYZqitem-7zU8aAFodorQjQKf7bW0JoobP9EelRZfue_cnLxgIcCxba0KYx6IkMesbhOrlfk6bX/s840/1951TBB_12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="672" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttvnnNnkA118xJIeN9Z6YqzoO9k-OpMjWeqRAbMD8xHr56HbLrp-jehmeVRct9OXAU9bN66IA44sJUScUbMLAQkdwgrLzoTFhpj0o6hh1W3hL-hYZqitem-7zU8aAFodorQjQKf7bW0JoobP9EelRZfue_cnLxgIcCxba0KYx6IkMesbhOrlfk6bX/s320/1951TBB_12.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Believe it or not, this is the first 1951 Topps I have ever owned. I had to have at least one and this is probably where I will stop. I am glad to have this card, but the set doesn't capture my imagination.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0b7av5F5IZSDcUXZgqrodoDq_e5A0CgefyZP5-Ht_ccsk0Xos6V_qE0o_6wvRX6-ZPC-sKobw-9SnwXK-4CvfUTM45SRAXNf6L2oJKMOUzh7ie7pLZsyg8jh9796hdW3kp0V5XWZ_r3ggBKHppl7u4B2c4vyAZCJZ3b9XzPuo3SKlTcL8G-oRRBM/s320/IMG_7731.jpg" width="240" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, there it is. My favorite pickup from the show. It was marked as $50, but the seller is my main in-person vintage guy, so he usually gives me a decent discount. So, I am guessing this cost me more around $40. Not a small sum, but well worth it to have an autograph of one of the greatest ballplayers ever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that is about it for the show. Not sure what it next. Hopefully, I will start posting more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What I am listening to: Lone Pine Hill by Justin Townes Earle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GQFppLauXzg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-69213561131829385502022-08-17T14:00:00.002-07:002022-08-18T17:01:57.626-07:00Card Show Pickups - Set Needs<p>My main priority at last weekend's show was to work on set needs. About a week earlier, I actually finished my 1965 set that I started back in 2017. It was actually the third set I have finished this year, after several years of having completed none. So, the main sets I was wanting to make progress on were 1955, 1958, and 1969 Topps baseball, 1973 Topps football, and 1972-73 Topps basketball. So, with that, lets proceed:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEVcPjNVeOcL78rWcVMeo6THqT8DVi5r-jOa6D8-mkatoTp4swLcS4P3FGuTn5Fin4LetkQlU-_Lq4AQZrlqMVbO3-HW5hulLCyBv_oI4eWHHFHQyFOGSceNpGo24LObqjnp1pUGZiC2PtvKIeVHcp9iy-OU719HAiYxvO7LqFMAqWJh54GVH0aer/s1099/1969T_256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="785" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEVcPjNVeOcL78rWcVMeo6THqT8DVi5r-jOa6D8-mkatoTp4swLcS4P3FGuTn5Fin4LetkQlU-_Lq4AQZrlqMVbO3-HW5hulLCyBv_oI4eWHHFHQyFOGSceNpGo24LObqjnp1pUGZiC2PtvKIeVHcp9iy-OU719HAiYxvO7LqFMAqWJh54GVH0aer/s320/1969T_256.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><p>I found exactly 1 card I needed for my 1969 set. I have been focusing on1969 over the last year because it is reasonably affordable, even in comparison to some sets that followed it. I wanted to make more progress, but every little bit helps I guess. I am down to needing only 33 cards to finish this set. Thankfully, I have the Mantle, but I still lack Roberto Clemente, Johnny Bench, Nolan Ryan, and the Reggie Jackson rookie card. I'd like to finish this set this year, but those four cards will be a challenge. I am not one to pay up and over the last couple years, good deals have been few and far between.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF_KZ1lU1Rzc6f7ceqffIvMKUyjMdNbYaCLG_ZB58t_9dHmWWSh8echcZWMAuPbmbUDbSFnQlECUKHuP9HkagC-7YQO-w0Yz3lsUDJXlaVzd_cD3g5enlBoI94y9L6_aCGpjEXDN5TqkGV9oucG8zjbufffsVWJp578AmGi6YJm3IhUtlYNnP5lh-/s1095/1958T_307.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="782" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF_KZ1lU1Rzc6f7ceqffIvMKUyjMdNbYaCLG_ZB58t_9dHmWWSh8echcZWMAuPbmbUDbSFnQlECUKHuP9HkagC-7YQO-w0Yz3lsUDJXlaVzd_cD3g5enlBoI94y9L6_aCGpjEXDN5TqkGV9oucG8zjbufffsVWJp578AmGi6YJm3IhUtlYNnP5lh-/s320/1958T_307.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-c5OXi3yOKzNqHHg-3hzbeeVrNktVlMw9f-lppBcY5SsPm5orG-JH7HFkhITX_LXXCe6UwqvhoqnjzlQeAWAdSqfWn2pGYL5EGs5LBu5CONEqEQBT0BuUGf9X6M9-sN3KbEujESjupMDE_MFdxbox2_7Anip29vgMEnl70VKiQX_DiigLemduzcP6/s1086/1958T_375.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-c5OXi3yOKzNqHHg-3hzbeeVrNktVlMw9f-lppBcY5SsPm5orG-JH7HFkhITX_LXXCe6UwqvhoqnjzlQeAWAdSqfWn2pGYL5EGs5LBu5CONEqEQBT0BuUGf9X6M9-sN3KbEujESjupMDE_MFdxbox2_7Anip29vgMEnl70VKiQX_DiigLemduzcP6/s320/1958T_375.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><p>I snagged 20 cards from 1958 Topps, bringing my total for the set to 180 cards. That is a bit over one third of the set. I started this one since I have the Mantle already. I bought it about 10 years ago for the princely sum of $100, which was the most I had ever spent on a card at that time (and for several years after.) Along the way, I;d already acquire Ted Williams and Roberto Clemente. So, the only major cards I need at this point is Willie Mays, the Roger Maris rookie card, and the Aaron/Mantle Batting Foes card. I'll keep plugging away, but this is probably going to be a 2024 completion.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGh5lq689P3xnBKQ3JxeWEkzZnc5pM-aqefKnUieYS0AqdppZGEwV4IQFJ9f_iF_WML9cJglqNQI6CVX3H-A508rxvWY4lJhVmUIELIf8xjLXlTyI3KFZLQwzSgpxBrY8VQyqQ0xHXoMr4rUdWxi5pOa0-AQNnk2KD4PlwNl06MBvWbUsuUqb203F/s1086/1959F_TW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGh5lq689P3xnBKQ3JxeWEkzZnc5pM-aqefKnUieYS0AqdppZGEwV4IQFJ9f_iF_WML9cJglqNQI6CVX3H-A508rxvWY4lJhVmUIELIf8xjLXlTyI3KFZLQwzSgpxBrY8VQyqQ0xHXoMr4rUdWxi5pOa0-AQNnk2KD4PlwNl06MBvWbUsuUqb203F/s320/1959F_TW.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><p>I managed to find 8 cards I needed for the 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set. These are the first additions to that set build since 2015. That ultra rare Ted Signs card has me spooked. So, this will not be a priority for me. I'll add things opportunistically, but if I never finish this, I won't care.</p><p>And now to what you have seen in my previous post.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPx35cYWfo2glfRJzs_0y74Sf0C2O1_TsYzTNu85WTcRFyklEmNAhrSgS1Ff6cilw6_ZF6Cj5VwpuWxCohb3SgtgOBC7oL_UIe0oHFBUTPsdhlEOX_OEZXq9kFvxrfaqeixyGnluB6WtnzlbCkbYzVqEF9i3AalF-BIJUJ2TOSudi4KGjpwFBB6sl/s1165/1955T_210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1165" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPx35cYWfo2glfRJzs_0y74Sf0C2O1_TsYzTNu85WTcRFyklEmNAhrSgS1Ff6cilw6_ZF6Cj5VwpuWxCohb3SgtgOBC7oL_UIe0oHFBUTPsdhlEOX_OEZXq9kFvxrfaqeixyGnluB6WtnzlbCkbYzVqEF9i3AalF-BIJUJ2TOSudi4KGjpwFBB6sl/s320/1955T_210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am really close to finishing 1955. I was down to 8 cards to finish, one of which is this Duke Snider. The card is a bit rough, with water staining, and that missing corner. But, this card is one of the more expensive, and elusive, cards in the set. Of course, Snider was a star. But, not of the caliber of a Jackie Robinson or Willie Mays, who's 55 cards are of similar value. At least part of this cards cost is due to being the last card in the set and (not dissimilar to the 1952 Andy Pafko) was prone to rubber band damage. The staining doesn't bother me, but I've always been one of those collectors that values good corners and edges. And that lower right corner would normally be a disqualifier. But, this card was priced at $30, which is so far below what it would normally be that I decided I can definitely live with that corner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also knocked off another '55 need:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVOmYGAkBoKfX9MkJcYLLh5dwax61DVjjT496Qq32EQLfD1U_D3WUXum60vNYyvZnP1K9xGPQnusdml54vFaGMYCI4A5VSsEFG36iRgFAw5P9E4yctldV91d6ySzqq2viN2Gmo6vzqbaxQtGDRsfXWD7LxYZoecBrH4rKT08okOJPnnWo5otbIRAc/s640/IMG_7732.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVOmYGAkBoKfX9MkJcYLLh5dwax61DVjjT496Qq32EQLfD1U_D3WUXum60vNYyvZnP1K9xGPQnusdml54vFaGMYCI4A5VSsEFG36iRgFAw5P9E4yctldV91d6ySzqq2viN2Gmo6vzqbaxQtGDRsfXWD7LxYZoecBrH4rKT08okOJPnnWo5otbIRAc/s320/IMG_7732.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>You can catch some hints of it in the picture, but this Banks card also has some water staining. Without that, I think it would have graded out as a solid 5. I like it just fine. So, I am down to needing 6 cards to finish: 3 commons, Jackie Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, and the dreaded Clemente rookie. I'm far enough along that I am going to try and complete it, but that Clemente scares me. I've never spent more than $400 on a card and can count on one hand how many times I've spent more than $250. Dropping four figures is going to be painful.</p><p>That does it for the set building. Next up will be the miscellaneous stuff I bought just because.</p><p>What I am listening to: Down by the Water by The Decembrists.</p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D86ze36tFCo?start=31" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-27323930441071066112022-08-14T07:48:00.000-07:002022-08-14T07:48:35.876-07:00Proof of Life<p>I'm still here, so a few updates:</p><p>I am back gainfully employed. My last day on my previous job was June 3 and I started my new gig on July 26. All things considered that is a fairly short interval. I had planned to shift towards contract consulting, but my expertise was fairly niche, and I could see that career focus could have as much down time as not. The interregnum told me that I am not quite ready for significant down time. So, I'm back on the W-2 train for a few more years. This job is a pretty big departure from my career path, but it should be interesting and I really like the people I work with.</p><p>Additionally, we added a new member to the family here. Normally, this wouldn't be noteworthy for a sports card blog, but we have been keeping track since San Jose Fuji threw down the gauntlet regarding non-card collections so many years ago. Anyways, back in January of 2021, a feral tom cat started coming around the farm. He was wild as a March hare and wouldn't let us anywhere near him. We kept food out for him and monitored his comings and goings with a game camera. Slowly, over time, he began to trust us and this January, a full year after he started visiting, I was able to pet him for the first time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and he was obviously sick. So, we got him off to the vet. He was diagnosed with bobcat fever, an often-deadly tick-borne illness. His recovery included me having to give him medicine, which means he was confined to my home office/card room. As you might expect, he is now a house cat. So, meet Chester:</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">January 2021</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgdqTitASXpDIL5jlfILYFh6rf1tn0yGqAxFMaluO9CTVdHfiLYgDTBlQQki-T55Mc_DGbEEG7U7Pm4IWnQMDsgJXKLM4pnp9Q8q8SQYOiIGPuuQfIiRoa1yF4Mi_tqVWzC8skiUWlXrIafS_z-LmXpfVg2jsqS60M3Y_fMUe-y_jM7ScL0gc2RiPT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1872" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgdqTitASXpDIL5jlfILYFh6rf1tn0yGqAxFMaluO9CTVdHfiLYgDTBlQQki-T55Mc_DGbEEG7U7Pm4IWnQMDsgJXKLM4pnp9Q8q8SQYOiIGPuuQfIiRoa1yF4Mi_tqVWzC8skiUWlXrIafS_z-LmXpfVg2jsqS60M3Y_fMUe-y_jM7ScL0gc2RiPT" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">August 2022</div></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhraOx7XeLfp15sUzYpoVW6kKIeWNosfCRDRIlNBQQ3MLm8O4_neC8Sz8UJ0iZmXu_P6spcHqQOvGlaHqNCBqR9yxguigbgsGSyWB-G80x72tYFP06H1OwXO9dlVT5gabp63F_CFEY0RF5_G_qOI0j_mFlTtHJb7Fos5k9BjsC1NQrPG6ZuiLz1zJDI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhriANAQ5am-MUg7EOvpEtDUpK0ZA-nsyCJkwB3wX639TPAR08v81JbHMoWz8a7siyfGfYcphQMee2Rtf3HG5486SFVbS4iJyOESjybRGVfc7d8iXTHc2EtqQUDiepRwUt6bn3BOfansFAQkFcnGkKLS6-AvHBWMr71JhltsZy3PnANklDzUQgltnIH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhriANAQ5am-MUg7EOvpEtDUpK0ZA-nsyCJkwB3wX639TPAR08v81JbHMoWz8a7siyfGfYcphQMee2Rtf3HG5486SFVbS4iJyOESjybRGVfc7d8iXTHc2EtqQUDiepRwUt6bn3BOfansFAQkFcnGkKLS6-AvHBWMr71JhltsZy3PnANklDzUQgltnIH" width="180" /></a></div></div><p><br /></p><p>Anyways, having saved up for a potentially lengthy job search, the quick return to the workforce left me some funds for hobby spending. So, yesterday I went to a card show. I've gone to card shows in the past year, but those were always more focused. Yesterday, I went with a desire to make some progress on sets, but also to engage in a little whimsy and pick up a few things that aren't natural fits to how I collect. </p><p>I intend to get back blogging again, particularly focusing on a series of posts about my signed 1960 and 1961 Fleer collection. But, until I get my rear in gear, here is a sample of what I got yesterday.<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBFVHp7AdZ0Fy_lVr5NL9LK1sByDP1hRuxDCaMyLGwRzMLnxrcfg6cy3H6wwBHe5meywDG9FsLXMUAvRtcmNwooPESDNNzbKVEi0QiMqiGVk3Z0-VsXsg3jG9un580W1x2L_WZP7FmqtfsO9DL-fQbLeZLFzf6SQgjmyF7XPwAPv0CrigQuEcCwdW/s1165/1955T_210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1165" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBFVHp7AdZ0Fy_lVr5NL9LK1sByDP1hRuxDCaMyLGwRzMLnxrcfg6cy3H6wwBHe5meywDG9FsLXMUAvRtcmNwooPESDNNzbKVEi0QiMqiGVk3Z0-VsXsg3jG9un580W1x2L_WZP7FmqtfsO9DL-fQbLeZLFzf6SQgjmyF7XPwAPv0CrigQuEcCwdW/s320/1955T_210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>What I am listening to: Cross Bones Style by Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (Amanda Shires on lead vocals and fiddle)<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xxEv21FJc4Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="xxEv21FJc4Y"></iframe></div><br />carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8342776885896894717.post-45408956058864504432022-06-05T12:55:00.000-07:002022-06-05T12:55:04.357-07:00Coming Up for Air<p> So, it has been 5 months since we last talked. My last day on my job was Thursday, so I am officially unemployed. I only half-heartedly looked for a new job over the last few months. I've decided I want to shift from in-house roles to doing contract consulting and I have already aligned myself with one consulting firm and am starting the process to sign up with a second. Additionally, I have an introductory interview this week for in-house roles with a third consulting/business intelligence firm. So, while I am a bit unbalanced about not having a job, I am moving forward and, hopefully, something will pop up soon.</p><p>My hobby activity has been curtailed significantly over the last year, once I knew I would be moving on. While it hasn't stopped, it has become more focused and I've gotten a few things accomplished that I might not have otherwise.</p><p>For example, I finally finished my 1968 Topps set in December.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj1kk4afBhEFnUGCNpVKVXOhqa0buQdCqyjS_PTknuLF3ueOhTefQC2rTBMjkfDuVNOQwBK4wdisonboWeTDt2TOMzDdGFS-N8wiqzQV94cTY06Z31uBQaTEWOEHcDINgfnXbTEjzE2WfAzdiMfhu_Zs_77sULPB8r1p59yMqIvA3cT2mnl9o-Tm0/s680/1968T_End.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="680" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj1kk4afBhEFnUGCNpVKVXOhqa0buQdCqyjS_PTknuLF3ueOhTefQC2rTBMjkfDuVNOQwBK4wdisonboWeTDt2TOMzDdGFS-N8wiqzQV94cTY06Z31uBQaTEWOEHcDINgfnXbTEjzE2WfAzdiMfhu_Zs_77sULPB8r1p59yMqIvA3cT2mnl9o-Tm0/s320/1968T_End.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last card was, unsurprisingly the Nolan Ryan rookie card. I had made no progress on this set for over 2 years because of how expensive that card was. I could never find a card that was both within my budget and condition requirements. However, I finally found one in an auction that met both criteria. I ended up paying a bit over $330 for it. While it was the third most I have ever paid for a card, it was a steal at this price. The main issue was fading on the left side of the card due to exposure to sunlight. But, it has great eye appeal, so I am tickled to death to have it.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwv_3A6MtKVIVjzpKQ-rWWNCiWyO6bSPov6CxXX1_epVF5YC-kJvByv6r5s8dwElQ7Z9Z6d43SMOYBlWIIT2vwnIyR9xs-6A2gd9APwmFOIMMarGmqBIepApPd6SbDPRxiC38T43EPHWsubQWIrfGLHN2eKofYdVkSwOIrUyN08694ZyoRRMhdfqa/s800/1968T_177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="800" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwv_3A6MtKVIVjzpKQ-rWWNCiWyO6bSPov6CxXX1_epVF5YC-kJvByv6r5s8dwElQ7Z9Z6d43SMOYBlWIIT2vwnIyR9xs-6A2gd9APwmFOIMMarGmqBIepApPd6SbDPRxiC38T43EPHWsubQWIrfGLHN2eKofYdVkSwOIrUyN08694ZyoRRMhdfqa/s320/1968T_177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In January, I finished my 1960 Topps set. The last card was the Chicago Cubs team card.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCMzQzcJkvsHn13j7emBTZq3daWiSecxeeGQ4NR4cZXwA374W5yleJTRgvbBwQ5lkirYSVKBpfwVu_vloR5z_pmE-8iSyBAYRvuU5b_YNlNPDqXSfaYbY9VFKW64P0FOceNZrs3py-Ib1zYm9sDWuT0b5zQpfPmvvKS-2jSMJXY6ZzAwe4DMO80c2/s680/1960T_End.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCMzQzcJkvsHn13j7emBTZq3daWiSecxeeGQ4NR4cZXwA374W5yleJTRgvbBwQ5lkirYSVKBpfwVu_vloR5z_pmE-8iSyBAYRvuU5b_YNlNPDqXSfaYbY9VFKW64P0FOceNZrs3py-Ib1zYm9sDWuT0b5zQpfPmvvKS-2jSMJXY6ZzAwe4DMO80c2/s320/1960T_End.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><p>Since then, I went the OKC show in February, the Dallas show in March, then nothing until this weekends OKC show. In those shows, I've worked on the Topps sets from 1958, 1969, and 1973 Football. I chose 1958 since I bought the Mantle card years ago before prices went nuts, 1965 because I am down to 6 cards to complete, and 1969 as it is the most affordable of the remaining 1960s sets. </p><p>Anway, I had a good haul at this weekend's show:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdDQR-aVKgkJDHA40lhE7OIKqknMI91cCeaBbqKB4WFqQg_Plh5xcQBlfSKBhcvV0zykN-MHoW0VUhGhMXyKZVBPaExB1IcnaoF3Kp7Zxu7GAz1Hckjl1Eg6sTd7uwDQ5D1qbaowHfuFr2yzEi_yuFSBmd7wb3tURFN-boO8LB_PDfqRYydxXGKuJ/s2048/FUcFBKVXoAAsT04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdDQR-aVKgkJDHA40lhE7OIKqknMI91cCeaBbqKB4WFqQg_Plh5xcQBlfSKBhcvV0zykN-MHoW0VUhGhMXyKZVBPaExB1IcnaoF3Kp7Zxu7GAz1Hckjl1Eg6sTd7uwDQ5D1qbaowHfuFr2yzEi_yuFSBmd7wb3tURFN-boO8LB_PDfqRYydxXGKuJ/s320/FUcFBKVXoAAsT04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>My wife collects mid-century modern barware and asked me to stop at a local flea market to check out something and I found that big box of junk wax for $10. What can I say? I would bet the main value of the box is as kindling, but I am pretty sure I can get more than a sawbucks worth of fun out of it.</p><p>What I am listening to: One More Night by Micahel Kiwanuka</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Sw2JJ5nSbM" width="320" youtube-src-id="1Sw2JJ5nSbM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>carlsonjokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15556989250983706634noreply@blogger.com6