In Which I Defend Red Sox Nation.

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Now, I am no fan of the Red Sox. Nor, for that matter, am I a fan of Red Sox fans. But, I will say this. These two chuckleheads are taking themselves way too seriously. This isn't geopolitics. It isn't a matter of life and death. Heck, I doubt anybody's job is even on the line here. It is baseball. It is a game.

These two talking idiots need to go to a children's hospital or a homeless shelter and look real problems in the eye. That the richest country on earth is increasingly failing it's most vulnerable citizens is a national embarassment; not people singing a cheesy-ass 1970's pop song and bat around a plastic ball, by God. Those people paid to be there and if they want to dance the freaking Macarena and do The Wave, they should be able to do so without being denigrated by these putzes.

What I Got Today

I think I know what I am going to name the dog.

Fleer Greats - Packs 10 - 12

So, I didn't sleep well last night and woke up with a crick in my neck, so I am struggling to write anything interesting here. Forgive me. Anyways, here we are at the last set of packs in my GOTG hobby box and the much ballyhoed hit:


Pack 10

109 - Jim Thorpe


Thorpe was born about an hour drive from here in Prague, Oklahoma. Prague is a small town originally settled by Czech immigrants and is known for it's annual Kolache Festival. Be warned: if you click that link you will be regaled with a cheesy version of the Chicken Dance. Prague is also home to the National Shrine of the Infant Jesus. I occasionally drive out to the Muskogee area and seeing the signs for the Shrine always makes of this:




111 - Ray Knight
117 - Steve Carlton
120 - Paul O'Neill
126 - Roger Maris (as a Cardinal)


Yeah, it is a little weird seeing him as a Cardinal, but that is where he ended his career, so I am not going to complain.

Pack 11

91 - Catfish Hunter
108 - Ryne Sandberg
118 - Richie Ashburn
129 - Robin Roberts


I got the auto version of this card earlier.

Forever Cardinals - Steve Carlton (1732/1965)



Pack 12

81 - Tony Lazzeri
95 - Tom Seaver



122 - Andre Dawson
145 - Carlton Fisk
ET-JC - Etched in Time Cut Signature of Joe Cronin (06/12)


This is my big hit: a cut autograph of Hall of Famer Joe Cronin. I won't be retiring on the sale of this card, what with similar cards selling in the $60 to $80 range. So, I think I will keep it.

142 - Nolan Ryan

So, that is it. The summary of the 2004 Fleer Greats of the Game Cut Signature Edition box I bought. So, how did I do overall vesus expectations? Pretty well actually. Let's got back to my original list and see:

Parallel Cards: Basic Card Parallels # to special year(1:60 packs): 0 - Sure enough, I did not get any.

Insert Cards: 29 Forever, # to rookie year (1:5 packs): 3 - I actually got four (2 Cardinals, 1 Cub, and 1 Dodger)

Game Used Memorabilia (1:15 packs): 1 - Technically I did get one, although it was just a redemption card. The card did not have an expiration date on it, but I guess it doesn't really matter since Fleer no longer exists.

Autographs (1:7.5 packs): 2 - Indeed, I did get two, Ray Knight and Joe Cronin

Base Cards (65 total): 69 - As it works out, I managed to complete the second series.

So, what next? Well, I do not have a complete first series, so I am seeing another box purchase in my future. Odds for autos are different on the first series, with an expectation of 3 per box, so I am excited to see what I will get. I will probably defer the purchase for a while. Because of the drought, I have started feeding hay very early this year and, by my calculations, my current stores of hay will only get me through January. I may have a line on some hay being hauled in from Mississippi next week, but it is probably going to leave a big ole hole in my wallet. My card hobby may need to be on hold for a while.

Fleer Greats - Packs 13 - 15

Say, what happened to packs 10 through 12? Glad you asked. I saved them for last since the big hit was in that group and packs 13 to 15 were not as exciting. So, stick around for tomorrow and see my major score.

Pack 13

101 - Babe Herman
112 - Fernando Valenzuela
127 - Bill Mazeroski
136 - Rod Carew


When I first started following baseball, Carew was the dominant hitter in baseball. Indeed, I remember him flirting with .400 in 1977, when he ended up at .388. The only players ever to exceed that mark since was George Brett in 1980 (.390) and Tony Gwynn in 1994 (.394)

139 - Gary Carter


I include Carter mainly because he has been in the news of late. First, for his on going fight against cancer, and more recently blog clots. After watching Frankie Cervelli get concussed in a collision with Nick Markakis, I wonder how much his time a a catcher played into the brain tumors.

Pack 14

85 - Dave Kingman
94 - Johnny Pesky


Another baseball lifer. Even if he is part of Red Sox Nation, he is a man to be admired for his decades of service to the game.

97 - Enos Slaughter


I am always amazed when looking at a player's statistics to find they lost years to military service. Pesky, above lost three years and probably 600 hits, to service. Enos Slaughter similarly spent three years in the service during WWII and may very well have approached the magical 3000 hit career if he hadn't.

113 - Will Clark
133 - Rollie Fingers

Pack 15

83 - Willie McGee
86 - Luis Aparicio


In addition to knuckleball pitchers, I have a soft spot for defensive specialists. It may be because during the two years I played Little League baseball I couldn't hit a lick, but was decent defensively. It probably didn't help that I started at the Pony League level after six years of sucking at soccer.

99 - Robin Yount
121 - Reggie Jackson


I question the choice of showing Reggie as an Angel, since he was best as an A and a Yankee. I would have also looked for a photo that showed him in his backswing, like this one. But, it is still a fine card.

143 - Ozzie Smith

So, tomorrow is the big day, when I reveal my big hit in Pack 12.

Fleer Greats - Packs 7 - 9

Pack 7

89 - Joe Charboneau


This is what I would consider the biggest clunker in the set. What you are looking at is Joe Charboneau's entire major league career. The history of baseball is littered with one year wonders. Why exactly does this one merit inclusion in a set called "Greats of the Game?" I mean, other than because Fleer could sign him to an autograph deal?

119 - Roberto Clemente
124 - Dale Murphy
128 - Don Newcombe


Another great player who lost years during his prime to military service, his during Korea. I didn't know this but, apparently, after his major league career was over, he played a year in Japan as a position player. That caused me to look at his major league hitting statistics. Don was a career .271/.338/.367 hitter.

131 - Eddie Mathews

Pack 8

88 - Bing Milleer
98 - Cecil Travis


Just another classic B&W baseball pose that makes it a favorite.

114 - Tony Kubek
130 - Duke Snider
Forever Dodgers - Zack Wheat (1130/1909)


I really like the design of these Forever cards. I think I may try to put together the whole 29 card subset. I haven't looked into how available they are, so it may be a fools errand, but I may just be the fool for the job.

Pack 9

100 - Don Zimmer


Probably the epitome of a baseball lifer. Started in organized ball in 1949 and was still active as late as as 2003. I love the fact that he has his trademark gerbil cheeks even as a young man.

102 - Ron Santo
138 Orel Hershiser
140 - Keith Hernandez
Forever Cardinals - Bob Gibson (1305/1959)



Coming Features: Tomorrow, I skip ahead to packs 13 to 15, which included a nice group of cards, but no hits and none of the various inserts either. Saturday, I'll get to packs 10-12 which include my one big hit.

Fleer Greats - Packs 4 - 6

Pack 4

82 - Al Rosen
96 - Frank Robinson


I chose this one for an odd reason. I have a Paul Blair player collection and, so, set up a automatic search on EBay to keep an eye out for cards I don't already have. One item that comes up frequently is a picture of Paul Blair and Frank Robinson. Here is an auction for that photo.

While googling for that photo, I was surprised to find that there is a person named Blair Robinson, a granddaughter of Ray Charles, who apparently was sexually harassed by Steven Seagal. Make of that what you will.

104 - Paul Molitor
106 - Johnny Sain


I think one of my favorite old-timey players is Warren Spahn. He was born in Buffalo, near my hometown of Rochester, and lived out his retirement in Oklahoma, my adopted home. And who can think of Warren Spahn and not think of Johnny Sain.

Spahn and Sain and pray for rain!
116 - Jerry Koosman

Pack 5

87 - John Kruk


Check out that mullet. Only one in the set. You think I wouldn't show it? It's glorious!

92 - Nap Lajoie
134 - Frankie Frisch
144 - Rick Sutcliffe

In my introductory post, I mentioned that I should expect one game used relic. Well I got one in this pack. To draw out the suspense just a little, I've hid the photo and you have to click below to see it.






Pack 6

84 - Preacher Roe


Looking back, I am not sure why I chose this other than I think the design of this set works best when using black and white photos.

91 - Catfish Hunter
108 - Ryne Sandberg
133 - Rollie Fingers
Forever Cubs - Gabby Harnett (72/1922)



Coming tomorrow: A decent, if uninspiring block of cards.

Fleer Greats - Packs 1 - 3 and the First Hit

As you may have already read, I opened all the packs despite my idea to only open 3 a day and spread the joy over 5 days. I managed to to stay on plan about 20 minutes. I blame the weather.

After the hottest summer on record (103 days over 90 degrees and at least half of those over 100), temperatures had moderated. Daily highs were in the mid 80s. It was positively autumn-like. Yesterday, however, the heat returned for a (hopefully) last visit. It hit 100F again, and I was procrastinated about going out and doing the evening feeding. So, I opened packs. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

So, they are all ripped, I've scanned all the ones I am going to show this week, and have the skeletons of the five posts entered.

Pack 1

90 - Mark Fidrych
93 - Eddie Murray


It is a bit weird seeing Murray in an Indians uniform, but I suppose it could be worse. After having found Dave Kingman in the Yankees Classics set (He only played in 8 games in pinstripes), I have a hard time finding fault with Fleer for not showing him as an Oriole.

The first expensive card I bought was the 1978 Eddie Murray rookie card. I think it set me back about $15. I suppose that may seem pedestrian to some of you guys, but for me it was, and is still, alot to spend on one card.

105 - Jimmy Piersall
125 - Dwight Gooden
132 - Wade Boggs

Pack 2

103 - Willie Stargell


What is there to say about Pops? Great player and a great man who was taken too soon. I do have some recollection of watching the 1979 World Series, although the memories aren't as vivid as Game 6 of the 1978 championship. I can't help but think of Pops when I hear that gawd-awful Sister Sledge song "We Are Family."

118 - Richie Ashburn
123 - Hoyt Wilhelm


I am not sure why, but I have a soft spot for knuckleball pitchers and Wilhelm was one of the greatest.

141 - Bob Lemon
GBA-RK - Ray Knight Auto


As hits go, this isn't too bad. Knight was a solid player during his 13 year career. It doesn't get me all excited like the Willie Mays autograph card I got at the Diamond Giveaway site, but it is certainly better than the Kevin Maas auto card I pulled from the Yankees Classics box I opened earlier this summer.

Pack 3

107 - Joe Pepitone
110 - Steve Garvey
115 - Jim Bouton
135 - Billy Williams


Billy Williams was a great player stuck playing for the Chicago Cubs. You would have to wonder about what his legend would be if he ever had the chance to play in the post season during the prime of his career.

137 - Dom DiMaggio


Despite the fact that he looks like he is talking about how best to amortize the depreciate of capital assets, Dom was a good player during his career. He was, obviously, overshadowed by his older brother Joe. But, he also lost three seasons during the prime of his career due to service in the Navy during World War II.

So, there are the first three packs. Coming tomorrow: packs 4 through 6 and the most disappointing hit so far during my short collecting experience.