Discipline

No, not the torture and bondage kind that you gutter minded people were thinking about...get out of there!!

Discipline is something I sorely lack when it comes to collecting cards.  For a while, I can stay on track and focus on what I'm trying to accomplish, and then there are times when, for lack of a better term, I just fall off the wagon. 

I will say this, for around a month now, I can say that I've been very disciplined in my collecting habits.  I've done my best to stay on point and focus on collecting the sets that I've promised to work on.  The 77s and 64s are a prime example of that.  Those are two sets that I really would like to complete, and they were the major focus of my card show spending last week. 

Sadly, there are sets out there though that I have a weakness for.  Goodness knows if you are trying to stick to a budget, there is only so many sets that you can try to complete at one time.  Go beyond that, and you stretch yourself too thin.

The '73 Topps set is my weakness right now.  I've picked up pieces and parts at card shows in the past, but had no real attempt to start this set....until the card show last weekend.  My vintage guy, like always, has 100 count plastic cases of what you could call "starter sets".  Sure enough, there was a 100 count of '73 Topps there for $8, something I just couldn't resist. 

I looked at a bunch of these cards, and they almost made me wish I was 20 years older.

These guys rocked some of the greatest sets of sideburns known to man.  Of course, the Oakland A's had their own rules for facial hair, so their sideburns were awesome.

Here's 4 more examples of some great sideburns, although a little on the thin side...

I had to check and see if Montgomery's first name was actually Monty.  Sure enough it is.  I still enjoy listening to Ken Singleton do analysis on YES telecasts; that voice is just a smooth as it was 20 years ago when he was on Montreal telecasts.

There were 4 sets of sideburns that I found especially appealing.

How about best set of sideburns on a card of a pitcher who is just posing.  Meet George Culver.

Great thick bushy sideburns...awesome!

How about the best set of sideburns on a pitcher in an action pose.   Meet Don Stanhouse.

He could also win the award for best facial hair on a horizontal card.

Here's another one for you.  How about the best sideburns that are shaved into a spike.  Meet Bob Tolan

Finally, how about the best set of sideburns on a Rookie Card of a guy whose name is a palindrome.   Meet Toby Harrah.

Now that my friends, is one spectacular set of sideburns.  What's pretty neat on the cards that I picked up is that of the 99 unique cards, there were only three cards that featured players with mustaches.  There was not a single hair on any of the chins in the lot.

Maybe I would have been out of place back then, because I've had a goatee now for the better part of the past 27 years.  My chin would have been cold without it back then.

See what happens when you show a lack of discipline in your collecting duties?  You end up posting about facial hair.

Lesson learned.

Thanks for reading, Robert