Mr. Cub--the '61 version

For the last 6 weeks, collecting cards has really taken a back seat in my life.  Up until this week, I've probably spent $10 on cards in that time.  I had hoped to change that last weekend with the monthly card show, but my failing memory didn't remind me that it was Easter weekend, and the show was postponed.

So, to cure the card buying jones that I had, I hit eBay.  By accident, I came across this card...

the auction title had NO CREASES in all caps, so I took a shot.  Imagine my surprise when I received notification that I won the auction, for less than $20!

The '61 Topps set is nowhere on my radar right now, and may never well be.  But the chance to pick up a really nice card of Ernie Banks doesn't come along too often, so I took it.

If I didn't take this chance, how would I have ever known that Ernie was a fine swimmer??

thanks for looking, Robert

No update? No problem!

Since this past Saturday, I've had the opportunity to visit both the local Wal Mart and Target.  I've seen the posts here and there about the '14 Update packs being in the stores, and I decided to check and see if there were any.

Both stores, nothing.  There was hardly any 2014 product on the racks at all.  I can't believe that it's all sold out, so maybe vendors are pulling product off the racks early in my area if they aren't selling.

Does it bother me that there's no update?   Not at all.

I can continue the quest to clean off the top of my desk.   That's been a tall order, which I've been able to knock down some in the past 3-4 weeks.  The Blue Jay piles have been diminished, and there is about 150 cards left to put into the spreadsheet and that onerous task will be complete.   I have a pile of Blue Jays "hits" that I'm going to scan and show off on the "Just the hits--Blue Jays" page I just created (you'll find it on the right hand side).

One of the piles on the desk actually had some vintage cards that I'd forgotten that I purchased a while ago (I believe these are from the May show). 

'61 will be a passing fancy for quite a long time.  I only have 15 cards towards the set, and this set is down near the bottom of the list as far as vintage set completion goes.

Dick Hall here is one of the many cards in the pile that I marked off of the '62 checklist, but never bothered to put away with the rest.  I've got quite a good start on this set, with 158 cards in my possession.  This is actually one of the nicer specimens that I own from this set.

Another card that I picked up quite a while back, but never bothered to put away.  The '67 set is one that I'll set my sights on once I finish off the '64 and '73 sets.  It might take a back seat to sets such as '62 and '69, since I only have 23 cards so far.

The '68 burlap set is another that I have quite the head start on, but will also take a back seat for a while.  I had to look, but sure enough that Mike Marshall is the same rubber armed pitcher that set the mark for most appearances by a reliever in 1974 (one of those records that will never be broken).  Mike didn't pitch in the majors during 1968, and wound up as a swing man on the '69 Seattle Pilots team before moving to the NL for the first half of the 70's.

I have an unchecked version of this '69 6th series checklist, so if anyone is looking for a marked up checklist that doubles as a Brooks Robinson card, I can send this your way.

I learned something new today.  There are 2 variations of this checklist from the '70 Topps set.  The one I have features the batter with a red bat, while the other version features a brown bat.  The scan makes this card look like the brown bat version, but I know it to be the red because I wouldn't be lucky enough to find the brown bat in a commons box.

The '71 set is another "down the road" project.  I don't think I can even picture Rollie Fingers pitching without the handlebar mustache.  I don't want to say it looks odd, but to me, it is.

There is progress being made as I said earlier on the desk cleaning.   I'm about halfway through creating a trade list full of inserts and serial numbered parallels for the team collectors out there.  I'll scan more of the Jays "hits" as time goes on. 

Meanwhile, I've started playing with my cards.   You may or may not have noticed that my post output has dropped quite a bit again.  That's largely due to having little inspiration for writing, and noticing that what I do write is being shunned by the masses (not that I blame anyone).  

I decided to create a little game for myself, comparing cards from half a dozen sets that I've either finished, or am close to finishing.   Totally arbitrary and subjective fun/scoring on my part.  (thanks to Mark Kaz and his "Four Topps" posts for the inspiration)  It's nothing fancy, it's not ground breaking, but for me it's different and variety is the spice of life.   Maybe one or two people will look at it and have something to say themselves about the cards!!

So, no update, no problem.  I've got a helluva lot of cards to go through, and a long season planned.

thanks for reading, Robert

What's Next? Round of 16: (2) 1974 Topps vs (15) 1961 Topps

I have far more '74 Topps cards to choose from, so finding a card that was interesting and worthy of scanning was easier than the '61 set.  Also, I'm not really sure what I was expecting out of the '74 set, but I was kind of surprised when compiling the tale of the tape that it was as inexpensive as it is. 


Tale of the tape:

1.  Set Size:  1974 has 660 cards.  1961 has 587 cards
2.  Key RCs:  1974  Dave Winfield, Ken Griffey Sr.  1961 Ron Santo, Juan Marichal
3.  Cost of complete set in NM condition:  1974  $400      1961  $7000
4.  Number of cards with high book at $100 or more: 1974: 0   1961: 17 

Blogs:  1974 Topps  vs   1961 Topps

I still haven't been able to find a blog dedicated to the 1961 Topps set, so this time I decided to link a recent post of the Night Owl to use as a reference.    The 1974 blog appears to have had its last entry written a couple of weeks back, so I'll have to take the time to read some of that now that it's finished.

I do have to say thanks to those who are voting regularly; it has been very interesting to see the comments on how collectors feel about these older sets.  Sometimes it has only been one line, other times it has been a paragraph.  But the comments have shown me how these sets have hit home with some people (positively and negatively), and that has made this tournament very enjoyable for me.

Spread the word if you can, it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks for reading, Robert

Week in review: First play in winner decided

It was a fairly close race for most of the week, but in the end, even after the voting poll crapped out, the winner was:

1961 Topps won out by a 12-8 margin.  That set will assume the 15 seed, and will face 1974 Topps in the round of 16.  I've already set up the poll for the 2nd play in match, which features a battle of the titans (in my opinion, anyhow) as 1972 Topps will face off against 1971 Topps.   Both sets have their redeeming qualities, and I'm hoping that the poll widget doesn't crap out like it did this week.  The tale of the tape post for the next match will be posted at noon tomorrow.

Thank you to those who did vote!!

I've also put a little thought into possibly adding a second baseball PC to my collection.  One guy that I really enjoyed watching during the late 90's was this guy.

Yea, I know a lot of you may cringe at the thought of adding Mark McGwire to any PC, but PED use or not, I know that there were a lot of people watching him in 1999 as he chased and finally caught the record for homers in a season.  But I'm not completely sold on him.

There are a couple of current players that I've thought about collecting as well.   Andrew McCutchen is an easy choice, MVP talent, based here in western PA where I live.  "Cutch" may just end up being one of those players that just gets too expensive to collect the way he's hitting the ball again this year.  Another player that I really enjoy watching, and get a lot of opportunities to do so, is Johnny Cueto.  The Luis Tiant style windup is always something I've enjoyed, and Cueto is having a season for the ages so far in 2014.  The only thing that has really kept him from being considered one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past several years is injuries. 

I'm not overly sold on the idea of another baseball PC just yet, but the idea is there.  Stay tuned...

thanks for reading, Robert

What's next? Play-In match #1 1968 Topps vs 1961 Topps

Tale of the tape:

1.  Set Size:  1968 has 598 cards.  1961 has 587 cards
2.  Key RCs:  1968  Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench      1961   Ron Santo, Juan Marichal
3.  Cost of complete set in NM condition:  1968  $3000      1961  $7000
4.  Number of cards with high book at $100 or more:   1968: 6       1961:  17

  

Blogs:

1968 Topps   vs   1961 Topps

I'm sure that I'll be referencing a lot of the blogs that Jim from Downingtown has that feature vintage sets.  If you're not following them, why not?  They are all well written and showcase a lot of sharp looking cards.

Feel free to comment on this post as to who your favorite is, and why.   Comments on this post earn entries into the end of tournament drawing for a prize to be given away.

thanks for reading and voting, Robert