The monthly '62

It's funny, looking over the spoils of the card show haul from the weekend, I realized that I had purchased just one '62 Topps card. 

I'm not sure if it was by mistake, or if it was purchased subliminally.  Found in a 50 cent bin, this card is in good shape, edges are nice, corners a little soft but not bad.

Card # 440

I had originally thought that there were no markings on the card, but after scanning and posting the card, I noticed the pen mark in the lower left.   Shows a lot better on the scan than to the naked eye.  Still, the card is another nice addition to the collection. 

Just 555 more to go for a complete set! 

I'm going to spend the next 3-4 posts going over the spoils of my card show travails.  I have a lot of cards to show off, so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading, Robert

Blue Jay Monday: It's like he never left

One guy that I was very happy to see return to the wonderful world of blogs was Potch from the greatly named Potch Wheeler and the Cardboard Heroes  blog.  Potch had taken a 6 month sabbatical, and not too long upon his return I received an email from him asking me if my address was still the same (it is..). 

Within a week, another gracious envelope of cardboard generosity hit my mailbox, and Blue Jay Monday is going to be spent giving Potch the 5-4-3-2-1 treatment.  Have a look...

Potch over the past year and a half has spent many an envelope filling my mailbox with '77 Topps goodness, and these 5 made my life at the weekend show a lot easier (and cheaper)

No scrubs in that lot kids...that's five of the big boys...I'm down to 9 cards left to complete the '77 set. 

I still can't believe it's been 36 years since the Jays first took the field on a snowy April afternoon in Toronto. 

There's some vintage Blue Jay powder blues for ya!!

'88 Donruss is starting to grow a little on me, and I'm scared....

The two tone blue that Fernandez is wearing just doesn't cut it.  The blue borders on the cards actually work with the uniform tops here.

I've been receiving a ton of Blue Jays minis lately, and here's 2 of a guy who was no mini for sure...

Almost seeing double here, but the glove is in a different position for both shots, so it's close but no cigar.  Look at those old hard ass seats in Exhibition Stadium, about as uncomfortable a chair as you could imagine.

Finally, we stray a bit off the Blue Jay Monday theme.  For the 2nd time in a week, a fellow blogger had heard my plea for the hockey card jones that I have, and sent me 1 pack.

1996-97 Collectors Choice was something I collected back in the day.   Cheap packs, great Upper Deck photography and a colorful front were what I enjoyed.  This Claude Lemieux card reminded me of one of the greatest wars in hockey over a 10 year period, the absolute hatred that the Avalanche and the Red Wings shared for each other. 

Lemieux was a marked man after that hit, one of the biggest cheap shots in my lifetime....

DW...thank you for the cards, greatly appreciated!!  Let me know if you have a '76 want list somewhere, I have a few doubles I could swing back at you in return.

Thanks for reading, Robert

My first color TV

I had a blast at the monthly card show on Saturday.  Found all kinds of goodies to add to the collection.  But I found one card in a box that had everything marked down. 

When you can get a color TV for $1.25, you can't pass it up, right?

My first '55 Bowman card, #220 Jim Hearn of the New York Giants. 

I don't recall if I've ever seen a '55 Bowman before.  I probably have, but likely overlooked it while hunting for other cards. 

This card just helps to reaffirm my love for vintage.  The less said, the better.

Thanks for reading, Robert

Grubby Glove's cool project

I recently completed a great trade with Michael over at the Grubby Glove blog, and of course when I see a new blog, I have to dive in and get the gist of what the writer has to say.

This guy is hardcore.  When looking up his website today in order to provide everyone with a link, I came across Michael's most recent post, dated February 1st.  It seems that Michael is in the process of trying to give a 50th anniversary stamped card back to a former MLB player, Lenny Green of the Minnesota Twins.

That folks, is a fantastic idea.  That alone will have me checking his blog regularly in order to find out how he is fairing.

As far as the trade front goes, I received a great lot of cards from Michael in return for a bunch of 2010 Topps inserts that he wanted.   I figured the best way to treat this lot that is now in my possession was in the form of a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown.    Here we go....

Let's start with a sticking point of mine a couple of months back.  The 2012 Heritage High Numbers set.  Michael sent me all the Blue Jays...

Colby, come on man, it ain't that bad!!

Michael is in tune with what is going on here at the habit, because he sent me 4 1975 Topps cards..

Chris Chambliss was a Blue Jay for a short time, but never appeared in a uniform.  The Jays acquired him from the Yankees in the off season of 1979 as part of the Rick Cerone trade.  5 weeks later, Chris was on his way to Atlanta in a deal that brought the Jays Barry Bonnell and Joey McLaughlin. 

Next up, 3 players whose names I try to avoid spelling as often as possible...

Rzepczynski's nickname is appropriately  "Scrabble"

I love purple bordered cards, and one of the two Tony Fernandez cards you see here is a good example of why.

Yes, I know it is a card from the '88 Score set, but I think the purple border works, on just about any card. 

Finally, we have the greatest Jays player to ever wear the #30....Todd Stottlemyre..

Michael, thank you very much for the trade!!  The cards are very much appreciated.  Best of luck with getting that card to Lenny Green as well, I'm looking forward to how that will turn out.

Thanks for reading, Robert

3Bay

I've just about used up all the loot that I made on eBay in January, but my last purchase that arrived in the mail yesterday was one of my best.

Three cards, three sets, three stars.  $10 shipped.  Deals like this really spoil me, because I know that I will not be lucky enough to find them all the time.

First, from the '77 Topps set, Mr. October

Reading the biography of George Steinbrenner really opened my eyes to the love-hate relationship the Reggie and George shared.  Reggie was picked in the 1st rd, 2nd overall by the Kansas City A's in the 1966 draft.  The only person drafted ahead of him?  Steven Chilcott.  Mr. Chilcott made it as far as AAA in the 1970 season, and never made it to the major leagues.  Imagine Reggie as a Met....

Next up let's do a little stretching, '76 Topps style.

I cut off part of the top of the card with the scan, best rest assured it's there.  Fun fact, Willie won the unanimous Rookie of the Year award in 1959, with only 219 plate appearances.   Willie hit .354 with 13 HR and 38 RBI in that brief period of time, and actually placed 22nd in the MVP race. 

Finally, speaking of stretches, just remembering this guy's windup makes me want to stretch as well.

1970 Topps #449

Fun with stats:  Over a 9 year period between 1970-1978, Jim Palmer won 20 or more games 8 of those seasons.  Of the 8 twenty win seasons, he wins the Cy Young award 3 times, finishes 2nd once, finishes 3rd once, finishes 5th twice.  The 1971 season is the anomaly.  Jim finished with a 20-9 record, 2.68 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, and somehow doesn't get a Cy Young vote at all.   What??  While there were two pitchers that year that had better numbers (Vida Blue and Wilbur Wood), Palmer's numbers were comparable to Dick Drago and Andy Messersmith, who received votes.   Tough year for sure.


Who says that 3's a crowd?  These fit into my budget just fine....

Today was day 2 of avoiding the new Topps flagship, let's see how long I'll last....

Thanks for reading, Robert