My Hall of Fame Collection - 1961 Topps #141 Billy Williams Rookie Card

Billy Williams was one of the first legends of the game to respond to my Through-the-Mail (TTM) surge in 2007 and 2008.   I was reconnecting with the game back in those years, and while I wouldn't get back into cards or following current seasons until 2011, I was once again enchanted with the game's stories and history.   Specifically, I had started working with and befriended another fan who had enjoyed a lot of recent success with TTM requests.   He gladly shared mailing address information with me and I soon had a make-shift, cottage industry memorabilia pursuit factory running out of my office.

During breaks and after hours, of course!

Anyways, I organized a complete list of all living members of the Hall of Fame.   Working forward from the oldest, I began sending letters and cards and baseballs as frequently as my budget allowed (and often more frequently than that).   I would pick up Rawlings Official MLB's from the local sporting goods stores and send them off without a moment's pause....you see, I was always an optimist AND my wife and I were still enjoying the fruits of our DINK era.

(Sigh)

Sweet-Swinging Billy Williams was one of the first to respond and so he has always held a special place in my collection.   I'm not a Cubs fan, but with the combination of constant childhood WGN telecast exposure and my recent adoption of Anthony Rizzo as an official paisan....the Cubbies are right up there.   All this to say that I always try to pick up a Williams card when I can for my vintage collection.

Then I spotted this beauty for less than half the cost of blaster..... 

This card is gorgeous.   It was listed as GOOD/VG in its listing but I have a feeling it would grade out as a VG if that grading ever went down.   There is a hairline crease to the right of Billy's right hand.   It slants upward from left to right, ending where the edge of the photo meets the top of Wrigley's brick wall.   Hmmm.

No matter, this is a sweet copy of Billy's rookie card!   A Hall of Famer's rookie card!   These are few and far between for me, particularly when you start stretching back to the 60's.   The card itself is in great shape.   It presents very nicely with some excellent centering (a challenge for some '61s) and eye-popping color.   I know, the red and yellow standard that Topps decided to go with here does absolutely nothing in combination with the blue and white of Williams' uniform....but the color itself is nice and bright, which makes for an awesome vintage enjoying experience!   The corners aren't too bad, either.

The Star-Rookie logo is as simple as it gets, but it's perfectly placed in the top right corner.   IN fact, while action shots are always preferred over these posed nuances, the total outcome for the front of this card is fantastically balanced and suits my OCD-tendencies very nicely.   On top of everything is a great sneak peek at Wrigley Field in the background (I'm 99% certain....can anybody confirm?).   I'm sold!

Was the back mangled?

Let me know if you see something that I have missed (unless it's a fake....just let me go to my grave with that one), but the back looks just as sharp as the front!   Williams was a fairly tall fellow at 6'1" and, on an unrelated note, I had no idea there is a Whistler, Alabama.   I've been to a Whistler in Canada before, though.   It's a fabulous ski-resort town where did not skit one freaking bit!   It was a Valentine's Day getaway for me and Mrs. Ryan's Pitch after I returned from deployment back in....oh, it had to be 2004?   My God, 10 years.   She wasn't even 'Mrs.' yet.....but that trip was some of my finest campaigning!

Sorry.

As we can see, Billy's debut in Chicago for 18 games during the '59 campaign was quite the tepid cup of coffee.   He returned again in '60 for a nice showing, slugging 2 long balls and batting .277 over 47 plate appearances.   This was more in line with the domination he had displayed in the farm system, as you can see in both his stat line with Houston along with the always welcomed card back cartoon!

This back is well-centered, too and doesn't show any staining or discolorations that I can see.   Beautiful.

You just can't go wrong with a vintage card, that is a rookie card, that is in decent condition, that is of a player who is now in the Hall of Fame, for less than ten bucks.   You just can't.

Welcome to my Hall of Fame Collection, Sweet-Swinging Billy!   Mighty glad to have you home!

Thanks for reading and KEEP COLLECTING!

One of My Favorite Cards - 1985 Donruss #273 Roger Clemens Rookie Card

Roger Clemens will always be remembered as a dynamic pitcher.   His permanent record is now tarnished thanks to his alleged use PED's during his career, but there is a healthy debate as to whether or not this abuse made him better, last longer or....somewhere in between.   Regardless of the things we will never know, I will always say that many or most of the PED-using stars from that era were still very, very talented baseball players.   And when it comes to pitching talents, there were very few who were hurling as fiercely as the Rocket during his prime.

I picked up my first Clemens rookie card during my quest (still on-going!) to build the 1985 Topps set.   It is one of those cards that have become a standard for those of that recall the 80's with hobby fondness.   It led to the junk wax era, but these were the days that formed our love of the hobby - so it can't be all that bad!

Clemens' 1984 Fleer Update card is the rarest d most expensive rookie card of the bunch, but I always wanted a copy of his Donruss version.   I was finally able to scoop this card up for about $4:  

It's not perfect, but it has pretty good centering - a feat for '85 Donruss based on a lot of the examples that I've seen.   The edges are also pretty solid, a challenge for sets with mostly solid-black borders.   I'm looking at you, 1971 Topps!

Unlike its Topps brother, this Clemens card has a great action shot of the Rocket about to deliver a sizzling fastball.   The color scheme of the red and black across uniform, card and Red Sox logo works REALLY well, too!   Even if it is the Red Sox logo.....

Here's the back:

Pretty standard Donruss for back in the day - uninspiring.   But, wait.   What's that?   Guess what I just noticed?   The "Contract Status" information line!   What a FANTASTIC addition to a baseball card.   Has this piece of information appeared on any other brands?   Very interesting, and it definitely peaks my interest that Clemens' contract was only through the '85 season, the year of this card.

I also like the statistic regarding Clemens' feat of 15 K's against the Royals on August 21st of the previous year.   It states that this was the most by a Red Sox pitcher since 1961.

Okay, challenge accepted!

In 1961, on May 12th, 17 batters for the Washington Senators were struck out by Red Sox hurler, Bill Monbouquette?

Bill Monbouquette!

I fully admit that I knew nothing about Bill before conducting this '85 Donruss Clemens-inspired research.   I'm not a red Sox fan, but you can now call me a fan of Mr. Monbouquette.   He was a four time All Star and hurled a no-hitter in 1962 against the Chicago White Sox.   He played most if his ten years in Boston but also took the mound for the Tigers, Yankees (whew!) and Giants as he finished up his career.

Hey, how fitting is it that Clemens is connected to Monbouquette via the single-game strikeout record AND they both played as Sox and Yanks?   Magical, right there.
 
One more thing - "Monbo" had a great Eastwood-esque facial expression that resulted in some of the finest baseball card pictures I've ever seen.   Check these out!

I love it.   Is it just  me, or does Mr. Monbouquette also look like Virgil Trucks?   I will definitely be on the lookout for some Monbouquette cards to add to my collection, Boston or no Boston :)

Yes, back to Clemens.....

Love having this card in my collection even more now!   My second Clemens rookie.

Thanks for reading and keep collecting!

Ryan

My Rizzo Collection - 2010 Bowman Draft Prospect Autographs

I love cheering for Anthony Rizzo.   

After learning that his ancestors hail from the same slice of Sicily that mine do, I will always feel a reasonable connection with the lefty slugger.   The revelation came out of nowhere, discovered by yours truly (no sleuth) during a previous World Baseball Championship.   Rizzo's presence on Team Italia got my wheels turning.....and the rest was history.

The great thing about cheering for Rizzo is that it has its good days and bad days.   He was a star prospect and held the hopes and dreams of the Padres in his hands before he was sent to the Cubbies in the Andrew Cashner deal.   Cashner is pretty good, serving nicely as the Friars' staff ace int heir cavernous ballpark.   Rizzo, on the other hand, is still a young player for Chicago about which the Cubs would VERY much like to build their organization.    Starlin Castro just hasn't quite panned out and the likes of Baez, Almora, Bryant and others are still just a teeny, tiny bit into the future.....

It's Rizzo's time to grab the reigns, if he so chooses - and I sure am hoping/cheering that he does!   SO far, he has had a quietly successful 2014 campaign, in my opinion anyways.   I know that Cubs fans yearn for more from the well-paid lad, but Anthony is batting .283 with a K:BB ratio of 1.   I believe this shows some pretty decent discipline.....he is also on pace for 24 HRs, 75+ RBI and nearly 100 runs.   Keep it up, Anthony! 

Either way, I will be a fan forever and always.

In the meantime, I've managed to add a few nice cards of Rizzo to my PC.   Here is one that I really love!   I know that it does not technically qualify as a 'rookie card' (bowman draft prospect cards are considered inserts), but I am calling this my gem mint Rizzo rookie.   Take a look:

Sticker auto, but I'm over it.   The card is flawless - with the exception of that awful uniform....but let's focus on the good :)   This card garnered a total 9.5 grade from BGS with all 9.5's in centering, edges and surface.   The one "9" subgrade was awarded to the card's corners....and I suppose you can detect a 'touched' look on the lower two.   No worries!   I love the card and the autograph is really bold, too (validated by the 10 auto grade, I suppose).

Absolutely thrilled to add this Rizzo to my collection, and for the price of a blaster, I think I got a pretty good deal.   I believe it is $10+ for a BGS submission by itself?

This also marks the second graded or "slabbed" card that I've featured here on the blog as a new addition to my collection.   There are several more that I've added that I can't wait to share with you.   If you remember, I last showed my 2001 Pujols rookie card, which was graded by PSA.   Do I have any consistency with my graded card acquisitions?   Is there a plan?

For the most part, yes.   I read a lot about card grading, tracked graded card pricing online and discussed the topic ad nauseam with many of you fellow collectors.   I've decided to, whenever possible, pursue PSA-grading for cards in my collection prior to 2000 and then BGS-grading for cards thereafter.   I am still working out the finer details of what my preference is for any pre-war cards (Goudey, T206, etc.) that I might be FORTUNATE enough to hold in my hands.....PSA and SGC will be the two options for me.

Because I'm a nerd:

 PSA/SGC <-----> WW2  <----->  PSA  <----->  2000  <----->  BGS

Now, if you've been keeping track, you'll notice that I already violated this strategy with the 2001 Bowman Gold Pujols.   The price was right and I decided to act - and those kinds of occurrences are A-OK for me.

I do appreciate the craftsmanship of the BGS 'slab', though.   The gold label with subgrades make for a very attractive and professional presentation.   The slab itself is much thicker and heavier than PSA, too.   But I'm okay with either one.   What do you guys prefer?   A great discussion and hobby debate, for sure.

Thanks for reading and keep collecting!

Ryan

New Shiny Toys - 2014 Bowman #BP17 Jose Abreu

I couldn't help myself and picked up a blaster of 2014 Bowman the other day.   It's been a lot of fun to check out everyone's reaction to the product on twitter since last Wednesday and there have certainly been some incredibly profitable cards pulled out of packs.

Bowman is, as we all know by now, a rookie & prospects product.   It's the roulette table of the hobby world where the odds seem reasonable with minimal skill required.   What I mean is, every team has prospects & rookies.   And every team has a quantity of collectors out there.   Combine those two facts with baseball's version of the movie trailer phenomena (everybody's going to be great!) and you have a highly desirable product.   I don't consider myself a rookie prospector but, by God, I can't lose, right?! Even if I don't pull an Abreu or a Tanaka or a Bryant.....I'll pull a prospect that SOMEBODY's going to want to collect.   And it will probably be a SP parallel, too!

Topps has to be smiling ear-to-ear with the timing of this product's release coinciding with a VERY extraordinary start to the season for White Sox rookie and Cuban Sensation 2.0, Jose Abreu.   My last check on the Bay of E revealed that "base" Abreu autographs, the one that everybody and their mother seem to be pulling....are gong fro no less than $250.

$250.   My God!?

Don't get me wrong - what Abreu is doing in the Windy City is very comparable to the shot-to-the-arm Mr. Puig provided for the Dodger faithful last season.   Lots of power with an eye-popping HR total at this point in the season that easily multiply into historic season totals.   It will be exciting to watch and see if Jose can keep this up!

In the meantime, I really wanted to pull a card of his for my collection.   Sure, I would have loved to have pulled one of those amazing autographs.   It would have been fun to see what I could have turned it into, from a vintage perspective.....but I'm still a baseball fan and baseball card collector.   I'm not DEAD, but I do possess the out-dated appreciation for a simple rookie card.   Abreu's got a card in this set?   It's #17, you say?   Oh, I'd really love to pull one!

Blind squirrel, meet nut:

It really is a fine card!   The dichotomy between the amazing White Sox throwback uniform (even the batting helmet!) and the fact that Abreu is only a tad more than one month into his MLB career is something I can appreciate.   The card is extremely bright, crisp and white - and it draws your eyes directly to Abreu's powerful follow-through. The Sox logo, name and position are stacked in perfect symmetry with the two reminders on top that this is Jose Abreu's BOWMAN CARD and it is his FIRST one.

Here's the back:

I always appreciate card-back authors who utilize the "old hobby English" with terms like "loop", "circuit", "offerings" and "Campaign".   Never let these things die, Topps!

SO, there you have it.   I also pulled a prospect autograph card, a Bowman 100 insert and a #'d Kershaw parallel.   Overall, it was actually a really solid blaster.   I even pulled a Kimbrel base for my PC!   But above all of that, I pulled an Abreu rookie card....the card I was hoping to pull (other than Masahiro-sama).....and I'm pretty happy about that!

Thanks for reading and KEEP COLLECTING!

A Hobby Discussion and One of My Favorite Cards: 2001 Bowman Gold #264 Albert Pujols RC

As I've alluded to a couple of times before, graded or "slabbed" cards are becoming a larger part of my collecting habits.   It's something that I continue to wrestle with as a collector - what exactly do I collect?   Who do I collect?   How do I collect?   Why?

It's a different answer on different days - and that's okay.   It's one of the glorious things about our hobby, the fact that we have so very much to choose from.   Well, maybe a blessing and a curse...but as long as I continue to narrow my focus on what I enjoy the most, the plethora of options can only be a good way to start.  

And right now, I really enjoy several aspects of graded cards.   As a collector, I appreciate the beauty of a card that is in good condition.   Whether it's a 1940's Bowman that has survived in "Excellent" condition or a 2001 Bowman that is an indisputable "Mint" - there is much to be admired and appreciated from a collector's standpoint.   Do I still love old, beat-up and well-loved cards?   Do I still love the way the smell of a 1960 Topps card can take me straight back to my grandparents' house?   You bet.   ALL of the above. 

But for me, there's also the aspect of value and investment when it comes to my collection.   I know, this is a hot topic for many of us and one that I have found myself to be on both sides of.

"You should collect for fun, not value!"

"Greed and money is ruining the hobby!"

"Kids can't afford it anymore!"

These are all valid concerns and discussions that should take place to ensure the hobby stays vibrant, relevant, fun, viable and accessible.   For me, personally, I have come to realize that I value my money and want to preserve as much of it as I can while using it to provide for my family - whether that preservation takes place when buying clothes, buying medicine, going on vacation, grabbing lunch, paying the phone bill or card-shopping on the Bay of E.   As we all know, it's all about the things we need in combination with some of the things we want.   Heaven knows, there isn't enough of it [money] for everything.   

I also know that I really, really, really love baseball cards.   They are something I will always want but will never need.   Well....truly need.   They're a luxury; a hobby.   So sometimes, the two ideas of money and my baseball card hobby conflict with one another.   It is very easy to exchange a lot of money for a lot of baseball cards but sometimes it is a challenge to do so and maintain the same value - though "value" in a hobby is very subjective!   My 1986 Topps Doug Corbett is priceless to me, for example.

SO what kind of value am I talking about?   Whether we like it or not, there is a definite market for our hobby that dictates and assigns a relatively well-known and, though sometimes INSANE,  agreed upon value to the cards we all love and collect.   Some are a lot and some are.....junk.   But they all matter as bricks in the foundation of our cardboard heritage.

I'm slowly discovering a method by which I can pursue and collect cards that I value from a collecting standpoint and that can also have a chance to maintain value from the hobby's market perspective.   Or, more simply put - cards that could be sold in the future by myself or my family, should our financial needs outweigh the collecting needs.   I hope it never does.....but you never know.

Does this stream of conscience make sense? 

I'm going to stop there for now, but this is certainly a topic that I mull over frequently as my hobby and collecting evolution continues.   Don't worry, this topic doesn't stress me out.  In fact, I rather enjoy it and would love to know what you guys think! 

Right now, let's enjoy this particular card.....which also happens to be a card graded by PSA:  

I picked up this Pujols rookie card a couple of months ago.   I had been considering players of today who seemed destined for permanent status in the game as being "great" players, perhaps even destined for enshrinement in Cooperstown.   Hall of Fame players are a cornerstone of my collection, a portion of the sport's history that I enjoy reading about, learning about and researching.   This enjoyment manifests itself in my collection in the form of pictures, books, cards, autographs and more.   While the majority of my HOF-related focus has been on players already enshrined, I've begun to consider taking a closer look at prospective inductees who are still trotting the base paths after mammoth home runs or taking the mound for additional strikeouts.

Enter Albert Pujols.

I am not a Cardinals fan and I do not collect Albert Pujols in particular, but the guy has had an amazing career.   A powerful slugger, he collected many titles and trophies in St. Louis before acquiring the spite of Cardinal Nation for heading to Anaheim in free agency.

It happens.

And while the titles and trophies have continued for the Cards, Albert has seen a decline in his production as a Halo.   He's had some worrisome injuries, as most players eventually encounter....but he was still working towards the 500 HR milestone that he eclipsed about a week ago.   It was a major feat and one which I was lucky enough to be watching live on TV with a good friend.

I believe Albert Pujols will one day be in the Hall of Fame and I believe he belongs in that group of "best sluggers" of the game.   Some have their doubts and suspicions....but I can appreciate the guy's talent.   Heck, I still admire the prowess of Bonds and McGwire - but I respect the fact that not everybody feels this way.

Back to the card!

I love this card of Pujols!   It comes from that hobby ice age for me, between my collecting years.   It is a gold version of his 2001 Bowman rookie card.   The design is simple and symmetric which I really love.   he facsimile autograph is centered right there beneath the photograph and it even says "rookie card" in gold foil in the top corner.   I love that!   Best of all, though, I love the picture of a younger Pujols in a majestic follow-through....perhaps a home run swing, perhaps not......but the swing captured is THE swing that has now clubbed at least 500 home runs and almost assured that one day I will be able to add this card to my HOF collection.   Here's home run swing #500 for comparison:

I think that's pretty cool.   Yes, the card is "Mint" and I did obtain a copy of the card in that condition on purpose....but it in my hand, as I appreciate it as a card and a piece of history, it feels like a collection treasure and a historic memento of the game more than a simple investment.

And if that memento happens to have the potential to preserve its value?   Just in case?

That's something I can enjoy, too.

Congratulations, Albert!   Thanks for the memory and welcome to my collection.

Thanks for reading and keep collecting!

My Mattingly Collection - 2014 Topps Framed Rookie Reprints

We've all seen it a million times.   It's one of the most iconic cards from the 80's and a must-have for any Mattingly fan, Yankees fan or collecting-baseball fan from that decade.   It's the 1984 Topps Don Mattingly rookie card, presented in a "framed" and serial-numbered format courtesy of 2014 Topps Series 1.

I had to have one and it's pretty cool.   The colors and graphics are bold, as they should be for a modern-day reprint.  This particular copy is #19 out of 99....I will never get tired of looking at this card, my favorite card of my favorite player!

Here's a look at the back - it was printed in the "bleached" out fashion of the old traded sets, so it is not consistent with the original design, but it certainly provides some pop for this most recent rendition:

And just to give you an idea of what these framed cards are like, here is a side shot of the Mattingly for a sense of thickness.   They are substantial, rigid and much heavier than a standard card.  Since I scooped this one off the secondary market, I have no idea how they are packaged in with normal packs.   I can only imagine the excitement of pulling one, though, as you must certainly know that you have something special just based on weight and feel alone!

How do I store this thing?!?!

I'm slowly but surely starting to add post-playing days cards of Mattingly to my collection.   I should really try and focus more effort on that part of my collection as there was a lot I missed out on during my hobby hiatus from '94-2011.   I'd be interested in any of them if you have any for trade!

Thanks for reading and keep collecting!

One of My Favorite Cards - 2013 Bowman Wil Myers Rookie Card

I'm impressed by Wil Myers, so I felt compelled to snag this Bowman rookie card of his when I had a chance.   

I can remember first hearing about Wil when the Rays dealt James Shields and Wade Davis to KC in return for Myers, Jake Odorizzi (another great young player, a pitcher) and two other players.   I know a lot of Royals fans were crushed - and I can now see why.

Myers came up last year in June and I was unlucky enough to watch him blast his first home run.   Actually, it wasn't just a home run, it was a grand slam.   And I say "unlucky" because young Wil stroked his first 4-bagger off of CC Sabathia and my Yankees, in Yankee Stadium no less!   Well done, kid.

Yanks won the game, though :)

But anyways, this young fellow would go on to earn the AL Rookie of the Year award and seems destined for many more bombs and contributions to his club's efforts in the years ahead.   The Rays will surely be a nemesis of the Yankees in the AL east this season.

Bowman is not known for its amazing design but I really enjoy this card.   The action shot of Myers' glove closing around a fly-ball is a nice treat.   It's well-centered on the card, the colors work and a fielding picture for Myers was a nice surprise!

I didn't show the back because the picture I took was out of focus and made my head hurt......or maybe that's just the memory of his slam on June 22, 2013?

Good luck, Wil.

Thanks for reading!

Spring TTM 2014 - A Payoff Pitch!

For the first time in two years, the excitement of spring training and another baseball season inspired me to send off some TTM autograph requests to various players & coaches from numerous teams as they all gathered to kick off the 2014 season.

About 33 went out, by my recollection, which isn't too shabby.   I had plans for many more but I am trying to be smarter about my hobby pursuits.   I had to cut costs this year, so I neglected to purchase my usual packs of "Signature Cards".   I considered sending some cards from my collection but I have a dream that one day I will turn some of my autographs into beautifully mounted & framed auto/picture combination pieces.   Cards don't work so well for that but plain index cards do - and plain index cards are cheap!   So, planning was going well.   I was under budget at about $1.05 per request and I was on time.

Here's the catch - I went for the gusto.   Typically, you have to make a strategic decision as a "TTM-er".   Do you want to target younger and lesser-known players with the hopes that they will have smaller fan mail requests to dig through/select from or do you want to target "stars"?

I opted for a mix this spring, with a slight and uncharacteristic bias towards some big names.   Was I throwing money down the drain?   Statistically?   Definitely.   But I'm cursed as an eternal optimist and in a weird way, I love writing those letters to those favorite players.   You see, when I'm putting down my thoughts and praise and best wishes (with a small request at the end!), I imagine every single one coming back.   It's tantalizing and requires a heavy dose of imagination/wishful thinking - but it sure helps to push my weary hand along as I use valuable time towards what might be some very unproductive results.

So the letters went out and time just kept on tickin'.......I timed my mailings to coincide with pitcher & catcher arrivals, my attempt to try and be at the proverbial "head of the TTM line".   This date varied for every team, so I planned accordingly with a staggered approach.

Nothing.

All teams had reported and then full squads began workouts....

Nothing.

The spring games started.

Nothing.

And then SOMETHING.   Yesterday.

A small envelope with my own handwriting scribbled across the front showed up in my mailbox with a postage stamp from Arizona.....an instant smile rolled across my face and I carefully sliced open the envelope, being sure not to bring harm to anything that might be inside.   There was my index card!

BLANK.

I flipped it over in my hands since I had purposely used two-sided blank cards to avoid any line issues.....

BLANK.  

Crap.   But wait!   There was more in the envelope.....a......card?!

Hell yes.   A card.   THIS card, to be exact:

The $30M Man himself, Clayton Kershaw.   Some consider him to be the best pitcher in baseball right now.   I know I do - and he really doesn't have a lot of love in my collection.   A few base cards here and there, but no relics or rookies and certainly no autographs.

Consider that hole plugged.

This card is from that Hobby Ice Age that occurred between my Collecting Periods I and II.   It's a Goudey throw-back, I suppose?   The Kid makes an appearance at the bottom.   Strange, but I don't care.   Kershaw's "22" inscription is a bit difficult to make out on top of the glove.....but again, couldn't care less.

Will any more of my requests from this year find their way back home?   Hey, if they do - bonus.   I couldn't be more content.

Clayton Kershaw was kind enough to send me this card and sign it before he dropped it in the envelope.   Thank you, Mr. Kershaw!   So far, this has been your BEST delivery of the year for me!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend -

Ryan

How About a Good 'ol Baseball Card Post?

It's been a month and a half since I blogged about a baseball card......pontifications about the Hall of Fame and an LCS-visit recap have run their course, setting universal records for page-visits and comments (thanks, 30YOC!).   Heehee.

Time to find my center of gravity!

This was one of my favorite pulls from a pack in 2012.   I don't exactly go coo-coo for Bowman and its sterile design, but it was fun to bust a few packs with the high hopes of pulling something exciting.  

Of course, it's me we're talking about, so this is usually about as exciting as it gets for current release pack bounties:

2012 Bowman #34, Mike Trout

Mike Trout has since fulfilled his destiny of being the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year.   I know that I swam against the current and put my support behind Yoenis Cespedes......but don't hate.   I just really dug what I saw in Yoenis as he became an injury-overcoming integral part of the magical run by the Athletics.   How many "games played" in a particular year does it take to not be a rookie the following year?   I guess it's more than 40.   All that being said, I can fully support Mike and his amazing accomplishments on the field this past season:

Batting average	.306
Home runs	35
Runs batted in	99
Hits	209
Stolen bases	53
Runs scored	149

Yowza.   And that was with Hunter, Pujols, Morales & Trumbo behind him!   Throw Josh Hamilton back there and we very well could see some even MORE amazing production from this guy in 2013.   I'm no Angels fan but I'm excited to see what happens.   I'm fairly certain that Trout has even earned himself the #1 draft pick status in many a fantasy baseball leagues next season, too.

You know, if you're into that sort of thing.

As far as the card goes, it's okay.   Again, the very basic and clean design does not offend but it doesn't WOW you, either.   The picture is kind of cool, capturing Trout in a Kung-Fu-like mid-air kick-slide sort of pose.   If he was a girl he'd probably be worried about the multiple chin thing...but he's not.  He's Mike Trout, baby.

So how about the back?

It's always pretty cool when a player who wins "Player of the Year" at one level goes on to fulfill their potential and continue that success on the big stage.   Bravo to Mr. Trout.   A very accurate assessment of his abilities, too.   "...can dominate the game in all phases..."?   Turns out - TRUE!   The touching story of the kudos from Jeter is solid.   I wish they were teammates.....

This isn't really a Trout RC, I guess?   That's kind of disappointing.   But still, I was glad to see this card emerge from the endless supply of prospects I didn't know in that hanger pack.   It's always fun to pull a card of a guy that's playing pretty well at the time.  One of those basic [out-dated] joys of card collecting that I can't (thankfully) seem to completely shake.  

I hope I never do!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend, everybody!

One of My Favorite Cards: 1974 Topps #456 Dave Winfield Rookie Card

I had a quick internal battle as to whether or not I should file my Winfield rookie card in my Yankees collection or in my "Vintage/Other" piles......in the end, I decided to honor the time, years, performance and passion that Winfield displayed during his epic career as a member of all his teams by choosing the latter.

Turns out - this card rocks no matter which collection it rests within, as did the career it honors the start of!

Yep.  It's a bright one, Dave.

Winfield's rookie card is from the 1974 Topps set.   As a kid in the late 80's, I often confused the '74 design with the '80 design - both of which I still enjoy to this day (though I don't own very many of.....yet).   The dual banner, symmetrical look is very basic but its simplicity plays to my inner engineer.   The team, position and name labels frame out a cameo shot of Winfield looking very optimistic about his future.

This particular card is in great shape for my liking.   There's no creasing on the front and the coloring is fantastic so the overall presentation is really nice.   Browns and yellows are usually not ideal, but the retro goodness of the old-time Padres uniform is simply undeniable.   Throw in the 'ol Winfield moustache and early 70's stadium upper deck background for good measure and you have the makings of a most excellent rookie card.

The edges and corners are not perfect - but the price was right, so I was ecstatic to add another HOF rookie card to the collection.   Here's a look at the back:

 
Ah, there's a tiny crease up there in the upper right hand corner.  No worries, as my usual point of contention starts when I can no longer read a portion of the card - which is certainly not the case here.   You get a nice look at Mr. Winfield's signature up top with the usual biometrics and even a noteworthy cartoon along the right side - turns out that Winfield was born on the same day as "the shot heard 'round the world", a.k.a. Bobby Thompson's home run.   Very poetic that big Dave would be destined for his own post-season legend more than 40 years later!   But more on that later.   The four college career highlights at the University of Minnesota are given in bullet point format.   A lot of good information and interesting tidbits squeezed onto this cardboard.   I dig that.

This card portrays Winfield as a proud young phenom for the San Diego Padres.   The Padres drafted Mr. Winfield as a Pitcher and was the 4th overall pick of that draft.   Of course, Dave was also drafted by THREE other teams in TWO other sports (basketball and football).   Keep in mind, Dave Winfield didn't even PLAY college football at UM!

Hear it comes!

That should give you an idea as to how incredibly gifted this guy was as an athlete.   The Padres quickly dropped their young star into the deep end of the major league pool - where he immediately shined.   Needing his bat more than an additional hurler, they placed Winfield in the outfield where he still utilized his rifle arm to produce many memorable defensive plays.   He batted .277 in the 56 games he played in '73 and only seemed to improve as his career marched forward.

That Uniform = Awesome

He would go on to hit the national scene during the '77 All Star Game in New York and became the Padres Captain in '78 before posting .308 AVG / 34 HRs / 118 RBI in '79.   Winfield landed in New York as a free agent in 1981 where he would be a constant offensive leader until he left in 1990.   Often at odds with Steinbrenner (which probably began when the Boss signed Winfield for $7M more than he thought he did - making him the HIGHEST paid MLB player), Winfield never allowed the off-field Bronx drama affect his performance between the lines.   He would be an All-Star for eight years in a row ('81 - '88) and win five gold gloves in New York to go along with his five silver slugger awards.   He lost a VERY narrow batting title race to teammate Don Mattingly in 1984 by .003, finishing at .340.   Interestingly, Yankees fans were divided in their loyalty to both sluggers, with a noticeable tilt in favor of Donnie Baseball.   Winfield handled this fact like a professional, citing an eerily similar situation endured by Mantle and Maris during the home run race of '61.   The Yanks, despite having two sluggers in the line-up at .340 or better, still finished 17.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers that season.   Yikes?!

The Masters

During Steinbrenner's two year stretch of being banned from managing the club's operations, Winfield was finally traded to the Angels in 1990 where he stayed only briefly before having his second career renaissance as a soon-to-be world champion for the Toronto Blue Jays.   Even as an aging star, Winfield served as a very powerful designated hitter.   What am I saying?!   Big Dave slugged with a .290 average and slammed 26 home runs along with 108 RBI.  He wasn't done yet, no sir!   Winfield helped to lead the team into October where he provided the clutch 2-run scoring double for the Jays in the 11th inning of Game 6 that helped to clinch the '92 Series for Toronto.   Unfortunately, this victory was over my Atlanta Braves, but it was truly something to behold as Winfield officially shrugged off those tired old and fictitious "Mr. May" labels from Steinbrenner during his pinstripe days and became the oldest player (41) to slug an extra base hit in the World Series.   No matter how you slice it - that's good stuff and Winfield now had the hardware to go along with his championship-worthy career!

Destiny - Worth the Wait!

Winfield would go on to collect his 3,000th hit off of Dennis Eckersley as a Twin in 1993, thereby cementing his enshrinement in Cooperstown.   Playing his final game as a professional in 1995 as a Cleveland Indian, Dave Winfield completed an amazing career that spanned thirteen years and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2001.   He remains a very active part of the game today in a return to his roots as the executive Vice President and Senior Advisor for the San Diego Padres, who also retired his #31 in 2001.  He is also very active and performs much great work through his foundation, The Winfield Foundation - and can also often be seen as a guest analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight.

Power for Good.

Atta boy, Big Dave!   Thanks for the memories and your contributions to the game of baseball (even the ones that might have occurred outside of your time as one of my beloved Yanks).   You're definitely one of my favorites and while I haven't been lucky enough to meet you or get your autograph yet, I'm honored to have your rookie card in my collection!

Thanks for reading.

My Yankee Collection - 1948 Bowman #14 Allie Reynolds Rookie Card

Here is a look at one of my favorite cards from my Yankee collection - Allie Reynolds' "Rookie" card from the 1948 Bowman set:

Vintage-y Goodness, served up Bronx Style!

The 1948 Bowman set was very limited, at only 48 cards.   This Reynolds card is #14 from the set.   This card is noted as Reynolds' rookie card because the '48 Bowman release was the first major release after the end of World War II.   Therefore, the majority of cards in the set are noted as players' first cards, even though many had played for years - like Reynolds, who came up with the Indians in 1942.   The card's dimensions are 21/16" by 21/2" and the entire set is in black & white.   I managed to find this card in great condition at an unbelievable price!   At 64 years old, this Reynolds is completely crease-free and has some great edges with sharp corners.   As was common for many cards back then,it suffered from a slightly uneven cut but the card really doesn't suffer in its appearance.   Would I care anyways? :)   Here's the back!

What the Michael Pineda Trade Will [Probably] Never Be...

  
Here you have the very basic back of those early Bowman releases.   But I still dig them!   The usual biographical numbers are followed by a great summary of Allie's early career and a mention of the great trade that brought Mr. Reynolds to New York - more on that below.   And don't forget to ask for Blony Bubble Gum, The Gum with THREE different flavors :)   Ha!   How sweet is that little ad?   Can you imagine the uproar if card companies loaded up the backs of our modern-day releases with ads?   Here's a quick glance at what this card looks like in a top-loader, just for some size perspective:

I love, love, love this card!   It's a vintage Yankee rookie card of a great player.   I can't swap it for a house....or a car....or even Madden '13, but it's a great piece of history to me and it's in great shape.   I hope I have the chance to find some other good deals on some other cards from this set.   Any time you can take home a card from one of those "First Page" sets (sets on the first page of the price guide)......I think you have something special.


Here's some more about Mr. Reynolds:

Allie Pierce Reynolds was one of the most dominant pitchers in the American League during his playing days.   He began his career with the Cleveland Indians, who were tipped off to his hurling prowess by the baseball coach at Oklahoma A&M - where Allie attended college and lettered in numerous sports until graduating.

Reynolds in Cleveland -note "War Bonds" Ad behind him!

He fought his way through the minor leagues during difficult financial times for the country and was on the verge of retiring from the game out of frustration until he was called up to Cleveland and established himself as an ace for the Indians while their usual #1, Bob Feller, was serving overseas in World War II.   It should be noted that Reynolds took the enlistment physical but was determined to be ineligible for service due to family medical history and some injuries he had suffered while playing sports in college.   Allie Reynolds led the AL in strikeouts in '43 and made a total of 100 starts for the Indians.   Of those times he took the mound as a starting pitcher, Reynolds tossed 41 complete games and had nine shutouts!  

By 1946, Feller had returned to the squad and the club's player/manager Lou Boudreau needed to fill a defensive hole at 2B for the Indians.   He had set his eyes on the Yankees' 2B, Joe Gordon and informed the Yankees' front office man, Lee MacPhail that New York could have any pitcher he wanted - with the exception of Mr. Feller, of course.   Lee sought some counsel from 'ol DiMaggio who advised Lee:

"Take Reynolds.   I'm a fastball hitter, but he can buzz his hard one by me any time he has a mind to."

 

Timing....is EVERYTHING!

The rest is history and Allie Reynolds became an ace for the Yankees on a staff that included Ed Lopat and Vic Raschi.   By 1949, Allie was the star of a team that won five consecutive league championships - the first squad to ever do so.   For his first 6 seasons as a Yankee, Mr. Reynolds averaged over 232 innings, 17.5 wins and 14 complete games!   He also became the second pitcher in major league history to hurl two no-hitters in one season, joining Johnny Vander Meer who had accomplished the feat in '38.   Notching two no-no's in one season is still the record though the two have been joined more recently by one of my all-time favorites - Virgil Trucks ('52) as well as Nolan Ryan ('73) and Roy Halladay ('10).   Not too shabby, huh?

Allie Reynolds hailed from Oklahoma (like another Yankee legend, don't you know?) and was a member of the Creek Indian Nation.   As was the standard in those days, any ball player of Native American heritage usually garnered the nickname "Chief" from his teammates at some point.   This was no different for Mr. Reynolds, who earned a version of that as "Superchief".   It is pretty widely known that Allie wasn't comfortable with his nickname, usually citing the honor and reverence that was reserved for the title of "Chief" within his Creek Indian culture.   The stories behind this label aren't crystal clear but teammate and eventual AL President, Bobby Brown once noted:

"But for some of you too young to remember, the Santa Fe Railroad at that time had a crack train (call the Superchief) that ran from California to Chicago, and it was known for its elegance, its power and its speed. We always felt the name applied to Allie for the same reasons."

That's quite a compliment.   In fact, I think the only other compliment that I might be MORE impressed by would be some kind words from 'ol Casey Stengel......wait, WHAT?   Stengel had words of praise for this guy?   Why yes, yes he did:

"Reynolds was two ways great, which is starting and relieving, which no one can do like him...He has guts and his courage is simply tremendous."

That's good stuff!   And so were Superchief's career accomplishments, although they never managed to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame:

• Six Time All-Star (1945, 1949, 1952, 1953 and 1954)
• Six Time World Series Champion (1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953)
• Lifetime Stats: 182-107, 3.30 ERA and 1,423 K's

Maybe most impressive was Reynolds' performance under pressure in the post season.   He was 7-2 with a 2.79 ERA over 77 innings and was the "clinching" pitcher in the '50, '52 and '53 Series.   He made six relief appearances in the World Series and earned either a Win or a Save in every single one of them.   And just to drive the point home - he batted .308 in 26 World Series at-bats.   Yo!   Allie went on to become a very successful business man in the oil industry after retiring due to injuries suffered in a crash of the Yankees team bus during the '54 season.   He passed away in Oklahoma in 1994 at the age of 77.  

Allie "Super Chief" Reynolds was indeed a legendary pitcher for my favorite team back in the very first days of baseball's golden age.   His accomplishments are impressive as is the way in which he apparently lived his life.   I'm really glad....no, honored to have his rookie card as a part of my New York Yankee baseball card collection.

Thank for reading!

Indiana Jones and the Emerald Panda

Ha!   I couldn't resist.   That title totally works though, doesn't it?   And it would probably be WAY better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls or whatever that was......what a bomb.

Anyways, I tried my luck at some 'ol Bowman Platinum again, this year.   I told myself not to after last year's dabble - but you know me.   There's just that craving to rip some crinkly wrappers that is inescapable.   I also saw everyone posting beautiful relics and signatures on the blogs and Twitter so I figured I should go and remove some of the non-hit packs from getting in their way.

I succeeded, as always.

BUT, I still pulled some decent "non-hit" cards.   The cards are very reminiscent of last year's Platinum.   Yes, they're beautiful - but they just don't seem like baseball cards to me.   Oh well.   I'm an old fuddy-duddy, I guess.   They DO still come complete with that sweet maple-syrup scent, though.

Here are a few of the highlights.   I also pulled my FIRST Manny Banuelos card but couldn't find the top-loaded Manny for a picture......I'll snag him later.   (If you wanna see you some Manny, I'm sure The Lost Collector can satisfy your need!   Tell him Ryan sent you.....)   Manny has been out for most of this season with elbow trouble.   I'm hoping it resolves itself.   Ah-hem......here are the other cards of note, in no particular order:

He's dirty, you can see the ball and he's blowing a bubble.....Pablo Sandoval, everybody.

Funny.   The further along in the season we get, the less and less excited everybody is to pull a Yu card.   I like the card, though.   It's a perfectly balanced photo of Mr. Darvish with a great look at the Texas flag on his sleeve and a tidy little "RC" logo in the corner, just so there's no confusion.   In today's world of infinite variations, it's nice to know when you have a rookie card of somebody.

JP has cooled off a wee bit lately, along with some of the other young, A's pitching sensations.   But their collective talent as a whole, along with Mr. Parker's, is unmistakable.   I kind of hope that Oakland keeps these guys together and that the A's can make a return to greatness.   While I am a Yankees fan through and through, the A's were my other favorite team as a kid.   The Bash Brothers, Rickey, Dave Stewart, Eck.....loved 'em.   So seeing this staff and their brethren in the field (Cespedes, Reddick, etc.) would be great.   This card is another winner, too.   Great balanced shot with the ball hurling towards you and the RC logo in the corner.   This one might be TTM worthy, yes?   How do signatures handle on the Platinum glossy finish?   Any advise or warnings?

I think this one is a special chrome version or something?   All I hear about every day is how many SB's Billy Hamilton has on the season.   Probably because he has....as of today, 8/10/2012.......FREAKING 133 SWIPED BAGS THIS YEAR!   The record is 13 away, set by Vince Coleman in 1983.   Rickey Henderson set the major league record of 130, which could certainly be in danger one day after Billy is called up.   Wow.   Hamilton also had a great showing in the future star All Star Game.   I think he will do great things for the Reds and is a nice compliment to the power of Votto and [not lately] Bruce.   If Latos and Bailey and Chapman and all the others get the pitching together.....Cincy could be a Big Machine for many years.

SO, I'm glad to pull this (yet again) well-balanced, shiny, nice looking card of Mr. Hamilton.   I'll tuck it away and we'll see what happens.   I just wish I knew whether or not it was a rookie card?

:)

So there's some Platinum for you.   Everybody have a great weekend.   I'll be heading to the coast with the family tonight for a few nights of guaranteed fun.   I have, with great fortune, managed to land a pass to Sunday's final round of the PGA Championship at Kiawah.   I will go watch golf while Mrs. Ryan's Pitch drives the wee ones back home.   Let me be clear: I love her and she is perfect.

As far as the PGA is concerned, I am hoping for Bubba to win his second major of the year - though at +3 after yeaterday's 1st round, it's not looking good.   My other wish is to smoke a fine cigar and eat M&Ms with John Daly in the parking lot while sipping Diet Coke out of the Wanamaker Trophy.

Take away Daly and the Trophy and it could happen.

Thanks for Reading!

Gary Carter, Never The Last Out

Way too early.

That is the sentiment that I've heard repeatedly as the baseball world, and the world beyond, comes to grips with the passing of Hall of Fame catcher, Gary Carter.

And I couldn't agree more.

What did Gary mean to me? As a kid, collector, baseball fan and little leaguer in the late 80's - you knew who Gary Carter was. You knew he was a good guy. How could he not be? The man was ALWAYS smiling. He was an outstanding catcher and clearly deserved his own pages in my "Star" binders. Sure, he wasn't my favorite player. I didn't seek him out or work up trades with friends to build my Gary Carter collection. But he was a great ball player. When I ripped open packs of cards as a youth, Gary Carter's cards would definitely be placed in the GOOD players pile as I sorted and tucked away.   For a kid collector, this was obviously a notable tip-of-the-hat!

SI thought he deserved a tip-of-the-hat, too!

I knew Gary as a Mets player back then. If you recall, I began collecting in the 1986-1987 time frame, so Gary and his "Miracle Mets" teammates were coming off of their historic come-from-behind victory over the Boston Red Sox in the '86 Series.

As a Yankees fan - sure, I enjoyed that. Still do!

Game 6 of the 1986 World Series will forever be remembered as Bill Buckner's worst moment. The moment when the "Curse of the Bambino" received a shock to the heart with two outs in the bottom of the (10th?) inning. The Mets were down by two runs. It must have felt pretty hopeless. Even the officials at Shea Stadium had felt such a premonition of finality that they briefly flashed a congratulatory message to the Red Sox on the stadium's jumbo tron.

SERIOUSLY?!

If I had been a Mets fan, I would have been furious, unwilling to acquiesce until the final out.   And that's exactly how Gary Carter felt.   He later recalled that he was determined to NOT be the final out of that World Series.   Apparently, he is a good listener when it comes to inner monologues.   Gary lofted a beautiful single into left field and ignited what would become one of the greatest come-backs in baseball history.

Mr. Carter was a tremendous contributor to the game of baseball.   There are copious amounts of memorial posts and articles being churned out right now in the wake of his passing.   Each one contains something new that I hadn't previously known about the man:

• he had a chance to play football at UCLA

• when he was drafted by the Expos, he prepared by taking the time to learn French (no provided interpreters back then!)

• as a rookie, he hit his first career HR off of Steve Carlton and proceeded to hit 10 more off of Lefty over the years, more than any other individual pitcher Gary punished with his 324 career home runs 

These factoids are just the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to learn more.   The game we love is simply BETTER because a player like Gary Carter graced the field with his presence.   I hope we have more players like Gary in the future.   Actually, I hope the world has more people like the Kid.   It would certainly be an improvement.

When I got back into the hobby last year, I was fortunate to stumble upon a FANTASTIC little shop on the other side of town.   I believe it's simply called, "The Stamp Shop" - specializing mostly in stamps and currency collectibles.   The man who runs the store is a charming old fellow who doesn't mind a meandering conversation about...well, just about anything.   He is only open Friday through Monday becaue, well, that's when he wants to work.   I stumbled upon his shop during my Father's Day "afternoon off" last year and asked if he had any baseball cards.

Cards weren't his focus, but yes, he did.   OH, did he.

He had boxes and boxes, organized neatly by either year, team or price ($1 box, $5 box, etc.).   It was great and I had a lot of fun going through some amazing cards at reasonable prices.   It just so happened that I came across two Gary Carter cards in the  "$5 and under" binder.   Here's the first one:

Love that old-school gear, Kid!

Edmund...see?  Learned something else.

There's that smile!   Gary's rookie card.   For less than $5?   Yes, please.   Sure - it's well loved.   The corners are fuzzy but the colorful zeal of the '75 design still pops.   There's a solid crease in the upper-righthand corner but it doesn't come through on the back and disrupt any of the write-ups.   Gary is listed as a Catcher on this rookie parade of C's and OF's.   Ironically, Carter played most of that first full season witht he Expos in right field.   It didn't affect his performance at all - he made the All-Star team and even saw action when he relieved some guy named Pete Rose in left field.   I love this card and, so far, it's my best card from 1975.  

Here's the other Gary Carter card I picked up and didn't put down that day:
 

                                                

                                                         Always been a fan of the position icons!

 

Apparently, J-Lo was a 1964 Oriole?



You can't go wrong with the All-Star Rookie cup!   There's Gary again - okay, maybe the smile is more of a grunting smirk as he works to perfect his swing......but you can see the focus in his eyes as he prepares for the season.   Does anybody know the stadium pictured in the background?   I am fairly certain that it is not Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, the home of the Expos' spring training from '73 - '80.   I always love the old Topps cards with fresh spring training images in the background.   It makes me th ink of sun, breeze, beer and....well, you know the rest.

This card was in much better shape than the '75 and since it was only his second year card (gosh, ONLY - ha!) it went for even less.   The corners are good with no creases and my blogging lamp clearly shows off that "original gloss".   The centering ain't too bad either - beautiful card.   Topps did a great job with the design that year.   You know, I think I like this one slightly more than his '75.   It's certainly a welcome addition to my collection.   I have a few other '76 cards and I can't wait to add more (do you hear me, Eck?!).   Carter had added a whole 5 pounds since his '75 stats.....I'm guessing he enjoyed a few more good meals after his successful rookie campaign.   You deserved it, Kid!

Finally, I also have a Gary Carter card with a piece of memorabilia.   The card explains this terrifically Metropolitan's-Orange swatch as being from a "game-worn jacket".   It's a clean layout and I enjoy its simplicity.   I think the clear shot of Carter's follow-through remains the focus, working well with the nearby square of jacket-y goodness:

Consider this "Call to the Hall" answered!

I picked it up as a whim, probably as an after-thought add-on to lower shipping expenses per card.

And I'm so glad I did.

Thank you for the memories, Mr. Carter and rest in peace.   Your contributions to baseball will live on forever, so don't worry - you'll NEVER be the last out.

Thanks for reading.