tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24007990610820964982024-03-28T23:29:17.344-04:00WHEN TOPPS HAD (BASE)BALLS!Creating Custom Baseball Cards Celebrating the Heroes of My Youth:
Follow me on Twitter: @wthballs Email: wthballs@gmail.comJohn23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comBlogger4093125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-69388713769444716142024-03-28T08:09:00.004-04:002024-03-28T08:09:59.143-04:00969 "DO-OVER" SET: KEN HARRELSON<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today's
blog post spotlights my 1969 do-over for Ken Harrelson, from my recent
custom set, replacing the comically old image used by Topps on his
original card:</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgMCkvINWZAK8tkLVPIRMSkmqVRtCWNClEfqZd9pqrPTwTxW5iDBDAlprlYgmgIHsF9zXjsP4X7ZN_KeZ47oYkoYkmQvFqTvZ0K7U_leLiP_IU-oM_IWKoZ79AwUZj5R_UERR3DOgcEIFeKGa7CY32q7rvz1mLdl2jU_eodwA4P3kN6tpF3g4v938UQM/s540/1969%20REDO%20KEN%20HARRELSON-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgMCkvINWZAK8tkLVPIRMSkmqVRtCWNClEfqZd9pqrPTwTxW5iDBDAlprlYgmgIHsF9zXjsP4X7ZN_KeZ47oYkoYkmQvFqTvZ0K7U_leLiP_IU-oM_IWKoZ79AwUZj5R_UERR3DOgcEIFeKGa7CY32q7rvz1mLdl2jU_eodwA4P3kN6tpF3g4v938UQM/s320/1969%20REDO%20KEN%20HARRELSON-01.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN8D3BJ_Svj3QQLVWSKGAqU_Yg3kqB6_7iCiyrasHYENbljOFtg8FRiOL71qMT63KZDQgX8cANx0SG0Hz2QGG2v_dU2hUc0CC17rSMtJC80jXT-bYs7H-_hI3pxC6dzt88I4aaV_4HLcZogW_cqFC4KvC7puGGnLmPIoy8AC7zCjszBJix8pk8NdYdTY/s1440/20230909_124211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN8D3BJ_Svj3QQLVWSKGAqU_Yg3kqB6_7iCiyrasHYENbljOFtg8FRiOL71qMT63KZDQgX8cANx0SG0Hz2QGG2v_dU2hUc0CC17rSMtJC80jXT-bYs7H-_hI3pxC6dzt88I4aaV_4HLcZogW_cqFC4KvC7puGGnLmPIoy8AC7zCjszBJix8pk8NdYdTY/s320/20230909_124211.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjBk4_Q6RQDBWIhT_o86FVigP_3jVmBb4-WmIgIq8irtDXqeUb0CT4RchMGK9WwIURV7UDPLwjRdkQ8eVXiATxspGGCOISSDTfn09TcfOFADPnIMWvYqhW1UTpXOFLlKZOnPHeEArMyiC0Ri-oV6gwaiTjdYgn_t7pqqNh9huslXDjqF8mzs0L048fjE/s1426/20230925_142437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1426" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjBk4_Q6RQDBWIhT_o86FVigP_3jVmBb4-WmIgIq8irtDXqeUb0CT4RchMGK9WwIURV7UDPLwjRdkQ8eVXiATxspGGCOISSDTfn09TcfOFADPnIMWvYqhW1UTpXOFLlKZOnPHeEArMyiC0Ri-oV6gwaiTjdYgn_t7pqqNh9huslXDjqF8mzs0L048fjE/s320/20230925_142437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you remember the original, Harrelson was clearly still in a Kansas City A's uniform, a team he hadn't played for since 1967.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The
rescuing of images was common for Topps during this era, as they were
embroiled in a licensing squabble with the MLBPA at the time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Harrelson
was coming off his finest season in the Majors when this card would
have seen the light of day, leading the American League with 109 runs
batted in while slugging 35 homers for the Boston Red Sox, good for a
third place finish in the MVP race when all was said and done.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>He finished his nine-year MLB career with 131 homers, 421 RBIs and 374 runs scored over 900 games and only 2941 at-bats.<br />
Of course, Harrelson is truly remembered by all fans as a broadcaster,
something he has done for over 40 years with a General Manager break in
the mid-80’s with the Chicago White Sox.<br />
A true baseball character, the out-spoken Harrelson has had quite the
interesting career in baseball, as a player and broadcaster, leading to
some funny and sometimes controversial moments. <br />
Worth a quick read-up if you have a minute and are not familiar. </span></span></span></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-31134781751724889842024-03-27T07:28:00.005-04:002024-03-27T07:28:57.291-04:00WTHBALLS GUM PACK CUSTOM SET: NOLAN RYAN<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Up on the blog today, we post up my Nolan Ryan mini "Gum Pack" custom card, from my set released a few months back:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnrTpMT9CWLoyAXjsF05TGyBX7iaCyiyB9NDM-9pjoQSJKCF6R7DeF8Q_ElRgH2wGF9zhAO9ozbbMFcC4SG5Pgl8Mv3uZsAs60g5t86xRAp3I2y0ZayQJbl4pz1xqW5XTvjggtqKC8cNWJxSUT_7RWzVIhv61QsjF5Pp88p50MLUJW1IVtc8XNewgVuE/s522/GUM%20PACK%20RYAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="226" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnrTpMT9CWLoyAXjsF05TGyBX7iaCyiyB9NDM-9pjoQSJKCF6R7DeF8Q_ElRgH2wGF9zhAO9ozbbMFcC4SG5Pgl8Mv3uZsAs60g5t86xRAp3I2y0ZayQJbl4pz1xqW5XTvjggtqKC8cNWJxSUT_7RWzVIhv61QsjF5Pp88p50MLUJW1IVtc8XNewgVuE/s320/GUM%20PACK%20RYAN.jpg" width="139" /></a></span></div><p></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfIbixJ62HF51GpOr9SRoVnpWxPy-X35qrR5tWRR3CPN-cZVCyv-7-rwKzmRsWh7-Kc1Wy-s283MO_axJFraL4JgQxyImWhmi-b4byVNfAw50idciZQzw6ALw7GsDvx9URloRGVI2HkargnWAhbDXz-4mMm_mpt4SZI1LQEkfHN5xmUiZMO-Z8M9iLCQ/s1473/20231021_174651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1473" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfIbixJ62HF51GpOr9SRoVnpWxPy-X35qrR5tWRR3CPN-cZVCyv-7-rwKzmRsWh7-Kc1Wy-s283MO_axJFraL4JgQxyImWhmi-b4byVNfAw50idciZQzw6ALw7GsDvx9URloRGVI2HkargnWAhbDXz-4mMm_mpt4SZI1LQEkfHN5xmUiZMO-Z8M9iLCQ/s320/20231021_174651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxtYR75AahF_rWNYHY6R0CxG44BcIDOCjKzMijYREGxynjpFcyNtr3f8NmuN6ZRZWpYyNIjv5p9nPdn4mHf4YlnJorkF2D9JfXdWeDYSsK3RZNAWz4QLVT_38ZLHN-S25wR2Qda_8Fy7F0yqQaS6lk4yl3WextLWbTIOfG7PnnMdp5WQW5SX1hA9pr0M/s1512/20231022_134154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1512" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxtYR75AahF_rWNYHY6R0CxG44BcIDOCjKzMijYREGxynjpFcyNtr3f8NmuN6ZRZWpYyNIjv5p9nPdn4mHf4YlnJorkF2D9JfXdWeDYSsK3RZNAWz4QLVT_38ZLHN-S25wR2Qda_8Fy7F0yqQaS6lk4yl3WextLWbTIOfG7PnnMdp5WQW5SX1hA9pr0M/s320/20231022_134154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just
a fun set to design and release, using a fun packaging idea that came
to me one day as I was in the candy/gum aisle of a super market.</span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>What really needs to be said about a guy who has become more myth than baseball legend?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>300+ wins, 5700+
strikeouts, 60+ shutouts, and oh yeah SEVEN no-hitters, two of which
came when he was well into his 40’s while with the Texas Rangers!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>I love thinking
about the fact that he did most of his damage in the American League with the
designated hitter. Now imagine how many strikeouts he could have had in
his prime pitching in the National League where
the pitcher batted?!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Would it be safe to say you could add 20-30 strikeouts a season to his total? More?<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Hey, you never know…</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Nevertheless, the
man became a baseball God, eventually finding his place in the Hall of
Fame upon his first year of eligibility as an absolute no-brainer.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
<span>I just thank the skies above that I got to see him pitch in-person!</span></span></span></div></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-88465063237224070742024-03-26T08:17:00.003-04:002024-03-26T08:17:48.029-04:00REVISITING A 10-YEAR-OLD POST: 1974 FANTASY ROOKIE CARD<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On
the blog today, we revisit a 10-year-old blog post featuring a fantasy
multi-player 1974 rookie card that would have been quite the doozy had
it really been out there:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnvgMTG9h9OIEd3Qq_ansygw37ORIqoCvm-T7N9QR99QeqdDnUzmd5rvXGFbtRpor5uE_m-u8Ar5RFkF5CMMCDL4UajZNx4SedNplqh2aq0G8A_PkKGezox6GkUuWhTppsUSBB74BacwctZWt-9NDV1um9pL4C868ic-RK9W_cV3h-zYhv_kEg8CfKr4/s540/1974-DREAM-ROOKIE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnvgMTG9h9OIEd3Qq_ansygw37ORIqoCvm-T7N9QR99QeqdDnUzmd5rvXGFbtRpor5uE_m-u8Ar5RFkF5CMMCDL4UajZNx4SedNplqh2aq0G8A_PkKGezox6GkUuWhTppsUSBB74BacwctZWt-9NDV1um9pL4C868ic-RK9W_cV3h-zYhv_kEg8CfKr4/s320/1974-DREAM-ROOKIE.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Not a bad group of young ballplayers right here!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Here's the original write-up for it:</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
"Now here's a card that would have been nice to pull out of a pack! (Even
though I am admittedly NOT a fan of the "multi-player" rookie cards).</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Like I previously did with the 1978 dream rookie card with Ozzie
Smith, Paul Molitor, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell, I couldn't resist
designing a 1974 "Rookie Infielders" card with Robin Yount and George
Brett.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Now it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility to have the two
future Hall of Famers appear on one of those multi-player rookie cards
in the '74 set.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
But I DO understand why Topps didn't give them a look at the time.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
I took an already existing card (#604) and replaced Terry Hughes and John Knox (sorry guys!) with Brett and Yount.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Teamed up with two other future solid major leaguers in Andre
Thornton and Frank White, and this card would have been a killer at the
card shows of the late 1980's when the rookie-card explosion happened.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Thankfully, because of the wonderful world of Photoshop, we can all go ahead and "fix" these so many years later."</span></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-14907752890213330412024-03-25T09:32:00.004-04:002024-03-25T09:32:46.668-04:00OPC IMAGE VARIATION: 1977 BILL GRIEF<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day all.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On
the blog today, we take a closer look at another image variation
between OPC and Topps, this one of pitcher Bill Grief and his 1977
cards:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6-E-3pEsfspFDJEljg6svmOF_enWRIr8ZUBwxdLCCbBQ9oPaax3esmEtEWIduifK3NAP7nlRyehUBxfITZlmnxTgNWB6iUj9s0H7eEquxznuCEUAVqhSkGjZC_SVtWGsB0lx7-9nzooMy2pFPUBoPKihobffr3KlMDKUL-yAn7V84N_M_kWdMEE-Chg/s540/OPC-Grief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="390" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6-E-3pEsfspFDJEljg6svmOF_enWRIr8ZUBwxdLCCbBQ9oPaax3esmEtEWIduifK3NAP7nlRyehUBxfITZlmnxTgNWB6iUj9s0H7eEquxznuCEUAVqhSkGjZC_SVtWGsB0lx7-9nzooMy2pFPUBoPKihobffr3KlMDKUL-yAn7V84N_M_kWdMEE-Chg/s320/OPC-Grief.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OPC VERSION<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0sxGZKmz2lYBtGWt5bpmRIETo_MfTPwPSf5Ii_9YZL3aageemeQ6lzFDGDFF_tQWHN2CxxW7ZhATH_gaMgpkK4KXg_AgYdAGoygmiKuR4wFaZ_Wd7QC_rKU8pap6GHhRnjkNBGI2jv-nNGNEH14RKjPk6Bmn_FemWS_LFORVxGKjl7yzvKpS7Mg0MlI/s540/Topps-grief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0sxGZKmz2lYBtGWt5bpmRIETo_MfTPwPSf5Ii_9YZL3aageemeQ6lzFDGDFF_tQWHN2CxxW7ZhATH_gaMgpkK4KXg_AgYdAGoygmiKuR4wFaZ_Wd7QC_rKU8pap6GHhRnjkNBGI2jv-nNGNEH14RKjPk6Bmn_FemWS_LFORVxGKjl7yzvKpS7Mg0MlI/s320/Topps-grief.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TOPPS VERSION<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While Topps had their airbrushed beauty out there for kids to rip, OPC put out a nice up to date portrait shot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Turns out he would be released by Montreal just before the 1977 season
started after getting traded there in a multi-player deal in November of
the previous year.<br />
For his career, Greif started off with seven games with the Houston
Astros in 1971, going 1-1 before moving on the to team he’d play most of
his Big League tenure for, the San Diego Padres.<br />
Beginning in 1972, Greif would put in just over four season with San
Diego, starting the first three before being moved to the bullpen in
1975.<br />
His best year would be 1973 when he would go 10-17 on a hard-luck Padre
team, pitching to a nice 3.21 earned run average over 36 appearances, 31
of them starts, tossing three shutouts while striking out 120 batters.<br />
By the time he was done, he finished his career with a record of 31-67
over 231 appearances, with a 4.41 ERA in 715.2 innings, with five
shutouts and 19 saves between 1971 and 1976.</span></span></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-89658659521150588622024-03-24T09:04:00.002-04:002024-03-24T09:04:34.583-04:001960S "IN-ACTION": 1963 FLEER EDDIE MATHEWS<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today
on the blog we have the last card to be profiled here on the blog from
my recent "1960s In-Action" set, this one being the "bonus" 1963 Fleer
Eddie Mathews edition:</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGP5vcQQuZJAOtPKfmXSuZBJ9xdyn0KGD_zx0EfffOhzszkGUdS7IPwiMd6OXcJkUCk_j8s2pzuYUkHL2ck2ArUJqz6bnorh1Qixq3Fl0TaroB-PMH4K3hTnI-C61wevayfIs6TniWghwJYloXOmcWtulfs5AvHeR2d2bKKUOiT0rmqXrySBDK_LmDfA/s540/1963%20IN%20ACTION%20FLEER%20EDDIE%20MATHEWS-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGP5vcQQuZJAOtPKfmXSuZBJ9xdyn0KGD_zx0EfffOhzszkGUdS7IPwiMd6OXcJkUCk_j8s2pzuYUkHL2ck2ArUJqz6bnorh1Qixq3Fl0TaroB-PMH4K3hTnI-C61wevayfIs6TniWghwJYloXOmcWtulfs5AvHeR2d2bKKUOiT0rmqXrySBDK_LmDfA/s320/1963%20IN%20ACTION%20FLEER%20EDDIE%20MATHEWS-01.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB7SGbHYNeWSbILexHMVQDxcWh1c1s3Dk_tM62LYwWEzoH8_NRvvsfO1k7i3Ta_mqz7M5Qu-N1ho30zuDGR6ADfKngqUPDxe6AEgLMP8GmF5mz1PMa_OdPPcnS-oRuD9SOh9FhOBUFE6bz1jq8A7gwvyZPIcuf6SxcnlVvR2x31Gy1O_87raIjXb3fNs/s1512/20231216_091726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1512" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLB7SGbHYNeWSbILexHMVQDxcWh1c1s3Dk_tM62LYwWEzoH8_NRvvsfO1k7i3Ta_mqz7M5Qu-N1ho30zuDGR6ADfKngqUPDxe6AEgLMP8GmF5mz1PMa_OdPPcnS-oRuD9SOh9FhOBUFE6bz1jq8A7gwvyZPIcuf6SxcnlVvR2x31Gy1O_87raIjXb3fNs/s320/20231216_091726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkf4H5HzSsLiIg7Ou1LB2yl9Gu40XRqrzYboUW8rbxkbBPDhqWegx2m_bbhSZT5n4PzEG2XhaJmGnEfGfRGJEhGadGj2DVdtelr9lSxYbhLwvwUfNKv-rUdVLr36iHmP-SyYEU_2DDI4yCpyuoac3k7HG52wYK99vR-sggie0Du_t98-lRIbMy-2LfJc/s1460/20240101_115331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1460" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkf4H5HzSsLiIg7Ou1LB2yl9Gu40XRqrzYboUW8rbxkbBPDhqWegx2m_bbhSZT5n4PzEG2XhaJmGnEfGfRGJEhGadGj2DVdtelr9lSxYbhLwvwUfNKv-rUdVLr36iHmP-SyYEU_2DDI4yCpyuoac3k7HG52wYK99vR-sggie0Du_t98-lRIbMy-2LfJc/s320/20240101_115331.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just
a fun template to use for an "In-Action" card for the all-time great
third baseman for the Braves, whether it was Boston, Milwaukee or
Atlanta.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Mathews was a beast at the plate, hitting 30 or more homers in a season
ten times during his career, with four of those seasons totaling over
40.<br />
He’d also drive in over 100 runs five times and score over 100 eight
times while topping a .300 batting average on three occasions while
leading the National League in walks four times, homers twice, and
getting named to nine all-star teams.<br />
Twice a runner-up in Most Valuable Player voting, he played for the
Braves from Boston, to Milwaukee and their inaugural season in Atlanta
in 1966, the only player to do so.<br />
By the time he finished his stellar career Mathews collected 512 homers,
1453 runs batted in, 1509 runs scored and a .271 average along 1444
walks and a .509 slugging average.<br />
Until a guy by the name of Mike Schmidt came along, he was THE power-hitting third baseman in the game's long history.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Incredibly overlooked these days!</span></span></span></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-82623426384058245972024-03-23T09:04:00.000-04:002024-03-23T09:04:12.810-04:001960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. SECOND BASEMAN PETE ROSE<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today's blog post has my pick for the National league second baseman of the 1960s, and I went with "Charlie Hustle", Pete Rose:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsYAKx-YwStTQCld_BZuqTmeCLaw0A-1XGSQfqSOcnRdJXjAcGDSRHYteTAi3iyzao1kgZms4mv_VHyhm9BQ3xSi35GiRwCBsxX4XOjBOVJILMJYVqB13g9SbJMGNn8SwGlLONV0wC0xFbzR4EN5bcZdV_fK_DUgwbKxqIhAZW2AreYa3QkRiOU-Tq9g/s540/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20NL%20SECOND%20BASE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsYAKx-YwStTQCld_BZuqTmeCLaw0A-1XGSQfqSOcnRdJXjAcGDSRHYteTAi3iyzao1kgZms4mv_VHyhm9BQ3xSi35GiRwCBsxX4XOjBOVJILMJYVqB13g9SbJMGNn8SwGlLONV0wC0xFbzR4EN5bcZdV_fK_DUgwbKxqIhAZW2AreYa3QkRiOU-Tq9g/s320/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20NL%20SECOND%20BASE.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By
the time the 1960s came to an end, Rose had two batting titles under is
belt, a Rookie of the Year Award in 1963, four 200-hit seasons and four
All-Star nods.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now I do realize that Rose played only four years at the
position before switching over to the outfield by the end of the decade,
but really, besides Bill Mazeroski, there was a sort of revolving door
of second base all-stars throughout the 60's like Felix Milan, Ron Hunt,
Frank Bolling, even a young Joe Morgan for a year.<br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So I went with Rose and his Rookie of the Year, two 200-hit seasons, and two top-10 M.V.P. finishes
in 1965 and 1966 before he made the position switch.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The man was great no matter where he played!</span></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-74845375321883190392024-03-22T08:37:00.001-04:002024-03-22T08:37:33.115-04:00MISSING ALL-STAR MANAGER: 1978 SPARKY ANDERSON<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day everyone!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Up
on the blog today, we have the "missing" 1978 N.L. All-Star manager
card, and for the second year in a row it is Cincinnati Reds skipper
Sparky Anderson, who guided the "Big Red Machine" to a second straight
World Series victory in 1976 over the New York Yankees:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCejddya_CfG9n9f4MKa775uYuCxdKJNQNmEt-t291avnbiZS8c0kqH-BemR_42Uw57BiVLJTqnGlXpk3k_2KJlzGv2DR9iYQv5Lox-W-ZD4XRdx1D4QRp2AYcpWfKZWUYrhyphenhyphenVGcu9Kir2C5rQtK9vzydWsxR6vXyF3xUuKF_Y6wB1qjuZglYRWV-wDI/s540/1978-NL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCejddya_CfG9n9f4MKa775uYuCxdKJNQNmEt-t291avnbiZS8c0kqH-BemR_42Uw57BiVLJTqnGlXpk3k_2KJlzGv2DR9iYQv5Lox-W-ZD4XRdx1D4QRp2AYcpWfKZWUYrhyphenhyphenVGcu9Kir2C5rQtK9vzydWsxR6vXyF3xUuKF_Y6wB1qjuZglYRWV-wDI/s320/1978-NL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">After
a phenomenal 108 win season in 1975 that saw them march to a title over
the Boston red Sox, the Reds kept on winning, taking home 102 victories
the following year before disposing of the Yankees in four straight.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For Anderson, it was his fourth first-place finish in five years, with only a second place finish in 1974 the only "blemish".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In
the All-Star game, the national league beat the American league once
again, this time winning 7-1 as they pounced on starter Mark Fidrych for
two runs in the first two innings before touching Catfish Hunter for
two more runs in the third and then three runs to break it wide open in
the eighth off Frank Tanana.<br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Anderson would go down as one of the greatest managers in Major
League history, moving on to the Detroit Tigers in 1979, where he would
go on to manage 17 years, giving him a combined 26 years of Big League
managing, even taking home another title with that great 1984 Tiger team
that was in first "wire-to-wire", winning 104 games before beating the
San Diego Padres in the World Series.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All told the man won
2194 games as a manager, finishing with a .545 winning percentage, three
titles, 5 pennants, and of course a Hall of Fame induction in 2000.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Legend, and perpetually looking like an "old man" even when he was in his 30's!</span></div></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-82023851077006077682024-03-21T08:22:00.000-04:002024-03-21T08:22:28.395-04:001960'S CAREER-CAPPERS INSERTS: SANDY KOUFAX<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day all.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today's
blog post has my Sandy Koufax special insert that was part of my "1960s
Career-Cappers" set released a few years ago, one of the more popular
custom sets I've created over the years:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjEnfNiIyoQkEm8IlVRIx1rgXtbKhJU9pV32MJULgUy6ZtHOG3AOT6s2BZ0Bh3HWimYUjCrMqe0Sb9L4VLCr7ht0OmBEl_FJ0nqCR7YT-uJt6C6hK-Dc6kbLGK3LSfwUQaeY6Ax0NtP6fwS3bmQPs_fMaNI19Jz1VDWa-J08Z2gn9CnGvQR20CCDwqsU/s504/KOUFAX%20INSERT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjEnfNiIyoQkEm8IlVRIx1rgXtbKhJU9pV32MJULgUy6ZtHOG3AOT6s2BZ0Bh3HWimYUjCrMqe0Sb9L4VLCr7ht0OmBEl_FJ0nqCR7YT-uJt6C6hK-Dc6kbLGK3LSfwUQaeY6Ax0NtP6fwS3bmQPs_fMaNI19Jz1VDWa-J08Z2gn9CnGvQR20CCDwqsU/s320/KOUFAX%20INSERT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QnUvFldzFrRhuyhpfGpy2YN1xYXLqk2n3jizxCx_FfgqftoooOunzpusi_Y_dYGD6FSInZCaiH4LMWxMRZRTiYhjpsOHMdN54lgLrgBC1w1_GDrOUl5BCvUN0krvWnr45ET_F8IDoKin1GwkfMm2SHkUyYQNhiFI-ya3dmDTxaSz6qf-Kn1925SPm2U/s1463/IMG_1575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1463" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QnUvFldzFrRhuyhpfGpy2YN1xYXLqk2n3jizxCx_FfgqftoooOunzpusi_Y_dYGD6FSInZCaiH4LMWxMRZRTiYhjpsOHMdN54lgLrgBC1w1_GDrOUl5BCvUN0krvWnr45ET_F8IDoKin1GwkfMm2SHkUyYQNhiFI-ya3dmDTxaSz6qf-Kn1925SPm2U/s320/IMG_1575.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBS-aKIkCFepK3dy2JR7fm7JhqUwcy4VkXzpZq6fH_E3ngQIdAuSTU4LGwemnvKFyzyLynC4kgjAIpysJtxUd3eR7wAk-5v3G_eNPsQkw3-gFSfYkR__8eoMI8g7Ja5Y8Ye2ej3F0627Nn344mRkNq6njSAZY79Ai6XUDJdNKWbkZslMOsx0pTx-tCVQ/s1781/IMG_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1781" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBS-aKIkCFepK3dy2JR7fm7JhqUwcy4VkXzpZq6fH_E3ngQIdAuSTU4LGwemnvKFyzyLynC4kgjAIpysJtxUd3eR7wAk-5v3G_eNPsQkw3-gFSfYkR__8eoMI8g7Ja5Y8Ye2ej3F0627Nn344mRkNq6njSAZY79Ai6XUDJdNKWbkZslMOsx0pTx-tCVQ/s320/IMG_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Koufax
was unstoppable yet again in 1966, posting an incredible 27-9
record along with a 1.72 earned run average and 317 strikeouts in 41
starts, along with five shutouts and 27 complete games, before shocking
the world with his premature retirement because of arm problems.<br />
Along with an easy Cy Young Award, giving him an unprecedented third
such claim to baseball’s top pitching prize, he finished second to the
Pirates’ Roberto Clemente for league MVP.<br />
It was the fifth season in a row that Koufax overpowered National
League batters, leading the league in ERA each and every time, along
with THREE 25+ win & 300+ strikeout campaigns.<br />
But sadly and shockingly, Koufax would have to retire at the top of his
game because of the aforementioned recurring arm problems that could have left him without
the use of his left arm the rest of his life.<br />
Rather than suffer long-term injury, Koufax left the game and many of us
to wonder so many “what-if’s” had he been able to continue on into the
1970’s.</span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Easily
the youngest player in this set who retired during the decade of the
1960s, he still produced enough legendary moments in his career to leave
a lasting legacy as one of the great pitchers in the sport's history.</span></span></span>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-37846884795728387702024-03-20T08:51:00.001-04:002024-03-20T08:51:14.323-04:00WTHBALLS GUM PACK CUSTOM SET: ROBERTO CLEMENTE<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day all!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On
the blogtoday, my fun Roberto Clemente mini card from my recent custom
card set packaged like a pack of gum, released a few months ago:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuZKMtWxsExhMp0KzhneTQeimflc_h7Ux316dVnGCsZFwxx-mXeFo4gIeZGUEGLMxX3OEaRxtHfZZAlBeFHiUw8_llmMAxuZRcTF1lCwcWlQwzFuJ_XiYRrAo0xRMPWR2HRNp5rT5VVjEizRyshJd3qLxzyA7TWV8htIxEhz5dUsQiSdPV4E-PifEXG4/s504/CLEMENTE%20GUM%20MINI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="219" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuZKMtWxsExhMp0KzhneTQeimflc_h7Ux316dVnGCsZFwxx-mXeFo4gIeZGUEGLMxX3OEaRxtHfZZAlBeFHiUw8_llmMAxuZRcTF1lCwcWlQwzFuJ_XiYRrAo0xRMPWR2HRNp5rT5VVjEizRyshJd3qLxzyA7TWV8htIxEhz5dUsQiSdPV4E-PifEXG4/s320/CLEMENTE%20GUM%20MINI.jpg" width="139" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02jmmSC-kwlgHoBjWHF0tZexc9H9jMvkpOj38o9gj25BZg5bRg4OmdMOhOr7xG3vHlfx-KJG2nBi3EQFILBlcXfL0Ud_Tp9_Fdik51Vlxt73PBCOawJsDc2D5XlmdtBlsRe_E4Nj1DkAQAfFvOiVL4xcZ3XKbwFaMZOFvjA9BsOEDXOReBIvmt7EyHUA/s1473/20231021_174651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1473" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02jmmSC-kwlgHoBjWHF0tZexc9H9jMvkpOj38o9gj25BZg5bRg4OmdMOhOr7xG3vHlfx-KJG2nBi3EQFILBlcXfL0Ud_Tp9_Fdik51Vlxt73PBCOawJsDc2D5XlmdtBlsRe_E4Nj1DkAQAfFvOiVL4xcZ3XKbwFaMZOFvjA9BsOEDXOReBIvmt7EyHUA/s320/20231021_174651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOsdIzL9NtqSvJ2z4eoSyAGGTFUrSUO3x8AqkjKAmq1gOfBlyKlmjdhofitDYDv4OBngS9XNLWhhT2I2yMhSF6JKp951fEPQ6IXSccL6cNFeE3HDg2BVLVZoVxOWTaefvdsMaJ-4zhyphenhyphenX78lohbmNzYTou3CEiboJ9L4MWgah4hC5bxdm5IIAZ8OkRPGw/s1512/20231022_134150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1512" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOsdIzL9NtqSvJ2z4eoSyAGGTFUrSUO3x8AqkjKAmq1gOfBlyKlmjdhofitDYDv4OBngS9XNLWhhT2I2yMhSF6JKp951fEPQ6IXSccL6cNFeE3HDg2BVLVZoVxOWTaefvdsMaJ-4zhyphenhyphenX78lohbmNzYTou3CEiboJ9L4MWgah4hC5bxdm5IIAZ8OkRPGw/s320/20231022_134150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Again, I just wanted to create a fun little mini set using the idea of a pack of gum.</span></div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
As for the man himself, Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the
field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans
alike.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting
titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12
all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his
immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973,
waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall
ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto
Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified
"outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in
community work."</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just special...</span></div></div></div><p> </p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-25534354016972270012024-03-19T08:26:00.001-04:002024-03-19T08:26:24.578-04:00OPC IMAGE VARIATION: 1977 MANNY SANGUILLEN<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In a Topps decade that gave us many
memorable airbrushed "masterpieces", today we take a closer look at TWO
such gems, which happen to be of the same player for both his 1977 Topps
and OPC cards, those of All-Star catcher Manny Sanguillen:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe02h3TQOJY5orD7sO1lFtz2q5O-Do42FiaRQHXHQ35z6nK1LGt9wPhoaOyam-obdOTlT27_5Gncq7Lt4YUZCm-B83LuLoSxJYNPbtZpyK8C4vQSo1VhPdeNTDmuo1chHM6edIt0sPhOzbChNtCVzIkd9zoIKphYvAtnJSV6JPBcNc_JqKpQdXRmb99q8/s540/OPC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe02h3TQOJY5orD7sO1lFtz2q5O-Do42FiaRQHXHQ35z6nK1LGt9wPhoaOyam-obdOTlT27_5Gncq7Lt4YUZCm-B83LuLoSxJYNPbtZpyK8C4vQSo1VhPdeNTDmuo1chHM6edIt0sPhOzbChNtCVzIkd9zoIKphYvAtnJSV6JPBcNc_JqKpQdXRmb99q8/s320/OPC.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OPC version<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapbmIJp-clIFAwKtrWLemkNHnksjVsn4mLdr6xaxSMjdztl9z3HKSyBc40sTzSjwKG9UJ2RiDMB1n_OLi0jiTvDn38BXRZmTiwAeu0aSELrvXhDE_Sp95Q34QzA2JmF6FGtIaWmoXnx9oX3aMrISmTf7vzpWnRiBXX753mMUdoH4-lYlCRc4WuTfWCMM/s540/TOPPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapbmIJp-clIFAwKtrWLemkNHnksjVsn4mLdr6xaxSMjdztl9z3HKSyBc40sTzSjwKG9UJ2RiDMB1n_OLi0jiTvDn38BXRZmTiwAeu0aSELrvXhDE_Sp95Q34QzA2JmF6FGtIaWmoXnx9oX3aMrISmTf7vzpWnRiBXX753mMUdoH4-lYlCRc4WuTfWCMM/s320/TOPPS.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topps version<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">These
are just tremendous! In all their wonderful dayglo green for us kids to
pull out of packs, whether here in the States or up North in Canada.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This
was a rare moment where both companies scrambled to get the player in
the updated uniform, in this case Sanguillen with the Oakland A's after
the odd trade that had the catcher traded along with $100,000 to Oakland
for their manager, Chuck Tanner on November 5th, 1976.<br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
Sanguillen really gets overlooked when it comes to how well he
played during his 13-year career, all but 1977 spent with the Pittsburgh
Pirates.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
This was a catcher who hit over .300 four times, with a high of
.328 in 1975, while also topping .280 another four times, before
retiring with a robust .296 career average.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
I personally think he may have been ripped off a Rookie of the Year
in 1969 when he hit .303 with 62 runs scored and 57 runs batted in as a
rookie catcher, losing to the Dodgers Ted Sizemore (a STRONG argument
can also be made for Sanguillen's teammate
Al Oliver, who also could have won).</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
He was named to three all-star teams, and even garnered some MVP support in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1975 as a member of the Bucs.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>
A very nice career for a solid catcher during the 1970's who gets
forgotten among the Benchs, Fisks, Munsons and Simmons of the Majors…</span></span></div></div></div><p> </p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-37026973711067797662024-03-18T08:04:00.001-04:002024-03-18T08:04:08.564-04:001969 "DO-OVER" SET: JOE MORGAN<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day everyone!</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On
the blog today, we spotlight my 1969 "redo" for the great Joe Morgan,
from my recent "1969 Gimmie a Do-Over" set from a few months back:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfOyTQYvQEz_5HDUrVuxxbTLp2m15u2vWm_DBJtJB7vbg-GqGL6r06K1d_qVBhJmGS1n4ZATWF20YHbu4zXU-Jbup6rjo29lstfZo8S5cf5V-636FmzpHOVR3BCMa-F7EqSJn-ZsSXdnojQgT2bhL5qr9hyqBY9LceAvAZxqDB4oK7GQk6p-B8W6VaVE/s540/1969%20REDO%20JOE%20MORGAN-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfOyTQYvQEz_5HDUrVuxxbTLp2m15u2vWm_DBJtJB7vbg-GqGL6r06K1d_qVBhJmGS1n4ZATWF20YHbu4zXU-Jbup6rjo29lstfZo8S5cf5V-636FmzpHOVR3BCMa-F7EqSJn-ZsSXdnojQgT2bhL5qr9hyqBY9LceAvAZxqDB4oK7GQk6p-B8W6VaVE/s320/1969%20REDO%20JOE%20MORGAN-01.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CqUvNKRS-9rABElLSvzMIS7P1VVADdkM0TZ6jxDUq02oec6c3Cf5Ne9LyMeLxOKo3kjVmF5rc1KJmBfnW6Cz_T2KW2YxEJRriSoANL4DR4IKZR1b1e4ak_n3EgBqa2spAhNq-b9UGCpihDF_L7LogmjVSOU_yKeDQxsSwPr88Ad6Aik2JpaLRjfJrYY/s1440/20230909_124159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1440" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CqUvNKRS-9rABElLSvzMIS7P1VVADdkM0TZ6jxDUq02oec6c3Cf5Ne9LyMeLxOKo3kjVmF5rc1KJmBfnW6Cz_T2KW2YxEJRriSoANL4DR4IKZR1b1e4ak_n3EgBqa2spAhNq-b9UGCpihDF_L7LogmjVSOU_yKeDQxsSwPr88Ad6Aik2JpaLRjfJrYY/s320/20230909_124159.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i75bF1WXSfQP1cLdepWHoYJA3Q997HHAoFt-QBS0KpTYPdjivIafKzzc-goXaaQFqjBjM1R9IitNr9T8fx7JA9F0vK1ea61I-MrtAONpXIj-lomijWsHADywZj2RRYaqy_g65fALpQQ7tBfmK3i405x63rL_V2focrFOrChVgJjZN_-hE3cpURi8uDU/s1426/20230925_142437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1426" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i75bF1WXSfQP1cLdepWHoYJA3Q997HHAoFt-QBS0KpTYPdjivIafKzzc-goXaaQFqjBjM1R9IitNr9T8fx7JA9F0vK1ea61I-MrtAONpXIj-lomijWsHADywZj2RRYaqy_g65fALpQQ7tBfmK3i405x63rL_V2focrFOrChVgJjZN_-hE3cpURi8uDU/s320/20230925_142437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just a nice image of the great second baseman that wasn't a reused image like Topps had out there way back when!</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>For
Mr. Morgan, the man was just
beginning a run that would send him straight to the Hall of Fame, still
with his original team before eventually helping to build a juggernaut
of a team forever known as the "Big Red
Machine" when he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds before the 1972 season
in a blockbuster trade.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Those Reds teams would win two straight World Series in 1975 and
1976, and field teams with the likes of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, George
Foster and Ken Griffey Sr.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>By the time he retired after the 1984 season at the age of 40, he
finished with two MVP Awards, 10 All-Star nods, five Gold Gloves, 2517
hits, 1650 runs scored, 268 homers and a cool 689 stolen bases with 1865
walks.<br />
One of the all-timers right there at second base!</span></span></span></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-24962148344836472172024-03-17T09:12:00.002-04:002024-03-17T09:12:20.571-04:00MINOR LEAGUE DAYS: LEGENDS EDITION- TY COBB<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The next baseball legend to get a card in my "Minor League Days:
Legends Edition" set, the "Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb, arguably the greatest
hitter of them all:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUQ_KdkLsJRNRV38D6rhAuA9515Cmb753F0y98VVw60aDdQoxBye_cJgCfBtvFUz8PFPe0-kW5M1LRyvkFH9ZTNg4pXc3PH2OuHu6F6ytu3uZkpEnKdpIvQDbgf6urGE6b4JjJS2LnMd4ddqvvTPyZd6LGwpPuGjDHUqSSMVWUgciBYyqBCOtjnet7WE/s540/MINOR%20LEAGUE%20DAYS%20LEGENDS%20TY%20COBB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUQ_KdkLsJRNRV38D6rhAuA9515Cmb753F0y98VVw60aDdQoxBye_cJgCfBtvFUz8PFPe0-kW5M1LRyvkFH9ZTNg4pXc3PH2OuHu6F6ytu3uZkpEnKdpIvQDbgf6urGE6b4JjJS2LnMd4ddqvvTPyZd6LGwpPuGjDHUqSSMVWUgciBYyqBCOtjnet7WE/s320/MINOR%20LEAGUE%20DAYS%20LEGENDS%20TY%20COBB.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here we see a young Cobb
as a member of the Augusta Tourists of the South Atlantic League in
either 1904 or 1905, just a teenager ready to set the baseball world on
fire before he was through.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Records are sparse, but it seems
he hit .237 and .326 in his two partial seasons playing there before
making the jump to the Majors in 1905.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Basically all the man did between the foul lines one he did hit the Big Leagues was win 12 batting
titles, reach 200 hits in a season nine times, hit .366 for his entire
career, a triple crown in 1909, score over 2200 runs, hit over 720
doubles, just under 300 triples, and even drove in 1938 runs during the
dead-ball era! Oh, and let's not forget the 897 stolen bases!<br />
It's even funny to think that it's so easy to overlook the fact that Cobb also led the league in slugging eight times!<br />
It's Ty Cobb for pete's sake!<br />
The man was incredible, and it is somewhat understandable that he became
bitter when Babe Ruth came along and put the offensive focus on power
as opposed to "small ball", almost erasing all appreciation for those
"intangibles" that Cobb was famous for.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But it is also tragic
that he was portrayed in such a negative light by Al Stump, and believed
by so many years later, unjustly so, as we are learning more and more
that he was NOT the beast he was said to have been when he was alive.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rest in Peace Ty Cobb!</span></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-16975660247335613792024-03-16T08:56:00.000-04:002024-03-16T08:56:30.982-04:001960'S CAREER-CAPPERS INSERTS: NELLIE FOX<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Up on the blog today, my Nellie Fox special insert from my "1960s Career-Cappers" set released a few years ago:</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ORti6NH-X8a0H8ygv9ZqyKSkSDXRi06Hpo2X22sVu-hvmh1_2K_LeBW2QaYbHh9UnkbrYHkesFRESbqQ5sPlMDUvl3OCoUjeZzGPO-6KN45N4tJxc8WqwhAtMQTZznmYWYUNdpSjMjqpMIWoYipZi9vJOD3BtpCTLlvLQrND9iESkUn2tvQxBoAW58c/s504/CAPPERS%20INSERT%20FOX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="504" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ORti6NH-X8a0H8ygv9ZqyKSkSDXRi06Hpo2X22sVu-hvmh1_2K_LeBW2QaYbHh9UnkbrYHkesFRESbqQ5sPlMDUvl3OCoUjeZzGPO-6KN45N4tJxc8WqwhAtMQTZznmYWYUNdpSjMjqpMIWoYipZi9vJOD3BtpCTLlvLQrND9iESkUn2tvQxBoAW58c/s320/CAPPERS%20INSERT%20FOX.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj4GRbXSFe7ZpOcngSleangMo8jTGtvJiufsOBB1dKtr381b-wPggopTlNbYBfkH7I5M1C47AXa9YwixDsd34Rg9Bwccqol9on_eX7hLrEIwoLmn6eqVlZ-S74uBw2Qe64hGaOS2n1yU-wxypDeRsoSBZSnYfZnTFzUicZ8kcUSnSqU6Lho2dNzw8xGY/s1463/IMG_1575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1463" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj4GRbXSFe7ZpOcngSleangMo8jTGtvJiufsOBB1dKtr381b-wPggopTlNbYBfkH7I5M1C47AXa9YwixDsd34Rg9Bwccqol9on_eX7hLrEIwoLmn6eqVlZ-S74uBw2Qe64hGaOS2n1yU-wxypDeRsoSBZSnYfZnTFzUicZ8kcUSnSqU6Lho2dNzw8xGY/s320/IMG_1575.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpKujGGadMDqnQ27jo0sdrFWUrjofzWoOuTsG3RlS-JG5wvqfKNje_nQOAVdZ8jP6yjLqPWmj0eApcCUNd_OATwmTZB8UZ7CROXkBEc6oYf5l3Qb_YOUNCG4UoyzsqHwjWnhEIQgs3weAn1wx_xuF7n4lWNihXFTL_0ngByyR5lDCBp33Ad7p1avJHjg/s1781/IMG_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1781" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpKujGGadMDqnQ27jo0sdrFWUrjofzWoOuTsG3RlS-JG5wvqfKNje_nQOAVdZ8jP6yjLqPWmj0eApcCUNd_OATwmTZB8UZ7CROXkBEc6oYf5l3Qb_YOUNCG4UoyzsqHwjWnhEIQgs3weAn1wx_xuF7n4lWNihXFTL_0ngByyR5lDCBp33Ad7p1avJHjg/s320/IMG_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span>Fox put together a brilliant Major League career, first as a Hall of
Fame second baseman mainly for the Chicago White Sox, then as a coach
later on, a true baseball life before sadly passing away at the young
age of 47 in 1975.<br />
He led the AL in hits four times in the 1950’s, and of course would lead
the Chicago White Sox to the 1959 World Series, taking home the
league’s MVP Award for his efforts.<br />
By the time he retired as a player after two years with the Houston
Astros in 1964-65, he finished with 2663 hits and a .288 batting
average, with twelve all-star nods and three Gold Gloves.<br />
Defensively, it’s incredible to see he led the American League in
putouts every single season between 1952 and 1961, while leading the
league’s second basemen in fielding percentage six times, double-plays
five times and assists six times.<br />
In 1997, the Veteran’s Committee selected Fox for the Hall of Fame,
joining former teammates Luis Aparicio and Early Wynn from that 1959
pennant winning team.</span></span></span></span></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-69470736251364479832024-03-15T08:06:00.002-04:002024-03-15T08:06:39.962-04:001960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. FIRST BASEMAN HARMON KILLEBREW<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Up
on the blog today, my pick for the American League first baseman of the
1960s, Minnesota Twins legend Harmon Killebrew, powerhouse slugger who
would homer his way to the Hall of Fame:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcf3NS03h1YESbuTjuOkuokTnkhGdcZqaTuWhi3441QFs0vYTJ51-guMZBQxidI-VVnG3XKQNTyIoElkWw6WouA34eM7PMh3pBAbzUgai6Ozer5YmxdwbWDZfNaG_Kjgz5ENVWap9AK6DTOT7jL3j39Nd2PdV0gr2RhBCinAtLleEPVctd1d8H1yCgEbs/s540/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20AL%20FIRST%20BASE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcf3NS03h1YESbuTjuOkuokTnkhGdcZqaTuWhi3441QFs0vYTJ51-guMZBQxidI-VVnG3XKQNTyIoElkWw6WouA34eM7PMh3pBAbzUgai6Ozer5YmxdwbWDZfNaG_Kjgz5ENVWap9AK6DTOT7jL3j39Nd2PdV0gr2RhBCinAtLleEPVctd1d8H1yCgEbs/s320/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20AL%20FIRST%20BASE.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
First off, I will state right now that I do realize that he didn't play solely first base throughout the decade of the
1960's.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Killebrew also had periods where he played in the outfield and
third base regularly. But I felt that of the guys who DID play solely
first base in 1960's, Killebrew STILL had a better run during his stint
at first base.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
What a monster he was during the '60's!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the 10-years from 1960
and 1969, he posted eight seasons of 30+ home runs, with SIX of those
years over 40!</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
He capped off the decade with an M.V.P. in 1969, with another four seasons where he finished in the top-5 in voting.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
All told, he was an all-star eight out of ten years in the 1960's,
and led the American League in homers five times, runs batted in twice,
and walks three times. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Playing for Washington, Minnesota and a final season in Kansas City
between 1954 and 1975, Killebrew mashed 573 home runs to go along with
1584 R.B.I.'s, winning an M.V.P. award along the way in 1969 while
finishing in the top five in voting five other seasons.<br />
In 1984 he was inducted in the Hall of Fame, capping off a stellar
career that sometimes gets lost among the Mantles, Mays, Clementes and
Aarons that were garnering all the attention in the same era.</span></span></div></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-84151172893130939412024-03-14T08:18:00.002-04:002024-03-14T08:18:26.479-04:00"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: JIM BUNNING<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today
on the blog, we add Hall of Fame pitcher and future United States
Senator Jim Bunning to my custom "Classic Baseball" set, which I hope to
have released later this year as part of an ambitious 100+ card set:</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy71DVsWxB3aE0zkezG0fYzH_yijqPTEJ9x9z8Ilk0E0S4EM9CUaWp1aTFId8Z54iB0ENJT1uMAKAqnujifq5qF_TkWup9RRDpC5iKV4p5_WHL_IhyphenhyphenwsvlJqlN8zVlVhmae4PgQHrKWEZ5470EFlRGjGyQH3zcqd5pf9qs1ihuvhYs_KiQKOhUdtxFYw/s540/CLASSIC%20BASEBALL%20BUNNING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="390" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy71DVsWxB3aE0zkezG0fYzH_yijqPTEJ9x9z8Ilk0E0S4EM9CUaWp1aTFId8Z54iB0ENJT1uMAKAqnujifq5qF_TkWup9RRDpC5iKV4p5_WHL_IhyphenhyphenwsvlJqlN8zVlVhmae4PgQHrKWEZ5470EFlRGjGyQH3zcqd5pf9qs1ihuvhYs_KiQKOhUdtxFYw/s320/CLASSIC%20BASEBALL%20BUNNING.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>As a baseball player Bunning put in 17-years of all-star play, winning 20
games once, but putting together four 19-win seasons along with three
17-win seasons, while leading his league in strikeouts three times and
shutouts twice.<br />
The seven-time all-star threw a no-hitter in each league, with his
National League no-no a perfect game against the New York Mets in 1964.<br />
He also won 100-games in each league, becoming the first to do so since the great Cy Young at the beginning of the 20th Century.</span></span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
But I would love to mention one more time how this guy's career
record is deceptive (224-184), as he posted multiple no-hitters, the aforementioned 100
wins as well as 1000 strikeouts in BOTH leagues before it became somewhat more
frequent with the growth player movement from team
to team, league to league.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
Also, at the time of his retirement after the '71 season he was
second all-time in Major League history with his 2855 strikeouts.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>
In 1996, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining contemporaries such as Juan Marichal, Sandy Koufax and Whitey Ford.<br />
By then he was already a Representative of Kentucky’s 4th District for
nine years before becoming a State Senator in 1999, a position he would
hold until January 2011.<br />
A great life to say the least. Though I like to think of it as
incredible actually. To do any ONE of these things he accomplished is a
life’s great achievement, and Bunning did them all.<br />
Amazing man.</span></span></span></div></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-30396563905962736132024-03-13T08:31:00.002-04:002024-03-13T08:31:23.900-04:00REVISITING A 10-YEAR OLD POST: MISSING 1973 ART KUSNYER<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hello all!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the blog today, revisiting
one of my early "missing" player cards from the blog, a 1973 "missing in
action" card for catcher Art Kusnyer, whom I would create a few more
missing cards through the 1970s before I was done:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1ca64vrgjfR3e5wAPpVssvhntLNkTIbFULTzipHmwjI_UEhB-0hidWmLxyXO9lBlDX4RpfpNhtvzihKXxa94H8M_BHMOxGd1nkm2ipLJWmN815bNl5SY-7vEvfs_b_TnAZpHMtAXrOvDSNgSNVdg9asT4hiLueDB5NV3eBFCw_TYEh2N4A3b2dmzaME/s540/MISSING-1973-KUSNYER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1ca64vrgjfR3e5wAPpVssvhntLNkTIbFULTzipHmwjI_UEhB-0hidWmLxyXO9lBlDX4RpfpNhtvzihKXxa94H8M_BHMOxGd1nkm2ipLJWmN815bNl5SY-7vEvfs_b_TnAZpHMtAXrOvDSNgSNVdg9asT4hiLueDB5NV3eBFCw_TYEh2N4A3b2dmzaME/s320/MISSING-1973-KUSNYER.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's the original write-up from that post, dating April 19th, 2014:</span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
Today's "missing" Topps card from the 1970's features a player who
did appear on a multi-player rookie card in 1972, but was left out of
the 1973 set even after some decent playing time the year before: Angels
catcher Art Kusnyer.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
Kusnyer was yet another of those players I read about in a SABR
article that spoke of guys who posted the most career at-bats or innings
pitched who were not represented on a Topps card (in this case, a card
of their own).</span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
Kusnyer came up for a cup-of-coffee in 1970 with the White Sox after getting picked in the 37th round of the 1966 amateur draft.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
After four games and ten at-bats with Chicago in 1970, he was
traded to California in March of 1971 for a couple of minor players,
appearing in only six games for the season.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
However 1972 would fare much better for the young catcher, as he
would go on to play in a career high 64 games, good for 198 plate
appearances.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
For the year he batted .207, getting 37 hits in 179 at-bats with two doubles, a triple and two homers.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
However this wasn't enough to get him more playing time the
following season, as the Angels already had Jeff Torborg and John
Stephenson ahead of him in the depth chart for the position, so
all Kusnyer would see as far as playing time in 1973 would be
41 games, good for 67 plate appearances and an anemic .125 batting
average.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
However, not all was a lost-cause for the youngster, as on <span><span>July 15th</span></span>
of that year Kusnyer would have perhaps the biggest thrill of his Big
League career, catching Nolan Ryan's second career no-hitter against the
Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
But when 1974 rolled around, Kusnyer found himself struggling to
find a spot for himself in the Milwaukee Brewers organization after
being traded by California in October of 1973 in a nine-player swap
between the two clubs.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
He'd end up toiling in the Minors for the next two seasons before
finding his way back into a Major League game in 1976, getting into 15
games for the Brewers, hitting .118 on four hits in 34 at-bats.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
His last hurrah on the Major League level would be in 1978 with the
Kansas City Royals, playing in nine games and getting three hits in 13
at-bats, good for a .231 average.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
He'd scratch out another season of Minor League ball for the White
Sox in 1979 before calling it a career and eventually moving into
coaching work for the Sox and the Oakland A's over the next 28 years.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
Nevertheless, here's yet another "missing" piece to total
representation for those of us that want players who saw enough playing
time in a season to get a card along the way.</span></span></div></div></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-56718957011761712292024-03-12T08:14:00.000-04:002024-03-12T08:14:01.969-04:00WTHBALLS GUM PACK CUSTOM SET: ROD CAREW<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day all.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On the blog today, for fun, my mini "Gum Pack" custom of Rod Carew, from my recent custom set released a few months back:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhP67C5MctC2IPjCbss1Jb8THN3URh-MOy93WeQHGz-Y_f5Ngwj9XBFEBfHUtl-Ui34_rY_ZePwPPd8crXm_fkwtZpoIz-7VwOxwCM0Kul_RJ1-pi8_LrnHRU7hvy88dSyG3Q_vQBqT8TsXC-90HEJD4TuY7zosD8uoWcQLaaz704v5EWe3tJ2INCJmc/s504/MINI%20CAREW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="219" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhP67C5MctC2IPjCbss1Jb8THN3URh-MOy93WeQHGz-Y_f5Ngwj9XBFEBfHUtl-Ui34_rY_ZePwPPd8crXm_fkwtZpoIz-7VwOxwCM0Kul_RJ1-pi8_LrnHRU7hvy88dSyG3Q_vQBqT8TsXC-90HEJD4TuY7zosD8uoWcQLaaz704v5EWe3tJ2INCJmc/s320/MINI%20CAREW.jpg" width="139" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORSFNrF3P1hDn643KXf6qVFqyU6rQpRZCvFQMS1x3V-SPDsSjK9fLRmstsAV_hgHD9jEVSwAYAfKLOV6l1s1GNNjD9O7FjWkwZa6TgQ75AeQrBs12thGb3uT_x-GYnPvR2FiUaaItY3PGErknQbGVSKXKf7zHFRMeaWIoZKTnAxrvrmZ9rTExBHODi3c/s1473/20231021_174651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1473" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORSFNrF3P1hDn643KXf6qVFqyU6rQpRZCvFQMS1x3V-SPDsSjK9fLRmstsAV_hgHD9jEVSwAYAfKLOV6l1s1GNNjD9O7FjWkwZa6TgQ75AeQrBs12thGb3uT_x-GYnPvR2FiUaaItY3PGErknQbGVSKXKf7zHFRMeaWIoZKTnAxrvrmZ9rTExBHODi3c/s320/20231021_174651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-x_UVBGxPVZoNIUcu9a_PfTCmRsC6bseNKqngu8SklOWhz78M_q4n022vzlvfNFnzAZ-Z0hVXDmeDPK_ikuGtSCy04KYl9AKgTUqwM8VjnfGJnnhqbDD_2tWa8n96CBXzt1vWTRChj3XsaY7vzkQBiFvEoQmDRvKOzQ05bXtRSYUCkILPEiuG7NzuuY/s1512/20231022_134313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1512" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-x_UVBGxPVZoNIUcu9a_PfTCmRsC6bseNKqngu8SklOWhz78M_q4n022vzlvfNFnzAZ-Z0hVXDmeDPK_ikuGtSCy04KYl9AKgTUqwM8VjnfGJnnhqbDD_2tWa8n96CBXzt1vWTRChj3XsaY7vzkQBiFvEoQmDRvKOzQ05bXtRSYUCkILPEiuG7NzuuY/s320/20231022_134313.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just a fun little set to create and get out there in the collecting world!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I
just took the uber-stars of the game in that era and put together a
specially packaged set to add to the WTHBALLS roster, akin to the
original sets I created back in 2018-2019.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As for Carew, t</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>he
man was a player for the ages, as he would go on to play in 18 All-Star
games, missing only his final season in the Majors in 1985. Just
incredible.</span></span><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>The first nine seasons of his career were as an All-Star second baseman, while the last nine were as a first baseman.</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span>The man topped .300 15 years in a row, with a high of .388 in 1977 on
his way to a Most Valuable Player Award and capturing the public’s
attention with his .400 chase late in the season.<br />
A clear-cut Hall of Fame player, he was inducted on his first year of
eligibility in 1991 when he garnered 90.5% of the vote, which leaves me
with the question: who the hell are the 9.5% who DIDN’T vote for
him!!!???</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span>3053 hits, a .328 career average, 353 stolen bases and 15 straight seasons of .300+ batting. <br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span>The man was a hitting machine, and I'm so glad I got to see him play during his magnificent career!</span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div><p> </p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-55334223844236980172024-03-11T08:18:00.003-04:002024-03-11T08:18:46.529-04:00MISSING ALL-STAR MANAGER: 1978 BILLY MARTIN<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today's
blog post has a "missing" All-Star manager card for the man who led the
A.L. in the 1977 "Midsummer Classic", Billy Martin of the New York
Yankees:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINZlmwnMlfTIbPFr5n3GizMSc0qRT9oXd1s1CL7MyQYXYcegPD2XcjVZBUIl6cDv0piM9rhTGeTT1ELL4wz1c5YElyLacYNYM6wBxV2fWpxOTs3bDPw6fC7KM1RYtPIfS-GVOy-Q8HTTSUWhOexrNxYcXMOU0ZHgHiNXZefarllbKfdXe8bsBGzWsssk/s540/1978-AL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINZlmwnMlfTIbPFr5n3GizMSc0qRT9oXd1s1CL7MyQYXYcegPD2XcjVZBUIl6cDv0piM9rhTGeTT1ELL4wz1c5YElyLacYNYM6wBxV2fWpxOTs3bDPw6fC7KM1RYtPIfS-GVOy-Q8HTTSUWhOexrNxYcXMOU0ZHgHiNXZefarllbKfdXe8bsBGzWsssk/s320/1978-AL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Martin
brought the Yankees back to Postseason Glory in 1976 before losing to
the juggernaut "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds in the World Series.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">That
97 win season got him the manager role in the 1977 game, something he
would repeat in 1978 as he would finally guide a team to a World
Championship.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Martin was a winner wherever he managed. Just look it up!</span></span><br /><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span>
He began his managerial career in 1969 with the Minnesota Twins and took
them straight to the Playoffs, guiding the team to a first place finish
with a 97-65 record.<br />
He would move on to Detroit, and would take them to a first place finish by his second year in 1972 with a record of 86-70.<br />
He’d move on to the Texas Rangers and they’d have their first successful
season in 1974, albeit a second place finish behind league MVP Jeff
Burroughs and ace Fergie Jenkins, then of course he would move on to the
New York Yankees, where the “Bronx Zoo” was in full swing, eventually
bringing Martin a World Championship in 1977.<br />
He’d move on to the Oakland A’s where “Billy-Ball” was in full effect,
losing to the Yankees in the Championship Series while burning through
every arm on his pitching staff with overuse. <br />
Then finally, there was the back-and-forth period between he and the
Yankees, specifically owner George Steinbrenner, where he managed in
1983, 1985 and finally 1988, almost a comedic show of hiring and firing
that really was an embarrassment to us Yankee fans of the era.<br />
Nevertheless, Martin was a winner, though one with a temper at that,
leaving the game with a .553 winning percentage and over 1200 wins.<br />
Should he be in the Hall of Fame? <br />
I do think so more for his personality than anything else. As a symbol
of the wild 1970’s with his managerial style a'la Earl Weaver, arguing
and fighting his way through each season.<br />
Rest in Peace Billy, you are missed.</span></span></span></div></div></div><p> </p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-87964352213240350342024-03-10T09:50:00.004-04:002024-03-10T09:50:44.076-04:00"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: BROOKS ROBINSON<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today
we add the great Brooks Robinson, perhaps the greatest fielding third
baseman of them all, to my custom "Classic Baseball" set, which I hope
to produce later this year, using iconic clean photography of some of
the game's all-time greats over the decades:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_UDu7OjtcRZL0JobTQTfxSmwlP3fHrT9QIkHRCY1ak7xnVKKHIuVE6MV3iYV12JPNesKsjmu0_qDkfeuBOgJT61frK4yBIQm67ckSMr-bIqh1HS0YAWZH8VjVuO_vdv7ypumiGkqZvJH8sQHb-k3GDRA9XZrH3PjYJluDPekrFH3zYCiQ_nJMjwTSvs/s540/9_BEAUTIFUL_BASEBALL_BROOKS_ROBINSON.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_UDu7OjtcRZL0JobTQTfxSmwlP3fHrT9QIkHRCY1ak7xnVKKHIuVE6MV3iYV12JPNesKsjmu0_qDkfeuBOgJT61frK4yBIQm67ckSMr-bIqh1HS0YAWZH8VjVuO_vdv7ypumiGkqZvJH8sQHb-k3GDRA9XZrH3PjYJluDPekrFH3zYCiQ_nJMjwTSvs/s320/9_BEAUTIFUL_BASEBALL_BROOKS_ROBINSON.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span>In 1958 he’d play his first full season in the Big Leagues, and it was all cruise control
from there, as the great third baseman would go on to grab 16 Gold
Gloves, an MVP Award in 1964, appear in 15 All-Star games, and help
guide the Baltimore Orioles to two Championships and four A.L. Pennants.<br />
By the time he hung up that golden glove after the 1977 season, he
finished with 2848 hits, 1357 runs batted in, 268 home runs and 1232
runs scored in 2896 games.<br />
Needless to say, by the time Cooperstown came calling, he was voted in on his first try, receiving 92% support in 1983.</span></span></span></span></span></div></div><p> </p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-87283153417376073092024-03-09T17:59:00.000-05:002024-03-09T17:59:24.890-05:00NEW SISTER BLOG SITE FOR WTHBALLS PRINTED CARDS/SETS!<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDfK12gnoZp23V4xOQjU_akErB6wKSyAYo1Y4Fk3dPIeSxevB-4FyixYwbyfBx3CZIUBBYR2M8e4kSbje6IZlX5_OFob0nFa18wZwHVW6qFPMyCnCQmIhZbvRs_x3HBqgqyX6LwucP3v57NGC6mM2T7ses-ms0sOeu9VbJ0KYe8dyuxkhZ1Wwgdjtjlo/s1151/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%205.50.39%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1151" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDfK12gnoZp23V4xOQjU_akErB6wKSyAYo1Y4Fk3dPIeSxevB-4FyixYwbyfBx3CZIUBBYR2M8e4kSbje6IZlX5_OFob0nFa18wZwHVW6qFPMyCnCQmIhZbvRs_x3HBqgqyX6LwucP3v57NGC6mM2T7ses-ms0sOeu9VbJ0KYe8dyuxkhZ1Wwgdjtjlo/w640-h472/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%205.50.39%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3" style="font-family: arial; text-overflow: unset;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3" style="font-family: arial; text-overflow: unset;">Hello everyone!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3" style="font-family: arial; text-overflow: unset;">If you haven't noticed the new link on this blog yet at the top right, I have finally gotten around to building a dedicated blog/site solely for PRINTED WTHBALLS custom cards/sets released over the years!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3" style="font-family: arial; text-overflow: unset;">Still more cards and sets to add, along with a downloadable checklist/spreadsheet, but check out what I have so far. Follow me please!:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/Xw8tUg6mcB" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" role="link" style="color: #1d9bf0; font-family: arial; text-overflow: unset;" target="_blank"><span aria-hidden="true" class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-qlhcfr r-qvk6io" style="text-overflow: unset;">https://wt</span>hballsprintedcustomcards.blogspot.com</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I really do appreciate those of you who have pushed me to get this done to help everyone have a complete list of all that I have produced.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thank you all for the continued support and interest!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Gio <br /></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-1929075158826836592024-03-09T08:45:00.001-05:002024-03-09T08:45:16.590-05:00WTHBALLS SERIES 16 CUSTOM NOW AVAILABLE!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qqZ_fYX1zNm2Qamw3MbIcUR6OKzQpVBdcQyTTnY06D9MlLGfkaFwe31MfdLqbAuUfikJxHpNBhSYs5v_W_AelZ56evC1VR38PlngpWNpFjpNjjuEquOPIi29Nw01Sk6_O8Y3Zgys-maw2qdw4FlTdrm6tEpumTrgDp_6Cfzy8wOrP8tfyGNq6_t5BCc/s1512/20240218_163704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1512" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qqZ_fYX1zNm2Qamw3MbIcUR6OKzQpVBdcQyTTnY06D9MlLGfkaFwe31MfdLqbAuUfikJxHpNBhSYs5v_W_AelZ56evC1VR38PlngpWNpFjpNjjuEquOPIi29Nw01Sk6_O8Y3Zgys-maw2qdw4FlTdrm6tEpumTrgDp_6Cfzy8wOrP8tfyGNq6_t5BCc/w640-h404/20240218_163704.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymg9CnbP5xMHVDV3ED10y5LFcEazsn0JLz_dPRyg1gMXA3tj7AUWnF4-8wQUHemhO0Jfgih5XbMf4-nLmIekjQD-OJfFZOFmVuokPZmkP30XJ-MERQdiFPS5gOQHbAyBbOp7O3ymVEz0LopQxerXChgQ4qDBQ_HBmqYaEi0czwNw5B9buGvH4vtbjsi4/s1656/20240229_094609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1656" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymg9CnbP5xMHVDV3ED10y5LFcEazsn0JLz_dPRyg1gMXA3tj7AUWnF4-8wQUHemhO0Jfgih5XbMf4-nLmIekjQD-OJfFZOFmVuokPZmkP30XJ-MERQdiFPS5gOQHbAyBbOp7O3ymVEz0LopQxerXChgQ4qDBQ_HBmqYaEi0czwNw5B9buGvH4vtbjsi4/w400-h284/20240229_094609.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's that time again!</span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The newest WTHBALLS custom set is here, and it's the "<span><span><span>SERIES</span></span></span> <span><span><span>16</span></span></span>" set!</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As
usual, this features <span>15</span> cards, but as with <span>past few series sets</span>,
there will be a fun
bonus card instead of the glossy insert, this time a 1971 "Topps Rookie
All-Star" card of Thurman Munson based off the never-released prototype
set recently profiled on the blog.<br />
As usual, the sets come wrapped inside a "WTHBALLS" wrapper like the other "<span><span><span>Series</span></span></span>" set packs from the past.<br /></span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
I'm happy to announce that the new "packs" are $<span><span>12</span></span>
each plus $4.50 postage, as I have found a new printer out West that
had better pricing, and to be honest, nicer quality card stock as you
will all see!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And as usual, if you
buy more than one set, postage always stays the same at $4.50.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
SPOILER ALERT! See photos attached for the cards in this set.<br />
My paypal is the usual: <a href="mailto:slogun23@gmail.com" target="_blank">slogun23@gmail.com</a><br />
Thank you all for the continued support and interest!</span></span>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-90812604960624184392024-03-09T07:36:00.005-05:002024-03-09T07:36:53.075-05:001960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. FIRST BASEMAN WILLIE McCOVEY<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Good day all!</span></span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the blog today, my pick
for the National league's first baseman of the 1960's, and I went with
Hall of Fame slugger Willie McCovey:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-ugUZDxJ0qRCMlddo29jVNOLuCcJ6isHvgXRM4kH2Exyvb9JtAP3Ohjss2pM2Ij57Pl_xi60TbPW5cBJxc4lLwDRIcdHvxWDbkFoc5UHJpoh-0uSGEbL-Uz_bfeCzGUW7v9-SZRhA3WVeQlTVnJN3YTIQN5ooMM1XMN-BhuqTYTOdYPnroCdBXoaH0I/s540/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20NL%20FIRST%20BASE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-ugUZDxJ0qRCMlddo29jVNOLuCcJ6isHvgXRM4kH2Exyvb9JtAP3Ohjss2pM2Ij57Pl_xi60TbPW5cBJxc4lLwDRIcdHvxWDbkFoc5UHJpoh-0uSGEbL-Uz_bfeCzGUW7v9-SZRhA3WVeQlTVnJN3YTIQN5ooMM1XMN-BhuqTYTOdYPnroCdBXoaH0I/s320/1960S%20ALL%20DECADE%20NL%20FIRST%20BASE.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">McCovey,
who did also see a
significant amount of time over in the outfield between 1962 and 1964,
put in just enough time at the first base position to get my pick for
the decade honor.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All he did was lay down the foundation
for a future Hall of Fame induction, leading the league in homers three
times, runs batted in twice, slugging three twice, and also capping off
the decade with an M.V.P. award in 1969.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
He was so feared at the plate, that even in a line-up that
featured other hitters like Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds, he was
intentionally walked 45 times in 1969, setting the Major League record
at the time (later obliterated by Barry Bonds decades later).</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Rookie of the Year in 1959, M.V.P. in 1969, and six-time
all-star, "Stretch" was part of an incredible slugging trio during his
early days in San Francisco, teaming up with two other future Hall of
Famers, Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda.</span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
By the time he retired in 1980, he crushed 521 home runs, collected
over 2000 hits, drove in over 1500, and left his mark as one of the
most feared sluggers of his generation.</span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
In 1986, his first year of eligibility, he was voted into the Hall of Fame with 81.4% of the ballots cast.</span></span></div></div></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-7923422039564692932024-03-08T08:10:00.004-05:002024-03-08T08:10:46.045-05:00MISSING ALL-STAR MANAGER: 1977 DARRELL JOHNSON<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Up on the blog today, my "missing" 1977 All-Star manager, which is
former Boston Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson, who led the Junior
Circuit in the 1976 "Midsummer Classic" because of his pennant winning
1975 season:</span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jQxBlvvu6zURCVrpJjbEPFnrhwfvvRK9NGsnTbbLdHWGRaRQtH2UXyXpKgbaok-A6mq7zoO8KEFu2d4mmND3CAxiaZQgkUv7sb7kQq3y0swE4Ea7inb0qZpsyZi7iJFz-0BNE_QAmutbMs-xuk-TjZM0jFMDhhWDck_HorbPPa7xs6YYVHEvYxR6flU/s540/1977-AL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="389" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jQxBlvvu6zURCVrpJjbEPFnrhwfvvRK9NGsnTbbLdHWGRaRQtH2UXyXpKgbaok-A6mq7zoO8KEFu2d4mmND3CAxiaZQgkUv7sb7kQq3y0swE4Ea7inb0qZpsyZi7iJFz-0BNE_QAmutbMs-xuk-TjZM0jFMDhhWDck_HorbPPa7xs6YYVHEvYxR6flU/s320/1977-AL-ALL-STAR-MANAGER(1).jpg" width="231" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Funny enough, we'll all remember
that Johnson was shown as the very first manager in Seattle Mariner
history on that special manager/coach card in the 1977 set.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After
his A.L. Championship season of 1975, which saw the Red Sox lose to the
juggernaut Cincinnati Reds "Big Red Machine" team in the World Series,
Johnson came back to manage the Sox the following year, only to be let
go after 86 games, which had the team under .500 at 41-45.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That
was just after the All-Star game, so he did hang around long enough to
be at the helm of the A.L. in the game, which the N.L. won 7-1.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He
would then go on to manage the new Mariner team for the first three
full seasons between 1977 and 1979 before being let go after a 39-65
start to the 1980 season.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He'd be back managing a Big League
team in 1982, taking over the Texas Rangers after Don Zimmer was let go
after a 38-58 start, with Johnson not doing much better, going 26-40 the
rest of the way.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That would be it for the man as a manager,
though he could be considered a baseball lifer, entering pro-ball in
1949 before putting in parts of six seasons as a Major League catcher
between 1952 and 1962, then getting into coaching and managing later on.</span></span>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-9843915817091766772024-03-07T08:06:00.001-05:002024-03-07T08:06:10.882-05:001969 "DO-OVER" SET: JIM BUNNING<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today
on the blog, we spotlight my "do-over" for Hall of Fame pitcher Jim
Bunning and his 1969 card, from my custom 1969 "Gimmie-A-Do Over" set
released a few months ago:</span></p><div dir="ltr"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEnEamm7qz9xmSjBBPjTj7wvDkdvf8LSNV9DmfpLxJu0gSMoR7HQRpdXWD4S2Lbxh7u0Q7gSQmh9nECewhLznzV0Txr0IhzpdFmSSxA1-Uu1eyN1X55-kTk64CYne4qD6RcxtKoxIOkYbRvpdLIF_J28ia18ZR7jOB4nehKLYzFoLo2Tv6RWBZpoYhEQ/s540/1969%20REDO%20JIM%20BUNNING-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEnEamm7qz9xmSjBBPjTj7wvDkdvf8LSNV9DmfpLxJu0gSMoR7HQRpdXWD4S2Lbxh7u0Q7gSQmh9nECewhLznzV0Txr0IhzpdFmSSxA1-Uu1eyN1X55-kTk64CYne4qD6RcxtKoxIOkYbRvpdLIF_J28ia18ZR7jOB4nehKLYzFoLo2Tv6RWBZpoYhEQ/s320/1969%20REDO%20JIM%20BUNNING-01.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zOAzE-WLcewfwg8IPSDcEPyf389gwQ2Rzbqu87XdDrUyqqRJQIzqpRvwYFgfkICVmsOH18y4ijT_9vIXAg0ehz5RZamHGkbHwKAjS15IYmznvP2gYU1oT9MTVWSYJRqjM1r8OXmfpeaQCNQjwzi6tMAKwYtth7HpVLetWdZllVDTphxsUYTD9FOrQ-Y/s1440/20230909_124207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1440" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zOAzE-WLcewfwg8IPSDcEPyf389gwQ2Rzbqu87XdDrUyqqRJQIzqpRvwYFgfkICVmsOH18y4ijT_9vIXAg0ehz5RZamHGkbHwKAjS15IYmznvP2gYU1oT9MTVWSYJRqjM1r8OXmfpeaQCNQjwzi6tMAKwYtth7HpVLetWdZllVDTphxsUYTD9FOrQ-Y/s320/20230909_124207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1PvcAMrn5CRs6MSJ3DzlKuFmYGmIHyTVnVKkFcy66WkSLfPGu_1Wg00S5retaMgf4j9ac_Ao_I201knDAwh5ugI2OvscEbwG3ar_DOIDOiJQkUWii0wf_Dl3qo-usphFNo_1FInb-XFEEraVPWsKD0jCqvPXd6aDG0JHKmjM8UzUPgRuUZOUkvQpVXc/s1426/20230925_142437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1426" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1PvcAMrn5CRs6MSJ3DzlKuFmYGmIHyTVnVKkFcy66WkSLfPGu_1Wg00S5retaMgf4j9ac_Ao_I201knDAwh5ugI2OvscEbwG3ar_DOIDOiJQkUWii0wf_Dl3qo-usphFNo_1FInb-XFEEraVPWsKD0jCqvPXd6aDG0JHKmjM8UzUPgRuUZOUkvQpVXc/s320/20230925_142437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Really
happy to finally "fix" a bunch of the cards from my birth-year set that
saw Topps reuse images from previous years, or use an image that was
terribly outdated due to a licensing issue with the MLBPA.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>As a baseball player he put in 17-years of all-star play, winning 20
games once, but putting together four 19-win seasons along with three
17-win seasons, while leading his league in strikeouts three times and
shutouts twice.<br />
The seven-time all-star threw a no-hitter in each league, with his
National League no-no a perfect game against the New York Mets in 1964.<br />
He also won 100-games in each league, becoming the first to do so since the great Cy Young at the beginning of the 20th Century.<br />
In 1996, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining contemporaries such as Juan Marichal, Sandy Koufax and Whitey Ford.<br />
By then he was already a Representative of Kentucky’s 4th District for
nine years before becoming a State Senator in 1999, a position he would
hold until January 2011.<br />
A great life to say the least. Though I like to think of it as
incredible actually. To do any ONE of these things he accomplished is a
life’s great achievement, and Bunning did them all.<br />
Amazing man.</span></span></div></div>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2400799061082096498.post-25701245117764982722024-03-06T07:46:00.003-05:002024-03-06T07:46:34.585-05:00WTHBALLS GUM PACK CUSTOM SET: REGGIE JACKSON<div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good day everyone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On the blog today, my Reggie Jackson mini-card from my recent custom "Gum Pack" set, released in unique packaging:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwafU56bOqp_AtUxlrZj64zgdPPo6ZUq-YxRF1aIZrq2nCEa8h_vEbkuWEoeHXEaS2coknZ9qsvpwCyyOofMiqQc-qVKYNVz24kejFbVwhm_J53xfbw1tgYFNyt6GwhaUUDRCT7ABCE4hetS2RDB7ekO-wy3Zifwf9fPoHOJ6qZBTuxXlsHeHw-8nbZI/s504/MINI%20CARD%20SET_HALFTONE-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwafU56bOqp_AtUxlrZj64zgdPPo6ZUq-YxRF1aIZrq2nCEa8h_vEbkuWEoeHXEaS2coknZ9qsvpwCyyOofMiqQc-qVKYNVz24kejFbVwhm_J53xfbw1tgYFNyt6GwhaUUDRCT7ABCE4hetS2RDB7ekO-wy3Zifwf9fPoHOJ6qZBTuxXlsHeHw-8nbZI/s320/MINI%20CARD%20SET_HALFTONE-03.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpF3QYn6tyBJp85fEq4D8maxy_35TaLYYtvDoPGbrkzvQB4Dr0OxVIouLss7VmX06w040TprufTefHfmFY4mTNS6-BhUjJwI8RoKktKwtLFXHLPO2V5ku9Mg_JfCN-4kzxbo_qTcmZcbhgojsLmmK46dKY68XzqcliG9B1RbKTPBAti8zoMPzfnYaD5E/s1473/20231021_174651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1473" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpF3QYn6tyBJp85fEq4D8maxy_35TaLYYtvDoPGbrkzvQB4Dr0OxVIouLss7VmX06w040TprufTefHfmFY4mTNS6-BhUjJwI8RoKktKwtLFXHLPO2V5ku9Mg_JfCN-4kzxbo_qTcmZcbhgojsLmmK46dKY68XzqcliG9B1RbKTPBAti8zoMPzfnYaD5E/s320/20231021_174651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFZrK8qGzJgTBgjQVVNONvOTLMCs8tgS27GyTYEi1S6NCCpR0m9i86oZ6UBlCJTLu9YiQDhqM0Er9OZvpWrcrQNuNls3qB32DLFu9g2NK8-wuxIlEsU70ATNxZiA81kFeEpCFJUgGcDPx0GjTj2Yx3_XPAMtIxW2Caj1lJAMuDlhIukc-e4K1-DA8LgI/s1512/20231022_134150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1512" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFZrK8qGzJgTBgjQVVNONvOTLMCs8tgS27GyTYEi1S6NCCpR0m9i86oZ6UBlCJTLu9YiQDhqM0Er9OZvpWrcrQNuNls3qB32DLFu9g2NK8-wuxIlEsU70ATNxZiA81kFeEpCFJUgGcDPx0GjTj2Yx3_XPAMtIxW2Caj1lJAMuDlhIukc-e4K1-DA8LgI/s320/20231022_134150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Just a fun little set I worked on between "regular" releases to keep things interesting!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span>Truly
one of the eternal icons of the game, the man was just destined for
baseball greatness since his days at Cheltenham High School in
Pennsylvania.<br />
Recruited by pro teams and colleges alike, he went on to Arizona State where he was actually on a football scholarship.<br />
Of course we all know the story of the 1966 amateur draft, where the New
York Mets held the #1 pick, and opted for high school catcher Steve
Chilcott instead of who many considered the true #1 overall amateur,
Jackson.<br />
With the second pick, the Kansas City Athletics (later Oakland) picked
the slugger and the rest is history, as he would eventually lead the
organization to three straight championships between 1972-1974 before
being traded in a blockbuster to the Baltimore Orioles where he’d play
for one season in 1976.<br />
As a highly coveted free agent before the 1977 season, Jackson signed
with the New York Yankees, and with Reggie in NYC, the legend exploded
as he helped the Yankees to two championships in 1977-78.<br />
With his larger than life persona, New York ate it up and before you
knew it, he was known around the world, even getting his own candy-bar
by the end of the decade.<br />
For a kid like me growing up in Brooklyn in the ‘70’s, Reggie was like a
God, larger than life, and before he finished up his career in 1987,
putting in 21 seasons, he would put together a Hall of Fame career with
563 homers, 1702 runs batted in, an MVP Award in 1973, and five
championships.<br />
Add to that 14 all-star nods, four home run titles, a legendary homer in
the 1971 All-Star Game against Dock Ellis, his 1977 World Series
performance, and you can see why he goes down as one of the most
well-known baseball personalities the game has ever seen!</span></span></span></span></span></div></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>John23http://www.blogger.com/profile/13867602703596882750noreply@blogger.com