By the way, who won this contest???

Back in the early 2000 I was busy at the university and completely lost track of baseball and therefore baseball cards. I don't recall how this sweepstakes piece found its place into my collection.

Who won that bat?????? 

I've been doing some research on the Internet but so far I've just been able to find that:

"Robert Shell (14 year old back then) from Baraboo Wis. won a 1928 Philadelphia athletics jersey signed by Cobb, valued at $332,500" as part of this contest.

But who won that bat????

My Ruth's cards

You gotta love reprints as long as they're not from Todd Van Poppel. So when you hit a Hall of Fame shot courtesy of Score 1992:

Or a 1976 Topps honoring the Bambino:

Just open the binder and add that up to your collection.

The truth and main reason for this post is that I've never seen an original Ruth card in person. It's not like the Babe is the only one missing on my list but it's a tight race between him and Cobb for first place; keep digging and I still need to see/own DiMaggio, CY, Gehrig,  and you name it.

Meanwhile I'll keep digging during my flea market adventures and sooner or later I'll be the luckiest man on the face of the earth... unquote.

 

Cool nicknames: "The human vacuum cleaner"

A sign that you've made it to the show is having your nickname. If you're lucky enough it will stick with you through good and bad; in sickness and health; Pujols and Andrew Jones type of season, for ever.

I have to admit that Brooks Robinson has one of the coolest nickname ever, forget about the Iron Horse, Will the Thrill, La Cobra, cause the Human Vacuum Cleaner rules.

Bring on the Hoover!!!

My Rickey Henderson RC tks to Cardboard Icons

Back on March 7th, Ben from CardBoard Icons hosted a contest celabrating his 25,000 visits in which the winner, a.k.a yours truly, won a 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson RC. 

Being new in the blogosphere there's no need to say I was thrilled when I found out.

Tks Ben, this card is mint compare to some in my vintage PC.

Centered? the Wade Boggs saga. Card #630

Ever since I picked up this card I've been curious about the "centering". For a while I thought it was my copy who had the problem. Browsing Ebay today I found this one just like it. Looking further into the matter, I found the match #629 for the AL Batting title runner up Mr. Carew... including part of Boggs sleeve.

What I still don't get is why is Fleer had to split the card instead of using the single shot.

Riddle me this, riddle me that, uncentered on the front, centered on the back

Joe's hobby is playing billiards

Joe's hobby is playing billiard. I get it, I get it,  you don't have to say it 2 YEARS IN A ROW!! in the back of his card:

 

Get off my back. Jim Palmer 1977 Topps #600

If one thing this downturn economy is providing me, is way too much time off for a guy who used to work in hotels +70 hours a week (yep, that's legal down here).

Surfing old cards this past couple of day, I was wondered by how so many regular and even star players have listed in the back of their cards facts that had nothing to do with them. I'll call it the "Get off my back" series.

By the time 1977 Topps was released, Jim Palmer had already won his 3 CY awards, made 4 All Star appereances and won 2 of 3 wold series rings; so I have the right to ask Topps: why did you choose Mr. Palmer card #600 to point out that Ron Hunt, Ron Hunt!! was the first Met ever to be choosen for the All Star game? I know Mr. hunt didn't make it as an active player for the 1977 Topps edition but man think about something else if you felt like remembering him; do a "Turn Back the Clock" or something else. Is not like you're trying to think of something nice to say about Tom Gorzelany, man this is Palmer. 

 

K Tom is on my "list"

For any vintage collector fan there is always an unwritten list of cards that you would choose and set aside for later negotiation even when radomly browsing through a stack or a shoebox full of cardboard. No matter if you're a team or player collector or even if you hate the Yanks, Reds, & Tigers; you'll never turn your cheek when running into a Mantle, Rose, Cobb, et al. Even duplicates will always be welcome if you're like me.

Among those players, I have Mr. Seaver and being honest, I just know about him what I've read in the back of my cards, Wikipedia and Baseball Reference

I'm not a Mets fan and don't care if Omar Minaya is planning to put the whole Dominican Republic on their payroll. 

But, Tom Seaver is on my "list"

Graded goodie from cheapbay

A couple of blogs ago I wrote about vintage goodie on the way. Finally it has arrived:

It has been with me for just 5 days but man I love this card. 

How much did I pay? USD$5.76 delivered 

If there's something that I'm 100% sure off now it's that by going vintage on my collection, my passion for the hobby is getting stronger.

My first Koufax! My first Spahn!