Hey Pete, we also bet on baseball.

I remember rooting for the Cubs (obviously it proved to be worthless) and the Braves back in the Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Avery days starting up the early 90's.

There were 4 of us (Gregorio, David, Hector and me) and our morning ritual consisted on visiting the local betting place every day. We had to walk 15 minutes and be there early in oder to get the best "lineas" (odds) and most important of all: your own copy of a "pitcheo" (piece of paper with today's games/times/schedules/pitchers & stats).

Was it legal at our age? Nop, but who cares. We were only 16 years old back then but placing a bet was easier and safer than buying a beer in a "colmado", also forbidden at that age but you know the deal.

After a couple of weeks visiting the place, the old folks got to know our faces and stopped staring at us.

Our betting patterns were really bad: Gregorio would always bet on the Cubs no matter who they were against with. Now remember that in 1996 they finished the year 76-86.

David & Hector managed to do OK. About me, let's say I was not as bad as Gregorio.

Sunny day. I need my sunglasses: Bobby Murcer

I had no idea who Murcer was when I bought this card just because it looked funny. Later I found out he had a decent career overall.

This post was brought to you by RayBan, Arnette, Oakley, Vuarnet, Tuscany and any other sunglasses brand you can think of.

1968 Topps Game. Matty Alou

The middle brother of the Alou saga, Matty is one the baseball players of whom I'll collect any affordable baseball card I run into.

About the card picture below, I bought it on Ebay a couple of months ago and really enjoy looking at it and comparing this piece with the rest of my PC.

I think that overall you gotta love the design of 1963 Topps Game inserts. This 33 cards set is absolutely gorgeous with its flip-flop front letters, round corners and white back ground. With most cards on this set selling for less than US$3 and the top sellers (Mantle, Mays, Clemente, Rose, Carew and Aaron) going for less than US$9/each, I'm planning to give it a try and complete the set. Looks easy and affordable considering a full non-graded set was sold yesterday for $63.98

I want my money back 1: Felix Pie

Nobody ever said he was meant to be the next A-Rod but !damn! I had high hopes on Felix Pie. But I was not alone, in 2007 Baseball America ranked him as the #1 Cubs prospect in their farm system & #49 overall.

So high were my expectations that I now regret to say that Pie is one of only 2 players (Tulowitzki is the other one) I've chased down on Ebay until I finally bought his RC (pictured below). Don't remember how much I paid for it but you can bet it was more than the $3 & $4 bucks his autos are selling for nowadays.

Anyway I'll keep this card. Do I have another option? Nop. What's the worst that could happen? Sharing a jail cell with former MLB and now deported and prosecuted women killer Ambiorix Burgos? Bahhh.

The first Dominican who ever made to the show: Ossie Virgil

It's been a couple of months since I wrote something on this blog. That doesn't mean I forgot about the hobby, is just that lately I haven't been able make it down to my nearest vintage flea market (a 3 hours drive from home) and therefore I had to rely on Ebay for some graded cards that I can afford and mean something to me.

Since my last post, I've added a few cards to my PC and new long term project. One of those pieces is none other than Osvaldo Jose Pichardo Virgil a.k.a "Ossie Virgil", the first Dominican who ever made it to the show.

Born in 1932, Osvaldo debuted in September 23rd, 1956 playing just 3 games in what was left of the season but he opened the doors of a brighter future to 490 other Dominican players who have debuted since then and later became legends like the Alou brothers, Rico Carty, Juan Marichal and many others.

The social and economic impact baseball has in our society is incommensurable. Just think about how many prospects are currently making their way through the MLB teams farm systems established in the DR. Hundreds of them.

In a funny misspelled note, according to Ossie's Topps RC, he was born in "Corpus Christi" which is wrong. His hometown is "Monte Cristi", one of the poorest provinces in the DR.