Sunday, March 31, 2013

Sunday SIL: Trade playlist

It's been a couple weeks since I posted a SIL, so let's take a Gypsy Queen and Big Sort break and have some fun. For those that read my ramblings, you may notice the bottom of 95% of the posts contain a video - usually YouTube, but I have used a couple other sources once or twice. Hopefully you watch the videos. I take the time and effort to tie the music with the post in some fashion.

See, I am a big fan of music. I grew up the youngest of 3 boys. Back then, you had one tv in the house. Maybe a 2nd small, black and white set. But being the bottom of the food chain, there were plenty of times either I watched what my brothers wanted to watch, or I didn't watch the tube at all. So those times, I was up in my room listening to records with my head phones on. And when it came time for bed, I would stack a few LPs on my stereo set and listen while I fell asleep.

What the hell is this magic?

Music has always had a special place in my life. So, you ask, where in the world you going with this is regard to cards? Well, recently the Night Owl did a couple posts where he tied The Black Keys' "El Camino" & Van Halen's "1984" to baseball cards. So not to steal the idea, but spin of from it: let's look at the last cards I received from the N.O. (for the many Kershaws I seem to pull and mail to him), and associate each card to a YouTube video. Dive into my mind, if you dare.


First, and the card I knew would be in the envelope, is this beautiful black bordered 2008 A&G mini. I am going to avoid the obvious (you'll find out why) and go with a 70's classic.



Funny thing - Three Dog Night was one of the favorite bands of a friend of my oldest brother. 


If I was ever going to get a '75 Topps mini in my collection, it would obviously come from the Night Owl. This card was a little tough to tie to a song. I first thought of going with this great video of Eurythmics on Arsenio, because Annie is really belting it out acoustically (Beltin' Bill Melton). It's too much of a stretch, though. Instead, I am going with Modern English.



It works.


Here's a nice '77 Topps of Terry Forster. Here's where my first thought for the Thome fits better, based on his uniform.



The 1977 Topps are the first cards that show the new White Sox "old timey" uniforms on cardboard, as they just switched designs in 1976. So the song works in more ways than the obvious.


This card of Fisk stumped me when I first came up with this post idea. Until I took a good look at the card. See, this isn't a Topps release. This card is from 1991 and it's part of a panel of cards that were in Baseball Magazine. I can't find an uncut panel of the cards, but I left the scan a little wide. If you look close, you can see the cut and border around the edges. The card is cut on all 4 sides, so either there was a border that was cut off, or this card was the center of the panel. I'm picking option #2.



Once I considered the card was from the middle of the panel, the song just chose itself.


The envelope finished with this beautiful 1956 Sherm Lollar. Man, I do love '56 a lot. However, for this post, this card proved to be a pain. If we go "catcher", we don't get a lot of songs. Just readings of "Catcher In the Rye". Could go Dumbo with the ears, but that's cruel. And really - "Baby Mine" would be the only song, and singing that to Sherm is creepy. Any iteration of "Sherm" gets Civil War stuff. Leaves us with Lollar. Hey - I could go with any of a dozen "Lollipop" videos. But instead, I am going this route, cuz I think it's a pretty sweet mashup and the video is SOOOO easy on the eyes.


Hope you had fun with that. Now get out of my head and enjoy Easter dinner (if you celebrate). 

Friday, March 29, 2013

SECOND!

From JBAnama's blogroll, it appears I was not the first, but the second to find some 2013 Gypsy Queen in my local Walmart. I fired up my really crappy flip camera and live ripped what I bought.


Ok - if you sat through that, a hearty "thank you" and "I'm sorry" is both said with earnest. Since the color quality has a lot to be desired, here is a few scans to enjoy.


There's your base. I like the border color WAY MORE than last year. You can see that Gehrig card so much more in the scan. That, folks, is one beautiful uniform. Even if it is evil empire.


Here are your rack pack framed parallels. I guess they are ivory in color. Looking now at the Buehrle, that is a photoshop from a game at Wrigley. 


Some Abbott for Nick at Dime Boxes. Interesting his base is Angels and his insert is Yankees.

 

More inserts. Not sure how I feel about the Dealing Aces set. I get the playing card idea, but...I don't know. Maybe it's too busy. I think the No Hitters is a very nice insert set as the borders really compliment the team colors.


Glove Stories looks a lot like last year, so no scan. Sliding Stars has a new gray border. And those collision cards are sweet. SOOOO much nicer in black and white. Hey Topps - more like that please!

Alright - I'll work on the lighting for my next video. Maybe I can find some 2nd tier movie actress to rip packs for me. Or some has-been singer. I got options.

SECOND!

From JBAnama's blogroll, it appears I was not the first, but the second to find some 2013 Gypsy Queen in my local Walmart. I fired up my really crappy flip camera and live ripped what I bought.


Ok - if you sat through that, a hearty "thank you" and "I'm sorry" is both said with earnest. Since the color quality has a lot to be desired, here is a few scans to enjoy.


There's your base. I like the border color WAY MORE than last year. You can see that Gehrig card so much more in the scan. That, folks, is one beautiful uniform. Even if it is evil empire.


Here are your rack pack framed parallels. I guess they are ivory in color. Looking now at the Buehrle, that is a photoshop from a game at Wrigley. 


Some Abbott for Nick at Dime Boxes. Interesting his base is Angels and his insert is Yankees.

 

More inserts. Not sure how I feel about the Dealing Aces set. I get the playing card idea, but...I don't know. Maybe it's too busy. I think the No Hitters is a very nice insert set as the borders really compliment the team colors.


Glove Stories looks a lot like last year, so no scan. Sliding Stars has a new gray border. And those collision cards are sweet. SOOOO much nicer in black and white. Hey Topps - more like that please!

Alright - I'll work on the lighting for my next video. Maybe I can find some 2nd tier movie actress to rip packs for me. Or some has-been singer. I got options.

The Big Sort: Wayne Nordhagen

Can you really have too many Wayne Nordhagen's?




Actually, my sources are saying yes - yes, you can have too many. How about that?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Throwback Thursday - 03.28.2013

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Esteban Loaiza - 2004 Fleer - Chicago White Sox

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The Big Sort: missed vintage

In may of the trades I have made, the generosity of bloggers has been awesome. Before blogging, I had just a couple vintage cards, and I had them....well, I am not sure how I got them. I have received cards from the 60's, 70's and early 80's from many people, and I do my best to keep those separate from the "newer" White Sox - late 80's and up. But it appears a couple slipped through my fingers and into the depths of that monster box.


Yummy! Dig the photo shopping on the Nixon card. My guess - ex-BoSox.


Nailed it. And I was going to quiz you with the trivia on the '64, but it's kind of revealed.


You can see that Topps really did a great job in their Heritage line this year. While they had (for whatever reason) to jam the registered trade mark next to the team name, it's so very small it hardly detracts from the cards beauty. Now, just bring back the bad photo shopping to remove the Nike mark of the beast from the player's necks and the world will be in harmony again.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The Big Sort: And so it begins.

I talked a few days ago about the mess that I like to refer to as "my White Sox collection". I figured out what I could use for a table in my card room, so I began the long task of organizing. I figured during the sort I would find many gems, and it didn't take long to find two cards that finally answer a question that has bugged me for months.

Hopefully, you know my love of stirrups and high cuffs. Pajama pants look like total crap. Dress like a ballplayer, not like a bum.

Now pitching - ball player. Now batting - slob. 

While I have been searching and setting aside cards featuring properly attired players, one position has failed to appear - catcher. Now, if I was to determine the first position that would adopt longer pants, I would say the catcher. I'm sure the shin guards feel more comfortable without bloused pants. Yet, we all know a good 30 years ago, pajama pants were the exception and not the norm. Another known is that, up until he retired, Pudge Fisk always wore stirrups. 

Pictured - Hall of Fame ball player.

Now granted, I could Google image search and find a photo of Fisk with high cuffs while behind the plate. But those are not a baseball cards. I need to find a card that can put official scorer's position #2 in the high cuffs binder.

Pictured - greatest dressed Hall of Fame player.

Less than an hour in and paydirt. Many many stacks to go, but the sorting can only get better, right?


My poor eyes.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Billy's from all directions.

It's been a good week with the Billy Pierce project in 2x3 Heroes headquarters. A total of 5 cards have arrived and been cataloged into the system, and they have come from every direction possible.

In one of my last posts, I showed off a sweet Dannon sponsored White Sox team set I received. There was one card I didn't share in that post - a card I had no idea would be arriving from a package sent by Mrhavercamp (James).


That's a nice 1963 Topps World Series card of Billy. It was a glorious addition to the cards James sent. I totally feel like I gipped him on the trade. Luckily, I have his address. PWE BOMBS!!!

BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!

A couple of days later, Chris and Kyle from Old Foul Cardboard, who by the way you all should be doing your own Yankee PWE bombs on for Kyle's sake, sent me a few Sox cards and vintage Blackhawks (for another post). Included were these two beauts. 


Yup - the same 63 Topps. I get it twice in 3 days. I am not worried or sad. Who wouldn't love that card more than once? I mean - Tim Wallach has over 6000 total cards of only 305 different variations. He knows what I am talking about. The 60 Topps is also a dupe, but it's an upgrade to the card I currently have. I had never had a plan what I would do when I upgraded a few of the cards, but I think I will get them autographed. So thanks a bunch to Chris and Kyle. PWE bomb them too. 

That's 78.74 inches in Imperial units.

Moving on to eBay, I routinely do a "Bill Pierce" and a "Billy Pierce" search to find things that may slip under the radar. I scored my 53 Bowman for under $6 on the 'bay. I was surprised when I found the 1952 Red Man card listed for a very low starting price. I had a price in mind and was able to snipe the card over someone else for under $10 with shipping. Can't even guess what "book value" is has, but I love it and want it, and now I have it. To hell with the book value.


With the bottom tab too. The only blemish is the slight ding in the upper right. It's sooooo worth it for the price I paid and the rest of the card's condition.

And lastly, we head over to Listia. Side tangent - I am lucky enough to work from home 4 days a week. I recent discovered the joy of surveys on Listia. Needless to say, I have earned about 17k in Listia credits from all the surveys I have filled out. My junk email will get a work out, but it's all in the name of science. Well, greed really. 

Anyway, a 1962 Topps Pierce showed up. I have almost pulled the trigger on one at COMC, but the price feels strangely high in my opinion. But I would be willing to go "10 dollars" on Listia for it - 3000 credits. Before surveys, I had but 1500 creds to spend. Now I capital. My spotter helped me line up my target and SNIPE! Scored for 2711 creds. Now, the PWE mailing was scary - penny sleeve and folded in a piece of paper, but it survived and arrived today.


Worst centering of all my Pierces, but otherwise is in fine shape. 

I am down to 9 cards to complete my set. Now technically, there are a couple Post cards out there of Billy. I do not have them on my list, but I have a line on acquiring them, so if/when I get them, I will just add them to the list. Let's welcome the newest members of the project.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Throwback Thursday - 03.21.2013

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Lucas Harrell - 2012 Topps - Houston Astros

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A daunting task.


See that? That's a 5000 count box. Though, can you really jam 5000 cards in one? I have never tried. But I am getting off task. There you see a 5000 count box. The key rows are from the center right. The two rows on the left are early 90s Upper Deck. Those are fine. It's the middle row, the full one on the right of it, and then those 100 or so cards in the far right row.

If you have been around here a while, or traded with me, you have known my response for "well, what do you collect" has been either something off my want list, or any White Sox and/or Blackhawks cards. Those above (plus a 800 card box not pictured) are the cards I have found during sorting, as well as the response from you guys to my requests. And that is just the baseball. I have a row plus of a 3200 count box of Hawks cards I have pulled as well as the cards sent in trades. Needless to say, I need to stop avoiding this and get these cards tackled.

I'm right over here, dude. To the left. No - MY left!

So, I am open to suggestions on the best way to get those cards in something that resembles order. Sorting the same set but different card numbers is simple task. Here we have years, brands, sets within that brand, inserts to who knows which sets to which brand - my head is swimming right now just thinking about it. Though, that could be the Blizzard I just ate messing up my cortex.

Tell us about the rabbits, George...
If that box was your first world problem, how would you address it to get it organized?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

With live cultures.

First off - to you that is reading: Thanks. Really. I am sure half the crap I type is grammatically poor, and the rest is just inane ramblings, but thanks for reading. I say that because I wanted to show off a few cards I received from another non-blogger. James, who goes by the name "mrhavercamp" at The Bench (I think that link is valid), emailed me after my mini sorting to snag up some cards he needed for insert sets and a frankenset. He had some minis for my want lists, and offered to throw in a White Sox giveaway set sponsored by yogurt producers Dannon. Talk about your no brainers.


From the logo at the bottom right on the back, my guess is these are from 1996. Simple design. The back is interesting, as it breaks out the players stats by ball park. Check it out.


So thanks James for a great oddball set that's pretty basic in look, but 30 well appreciated cards. Look up James on The Bench and strike up a trade with him. He did include one other card, but that is for a future post.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Repack Wars: Revenge of the Donruss

It's been almost a month since I ripped over 20 packs of random goodness. I have been busy getting 2013 Heritage cards (which I love btw), but even I need a break. So how about it? Twenty packs from my local Walmart? Sure - let's do this!!! Standard rules apply - best card in the pack.


Gotta have your pack of 09 OPC, so let's get this crappy pack out of the way first. The usual garbage was inside, but a stadium card saved the pack.


07 Fleer Ultra. Another pack of great photos. Just really blah players. Cuddyer won out cuz....well, I really can't explain. Mental coin flip probably.


11 Topps Update. Great framing in this card. Look close, and you can almost see him falling apart.


Back one release to the 11 Topps series 2. Good pack of commons, except for a hometown sparkle of Floyd. Silver and black just work so well.


Another 2011 release by Topps - this being Heritage. BLAAAAAHH pack. Choo gets the nod because he is a short print. Not saying much, cuz Shoo's card is pretty crappy.


2011 Topps flagship trifecta in the box with a series 1 pack. A Mel Ott Kimball mini loses out to this nice action shot of Ciriaco making the relay to first.


Two packs of 09 UD Heroes were in the box. The first was a bit of a tough call, but this Dye beats out a black Wade Bogg card.


Pack 2? It was a harder call, as it was a pretty lame pack. I'm going with Dandy Don Larsen here. Hey - the Sox beat the Yanks on the card, so it was a very good day.


2009 UD Icons. I talk a lot of the great framing in recent Topps releases. UD shows what crappy framing looks like. Best card in a bad pack.


2007 Topps hobby edition. Bunting? Yes. High cuffs? Yes. Best card? By far.


09 UD Goodwin. I do love this set. This pack was a good set filler pack, but the Moose is still a sweet card. Moose and the stare down. "Throw it at me - I dare you!"


2007 Goudey. First time I ever pulled a pack of these from a repack. Not too shabby a pack with a Thome and a Griffey. This is the first of the cartoon cards I have in my collection, so I choose you!


Talk about oddball. Here is the 2nd pack that is new to repacks - 2008 Tri Star Projections. To be blunt: the cards suck. Such a waste of white space. The best part of this card is the pitched ball being in the shot. Otherwise, this is not a pack you want to rip. Ever.


Oddball pack #3 is 1998 Score. Yes Nick - this McLemore card you can have.


2002 Donruss Originals. Final weird pack is actually pretty sweet. Total Heritage ripoff, but done really well. Sure it's a Cubbie, but that card just works really well, with the stirrups and the background.


2011 Topps Lineage. Here's a set I need to get a want list up. Sparkle Tris wins out over modern players.


Another pack of UD Icons. At least there is a hit, and a decent one in my mind. Which is good, cuz the rest of the pack? Let's move on.....


2010 Topps series 2. There was a CYMTO of Robin Yount, but I like the timing of this photo. Snapped just after the slide, so the dust is still floating about. Niiiiiiice.


Back to a pack of 11 Topps series 2 I almost went with the Carlos Lee (that sound you hear is Dimwit falling to the floor and laughing uncontrollably). Instead, we have Strasburg and Zimmerman.


2007 US Masterpieces. Man I love this set. This pack was a tough call. It has the Gehrig card in it. You know the photo - head down as the mic announcing his retirement. Iconic image for sure. I have it on my wall to the right of me as I type. But how many cards show Bucky F***ing Dent breaking the hearts of the Red Sox nation? This one does.


Are you doing the math? If so, this is image #21. Yup - I got a bonus pack in the repack box. Another 07 Masterpieces. Great shot of Campy collecting his MVP award.

Alright. My final impression was meh on this box. Some nice packs I have not scene before, but nothing big. Lot of cards will go out in trade packages. Until next time...