Saturday, May 31, 2014

Zappin' and stampin'

A couple recent envelopes here in 2x3 HQ. First off, good ol' Zippy Zappy from Cervin' up Cards dropped a minor bomb on me.

Pew! Pew!

Zippy dropped a nice assortment spanning years and teams. How about this quad?


I hope for a three game win streak after tomorrow, but I know the Rangers should be scared sh*tless with whomever gets the Campbell Bowl. It's been an amazing conference final up until now.


Some sweet vintage from Zippy, including the 1980, 1978 and 1965 team cards. Man, that '65 is gorgeous. The zapping could have ended there, but then the big weapon was brought out.


Oh. Baby. Thanks a bunch for the zapping, Zippy. 

My in-state buddy Weston (in-state being a meager 4 hours) asked about a card I pulled in my Panini PastTime box a while back. I mailed it and said "just send back whatever - I know you are good for it". I received 3 cards from him today, with a note hoping these were the equivalent. Let's jundge.


Hell of a start there. Like the greens from last year's Topps. Love the bronze framed GQs, and I needed this Thomas. And the last card?


Ummmm...... I guess you did an okay job.

Who am I kidding - you nailed it! Dang, these manu-stamps are really gorgeous. I know about the original '62 stamps. I never knew about these. I'm calling this much more than equivalent. I owe you, Weston. Seriously.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Throwback Thursday - 05.29.2014

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.

Sammy Sosa - 1998 Upper Deck - Chicago Cubs

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Brought to you by...

Who was the kind hearted blogger that sent me everything you are about to see? I could name names, and link links, but instead I will start with the scans and let you play along in trying to figure out who sent the stack of about 60 cards I received a week back.

It hurt carrying it in.

(side note: don't search "sore back" on Google images. Just trust me and keep reading.)

Let's start with the White Sox.


About a dozen ChiSox in the envelope. Borchard was a bust, but that Rowand more than makes up for it. That is a hell of a use of the horizontal format. Next, some throwbacks.


Fourteen total. Grienke was a recent virtual dime box loss, so a nice freebie. Look at the beauty of high cuffs. Those are ballplayers. Moving to the squeeze play.



A lucky 13 of these favorites, including my first NOT two and a half by three and a half entry into the bunting binder by the Vince Coleman sticker. The Garcia is the rare double card, being a bunt and a throwback. I'll work on a dupe for the throwback binder. I would love to find a video of the Gagne bunt. I can guarantee by his hand position, he either popped it up or bunted it so hard he didn't advance the runner or get on base. In a ton of Baseball Reference research, Gagne has no sacrifice bunts in any of the games the Twinkies played in Baltimore during the 1991 season. In fact, he does have an at bat in a game on June 18th were he hits it back to the pitcher for a force out at 2nd. However, this was a Tuesday game, so I am thinking it was not a day game as the photo suggests. However, it was from the top of the 2nd, and those could be long shadows on the card. But enough digressing. Bring on the double plays!


Eighteen cards worth of the turn at second. This post will probably be the one with the most 1999 UD shown. Geeez those are ugly cards. Cameos of Robin Yount and Ricky Henderson, with a pre Jeter number wearing Wayne Tolleson on the Shumpert. And dig the facial hair on Schmidt.

Ok - did you guess? Do you know who sent me all this sweet cardboard? You probably have your thoughts, but let's tip it in with these last two cards as the final hint.


If the Hoyt doesn't give it away, you know that Drabek HAS to be a duplicate, cuz ain't no way Dime Box Nick would send me that card without having a copy of his own first. Thanks for all the wonderful binder additions.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Throwback Thursday - 05.22.2014

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.

Adam Jones - 2012 Topps - Baltimore Orioles

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The forgotten

I'm a forgetful man. Not the typical stuff, though. I am good in remembering all the stereotypical things television and movies claim all men forget. I know the date of my anniversary (July 12th), my wife's birthday (Oct 21st), my kid's birthdays (Nov 4th and Aug 18th). I know the day we bought our house (Feb 14th, 1997). I know this, because when we walked out of the closing, I turned to my wife and said "Happy Valentine's Day, hun. We're broke."

And yet, you still didn't get me flowers.

Hell - I still remember all the useless crap. Who knows that Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors used to be married? Why the hell do I still have this useless bit of information? Do you know I rat can tread water for three days and a full grown adult rat can fit through a hole the diameter of a quarter? Yeah - I know this. Not sure why, but this crap is in there, stored to be retrieved for I have no clue why.

It's the other stuff I forget. Really important stuff. Like mailing the mortgage check, calling the DMV, putting the clothes in the dryer, putting the meat in the freezer - simple, yet important stuff. My therapist said it's not that I don't care about all these things and purposely forget. It's that I am so conditioned in how I organize things, I fail to put these actions that I care about in a organized area to recall them later.

Still no flowers...

I have a few piles of cards to scan. I was about to scan some I received from a blogger a few days ago to post, and it's then I realized I have some scans I have yet to post on cards I received about a month ago. Shame on me. So before I scan, let's clear this folder out, all courtesy of Matt with the great blog Once A Cub.  Matt and I really don't trade anymore. We just build up stacks of cards and mail them whenever the pile is high enough. Matt's latest in my mailbox covered all my binders.


Leading off, how about some vintage? Better yet, how about some dime box vintage? Per Matt, he pulled a ton of White Sox vintage from a dime box in Virginia. Everything you see, I needed, plus a bunch more I did not scan. Man - that Dick Allen is a gorgeous piece of cardboard.


There was a large group of cards with players bunting. The joy of these specific three? I recently lost virtual dime box auctions on them all within the past 6 weeks on ebay. And now, I don't care that I did. 


Biggio hot pack envelope! Matt hit the jackpot with the dime boxes, pulling a large amount of double play cards I needed. Love the cameos on the cards with Joyner and Brogna.


A few posts back, I commented that Night Owl was my supplier of 75 ChiSox minis. Well, no more, as Matt scored a couple of those as well. And yes, that Campbell mini is just what you see - a glorious miscut. That wasn't the only miscut in the package.


WOW!!!! That is one bad box of 1975 Topps right there. A nice 74 miscut. And yup - upper left is actually a football miscut. Now, I don't collect any football, but I am going to give a pass on this beaut, mainly cuz that is a killer afro and mutton chops on Mr. Hill. Into the binder it goes!

So sorry it took so long, Matt. I do appreciate what you, and everyone for that matter, sends. My brain doesn't function well all the time.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Community shared Bowman break

As everyone knows, and took part in, Brian from Play At The Plate gave away a box of 2014 Bowman for his blog's anniversary. Somehow, I ended up in the top spot when the randomizer finished. I had a really rough Saturday working on the car when the package came. It's only fair I record the rip so you all can see. If you look thru the chair slates behind the packs, you can see my dog with a face that would probably match my wife's.


I didn't get my Abreu auto. It was a fun rip, and with the few pack I have bought, I am close to the whole set, so that's good. Here's a few scans on what I did hit.


I pulled 5 of the flag backgrounds (none Illinois) and there is that diecut of d'Arnaud.


Some of the colored borders. Yeah, I didn't scan the blue Chrome of Thorpe or any of the minis. If you are going to ask for those to trade, I can get you a scan if you want to see them closer.


Here's my guaranteed hit. No clue who Trinkwon is. Baseball Reference has him as a recent drafted into the Dodger organization, so who knows if he will ht the bigs.

I have dupes, and almost anything if available for trade. You know the drill.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Throwback Thursday - 05.15.2014

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.

Matt Kemp - 2011 Topps Marquee - Brooklyn Dodgers

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Back in time.

About three weeks back I highlighted a bunch of cards that came courtesy of Mark, who has been making a name by dropping some great packages on a lot of people. Shortly after Mark's first bit of generosity, he stepped it up with a package of vintage. It's taken me a bit to get this posted, and I apologize for that, Mark. But I had reason.  Let's me get to what I mean because I am blabbing too much. 

About time!

First in the package was a half dozen White Sox from 1972.

 
There is just half of the greatness in those cards. That AL Home Run card is pure gold. Mark then dialed in back a couple years with two more White Sox cards.


A nice '71 O'Riley with an amazing photoshopped cap, and a slightly off center and beautiful '68 Pavletich. And that centering does not bother me one bit - man that is a nice card. 

That could be the end of the package and it would rank somewhere between fantastic and remarkable. And then Mark did the unthinkable with a lucky 13 cards like this:


With my love of last year's Heritage, I have decided to make the 1964 Topps the first vintage set I am chasing. If you haven't visited my Wants page, you can see I have a looooooooooong way to go. I am in no hurry, and I hope to complete this set on the super cheap. As in less than a buck a card, except for the few high end cards in the set.

And if you would like to follow me on this journey, I have started a blog of my 1964 Topps set called....er.....1964 Topps.

Originality - HELL YEAH!

But click the link and play along as I post the cards I have from the set. No set dates on posts - maybe one every 3 or 4 days. Whenever I am in the mood. And if you happen to see any cheap '64s in dime boxes, up to 3 for a $1 box, think of me, would ya?

 

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Hello stranger.

When I jumped into the blogging world of card collectors, my eyes were opened to new things I had never experienced before. I started looking at all my cards differently and deciding to collect in a far different manner. I learned about player collections, oddballs and the greatness of a penny, nickel, dime and quarter box at card shows. I found a way to let go of cards I wasn't too attached to because someone else would really like it, and send me back something I would really like. I learned about dropping cards on people just because it was fun. And I found out about box/case breaks.

Getting in on group breaks have been one of the more fun things to be a part of. It's a great way to get more of what I really want at a cost that fits my needs. My favorite breaker was Sam at The Daily Dimwit. Sam's a rare breed, being an Astro fan. You don't find too many of them. Sam and I have a kinship in the sense that we have each watched our beloved teams get royally screwed my Topps in recent releases, giving a card to some AA Yankee prospect over a proven daily player on either of our teams. Sam got a bit disenfranchised with it all and took a little break.  Luckily, the love of the hobby brought him back, and Sam is a great read and an even better trader.


Sam and I are each working on the 2013 Panini Golden Age set. So we were able to help each other out with some commons. Rice and Bigfoot are the last two base cards I needed for the set.


He also hooked me up with about 3 dozen minis towards the set. Oh, Jane Russell......

Thanks a bunch, Sam. Now, how about getting back into some group breaks?

Friday, May 9, 2014

#MiniCarlos

(All these cards came from Roger at Sportscard Mask-a-Rade.)


Whoa - Quentin '09 UD Goodwin black border mini.


Whoa! Nice Big Hurt insert card.


WHOA! Shiny White Sox.


WHOA!! Lots of 2014 Heritage base cards.


WHOA! Super Topps Chrome of Frank Thomas.


WHOA!!!!!! Roger sent 3 of these HUGE Blackhawks cards. They are amazing.

Thanks for the trade, Roger.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Throwback Thursdays - 05.08.2014

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.

Matt Cain - 2013 Gypsy Queen mini - New York Giants

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Trade Me Tuesday #6

It's back!!!! Finally, after a few weeks without throwing up some trade bait, I have TMT back. One thing after another was taking away my time to get the post up. One would think I would take the time WHEN I HAD TIME to schedule a post. But that would require planning. Do I look like a planner?

Anyway, let's get to the offering. Who remembers the rules?

Here's how this works. I will post 6-ish cards each Tuesday. If you would like them, first to claim in the comments takes them. The cost for the cards is 1 (one) card off my want lists. It could be a need from my general wants, my A&G wants or something that I don't have in my bunting, double play, throwback, miscut or broken bats binders. You can find the cards currently in those in my Zistle account. Any card not shown is a card I want. Hey - if you would like to send me something for one of my active (or inactive) Projects that I don't have, that would be lovely too. Random White Sox and/or Blackhawks cards, however, are not allowed.

After you claim the stack, email me at 2x3heroesATgmailDOTcom. Let me know your mailing address - the cards will go out the day I get your mailing address (unless I already have it in my database). Here's the main key: DO NOT TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE SENDING! I enjoy a good surprise.

Wow - I typed all that right off the top of my head. I'm remarkable. Anyway, the other day I saw a 2012 blaster of Gypsy Queen in the clearance aisle. Gotta take a chance, right? Ummm - no. I shouldn't have. Total bomb on the blaster. But my loss could be your gain.


Those are all the minis from the packs. Yes, that Smoltz is a green border. Reyes is a red GQ back and you find Straight Cut backs on the Freeman and the Seaver.

Hopefully, I won't take so long for the next TMT, though I may not do them weekly. I got other stuff to do. Ya know - super important things. (what's on TV tonight?)

Monday, May 5, 2014

PWE Wars: Hot Corner vs Junior Junkie

On Friday, I received a PWE from TJ, the man who really REALLY needs all your Griff Jr. cards from Junior Junkie. I was getting ready to scan a super PWE (his words) I received from Pat at Hot Corner Cards. They both happen to have 6 cards in them, so let's put the cards side by side and see which one really is the super PWE. Let's get it on!


TJ is on the left in all these images, with Pat's offering to the right. First off we have a Sabo Leaf up against a Bowman Topps Target parallel of Erik Johnson. While Pat's is a rookie, the red border just doesn't work with our road uniforms. Plus, it's hard to beat Sabo's goggles. AJ 1 Pat 0.


An Aparicio CYMTO versus this year's GQ offering. Topps went real throwback heavy in the 2014 Gypsy Queen release, and I love it. You have the mark of the beast coming out from under Hosmer's open uniform, but it still takes the win this round. AJ 1 Pat 1.


Tough round here. Sale finest, in a throwback, up against Jerry Browne laying down a bunt. Two amazing cards. The bunt is great, but the Finest wins the round. AJ 2 Pat 1.


One Dog against a minor leaguer bunting. Double flap alert on the Gazoo helmet, but the bunt pose takes the win. AJ 2 Pat 2.


Mike Devereaux actually hitting the ball or Aybar skying to make the turn at second, with a cameo by A-Rod. Like I have to think this one over. AJ 2 Pat 3.


Junk wax against A&G. I love A&G. Have a whole page dedicated to my wants for the product. So this round goes to......wait a minute. What is that Kenny Williams is holding in his hand? Is that a shard of a bat? Yes. YES! We have an elusive broken bat card I have not known about. A&G will have to take a back seat to a broken bat gem. AJ 3 Pat 3.

So in the six cards, head to head, we have a tie. To clear this dead lock, I suggest AJ and Pat send in 6 more cards to be tallied.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Sunday SIL: 3263827

#StarWarsDay

It's nerd out day. The heck with Easter, Christmas, Labor Day, Mother's Day or the rest of those days. Today, for we nerds, is the day: Star Wars Day.

I am sure I have mentioned it here enough, but I am a huge Star Wars fan. Read most of the EU, own the movies on multiple formats, soundtracks, toys, action figures, cereal boxes, display units....you name it. If you need it, I probably have it. But you ain't getting it.

In celebration of May 4th, let's show off the autographs I have within my collection. I will admit, it's probably far lower than one would think, and certainly less than I want. I don't have any of the big stars (Hamill, Ford, Fisher, McGregor), but I like what I have. It's selective, though there are a few big holes in my collection. I am missing Wedge - he's the top of the characters I need. I also need Frank Oz, as well as a few of the other Jedi - Aayla, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Ki Adi Mundi. And I really should have Chewie. I think the main reason I don't have an autograph of Mayhew is that after you spend about two hours just having some drinks and shooting the breeze with a guy, you don't think you need his signature. Anyway - here goes...


This is the only autograph card I have in my collection. And that line you see was me being too lazy to pull the two penny sleeves off before I scanned it. I remember buying a lot of these AOTC widescreen cards hoping to pull an auto, and this is the one I finally yanked. Nice on card.


It's pretty much a given that every SW fan who has at least one autograph in their collection probably has Jeremy Bullock. He appears everywhere he can, and is a really nice guy. My son got this at C2 in Indianapolis 2002.


A friend of mine in the 501st was heading to an event out of town about 10 years ago. He made mention that Dermot Crowley was in attendance and I asked him to grab me an auto. Nice 11x17 picture that I really need to get framed. I like the personalization from Dermot - "We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle."


These are the very first autographs I ever got of any Star Wars actors. My son and I went to Wizard World Chicago in 1998, I think. Looking back, I should have paid much more attention on the figure I picked for Mr. Prowse. Garrick Hagon was another very nice guy and spent a minute or so chatting with my son and I.


With the rise of Mara Jade in the canon of Star Wars (though, I believe she is now wiped from the timeline), Decipher Inc (with approval from LucasFilm) picked Shannon Baksa as the original image of Mara Jade. Shannon was at the same Wizard World as Mr. Prowse and Garrick, so I picked up a comic book and snagged her autograph.


At another Wizard World, or this may have been at a different con, I picked up these two. Ken Colley portrayed Capt Piett in ESB, quickly gaining an in field promotion to Admiral. I love how the figure is labeled "captain" and Ken signed in "Adm" for admiral. Zam Wesell was the changling bounty hunter in AOTC. The main reason I wanted Leeanna Walsman's auto?


I LOVE this picture. I think it's the kissy face Leeanna is making. But Zam is also one of those unique characters that are a little off the track for the normal fan, so an add for my collection.


I think the pilots in the films are my favorite characters. Don't ask me why a dress up as a Jedi - I need to get an X-Wing pilot suit built. However, at C2, I picked up two other autographs as photos, since figures for the two don't exist. Angus MacInnes was Dutch Vander, Gold leader on the attack on the Death Star in ANH.


I think the EU does a great job of giving more life to characters that don't appear that much in the movies. And through that expansion, Wes Janson is my favorite SW character. Go and read Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, and my all time favorite EU book, Starfighters or Adumar, a book that when I handed it to the author, the late Aaron Allston, to autograph, he commented "wow, this is pretty beat up" to which I replied "I think I have read it six times already." Wes is fleshed out to be a sarcastic ladies man, extremely humorous and a talented fighter. I just had to get Ian Liston's signature.

Of all my autographs, however, this last is my favorite. But a quick side story first. When Celebration 2 was held in Indianapolis, a lot of SW friends I meet through messages boards took part in helping set it up as well as volunteer time. Many of them took the really tough role of being chaperones for the autograph guests. I knew I would be getting the autograph of William Hootkins. My friend Erica was his chaperone, and she told him a story (well known in my circle of friends) of my previous career as a mascot for a profession soccer team. William, a really great and funny guy, gave me a special, personalized autograph.


If you look close, on the bubble, he wrote "a bee suit?" Best auto ever.

May the Fourth Be With You.