Thursday, February 21, 2019

Throwback Thursday - 02.21.2019

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. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Roy Halladay - 2013 Topps mini inserts - Philadelphia Phillies

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

What a run

For starters, a few commenters mentioned the images on my last post cannot be viewed. I snapped the pics from my phone and linked the images from my Google Photos account. Yeah - guess it's not working, so I downloaded the edited the post. If you wanna see the spoils, you should be able to now. But on to current business....

We have all heard the phrase "there's one in every group". It's extremely true here on the blogs as it is elsewhere in the world.

Or maybe a lot more here on the blogs
Many have sung the praise of the closing of JayBarkerFan/Area 40, run by the one and only Wes. This group of ours here in blog world is beyond generous. Wes' level of magnanimity is hard to follow. He has "bombed" a few of us (myself included), and I think we all recall the epic wars between Wes and Matt from Bob Walk The Plank. If you ever decide to come back to battle, Wes, I'm not sure who you could hit (cough cough) a cracked bat (cough cough cough)?

Wes is taking a leave, hopefully not permanently, and had his amazing blow out to close out his blog. I requested my White Sox and Blackhawks. So while there are other older packages I need to post, I hope you forgive me and move Wes to the front of the line.


Some serials and inserts. The Field of Visions has that DuFlex technology, I believe.


Minis, both numbered to /99. I don't have a lot of 205 minis, so never noticed they seem to be a bit smaller than current minis.


Relics. I still like the Sox vests and wish they didn't retire them.


My only Blackhawks hit was this auto of former captain Dirk Graham. A few failed prospects with the Broadway, Rogowski and Lopez, and a failed manager with Ventura. Still some great additions to the autograph binder. My big hit was this beauty...


Hard to scan a slabbed card, but you can easily make out what it is. A fantastic addition to the HOF autograph binder. I never thought I could have an autograph of this man in my possession, and here it is. Fun fact: did you know between 1949 and 1964 (16 years), only two teams not named the Yankees won the AL pennant? Both of those teams were coached by Al Lopez ('54 Indians and '59 White Sox).

Wes, thanks for the memories and thanks for the largesse of your heart. Don't be a stranger.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

(sigh).......OK

Six months.

Take away my Christmas greeting, and it's been six months since I have spoken my mind and clicked the publish button. I lot has happened in those 180 days. Not amazing or discussion worthy, but situations none the less. And I have contemplated long about what to say of the recent past: how to phrase it, what to mention, what to avoid.

In the end, though, I'm just going to leave the time to myself. Activities, both positive and negative, took up my time. Emotions, equally positive and negative, affected my days and nights. I am 180 days older than the last post here; that is not up for dispute. But what is up for conversation is what happened and how it affected myself and my family. In the end, though, I am going to keep that to myself. I don't want to present it for discussion. I am not seeking support, shared joy, or words of affirmation. Instead, I am just going to move forward and find my place back into this wonderful group of people. I'm less worried about the blogsphere than anything else.

I have been trying to work through all the cardboard I have yet to give a proper, public thanks towards the sender. From DJ to Night Owl, HSCA, Scribbled Ink, Scott Crawford, Cracked Bat, Carboard Clubhouse, Penny Sleeves and even Wes' Area 40 blow out, I have much gratitude owed. And a few personal pickups that I can interject here and there. Let's not talk about all the cardboard I need to mail. So many of you I owe. You may not feel that, but it's where I am personally. In regard to this blog, and my collection, my failure to ship out is the highest level of embarrassment I have. I am grateful incoming mailing stopped a few months ago, partially for the fact that I am very unorganized, but mostly to avoid the reminder of my failure to others.

Things will change here. I will not say when, because I am famous for missed promises. But I am a man of my word, so in time what I say will become reality.

Anyway, where to start? My thought for this post is to show pickups I made at the White Sox garage sale. Sox hold it 3 times a year, and this is my 2nd trip. When I look at what I purchased with all money donated to charity, I can feel good scoring game used items at 10-15% original cost - retail wise anyway. Without further talking, let's have at it.


First off, for just two quarters each, is the Sox year book and a game program. You see the year book is $5, so a buck total for both is a deal. Would be nicer if I actually went to a game last year so I could score it, but I'll deal.


The running joke at home is how I tend to purchase dollar T shirts. It's a bit too true and I am always looking at the clearance racks for deals. But I did have to double the price for this one. Two bucks for a quality shirt with old school logos? No brainer.


For as long as the line was for the sale, I lucked out on this one. It was a giveaway for Raines making the HOF, and I have been watching a few on ebay for $10, hoping to have someone accept a lower offer. Got this for a buck. That is a low offer.


The first garage sale, I bought a game used ball, so I had to pick up another. As opposed to the first one, though, where I just grabbed a bagged ball, I stood with others and punched the authentication hologram into the MLB site to find a ball I can appreciate. I decided on this one, since I recently started an Adam Engel PC. Would have been nicer if it was a hit and not a foul, but I was getting tired typing on my phone. With luck, I can get it signed.


I have needed to replace my current Sox cap. It's fitted and the logo is too small. It's dirty and sweaty. I should have something nicer on my head. This was the only Sox cap that would fit on my head. However, I need to improve it.....


Looks SO much better without that damn New Era logo. About 30 minutes with a seam puller and you can't even tell it was ever there. The best part of the cap is under the brim....


If this cap was used in 2018, the wearer was either Jose Ruiz of Chris Volstad. Trying to determine whom it was has been a task. At first, considering the size of the cap, I was leaning towards Volstad, him being 6'8" and 235lbs to Ruiz at a teeny 6'1" and 190lbs. Yet, I found this image of Volstad, and that "4" written on his cap for Danny Farquhar does not match the "4" here. Also, a Google search of "Salmo 91" references Psalm 91 in Spanish. So I think it was Ruiz that owned this. And now it's my baby for a cost of a paper Lincoln.

My final pickup was a designated purchase. The last jersey I bought is just a little too small. I can wear it, but it is far more comfortable unbuttoned. It's an Anthony Reinzo jersey from 2014 per the laundry tag. This year I lucked out with the first jersey that met my needs as it fit perfectly.


It's a jersey from 2015 worn by Héctor Noesí. Curiously the number matches the size. But the key of the selection was the sleeve patches.


This would be a game used jersey after August 11th, which is the first game the pinstripes showed the Pierce memorial patch along with the one for Minoso. Glad this jersey has been bypassed is previous sales so I can have it in my collection.

So there you have it. The White Sox garage sale from December 2 of 2018. Pitchers and catchers have reported. Spring is just around the corner. And I'm about to hit publish. Amazing.