Look - if I don't get something posted soon, I will never do it. I spent the past two days organizing my desk, and sorting out more mailings I need to get out, so I've been productive. Not saying I Marie Kondo'd my room (is she even still a thing?), but everything is slowly moving from stacks to boxes/binders.
Just don't come to my part of town.
While I haven't been posting, I haven't stopped trying to find decent deals on ebay. While this is by no mean a comprehensive list of purchases over the past year, here's some of my favorites to share.
Newest player collection for me is Danny Mendick, so here's a start for his PC. The most expensive card of the group was the auto, which set me back $6. Otherwise, most of what you see was a couple bucks. Might go for the rainbow on his 2020 Topps - not sure yet.
All these are additions to Project 2005. It leaves me 7 autographs short of the players/coaches from the Sox 2005 World Series team. I am very pleased I found that AJ in a White Sox uniform with a decent autograph. Most of his TTMs tend to be scribbles.
These for are SPs from the 2013 Heritage set. A dollar each. I wish the seller had more I need.
Sticking with the Heritage style, here's the original. Like many, I scored a $25 "gift card" from ebay, so I used it to pick up these five cards. The leaders cards are all in the first 10 while the Brewer is a high number - 5th card from the end of the set. I had to fork out $4 and change for these five.
Just a Lou Fonseca autograph for $2.
More autographs, this time from the ice. I've been looking for a Pilote autograph for a while, and I grabbed these 5 for under $4 each, including that 4x6 of Guy LaFleur. Cuz everyone should have a Guy LaFleur autograph.
Last we have random collections. Paulie is a black border, Happ goes into the 10/19 binder, the Star Stamps are for the Golden Age build and the Robert I needed for the team set. I picked up two in an auction for $32 total, which is crazy, but at least it's off my list.
Hey - the titles to the posts can't all be winners, folks.
Nice try.
So if you read Dimebox Nick's blog, and if you don't maybe you need to visit a doctor, a recent post shared his card show spoils. I remember an earlier post about a couple card shows coming up he was attending, and I was hoping one was the Orland show, as I had carved out a little time to pay that show a visit on the same day. Sure enough, I guessed correctly and got to do some digging with Nick and his father. If you haven't, enjoy his spoils. I commented I would have my own recap of the show, and here it is.
Now, Nick had a hell of a haul mainly because he had a hell of a pull that paid for the card show. I had some bonus money that I could spend on myself, so while I didn't purchase anywhere near the amazing cardboard he did (if Nick turned his head I would have stolen a few of his cards), I still got some great paper rectangles.
I'm still working on the 2018 White Sox team set, as well as needing to get 2019 going. Technically, I still need some from 2017, but I got about a dozen for 2018 (leaving me 3 short) and all but 2 cards from 2019. Though, I REALLY need that Kopech SP. That sucker is goooooooooooooorgeous! I also picked up 75-80% of the Sox Heritage team set.
Really, I am working a lot of 2018 sets - it was a bad card year for me. And bad blog year. And bad work year. I'm digressing.... Picked up about 40 cards towards the '18 Stadium Club. Here's a few. Love those Indian throwbacks. Cleveland needs to wear them more often. One thing I noticed from the group I bought: the horizontal cards are much better images than the vertical. I hope Topps fixes that come 2019.
Nick talked about one vendors 50 cent and two dollar box. This particular vendor is there each show, and let me tell you - his cards are AMAZING! He has a box of 60's commons at a buck a card. You may think that's a bit high, until you look and the cards appear to have been pulled from packs a week ago. They are that good. And he's always willing to work out a deal. These above are a combo of 50 cents and 2 dollar cards. Peters and DeBusschere go into the Sox binder while Ruiz is an obvious bunt card. I pulled 20 cards from the 50 cent box and a dozen or so from the $2 box. I had to put back a good 20 cards cuz I just ran out of cash.
Here's some '64s for the build. All total, I knocked 14 cards off the 64 set, getting me to 77% completion. These, and the others I purchased, fit right into the quality I am satisfied with. I actually knocked 3 cards from series 7, and those cost me just two quarters each. But the highlights of my purchases come next.
Two bucks each. Some pen marks on the 64 Pizzaro stand up, but who's passing on that for $2? And one of the first really big cards for the set in the Robinson. $5-10 for that online, or more, so I am content with that one for $2. I needed the Fox/Kuenn for the Sox team set. And that ends the $2 box purchases I will show. But I have two more cards left.
Nick and I went back to do a little more digging at the table. It was this trip he scored the Bowman Kaline, McCovery rookie and the 66 Clemente (I found that) among others. And in that dig I picked up my two big purchases at $5 each.
We all know how hard it is to find Bowman color at a good price. I have needed this Lollar for his PC for quite some time. Regularly over $10 online, so I jumped at a really great copy with a creased corner. The creased '50 Bowman Luke Appling is the first of his playing days cards I have. Appling is a future PC, so finding this for a fin was a deal considering its condition. Easily twice that online.
Good show with a good time with good friends. We were all a little light in our wallets, but that happens in Orland. Oh.
So how about I jump in on the latest Blog Bat Around, since I snagged the graphic
Night Owl posted about the projects he is working on, and then someone followed suit and now it's a bat around. Since I really have nothing to post (except for a dozen or so packages to scan/sort/write about), let's make it a little easier and write off the top of my head and talk about what goes on around here.
project zero: downloading images of Kate Upton
Project 1: White Sox
Mini, full, oversized, foil, refractor - don't matter. If it's a White Sox card, I want it. I should really keep track of the number of unique cards I have in the Sox box and other binders. One day when I have all the time in the world, I'll work on building a database of the cards. I am jealous of those of you that know the exact number of cards you have for your team collections.
Project 2: Blackhawks
Ditto as with the White Sox. Granted, this is currently small and barely filling a two row shoebox. In time....
Project 3: Player Collections
You can see the older players I collect on the Player Project link above. Along with Luis and Sherm here, my other current old timer projects include Nellie Fox and Bob Keegan (who is not on that list). I pick up other cheap vintage of players that were Sox as well, like Wilbur Wood, Dick Donovan, Turk Lown, Gary Peters, etc. Those may morph into other projects in the future. For current players, I mention them on my Want list: Paul Konerko, Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede, Adam Eaton, Ben Petrick and Tadahito Iguchi.
Project 3: Custom collections
I have a few unique collections: cards showing players in either a throwback uniform, making the turn at second of a double play, or in the act of bunting (in game or posed). I don't know if I ever explained why the three specialized collections, so...
Throwbacks - I have always been a fan of classic uniforms. Some are far better than others, but when a team visits an earlier look for them, it's a treat for the eyes. I like the White Sox are considered the team that brought the idea of a throwback uniform.
Double Play - When I started playing baseball, I played 3rd and pitched as a 9 and 10 year old. When I moved up, I was moved to center because the coach felt I had the most speed and range of anyone on the team. I spent the two seasons at that level in center, until the final game of my 2nd year. That game, the coach decided to have some fun with us and put players in positions they never played. I can remember the first inning of that game. If ESPN existed back then, all three outs of that first inning would have been on Top 10. First one was a quickly dropping pop up that the kid in left, who never played that position until that day, made a nice diving catch to snag. Next batter ripped a hot grounded down the 3rd base line. Another first time player at the position falls to snap up the rocket and throw the runner out at first. Final out of the inning, the batter shoots one just out of reach of the pitcher, heading up the middle. Me, first game ever at 2nd, ranges right, deftly backhands the big hop, put on my brakes and turn to throw out the runner. As we return to the dugout, the coach wonders why he never played us in those positions during the season. Drafted up to the next league, the coach who selected me stated I would be moving from center to 2nd. I asked if it was because of that play the previous year. "No", he replied. "You have no arm and it's the shortest throw in the game". Needless to say, for those 2 years, I sort of revolutionized the position in the league. Things I did on the field started to reflect in other teams at the position, and I was the starting second base all star both seasons I played. I think 2nd was the position I should have played my whole life. So anytime I see the turn at two, I always think of my "career" as a ball player.
Bunting - I like small ball. Sure, home runs are nice, but manufacturing runs is the way the game is to be played. I always took pride in my ability to lay down a good bunt, with the right speed and placement to get the job done, whether advancing a runner or catching the other team off guard to steal an infield hit. But the real joy of bunting goes back to that final game of the season I mentioned above. In one inning of that game, since we are all goofing off, we had some fun. Coach had the first guy bunt, since they were playing off the grass at third. Since the 3rd baseman didn't get the hit, the next guy also got the bunt sign and both runners beat out any throw. I was up third. No signal from the coach's box, but danged if the guy on the hot corner was still way too far back, so I laid one down and the bags were loaded. And the batter behind me - sure, why not. He also bunted. Run scored - bases still loaded. I am fairly certain batter #5 swung away, but four players bunting in a row, only two that actually received a bunt sign - that sticks with you.
Project 4: sets
The sets I build depends on how much I like the look of the cards. I know people bemoan Gypsy Queen, but I like it year and year. Especially 2015 GQ. Yes , I love 2015 Gypsy Queen. And I love Allen and Ginter, too. Other sets all depend how I feel about them. Maybe the full set. Maybe an insert set only. But I like to buy the cards to have them in my hand before I decide if I will construct the entire thing.
Project 5: Vintage set - 1964
I am still trying to complete the 2013 Heritage (damn inserts and SPs), but decided to take a crack at my first vintage build with the original 1964. I was having a good go, but then ran into a snag - financially and figuratively. Condition doesn't matter to me, but the seller I was snagging decent cards at a great price dried up, so now I am still trying to build on the cheap, but it's a grind. My plan for 2018 is to get focused back on the build and hope to be past the 85% mark. We shall see.
Project 6: Frankensets
I have two frankenset builds in progress: buyback and White Sox. I am much farther on the White Sox build, but it's getting tough finding cards for the missing holes. I am about 100 cards or so away from a run thru card 700. I have cards here and there above it, so maybe I run it higher? Maybe I should cut it off lower? The buyback set - slow go. Same finances issue as the '64 build. I am at 140 cards or so. It's not even in a binder it's such a pathetic looking build. Maybe when I crack 250 I'll start filling pages.
Project 7: 2005 Project
This is fairly simple to explain. It is just collecting the autograph of every player and coach from the Sox 2005 World Series team. I need to get some TTMs out for a few of the players that I know where they are and hopefully they will return. My big need is Man Soo Lee. He was the bull pen catcher for the team. Digging around, the last article I remember supposedly stated Mr Lee was an executive with the KBO. I just searched now and I see he carried the torch for the past Olympics. Otherwise, I a stumped trying to get a cards signed by him. If anyone has an inside track of his autograph on a 2.5x3.5 piece of cardboard, let's talk.
Project 8: secret
Yup - I am intentionally teasing something. It's not really awesome, but nothing I want to reveal right now.
And I think that's really about all. Anything else I collect really just falls into my lap, like autographs and relics.
Aren't you glad you read to the very end? Was it worth it?
It would be an understatement to say my 1964 Topps build is mired in the muck. I'm just over the 70% mark, but still missing some of the biggest cards. There are still plenty of commons needed as well. I haven't been able to get to the Orland show and see if my cheap vintage guy has any more commons for my build.
Thankfully, CommishBob from Five Tool Collector must have his own access to 64s, as a little more than a dozen cards in a PWE. Quite fine shape, so let's take a look at a few.
Nice looks at some classic uniforms, with the KC vests and the under sleeves with TV numbers. A definite rarity to have numbers on the sleeves in MLB. The Phillies currently have a number on one sleeve. Lynch is sporting a flocked batting helmet. A few teams have gone to matte helmets in the past couple years, but I would love to see the Buccos go full fuzzy for a 60's throwback uniform.
A catcher with no gear. For the record, Haller was a Giant the previous year, so that cap is not blacked out. Zoilo laying one down. I think I have a copy of this in my bunting binder. Actually, I don't. Bummer. Perranoski is in an interesting pose. Not sure if that angle is reminiscent of his pitching motion, though.
Santo was the biggest name of the bunch and a great addition. This card would cost me a pretty penny in this area. I hope you got a great deal, Bob. Milt sticks in my head around Chicago for the many times I heard him on the radio complaining he was robbed of a perfect game by Bruce Froemming. I really hope he just used the game for fun and ribbing, but it really seems like Milt just couldn't let it go.
I already have this card in the build, and I'm certain Bob knew that. This is a sweet miscut for the binder.
Well, I am now at 71% of the set build. Maybe I can get over 90% by the end of the year.
For those who have been under a rock, Crazy Eddie was an electronics store in New York, and in the commercials was a DJ portraying Eddie and he's slashing prices and beating all deals. You know the drill. I remember when cable was first out nationwide, seeing his commercials if I flipped past the WWOR channel. According to Wikipedia, the real Crazy Eddie did some serious criminal stuff, fled the country but ultimately came back to pay his dues in jail. He just died a month ago, in fact.
For the recent Orland show, the spirit of Fast Eddie was apparent. Quantity wise, I grabbed dang near as much cardboard that was pre 1980 as post. And I could have gone insane with my spending if I didn't get overly selective and have my want lists a cell phone away.
Only 40 years into building the complete 1977 Topps release. I found 4 cards I needed - two yellow and two orange. I should bite the bullet and finish this off via COMC, but I'll wait until the National next year. Hey - ya never know what you might find at the National.
I'm at booth 127
Found nine more for my 1964 build, which puts me franctions of a percentage point over 70% complete. If I recall, that gorgeous condition McCover/Wagner set me back 50 cents. Robin was a quarter maybe, or a dime. You can see the pen marks on Frank Howard. Someone just had to remember this was from the '64 set. It's ok. Quality is fine when the cost is a dime.
Fourteen miscuts were found. Not sure if any are better than a 2nd year parallelogram card of Carlton Fisk. Lowell Palmer and his shades play the position of "pitch" for the Phillies. And I thought that was what Europe plays their football games on.
Vintage bunts!!!! These were all needed. I think Geronimo is using that bat Kirby Puckett was hugging on his 1993 Topps. The angle of the photo makes that thing huge. The George Banks appears they used the same image, just shopped the position of his arm and put a ball in his hand. The Kellogg's at the top is Ron Hunt. Yeah - exactly. Luckily, Wikipedia tells us he holds the record for most hit by pitch in a single season (since 1900) with 50. He's third in career hit by pitch with 243. However, he did it with 3000 less at bats that Baylor in 2nd and 5000 less AB than the leader Biggio.
Lots of Sox. I am sure I grabbed a few I didn't need, like 3 1971 Wilbur Wood cards. Yup - 3. Anybody need one? But I killed a lot of the mid 60's needs. That '59 series is probably the worst condition wise, besides the pen marks noting the year you see on the Al Lopez. Again - condition don't mind when the cost is a dime (or two).
And not just baseball vintage for cheap prices. I could have destroyed my budget with the amount of easly 70's Topps and OPC in the 5 for a buck box. Grabbed what I enjoyed, though. Like some vintage Topps of defunct teams like the Seals and the Scouts. Found a couple Atlanta Flames too. No Rockies, though. And my Blackhawks box got some needed help with a dozen or so vintage finds. I will take any and all Maggie's when you price them under a quarter. Pappin scored the Cup clinching goal for the Leafs in 1967. Bill White was paired with Pat "Whitey" Stapleton in the early 70's, becoming one of the best pair of blue liners in the league at that time.
The find of the day, though, was this gem.
The cost? A buck. Someone offers you a card of Casey Stengel for a dollar, you shut your mouth and take out your wallet.
My 1964 build hit a bit of a wall as I have not been hitting that Orland show at a monthly rate to keep snagging cheap vintage. I may find a few here and there, but for the most part, it's been a slow drag through from 50 to 75 percent completion. Granted, I still have all the big names to pick up, but no reason I shouldn't be pulling in more of the commons needed to fill the pages. I'd place blame, but it's clearly the fault of the man in the mirror.
...And doggone it - just go on COMC, already.
Fortunately, I have Chris to save me. Chris, of the painfully quiet Old Foul Cardboard, seems to have the best card shows. He gets my White Sox and Blackhawks cheap, and finds the other stuff I need as well. He sent a couple mailers in the past couple weeks. Some Bowman and 2016 Topps White Sox - no need to show you those, because the stars of the packages were the hits to the '64 build.
If you are aware, the '64 set I am building, quality is not a major concern. That being said, of the 20 cards Chris sent, these are the "worst", and they are far better then many I have in the binder. I believe Wrigley Wax was just talking about that Sterling Slaughter a week ago.
How about some bigger names too? Sievers, the 5 time All Star and ROY in 1946. Pumpsie was the first African American player for the BoSox, the last team to integrate. Joe - well, Joe is a White Sox, as well as a 2 time All Star with the Cardinals.
High numbers? Chris had those too. Love that Al Dark card. 1964 Topps high numbers are not too hard to find, but they can still have a higher price on them.
But '64s were the only things within.
Told you Chris finds me nice Blackhawks cards too. This, from last year's UD Artifacts. But as much as this is a nice hit, it was not the star of either mailer. That distinction goes to this rectangle.
I scanned it a few times, and it's not as miscut in hand as the scan would make you think. I believe this is officially my first Koafax card. I know my LCS has his '64 base card in a case, but the heck if I can afford it at this time. That is a hell of a sweet card, though.
Now, I have some '64s from the recent card show trip to sort, but thanks to Chris's work, the 1964 set build sits now at 69%.
The stars aligned this weekend, allowing me to drop the dog off for her grooming early in the morning, then heading out to hit the monthly show in Orland. I've been overdue hitting the show. My '64 set build has been stalled since I cannot find what I want at the price I am willing to spend. And the past couple visits to the Orland show has shown no sign of my vintage seller. Also, I have a few sets I need to complete and the right seller's dime boxes would help. If anything, I would get a few hours digging for cards, and that makes for a good day.
Arriving, I did my usual - a lap around just to see who was there. My vintage guy? Check. Cheap dime box set filler guy? Check. Both of them, however, had no room for digging, so I found a new seller with dime boxes, and I pulled a Nick on him, finding 100 from a 5k count box. Ok - maybe a 15% Nick, but still quite the stack.
Quite the assortment of cards, and thankfully the local teams were not pulled out, so I found a few Cubs cards for a couple people. Not sure what that gem background Bere Bowman card is, but I wouldn't pass it for a dime. Same with the Alvarez minor league card.
Custom binders were well represented. I also found the chrome of the Galarraga in the upper left. I almost passed on the '68 Chico, figuring I had it. But then I thought "it's only a dime, so I took a chance. I needed it. I wish I found a 2nd copy of that McGwire Homerun Heroes, and you will see in a couple seconds.
Yes - I am building the 2009 Upper Deck set, so finding a couple cards, along with a dozen from the Team USA subsets were a good dig. As were 7 Homerun Heroes insert cards from a couple years of UD. I need to organize what I have so I know what I need. That El Duque GQ card? It's a short print. And it was a dime.
Now the other GQ was part of 20 I found at the set builder's dime boxes, along with 4 cards for the Stadium Club build. I'm shocked at the lack of SC in any set building boxes. I may have to buy a lot online. Might be better off taking a chance on another box at the price I'll pay.
Complete White Sox 2016 Diamond Kings team set? Yes please. But why is Sale only a relic in the set and no base card?
Player collections from the set builder's Chicago dime box. Man Donruss is ugly. Just ugly.
YES!!! I marked off 17 cards from my vintage guys 3 for a buck bin. But before you pat me on the back, that Killebrew was not 33 cents. But I thought 2 bucks was a fair price even in its condition.
Another great part of 3 for a buck bin is finding Sox vintage team set needs. I found a total of 4 - I didn't scan the 1960 card I found, but trust me on the price. Had some paper loss on the back.
Harmon was almost the most expensive purchase, but I decided to round up my set builder's dime box purchase of 120 cards (Nick 18%) with this card for a whole 3 dollars.
Yeah, I know he is no longer a Sox, but I thought I may as well pick it up for $3. I hated the thought of making sure he had singles.
And just as I paid, my phone goes off letting me know the grooming is done. Perfect timing. Hit the road and picked up my well coifed pooch.
