Sunday, April 26, 2015

Card Show in San Francisco Part IV (nice vintage cards)

At the Tristar Cardshow in San Francisco last weekend I was able to find some nice vintage cards.  I like to add cards from the 50s and 60s to my collection.  I'm thinking that I might never complete any of the sets from these years, but I continue to plug away getting cards that I need. 

At the show, I looked at some boxes of one dollar cards was able to find two nice cards from the Topps 1968 set.
Topps 1968
 
1967 World Series - Game 2 Card #152 & Topps Game Al Kaline Card #27
 
I got a card of Game 2 from the 1967 World Series when Carl Yaztremski hit two homers in the Red Sox 5-0 victory over the Cardinals.  The victory even the series at a game a piece.  Jim Lonborg pitched a one-hitter hurling 8 2/3 innings without allowing a hit until Julian Javier doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.
 
I was also able to find a game card of Al Kaline.  I can still remember my little league days sitting in the dugout playing a game with this set of cards as they could possibly be the best baseball card game ever.
 
At the show I was fortunate to find a table where a dealer had over a thousand cards from the 50s and 60s and he selling them for a dollar a piece. 
 
Here are some of the cards I got.

Topps 1958 Pitchers

I got cards of a couple of pitchers who started their careers in the 50s, and pitched into the 60s and the early 70s.

Camilo Pascal #219 & Milt Pappas #457

Camilo Pascual, a 18 year veteran, played for the Senators, who became the Twins in 1961 (1954-1966), then for the second Senators franchise (1967-1969), Reds (1969), Dodgers (1970), and Indians (1971).  Pascal was a 20-game winner twice, in 1962–63, while pitching for the Twins.  Pascual led the American League in strikeouts in 1961 (221), 1962 (206), and 1963 (202). He was selected to the American League All-Star team 5 times.

Milt Pappas, a 17-year veteran, pitched for the Orioles (1957-1965), Reds (1966-1968), Braves (1968-1970) and Cubs (1970–1973).  Pappas was named an American League All-Star in 1962, pitching in both All-Star games (from 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball had two All-Star games).  Although, Pappas never won 20 games during any single season, he did win 10 or more games in every season between 1958 and 1972.  On September 2, 1972 he pitched a no-hitter against the Padres in the Cubs 8-0 victory.  He retired the first 26 batters in the game and loss his perfect game when he walked pinch hitter Larry Stahl.

A couple of Mets  

Topps 1964 Rusty Staub 109 and Topps 1966 Ed Kranepool 212
  
Ed Kranepool played 19 seasons for the Mets.  He begun his career as a 17 year old playing with the Mets in their inaugural season during 1962.  Rusty Staub, who played 23 seasons in the major leagues, was also teenager when debuted as a young 19 year old in 1963 with the Colt 45s.  Staub played in his first game on April 9, 1963 and his birthday in on April 1, 1944 (no fooling). 
 
Kranepool and Staub played together on the Mets during 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975.  The Mets won the National League pennant in 1973, losing the World Series to the A's in seven games.  During that season, Staub was the Mets regular right fielder and Kranepool shared time at first base with John Milner.   In December 1975, Staub was traded to the Tigers in a deal that netted the Mets pitcher Mickey Lolich and he returned and ended his career with the Mets, playing between 1981 and 1985 in New York.    
 
World Series Champion Managers

Topps 1965 Dick Howser #92 and Topps 1967 Dave Johnson #363
 
Here are a couple of cards of infielders who would later become the managers of teams that won the World Series in successive years during the 1980s.  Dick Howser was the manager of the 1985 World Champion Royals and Dave Johnson lead the Mets to their second World Championship in 1986.
 
The Announcers
 
Topps 1965 Mike Shannon #43 and Topps 1967 Ken Harrelson #188
 
Here are a couple of major league players who continued careers in major league baseball becoming announcers.
 
Mike Shannon was born July 15, 1939 in St. Louis.  He played nine seasons with the Cardinals beginning in 1962.  He was a part of the 1964, 1967, and 1968 teams that appeared in the World Series, winning World Series Championships in 1964 and 1967.  
 
Upon completing his playing career, Shannon moved to the broadcast booth in 1972.  He worked three decades with Jack Buck and has been broadcasting Cardinal games for the last 44 years.
 
Ken Harrelson played for four teams: the Athletics (1963–66, 1967), Senators (1966–67), Red Sox (1967–69), and Indians (1969–71).   In 1971, Harrelson retired at midseason to pursue a professional golf career.  He played in the 1967 World Series for the Red Sox, against Shannon's Cardinals. 

Harrelson turned to a broadcasting career beginning in 1975 with the Red Sox when he partnered with Dick Stockton.   However, after being publicly critical of player personnel decisions made by Boston co-owner Haywood Sullivan, he was fired at the close of the 1981 season.  Harrelson then served as a White Sox announcer from 1982 to 1985 and briefly left broadcasting in 1986 to become the White Sox's General Manager.

During the 1987–1988 seasons, Harrelson was the television play-by-play man for Yankees and he served as a backup color commentator on NBC's Game of the Week broadcasts from 1984–1989.  Harrelson returned to the White Sox in 1990 as their play-by-play announcer during television broadcasts, teaming up with Tom Paciorek until 2000 and then working with Darrin Jackson from 2000 to 2008.  In 2009, he began broadcasting with former Chicago Cubs color analyst Steve Stone and today they continue to broadcast White Sox games.

Harrelson is often credited with inventing the batting glove by wearing a golf glove while at bat with the A's.
 
Pitchers who are a part of making Yankee History
 
 Topps 1961 Don Larsen #177 and Tracy Stallard #81
 
Don Larsen will always have a part in Yankee lore (although this card pictures him with the Kansas City A's) for the perfect game he pitched against the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series.  Tracy Stallard was never a Yankees, but he will be remembered as the starting pitcher on October 1, 1961, when the Yankees played the Red Sox.   In the fourth inning of the game, Stallard faced off against Yankee right fielder Roger Maris.  Maris homered to right field which was his 61st home run of the year, breaking Babe Ruth's single season home run record when in 1927, he hit 60 home runs.  Maris' home run was the only run of the game.      
 
Bo Belinsky

 
Topps 1966 Bo Belinsky #506 & Topps 1967 Bo Belinsky #447
 
Bo Belinsky was a major league pitcher who made the most out of his 28 victories.  Belinsky major league debut was on April 18, 1962, and he became an instant southern California celebrity when he opened the season with four straight wins including a May 5 no-hitter against the Orioles.  Later Belinsky was romantically linked to such women as  Ann Margret, Connie Stevens, Tina Louise, and Mamie Van Dore.  Van Dore was his fiancĂ©e for a year.
 
                           
            Ann Margret                                                        Connie Stevens                                        
 
               
           Tina Louise                                                       Bo with Mamie Van Dore 
 
  
Alou Brothers
 
 Topps 1964 Felipe Alou #65, Topps 1965 Matty Alou #318 and Topps 1964 Jesus Alou #47
 
The Alou brothers played together with the 1963 Giants.  The brothers did play together in eight games, when Felipe, then 28, was a regular outfielder for the San Francisco Giants; Matty, 24, was a defensive replacement (he started only six games) and pinch hitter; and Jesus, 21, was a September call-up. They never started a game together but they did play in the same outfield for a few innings in September of that year.  These were the only times in major league history that three brothers were in the same lineup, and playing together in the outfield.
 
When Jesus made his debut on September 10, Manager Al Dark had the Alou brothers bat consecutively in the eighth inning, Jesus and Matty as pinch hitters before Felipe came up. The Alous went 0 for 3 against the Mets’ Carlton Willey.  On September 15, Felipe played all three outfield positions, and Matty and Jesus joined him in the outfield as late-inning substitutes.  Jesus entered the game in the 7th inning playing right field, and Matty entered the game in left field in the 8th inning, as Felipe moved to center field.  This was the first time in major league history that three brothers played in a game together in the same outfield.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

A belated Happy Birthday Chipper Jones

Yesterday was Chipper Jones' 43th birthday.  A belated Happy Birthday, Chipper.  I am sorry that I missed it.

Larry Wayne Jones was born in DeLand, Florida on April 24, 1972.  Jones received the nickname "Chipper" from his father and other family members, who saw the younger Larry as a "chip off the old block," as he showed an early love for baseball because of time spent with his father who was a high school baseball coach.
 
1990 Classic Premier Edition #1
 
On June 4, 1990, Larry Wayne Jones was drafted by the Braves as the 1st pick of the 1990 amateur draft. Chipper was signed by the Braves that same day, receiving a bonus of $400,000.  Jones played in the Braves minor league system from 1991 through 1993 with the Macon Braves (1991), Durham Bulls (1992), and Richmond Braves (1993).  During his time in the Braves' minor league system, Jones was involved in a bench clearing brawl with future Major League stars Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.
 
 
1993 Bowman #86

Chipper's major league debut was on September 11, 1993, as he was the youngest player in the league.  In 1994, he was expected to compete for the starting left field job, however, Jones suffered an ACL tear in spring training. As a result, he spent the entire strike shortened 1994 season on the disabled list.

 
1995 Pinnacle Sportflix #101
 
In 1995, during his first full year in the major leagues, Jones led all rookies in RBIs (86), games played (145), at bats (524), and runs scored (87). That year, he finished second in the National Rookie of the Year voting behind Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo.   In addition, Jones participated in the 1995 World Series, in which the Braves won in six games over the Indians.

1999 Upper Deck HologrFX #6
 
In 1999, Jones won the National League MVP award after becoming the first player ever to hit over .300 (.319) while slugging 40 or more home runs (45) and doubles (41), drawing 100 or more walks (126), while notching 100 or more RBI (110) and runs scored (116), and stealing 20 or more bases (25).

2012 Topps Heritage #347
 
Jones retired at the conclusion of the 2012 season after playing 19 seasons in the major leagues, all with the Braves.  The final game of his career was the 2012 National League Wild Card Playoff game against Cardinals. In his final at-bat, he had an infield single, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

2012 Topps Update #US166A
 

Jones was eight time All-Star, and won the 1999 and 2000 National League Silver Slugger Award for third basemen. He was the National League batting champion in 2008, with a major high batting average of .364.  He currently holds the Braves team record for career on-base percentage (.402), and on July 5, 2007, passed Dale Murphy for third place on the Braves all-time career home run list, behind only Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews.

Jones ended his career .304 career batting average, with 468 home runs, and 1,623 RBI in 2,499 games.  Jones is one of the most accomplished switch hitters in the history of the game, as he finished behind only Eddie Murray for career RBI by switch hitters. He is the only switch hitter in MLB history with both a career batting average of at least .300 and 400 or more home runs. He was the eighteenth hitter in MLB history to accumulate 5,000 at bats and finish with at least a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500 slugging percentage, and the only switch hitter to reach all these milestones.
 
During his career, Jones played in 21 post season series, including three World Series.  He appeared in 93 post season games with 13 home runs and 47 RBI and a .287 batting average.  His World Series record was playing in 16 games with one home run, (Game one home run in the 1999 World Series, off Yankee starting pitcher Orlando Hernandez in a 4 -1 Braves loss) with 6 RBI  and a batting average .273.
 
2015 Topps 1st Home Run #FHR-10
 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Card Show in San Francisco Part III

This is the third part about my trip to San Francisco for the TriStar Sportscard show.  At the card show, after looking at thousands of dime cards, it was good to get a break and look at what other dealers had for sale.  Although finding a great dime card is pretty cool, there were a lot more cards at a show to look at and buy.

At this show, I began a search for cards that cost up to a dollar.  There seemed to a number of cards to choose from and I had planned to set aside time to look at and to buy dollar cards.

Sometimes I get really lucky and find vintage cards for a buck and in my next post I will share some of the one dollar vintage cards that I got this past weekend.  But with this post I want to show some of the more recent issued cards, mainly from the 80s and 90s, that I brought home with me.

1983 Donruss    
 
The 1983 Donruss set is one of their earliest issues and these cards are similar to the cards from the 1981 and 1982 sets.   There are some nice cards in the set and I was able to find a Julio Franco and an early Cal Ripken Jr. card.  The Franco card is his rookie card and shows him as a Phillie.  Is Franco still playing?
 
 Cal Ripken, Jr.  #279 & Julio Franco #525
  
1994 Upper Deck SP Previews
 
Here are a couple 1994 SP Preview cards, from the second year that Upper Deck issued a SP set.  I don't think I have any of these preview cards and reading in my Beckett Almanac I found out that they were distributed as inserts in the Upper Deck regular set 2nd series product. 

  Barry Bonds WR1 & Ken Griffey Jr. WR3
 
Topps Museum Collection
 
The Topps Museum Collection card is a nice card and I have a few of them.  I am not sure what a pack of Museum cards sell for as I don't remember seeing any of these in the local card shop.  The thick card stock give these cards a good feel.
 
 2012 Topps Museum Collection Joe DiMaggio #81 & 2013 Robert Clemente 2013 Museum Collection Canvas Collection CC-14
 
A Couple Superstar Card
 
Here are a couple of cards of superstars that I got.  You can't call everyone a superstar, but these two guys would definitely be superstars.  I am always interested in any Michael Jordan baseball card and this 1994 Upper Deck Electric Diamond card is sweet card.  The Derek Jeter card comes from the 1996 Metal Universe Platinum set and is an early Jeter issue.
 
 1994 Upper Deck Electric Diamond Michael Jordan #19 and 1996 Metal Universe Platinum Derek Jeter #87
 
Yankees Greats
 
Here are a Babe Ruth and Don Mattingly card.  The Babe Ruth card comes from the Conlon Collection.  The Conlon Collection offers some great photographs from an era gone by.  This Babe Ruth photo is from the 1933 All-Star game, as he is nearing the end of his great career.

 1992 Conlon The Sporting News 13th National Collection Sports Collection Babe Ruth #663 & 2005 Zenith Artist's Proofs Silver Don Mattingly #242
 
Pinnacle Museum Collection Cards
 
Here are a couple of 1990s Pinnacle Museum Collection cards of Hall of Famers.

 1994 Pinnacle Museum Collection Ryne Sandberg #6 & 1995 Pinnacle Museum Collection Pedro Martinez #235 
 
1996 Ultra Inserts
 
1990s Ultra product had numerous insert sets.  If I remember correctly Ultra said that you would get one insert in each pack of cards.  Although at the beginning of the 90s, other card companies had insert sets, but it wasn't until when Ultra started the practice of having many inserts, that by the end of the decade, Upper Deck and Topps began issuing many of their own insert sets. 
 
 1996 Ultra Call to the Hall Barry Bonds #1 & 1996 Ultra Rawhide Cal Ripken Jr.  #9
 
Greg Maddux Rookie Cards
 
Here are two Greg Maddux cards from 1987 update sets during his first tenure with the Cubs.  When these were issued who would have thought that he would become one of the greatest of all time.
 
 1987 Fleer Update Greg Maddux U-68 & 1987 Topps Traded 70T
 
Some Shiny Cal Ripken Jr. Card
 
It was during the 90s when card companies started to issue, what the owner of the local card shop here in my hometown call "Shiny Cards".  It still continues today with Topps products, like Chrome and Finest cards.  Here are a couple of "Shiny" Cal Ripken Jr. cards issued in the 90s. 
 
 1994 Pacific Silver Prism Cal Ripken Jr. #15 & 1997 Pinnacle Shades Cal Ripken Jr. #5
 
A Relic Card
 
I don't normally collect relic and signature cards.  The last signature card I acquired was last year when I got a 2011 Bowman Sterling Sonny Gray card and I did get some relic cards earlier this year in the 2015 Heritage product.  At the show the only relic card I got was a Chipper Jones Game-Used Bat Card for my best friend. 

 2000 Upper Deck SP Game Bat Edition Piece of the Game Chipper Jones #CJ 
 
 
    


Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Card Show in San Francisco Part II

This is Part II of my blog about purchases of cards from this past weekend at the card show in San Francisco.  I arrived in San Francisco on Thursday afternoon.  The weather was nice so I took a trip to the ocean and visited Baker Beach.  It was a sunny and warm day, well it least for the coast of Northern California, and there were a lot of people out enjoying the day. 

Here are a couple of pictures I took while I was there.




 
 

What a sweet day in the city by the bay.
 
More Dime Card Deals

Cards of Mike Schmidt

I was able to get a Mike Schmidt from 1979 and 1980 and a couple issuances from this century.
 

1979 Topps Mike Schmidt #610 & 1980 Topps Mike Schmidt #270
 
2004 Topps Mike Schmidt All-Time Fan Favorites Mike Schmidt #20 & 2013 Topps Archives Mini Tall Boys Mike Schmidt #MS-MT


Billy Hamilton cards

I was looking thru some 2012 Panini Cooperstown cards and came across a card of the Billy Hamilton.  I didn’t know who he was but the back of this card said that “Sliding Billy Hamilton set the all-time record by scoring 198 runs (in just 137 games) with Philadelphia in 1894, a mark that only Babe Ruth has sniffed since with 177 in 1921.  He won two batting titles, and finished first in steals five times, including four season with 100- plus.  Hamilton ranks fourth all-time in on-base percentage (.455) and seventh in batting (.344).  In 1892, he turned the rare trick of hitting a leadoff and a walkoff homers in the same game.”  Billy Hamilton was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1961.

The present day Billy Hamilton first full year in the major leagues was last year when he stole 56 bases, finishing second in the National League to Dodgers Dee Gordon.  Hamilton did lead the league in being caught stealing when he was thrown out 23 times.  On June 15, 2014, in the Reds 13-4 win over the Brewers, Hamilton hit a leadoff home run.  I was able to get his 2013 Topps Finest Sterling card. 


2012 Panini Cooperstown Billy Hamilton #70 & 2014 Topps Finest Sterling Billy Hamilton TS-BHA


Some Don Mattingly cards

I was able to get these Don Mattingly cards from the early 90s and others since he retired as a player.

 
1990 Leaf Don Mattingly #69, 1993 Flair Don Mattingly #249, & 1994 Ultra Award Winner Don Mattingly #2
 

2002 Fleer Greats Don Mattingly #74, 2012 Topps Heritage Don Mattingly #154, and 2013 Topps Heritage Don Mattingly #101


Cards of Sean Doolittle

I got some minor league issues of A’s reliever Sean Doolittle.  These were from early in his career when Doolittle played first base.
 

2007 Upper Deck USA Baseball Sean Doolittle #14, 2008 Donruss Threads Sean Doolittle #84, and 2008 Tristar Projections Sean Doolittle #78
 
 
2002 Topps Gallery

I was able to pick up these retired players from the 2002 Topps Gallery set
  

Warren Spahn #146 & Brooks Robinson #147
 
 
Al Kaline #149 & Bob Feller #150


Leaf 1993

Here are some inserts from the 1993 Leaf set.

1993 Leaf Heading to the Hall Set
 

Nolan Ryan #1, Robin Yount #3, & Ryne Sandburg #8
 
1993 Leaf Gold All-Stars

 

Card #6 featuring Cal Ripken, Jr. & Barry Larkin 
 
 
 
 
Card #19 featuring Nolan Ryan & Greg Maddux


1994 Donruss Special Edition

 I was happy to get these three 1994 Donruss Special Edition cards. 

 
Nolan Ryan #1, Cal Ripken, Jr., #40, & Don Mattingly #60

 
2001 Fleer Premium Inserts

Here are some cards from the Decades of Excellence inset set which were part of the 2001 Fleer Premium set.
 

Eddie Mathews #11 & Pee Wee Reese #14,
 
 
Phil Rizzuto #15 & Frank Howard #18


Topps Heritage New Age Performers

Here are three New Age Performers cards from early Topps Heritage sets.
 

2001 Topps Heritage New Age Performers Nomar Garciaparra #NA9, 2002 Topps Heritage New Age Performers Ichiro #NA5, and 2003 Topps Heritage New Age Performers Alex Rodriguez #NA4
More Topps Heritage cards

I was able to grab these short prints from recent Topps Heritage sets.

Topps Heritage 2012
 

Troy Tulowitzki #453
 
 
 Topps Heritage 2014

 

Dustin Pedroia #447 & Miguel Cabrera #500
 
Yu Darvish #444 & Matt Harvey #490
 

Expos Prospect cards

Here are three cards of Montreal Expos prospects who later made names for themselves with other franchises.
 

2000 Bowman Chrome Brandon Phillips #347 & 2000 Bowman Grady Sizemore #109
 

2002 Topps Gold Jason Bay #326