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So I bidded on this lot of 800 cards off of Ebay. A large assortment of common cards from 1980 up through 1987, and even some unopen* packs. It was really exciting to open a pack of cards from 1984, brought back a whole flood of memories as a kid. It was even more exciting when I decided to try the gum from that pack which was bad back in 1984. I had a little audience here at work as they watched me chew the gum. Well let me tell you, gum that is twenty-two years old should not be chewed. It was a nasty paste of rotten sugar that was held together with dust. But back to the cards, of course I didn't score any major valuable cards, at least not money-wise, I did get a whole bunch of cards that made everyone laugh around the shop.
First is my bad-ass cage fighter from a previous post, Tim Blackwell. Who in this picture is staring down the reporters that say his Batting AVG. was too low. He's my man!


Next I found this gem of a card for Larry Hisle. His jacket makes the card worth a post in itself, but I couldn't come up with enough material about what could be going on during this picture. This card makes him look a little crazy, but I'm sure he a sane man, unless he's wearing that jacket during one of the dog days of August in which it was 100 degrees outside.



Then I saw this next card and forgot that era of bad uniforms. The White Sox had a winner there with those threads. Of course it would get worse before it got better. Maybe I'll dig through my cards and get some type of picture gallery of the teams uniforms through the years. But I looked up the stats for Thad and noticed that in 14 season he never played more than 108 games per year. Wonder what was up with that.



And finally George Foster who was trend setter back in 1984 with his tight trim of a semi-beard. But I did learn that this guy was really good during the late sevenites, voted the MVP in 1977, smack 52 Home Runs that year also. Way to go George.

Just Pass the Crossroads

So I spent most of my collecting life sorting my cards alphabetically and made it through the C's with my current collection, when I realize that would be forever tinkering with my cards as I got new cards. I searched briefly around the net and found a few sites that suggested sorting by year then by set instead of my alpha-drive-me-insane-betical order. So I took a row of cards and just started sorting them by year, then by company, I was amazed how fast I was able to sort them that way. Just glancing at the style of the card I know it was a 1988 Fleer or 1984 Topps. So I spent most of the weekend sorting all my cards and currently have them separated. The hardest was the newest cards that have so many inserts or subsets that I'm not sure how to put them in an order.

But now I have to put them in a numerical order which shouldn't take too long of a time and is a whole lot easier than figuring out if Jose Cruz is the same guy as Jose Cruz. But in order to keep track of what cards I have I'm going to need to make a list. I can't see any way around it. I have found a few scattered sites that have checklist that I need so I don't have to type it all in. But I was surprise how few people have posted a check list. Try finding a 1990 UpperDeck checklist, and no it's not on their site either.

I have looked at the software programs out there that help with tracking your cards but most are sorry and written in an era of Windows 95 machines. Most sites I have seen suggest using Beckett's My Collection page, which works okay if you want to keep track of a few important cards, but not your entire collection including all your common cards. So I guess I'll do the spreadsheet thing and then work on something in a database form. (Most distant project, right after I paint my house)

Who would win this fight?

So I was digging through my B's and came across these two guys. Both cards just stood out and I needed to share them with the rest of the world. The first is Tim Blackwell, a catcher for the Cubs (back in 1982), something about him made me do a double take. Looking at his Bio on the back it states that he was 5'11" and 180 lbs, but I can tell you right now that I'm 5'11" and 180 lbs and I don't look like that. This guy is ripped, his uniform is about to explode, and you got to love the Wild West moustache that he is sporting.

Then there Juan Berenguer, the 5'11" 225 lbs pitcher that could make batters cry by looking at them. I mean c'mon look at the guy, I wouldn't want to take an inside fast ball from that guy. I don't think I would even bother him to get an autograph. You can click on their names to get more serious Bio's and stats.

Rookie card dilema not new

2006 marks the year in which a new standard for rookie cards has been issue between the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and Topps/Upper Deck. The new rule states that a player must play in the major league before a card can be issued a rookie card; you can read the official statement here.
I'm in favor of the new rule with the MLBPA which I think is fair to both the players and the collectors. Before the card companies would print "rookie cards" for guys in the minor leagues and some of those guys never made it to the professional level. But right now we are a limbo state with some cards stating rookie cards for guys back in 2004 (which were in the minor leagues) but now starting in the major league has a new official "rookie card", creating multiple year rookie cards for some players. So I have seen some people complaining that it is not a smooth transition from the old system to the new. I agree that it is not a smooth transition, but nothing is smooth when you take a broken system and stop it cold and correct the matter. This mandate needs to be done, and the future of cards will be better for it. But this limbo state is not new, as I was sorting some cards tonight during the Tiger - Angels game I noticed something. Mark McQwire has a multi-year rookie card and I'm not talking about his 1985 Topps Olympic card. Look at the 1987 Donruss card and notice it is his rookie card and then in 1988 Topps rates him as an All-Star Rookie, but Topps already printed him a regular card in 1987. So was Mark McQwire a rookie for two years? I'm glad for the new system.
* Sorry about the poor scans of the cards I stole them from the web.

Ichiro

Why do all the baseball cards for Ichiro Suzuki have his first name listed and not his last? His jersey even only lists his first name, which from what I can find had to be approve by the commissioner. I don't know of any other players that is allow to use their first name only on jerseys and cards, of course I know 2% of the entire knowledge of baseball. I guess his popularity from Japan and everyone calling him Ichiro only just came over with him. In any case it is a bit odd. If you know something, let us know thanks.