Angels? or Diablos!

This is my 1980 TCMA El Paso Diablos team set, one of my favorite minor league sets because of the awful color and font, and the even more awful, but equally beautiful, uniforms.

The Diablos were an Angels affiliate from 1973-1980 (well, kinda, read on).

But talk about a conflict of interests in names!
I've been able to get a few cards signed over the years.

A couple of these guys eventually made it up to the Angels.

Brian Harper either forgot his belt or just prefers the disheveled look.

Jim Saul began managing in the Angels organization in 1973. After that he bounced around to a few other clubs before coming back to the Angels organization '80-'81, 1980 being his only year as manager of the Diablos. Saul was also a catcher in the Angels farm system in 1969-1970 for the AAA Hawaii Islanders.

I mailed this card to Jim in 2013, and for some odd reason he decided to sign it three times.

I love it!

Anyhow, Gene Autry bought the El Paso Sun Kings for $1 in 1965 (prior to that from 61-64 the were affiliated with the Giants) so from 1965-1970 they were an Angels affiliate. In 1968 the Sun Kings won the Texas League Pennant.

A few more recognizable names.

As minor league teams come and go, El Paso was without a team in 1971, until the Dodgers brought their team to El Paso in 1972. That was short-lived, because the Angels were again the owners in 1974, and the Angels decided to rename them the Diablos. I wonder how they came up with that name.

Around that same time, the team had a young prospect named Kurt Russell who was tearing up the league. Young Kurt damaged his shoulder, however, and decided then to return to acting, and the rest is history.

I'm not quite sure what the blue design on the back is. Makes me think of a cold, Southern California wave, which would be perfect to cool of the Diablos in the scorching El Paso heat.

From 1974-1980, the Diablos remained an Angels farm team, again winning the Texas League Pennant in 1978. The Brewers took over El Paso in 1981, and then after that, I don't bother to look, because I know they weren't ever an Angels affiliate again.

The 1980 El Paso Diablos (this set) ended up going 50-86, 27 games out of first.

Daryl Sconiers led the team batting .370/15/87, Mike Bishop hit 33 HR and drove in 106, and Steve Brown was the ace at 14-12, 3.66 ERA.

Hobo Joe's, if you're interested, was a regional coffee shop/restaurant chain from the 60's thru the early 80's, I believe. They were headquartered in Tempe, with the first one being built in Scottsdale. 

Thanks For Thinking FOR Me

There have been some pretty cool stamps affixed to PWEs lately and this one on an envelope from Nachos Grande is pretty cool indeed. This stamp was issued last year and commemorates the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing. There is a second stamp that goes with it and shows the famous photograph of Buzz Alrin on the moon with a reflection of Neil Armstrong in his visor. FUN FACT: To mark the release, the stamps were given out free on July 19 for any visitors to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Apollo/Saturn V Center.

1998 Pinnacle Swing For The Fences Game Rules #17

Chris saw that I was collecting this rules set and sent this card that I needed. 

Thanks for thinking of me.

 But Chris also did some thinking FOR me because he sent these points cards, which until I opened the envelope, didn't know existed.

There's 50 cards in this set, I'm now nine on my way.

So, thanks for thinking OF me and thanks for thinking FOR me!

My OTHER Hobby

MODELS!

I built a lot model kits when I was a kid, then took what seems like a lifetime off. In the meantime I went into the Air Force, got married, had kids, went into an aerospace career. Life got busy. About 18 months ago, life slowed a little enough, and I had enough space, that I took the opportunity to start building again.

I mostly built airplanes as a kid, hence, the Air Force and aerospace career, but when I started building again I was more interested in cars for some reason.

And hot rods at that.

Here's a bunch more that I've built recently:

Have you figured out yet that I like versions of the Ford Model T?

AMT has a great combination kit that allows you to build two full versions of the car.

This should have been the Starsky and Hutch Ford Torina, but because I don't like to do things typical, I put my own spin on it.

This kit was a rebuild of what we call a glue bomb: an already built kit, glue all over, broken and missing parts. I got it in a trade with a friend on Instagram. I converted it to a single cab, based a picture I found on the net.

BTW you're welcome to follow my model building on Instagram, my username is "tom_t_me".

Some of my models are "nostalgia builds", or kits I built as a kid, but wanted to build again, doing a little better job, but still reliving the memory of building it in my youth. I remember building two of these Woodys. It's nice to able to find these old kits I built on ebay.

This was kit my son game me for my birthday last year.

Another nostalgia build. I remembered that the first time I built this it was a very difficult kit. The suspension has many small nimble parts, that as a youth I really struggled with.

Hey! I finally did another airplane!

This kit was given to me by a friend of mine, a retired toy distributor, who has several kits still left in his stash. It took a long time, but I was really glad to be able to finish this so that he could see it.

My favorite models are aircraft from the Pacific Theater during WWII.

In work on the table I currently have a few more airplanes: a Curtis P-36A, a FW-190D-9, and a Zero.

Do you have any hobbies where you build things?

And POOF! Just Like That...

Set complete!

It wasn't long ago at all that I had a post showing the small sets I had added to my "Other Want Lists" tab, and POOF! just like that, one of those sets is now complete.

2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway

Greg from The Collective Mind was kind enough to immediately offer, then send the 21 remaining cards to complete the set.

How cool is that.

A great looking 30-card set, showing off some great looking, and sometimes vintage classic cards.

I know that some team collectors include some of these in their sets, if the card depicts a player from their team. There were no Angels in the set, but I do have another of the Nolan Ryan card in his PC.

Also included were 18, 2010 Topps Million Card Giveaway cards towards this set of 30 cards.

That leaves me with only 4 four to complete it:

TMC-1 Roy Campanella

TMC-8 Thurman Munson

TMC-9 Mike Schmidt

TMC-10 Carl Yastrzemski

It's good to get a big chunk of a set out of the way like that.

AND, Greg came across some Fleer Logo Stickers that he had no use for and offered them up, so I accepted. I've been working of a Master Fleer Logo Sticker set, and I'm severely lacking a lot of the older Grand Slams, and early 80's series. These put a nice little dent onto that.

Much thanks!

The Rodfather of the Daily Giveaway

We've all seen by now, Rod's daily giveaway posts, something I thought would run maybe a week or so. But here we are almost two months later and Rod is still going strong. And I for one get excited looking forward to the days post, racing to see if I need a card, trying to beat others to comment on it first. Super generous of Rod, and great fun!

I don't know if you've noticed but Rod has been using some pretty cool stamps too. 

These 29c World War II series stamps came out in 1993-1994. I imagine Rod has a stash of old unused stamps around. I used to collect stamps, but eventually I used all my stamps on TTM autographs, kinda like Rod is using his to mail out the free cards. Pretty cool to see them attached to an envelope addressed to me.

So far, through the Free Stuff program I've been able to claim several cards, gain some extras that Rod threw in, and even make a trade. Here's what I received so far.

2020 Topps #125

This one was a knee-jerk reaction, because I saw it, panicked, and thought I needed it so I claimed it.

Turned out I already had it, but that's okay. I'm sure I'll pass it on at some point.

1991 Pro Set #150

Very happy to have a Parcells autograph. I needed one for the Patriots collection. Parcels was the Pats linebacker coach in 1980, and head coach from 1993-1996. The auto is on a Giants card, but I'm good with that. He was also head coach for Air Force in 1978 which makes him even more cool.

97-98 Fleer Million Dollar Moments #2

Another card closer to this set I'm collecting.

1998 Upper Deck #135

I just missed out on a couple other sweet Vladdys that Rod was offering, but I was able to snag this one for the PC.

1991 Stadium Club Members Only

Didn't realize these were NNO cards, but a nice addition to the Ryan PC.

BTW, do you say Topps Stadium Club

or just

Stadium Club?

2020 Gypsy Queen #300

I was able to buy only a few packs of cards before the self quarantine, and I've only really wandered outside to walk around the block, so it's nice to get some of this years Angels cards.

These I think were all throw-ins, the Angels in the 1987 Fleer Award Winners set.

And if anyone can positively identify the umpire behind Mike Witt, I'll send you a PWE of cards.

All of these Nolan Ryans were extras Rod threw in.

The Vladdys were part of a trade Rod and I set up. He needed some autograph cards for his Autograph Frankenset, and I need some Guerrero, especially after missing out on a couple sweet free ones!

BTW, if you like autographs I have a lot for trade of $1 each under the Autograph Sale tab.

Great stuff Rod, and thanks again for the fun and generosity through the free card days.

One Page of Tex Clevenger

This series will highlight "one page" at a time from my binder of correspondence and autographs from former Angels and Patriots players and personnel.

  Tex Clevenger RHP Los Angeles Angels 1961

I wrote Clevenger twice, the second correspondence was received in May, 2004.

Happy To Have You, But I Don't (Officially) Collect You

Actually I do. I do collect Dale Murphy cards, but not officially, because I don't want to admit to myself that I have yet another player collection. I don't really want another player collection, I have enough collections already. But how can you NOT collect Dale Murphy?

That's why I was excited to pick up this card in my round of this months Big Fun Game:

1984 Donruss Action All Stars #40

Of course, I had to steal it to get it, but that's part of the fun, right?

This card brings the Dale Murphy (Unofficial) Collection to 40 cards.

I've always been a fan of Murph.

Solid, steady, gritty, reliable.

And I've always liked the Braves too. Kinda thought of them as an East Coast version of the Angels.

So yeah, I collect Dale Murphy, but I'm not yet at the point where I'll add him to my Player Collections tab above. Maybe, someday, hopefully.

Nice of John to also throw in this 1980 Kelloggs.

I don't really need it though, so if anyone else does, I'll gladly pass it on in the spirit of the BFG.

Thanks for the game John, looking forward to next months.