Monday, November 30, 2015

A Few Misc Pats Junk Box Pickups

1959 Topps Redskins and Bears Pennants.
Okay not the Patriots, but I found them in the junk boxes and thought they were too cool to pass up.
This would make a very nice set to complete.



1993 Classic Pro Line Live
I believe that this design is new to me.



2009 Upper Deck Star Rookie Rookie Exclusives



1993 Classic Four Sport Promotional Card PR1



1994 Upper Deck SP Premier Prospects #4


1997 Upper Deck Legends #152
Another card that's new to me.
There are 3 other Patriots in the team set.



1990 Pro Set #784
The Patriots lost 30-14.



2014 Panini Contenders Round Numbers #3



1979 Topps #341
With a nice big blue inc blob over it.
That's why I wanted it.




Sunday, November 29, 2015

10-0 Patriots Gameday Autographs

Two returns for Week 12.  Not the best quality of autographs unfortunately.
But I count them as good successes.


Ray Hamilton 1977 Topps #334 and 1981 Topps #396
Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton hit me with a dried-up mushy marker.
Ray was a Patriots Nose Tackle from 1973-1981.
He was drafted out of Oklahoma in the 14th round (342nd overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft.
Ray returned these in 26 days from his home in Windermere, Florida.
He was also kind enough to answer a couple questions for me.



Eddie Hare 1980 Topps #396
Eddie was the Patriots punter in 1979.
He was drafted in the 4th round (106th overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft out of  Tulsa.
I worked with Eddie's brother recently, that's how I was able to obtain his autograph.
Eddie returned this in 10 days from a private address.



.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Proud Owner Of A Ben Dover

But I need help identifying this "card" I pulled when culling through some junk boxes at the LCS.


Did you laugh?
Because I laughed.

It's hand-cut from a sheet (I'm assuming) of thin magazine-type cardboard. 
Everything about this card is just plain wrong.
That's what makes it so right.

Ben Dover JUNIOR.
Genius.
Read the statistics from top to bottom, left to right for a secret message.

So, anyone got a clue where this card is from?



Monday, November 23, 2015

Best Binder Page - Angelsinorder

The Junior Junkie is suggesting a task for us to showcase our Best Binder Pages - nine cards you would take with you if you knew beforehand that you would be marooned on a desert island.

I accepted the task and started searching and quickly piled up a stack of cards.  A stack that was bigger than 9.  Like most everyone else doing this post, I have a lot more than 9 cards that are my favorites.  And looking over what I whittled the stack down to, I wouldn't even say these are my top 9. They are at the moment though. I guess.

Since I collect autographs, many of those type cards are more meaningful, especially if I got them in-person and there was some sort of conversation or interaction with the player.

I left out several vintage "T" and "W" cards, and a couple Red Man Tobacco because I haven't really been in a vintage "mood" lately.  If given this task 3 months from now I might include the 1921 W551 Casey Stengel I have or my beat-up 1952 Red Man Ted Williams.

Regardless, it was a fun task to chose 9 cards to highlight, and here they are in no particular order:


As you can see, most of these are signed, making them a little more meaningful.
You can see a cereal card in there, and a couple customs as well.
There's even a Batman card.

I'll share a bit of background on each card.

Jim Abbott 1989 Topps #573
I was blown away when I first heard about Jim Abbott, and super stoked when I found out he would be an Angel.  I was so captivated by him and amazed at all that he could do with only one hand.
He kinda became a hero to me.
I was jazzed when I pulled my first Jim Abbott rookie card.
I used to get Angels autographs on baseballs at Anaheim Stadium when I was a kid in the early seventies.  Those balls all got used and lost in the local schoolyard.  When I started collecting autographs again using baseball cards in the early nineties, Abbott's was the first I wanted to get.


Linus 1983 Dolly Madison Zingers
Zingers were a staple in the Tessier household, but with 8 kids to compete against you were lucky if you got one.  It got so bad that my mom had to hide the box and only bust it out after dinner on Saturdays.
I started collecting cards in 1983 when I purchased a couple boxes each of 1983 Topps and Fleer from the small wholesale distributor I worked at, but I think it is safe to say that this may have been my first card.  And by then there were only a few of us left living at home so I'm the one that got the prize.


Jimmie Reese 2009 PCL Angels Custom Cut Autograph
Frequently attending Angels games in the 70's and 80's I was able to watch Jimmie Reese hit a lot of fungo during BP and able to get his autograph a few times.  He would often come over to the rail to talk with the fans, just a cool guy.  My son and I were also able to attend his funeral services since we lived locally. I had a signed index card we had gotten in person to use for this custom series I made for guys that played on the Pacific Coast League Angels teams, and as a remembrance of Jimmie Reese.


Dick Enberg 1989 Pro Set Announcers #24
Next to Vin Scully, my most favorite announcer voice is Dick Enberg, and it helps that he called the Angels games I listened to and watched from 1969-1978.
"And the halo shines tonight."


Virgil Trucks 1956 Topps #117
I had the fortunate opportunity to correspond with Virgil Trucks several times through the mail.
I had ordered his book from him and had a few questions for him after I had read it.  He wrote back.  I had a few more questions, we talked about his tattoos and he ended up sending me photos of the tattoos he had gotten in the 40's.  He kept sending me signed stuff.  It was just an awesome experience and privilege getting to chat with an awesome ballplayer and an awesome man.


Joe Rudi 1969 Topps #587
When Joe Rudi came to the Angels in 1977, my buddy and I saw him play and then we wanted to BE Joe Rudi.  We did our best impersonations making diving catches and running into walls to make the snag.  When I first started doing TTM I had bought an address book and Joe Rudi was one of the first autographs I sent away for and one of the first I got back AND with a hand written personal note!  Super thrilled to get open up that envelope.  My buddy went berserk.


Tommy Tessier Custom Cut Jersey
Took a swatch from one of my son's old youth baseball jerseys from the mid 90's (I kept all of them) and created a custom card around it.  I have another one I made with an Orioles jersey swatch, but being from Southern California I chose this one.


Mr. Freeze 1993 Topps #32
When Tommy was little we were hooked on Animated Batman (see wantlist tab above).  We had all the figures and vehicles, and we watched every episode, even recorded them on VHS to watch later.
We are Animated Batman through-and-through.
A while ago I thought I would try to get some of the voice actor's autographs on the cards that I had been collecting.
Since Mr. Freeze is my favorite Animated Batman villain I thought I would get Michael Ansara to sign his card.  Great memories watching the Batman with my boy.  We still bust out the toys when he comes for a visit.


Nolan Ryan 1971 Topps #513
Another Angel Great I have fond memories of out at the Big A.
I like this card because it's my oldest regular card of Ryan and because it's beat to hell.
I like to imagine that if I had owned this card new back in 1971, that it would have ended up looking just like this.

And that wraps up my Best Binder Page.

Back in 2010 I did a birthday post showing 15 of my most favorite cards, you can see it

You can see how "9 best cards" can change over time.



Sunday, November 22, 2015

9-0 Patriots Gameday Autographs

Game is on tomorrow night, but here's the goods from this weeks mail.

1973 Topps #436

Dave mentioned in a question he answered that the "Pats weren't very good when I was there.  But being traded and [eventually] ending up at the Oakland Raiders - Super Bowl XI!" 

Indeed.  The Pats went 6-8, 3-11, and 5-9 from 1971-1973.

He signed these cards for me in 10 days from his home in Boone, NC.


1976 Topps #166

Allen Carter was a Patriots Running Back from 1975 - 1976.
He was the Pats leading kickoff return specialist in 1975, averaging 25.5 yards and running one back 99 yards for a TD.

I asked Mr. Carter what impact football had on his health, he answered, "Bad knees and a big heart!"

Signed in 14 days from his home in Oceanside, CA.



Friday, November 20, 2015

Matchbox Sky Busters Northrop Grumman B-2

I worked on the B-2 Program for many years. 
Tons of B-2 stuff to collect, but I stick mostly to flats: stickers, postcards, magazine ads and covers, promos, etc..

One non-flat I've collected is the Matchbox Sky Busters B-2 Bomber.
I have all but one.

2007 MBX Metal M8193-0910
United Alliance


2008 MBX Metal N7599-0910
National Guard

2010 Matchbox Sky Busters NORTHROP GRUMMAN B-2 (Nation Guard) blue grey bomber plane
I NEED THE ABOVE VERSION


2009 R0676
Desert Camo


2010 Sky Busters Missions V0232
Green 78

I don't know if there is a 2011 issue.
I've never seen one.


2012 Sky Busters Headquarters W5353-0910
Gold Copper Swirl

I haven't seen an issue after 2012 so I think 2012 was the last, or latest, one.

Makes for a cool little set.
Hung in a row on a wall it looks pretty neat too.




Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Completed Angels Team Set - 1970 Topps Story Booklets

Jay Johnstone gets to be the only Angel in this booklet set.
These were inserted into regular packs of 1970 Topps cards.


The back of the booklet featured a checklist.
Only 24 books were in the set, and not all were of big stars.
There's one for Al Ferrara.
See what I mean?

The six page cartoon booklet told a short player background story.

Very cool for the 70's.
Not sure if Topps has tried to reintroduce these, but I don't think they would be as cool  if they did.




Sunday, November 15, 2015

8-0 Patriots Gameday Autographs

Garin Veris was a Defensive End for the Patriots from 1985-1991.
He was drafted out of Stanford in the 1985 draft.
During his rookie season, he recorded 14 sacks, including four in the playoffs, and started in Super Bowl XX. He was named to the Patriots' All-1980s team.
Garin wore uniform #60 and #90 in his Patriots career. Marion Hobby took #60 in 1990, maybe he paid Garin for it.
Garin is now the Director of External Business Development & Marketing for the UMass Boston Athletics Program.

He signed these cards for me in 9 days from UMass Boston.



Thursday, November 12, 2015

KAPPOW! Coolest Listia Win Ever

After a bidding war and a whopping 12,073 credits I won the coolest card I've ever won on Listia.

Behold:

1977 Russell's Batman Card Game #5

Holy Moly.

Not sure about the Batman sounds surrounding the Superman emblem.
Maybe Supe just got his ass handed to him by the Bat Man.



Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Texas Rangers Angels Cards

Sampling of a nice package of Angels cards from Rob at Texas Rangers Cards.

1990 Fleer Ultra #163, #522, #525, #161
Four very durable rookies from the 1993 Fleer Ultra team set.
I'd go so far as to call all four of them "Angels Greats".


Glenn Hoffman 1990 Donruss #407
You forget about some of the guys that briefly played for the Halos.
Glenn Hoffman played 48 games at Utility for the Angels in 1989.



Sean O'Sullivan 2008 Donruss Threads Autographs #67, 033/499
O'Sullivan is still kicking around, he was with the Phillies last year.
I want to say that he threw a no-hitter in the minors once.



Mike Trout
Trout doing the things he does: hits for average, hits for power, and steals bases.

Good stuff Rob, thanks for thinking of me.



Monday, November 9, 2015

A Sampling From Infield Fly Rule

Represented here is a sampling of the nice stack of Angels cards recently sent from Infield Fly Rule.

Mike Butcher 1993 Topps Stadium Club #407
New Angels GM Billy Eppler fired Pitching Coach Mike Butcher as one of his first moves.
It's speculated that it actually the doing of Arte Moreno.
Butcher spend the last 9 seasons as the Halos pitching coach.
Either way, I always liked him.


Harold Reynolds 1994 Collectors Choice #384
The guys on my local sports radio station have nothing good to say about Harold Reynolds as a broadcaster.
I actually like him, and appreciate all that he adds to a game.


Jim Abbott 1994 Stadium Club #516, 1994 Collectors Choice #450, and 1993 Leaf #253
I like Jim Abbott.  I do not like the Yankees.
I'm glad Abbott threw a no-hitter, sorry that he did it with the Yankees.


Garret Anderson Upper Deck Etchings Bat Relic #BE-GA, 243/250
Super cool card with a wood-burned disk from an actual bat.
Shiney gold foil.
Busted middle finger.
awesome.


Jimmy Garoppolo 2014 Prestige #252
The next Tom Brady took the snap on 3 or so plays last week.
Didn't pass the ball though.
Good to see him get a little action.


At first I thought uh-oh, these were included by mistake. Took me a good two or three times through the stack to figure out they were included because of the Angels in the background.
Sharp eye there IFR.