Pick me a Player #7 - Harmon Killebrew

  I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The Seventh player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Crocodile of Crocodile Sports Cards, and is......

Harmon Killebrew!!

He's generally underappreciated outside of Minnesota and Idaho, but in those 2 states, there are an awful lot of Killebrew fans!  A good guy and incredibly powerful for his frame, Killebrew is one I think of as a niche collection, where I mostly want his playing days stuff.

Cards of Harmon Killebrew that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. 1968 Topps #490 (Killebrew, Mays and Mantle)!!!

2. 1955 Topps, duh, the RC

3. 1964 Topps, I always liked the set

My uncles sort of collected through the late 50's to mid 60's.  When I went through their incredibly beat up collection for them a few years ago, I found 3 Killebrew autographs, likely gotten in person by my grandpa.  They lived in Idaho at the time.  The autos were on the 58, 59 and 64 Topps cards.  Pretty cool.

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 2017 Topps Tribute Green #/99

Strange color scheme, but I still like this card.

2. 1972 Topps

Killebrew is looking kind of old here, but I bet that bat could still knock the photographer out if he kept swinging.

3. 1971 Topps

The distant gaze....  You saw this on a lot of cards in this period.

4. 1962 Topps #316

This card is very cool to me.  Well presented.  I also quite like the Super Special Star cards from 80's Fleer where they showed a player's swing in several frames, like 'Schmidt-In-Action'.

5. 1959 Topps

No longer looking old, Harmon looks like a ballplayer in his prime here.  I don't even care that it is off centered!

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Already picked:

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod
Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B
Steve Garvey - picked by gcrl
Duke Snider - picked by Rod
Frank Robinson - picked by Nachos Grande
Ted Williams - picked by Matt
Harmon Killebrew - picked by Crocodile

Pick me a Player #6 - Ted Williams

      I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The Fifth player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Matt, and is......

Ted Williams!!

Before the actual 5 cards I chose, which are all vintagey, I wanted to show a few modern Teddys.

I certainly like the Stadium Club cards of old time players, especially if they have good pics.  And serial Numbered legends are nice too!

Cards of Ted Williams that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. As mentioned above, there are several more Stadium Club Williams cards that look cool to me.  

2. Obviously, ANY playing days card of Ted.

3. The Topps SSP Legends variations of Ted are awesome too!

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 1959 Fleer Ted Williams 

Though cards with Babe Ruth looking old kind of bum me out, the Babe and Ted on one card is pretty cool.

2. 1971 Topps

Of the 3 or 4 cards that feature Ted as a manager, this is my favorite, as the mid-laugh phot makes me happy.

3. 1959 Fleer Ted Williams 

Another 59 Fleer, this is actually kind of a silly card.

4. 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats

Are ALL of my vintage cards super beat up?  Yes they are.  The yellow on this card kind of glows a little in hand.  Not bad

5. 1952 Wheaties

My favorite Williams.  I guess these were cut out of Wheaties boxes.  Mine is in pretty bad shape.  The corners are supposed to be nicely rounded, and the ink stain is unsightly.  Don't care much, as I have a 1952 Ted Williams!

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Already picked:

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod
Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B
Steve Garvey - picked by gcrl
Duke Snider - picked by Rod
Frank Robinson - picked by Nachos Grande
Ted Williams - picked by Matt

Pick me a Player #5 - Frank Robinson

     I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The Fifth player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Nachos Grande, and is......

Frank Robinson!!

Cards of Frank Robinson that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. A RC, of course! 

2. The 1964 and 1969 Topps (cool shot)

3. 1983 Donruss #648 (dirt cheap, but I think it is cool)

First, a couple Robinsons that aren't in my Keepers, but that I quite like for sentimental reasons.  

I was 10 years old when these cards came out.  (Robinson had a manager card in 82 Donruss, but I seem to have not seen that one)  I remember it being a big deal that Robinson was the first black manager in MLB.  These were certainly the first cards of a black manager that the young me had come across.  I still remember the feeling of awe that he was the first...

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 1976 SSPC

This set is cool.  Strange photography is my main draw to it.  

2. 2001 Donruss All-Time Diamond Kings #/2500

This set is great.  If you have any you want to part with, send them my way.  They have a depth to the design that I like, and obviously, Diamond Kings, duh.

3. 1966 Topps Rub Offs

This is pretty beat up and fragile.  But also quite a cool piece.

4. 1972 Topps (High Number)

The only Topps card from Robinson's playing days that I remember, this one always tickled me.

5. 1960 Topps

My oldest Robinson, like most of my vintage, it's pretty beat up.  

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Already picked:

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod
Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B
Steve Garvey - picked by gcrl
Duke Snider - picked by Rod
Frank Robinson - Picked by Nachos Grande

So many envelopes

 Several of you out there have experienced the recent mailing spree that Johnny has been on.  Not surprisingly, I was also included in the spree!!  7 (7!) envelopes showed up in my mailbox, containing close to 50 cards from the 2001 Topps Archives Reserve set.

I have been sloooowly moving towards completing this set for years.  Between this mailing and another that Johnny sent my way a few months ago, I am now down to only 2 cards to complete the set, #9 George Brett and #32 Gil Hodges.

The pic isn't the exact cards Johnny sent, as I sorted those away into my set before thinking to scan them, but these are some of the dupes I have accumulated.

Thanks a bunch Johnny!!

Pick me a Player - #4 - Duke Snider

    I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The third player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Rod of Padrographs, and is......

Duke Snider!!

Cards of Duke Snider that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. 1954 and 1956 Topps - Yeah, right!!

2. 1957 Topps #400 Dodgers' Sluggers (Furillo, Hodges, Campanella, Snider)

3. Any playing days oddballs, like food releases or similar. 

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 1962 Post

Who doesn't like Post cards???

2. 1959 Topps

Not a super famous play like the Willie Mays from this subset, but a really great card nonetheless.

3. 2023 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary 'Topps City' variation

One of the vaunted 'Case Hits' I keep hearing about.  It's a pretty card, and my grandfather would have loved it.

4. 1994 Nabisco All Star Legends

An Autograph???  I actually have autographs??  Yes, this is the first auto I have shown in this series.  And a nice one, as far as I am concerned.

5. 1952 Topps

A totally hammered card.  And I love it!  I remember as a kid I got my hands on a 1952 Topps card of a player none of us had even heard of.  But boy, were all my friends jealous.  We valued that card so highly! Nobody else I knew had ever even seen a 1952 Topps card, much less owned one.  And I was able to get this 1952 of a HOFer for less than $20 several years ago.  What a change.

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Duke Snider - picked by Rod

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Robinson

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Steve Garvey - picked by gcrl

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Cheapo show

I finally found a show with an interesting cheap box.  Now I wouldn't say that this was a 'good show'.  No, it was about 2/3 Pokemon of similar, which is obviously very compelling to a huge group of people.  But not to me.  I need my sports cards!

For the bulk of the show, I struggled to find anything in my sweet spot.  I did find a guy with a stack of boxes behind his table that were marked 20/$1, which might have potential.  He didn't have room on his table for them though, and only pulled one box out for me to look at.  It wasn't anything good at all, so I moved on.

A half hour of futility later, I walked back by that same table, and he had made room for several more cheapo boxes.  I wouldn't have stopped, but a friend that also frequents the cheap bins was there and had a stack going.  So I grabbed one of the boxes and started the slog.

These new boxes still weren't filled with awesomeness, but there was enough to keep me looking.  And every now and then, something popped for me!  It took a long time going through 4 or 5 three row boxes, but I finally came away with 137 cards, which I paid $5 for.  Here are some of the highlights.

First up, these 2 image variations from 2022 Topps Update, which I know some people like.  These don't grab me, but for 5 cents each, I picked them up.  First one to claim one or both of them in the comments will get a PWE.

These next nine ALL surprised me by being in the nickel box.

I especially like the weird Rivera in the middle.  The thingy on the right side of the card spins and shows statistics from different years.  So funky.

And the shocker to me, was these three:

 Yep, legit Mattingly RCs for 5 cents each!  2 of them have corner issues or centering.  Those 2 will be in a giveaway/promotion I am planning for the holidays.  The third goes into my collection.

By the end, my back hurt, but I came away happy anyway.

Pick me a player - #3

   I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The third player picked to be featured in this series was picked by gcrl of cards as i see them, and is......

Steve Garvey!!

Cards of Steve Garvey that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. 1972 Topps - High Number

2. 1979 Topps - If I could get the 72 above, this would finish off my 70's Topps run for Garvey

3. Less common oddballs.  Sportscasters. Action All Stars oversized stuff from the mid 80's, early Hostess, PermaGraphics etc.

So gcrl is kind of a Garvey super collector.  He's posted innumerable awesome Garveys over the years, including his most recent one here.  That said, it is a little embarrassing to post my mediocre Garveys today.  They just totally pale by comparison!!

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's

Even though I really like some of Garvey's Padres cards from the 80s, I definitely associate him with the 70s, and this card is trying to reach the 70s with it's design.  Not too bad.

2. 1977 Topps

This is the first Garvey card I ever saw.  I remember thinking he looked short, and those forearms looked like Popeye.  Just always like the way this card takes me back.

3. 1971 Topps

The RC.  Yes, it is hammered.  I don't care much, though I will be on the lookout for a better copy.  Just glad to have a RC.

4. 1987 Smokey Bear's Fire Prevention Team set

I just posted this recently, but I really like it.  It is an oversized, postcard like card.  Great pic.

5. 2004 SP Legendary Cuts - Historical Swatches

I quite like the action shot here, it seems to me that many of Garvey's cards show stationary shots.

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Duke Snider

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Robinson

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Steve Garvey - picked by gcrl

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Funny japanese things

 What are these things??  A friend asked me if I wanted them at a card show, and being the packrat I have become, I said sure.  They are very beat up.  Obviously Japanese, I wasn't able to find anything on cards 1, 4 and 5 below.  But cards 2, 3 and 4 are from the 1975 JCM 59 Marushoo set.  

Card 3 is of Shigeo Nagashima and card 4 is Senichi Hoshino, both in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.  The others, I am not sure of who the players are.

The cards from the 1975 JCM 59 Marushoo set have playing card backs, while the other set has an anime looking guy on their backs.

And staying on the Japanese theme, a couple of posts back I showed an unopened Japanese baseball card thingy.  I asked if anyone thought I should open it or keep it unopened, but nobody chimed in.  So I decided to open it!

Above is the 'before' pic...

Here's what popped out.  The front:

and back:

After more research, I found that this is from the 1985 CalBee set.  The player is Sachio Kinugasa, who, shockingly, is also a Japanese Hall of Famer!!

Pretty great stuff, and a nice diversion.  

Pick me a player - #2

  I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The second player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Jeff from Wax Pack Wonders, and is......

Ryne Sandberg!!

Right now, I have only 10 Sandbergs in my keepers.  He barely made my 10 card cutoff for this series.

I haven't really ever heard anyone speak poorly of Sandberg.  He didn't have a great run as a manager, but how big of a deal is that?  And with his recent passing, there were quite a few very nice memorial articles that I enjoyed a lot.  All in all, it's easy to say that Ryno was one of the good ones.

The next section is one I think I will try to add to each of these 'Player' posts:

Cards of Ryne Sandberg that I would like to add to my keepers:

1. 90s refractors

2. Well done/nice looking inserts or numbered cards

and the Ryne Sandberg most wanted card is.....  the 1993 Donruss Elite Series #/10000

The 1993 Donruss Dominators is lower numbered (/5000), but I always liked these early Elite cards.

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. The Donruss RC.

With only a few cards to choose from, the RCs are high on my list (hint, more to come)

2. 2012 Topps Tribute Bronze #/299

A nice looking card, and my lowest serial numbered Sandberg.

3. The Fleer RC!  

This was my introduction to Sandberg, and will always be a favorite.  I have several copies.

4. 2004 Donruss Elite Round Numbers #/500

I think most Sandberg fans would want at least one card of him in a Phillies uni.  This is mine!  Definitely one of the trades they regret.

5. The Topps RC.

Anyone else kind of dislike the 'Rookie Card' top loaders?  I detest them.  I need to get this one reloaded!  The 1983 set is a classic from my earliest collecting days.

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Duke Snider

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Robinson

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ryne Sandberg - picked by Jeff B

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Steve Garvey

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Pick me a player - the first one

 I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed at the end of this post.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player as the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on. 

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

---

The first player picked to be featured in this series was picked by Rod from Padrographs, and is......

Tony Gwynn!!

Right now, I have 60 Gwynns in my keepers.  The newest are from 2020 (you will see a few of those in this post) and the oldest is from 1983 (you will also see one of those in this post).  I have 8 serial numbered cards of Gwynn.

First, a few that didn't make the final 5 cut...

These 6 all tickle my fancy for one reason or another.

-The 'Breakers' card looks a lot more dynamic in hand than in the scan.  I guess that's all I have to say about it.

-I really like the all green background of the Stadium Club card, with the hopping Gwynn showing off his athleticism.

-Die cut cards have always been up my alley, and the @LG card is a strange example.

-The 'College Years' card is from 2005 Topps Pristine Legends.  I've loved it since I first saw it.  I wish it was the refractor version!

-Another Die-cut, though it might be hard to tell.  The designs around the word 'Cuts' are actually cut through the card.

-1984 Donruss was extremely hard to find in my area when I was a kid.  So cards from that set speak to me.

OK, on to the five cards I selected...no particular order.

1. 1996 Finest refractor

I wish the scan caught the refractoriness of the card a little better.  Love me older refractors!!

2. 'The Classic'.  The first Gwynn card I ever saw, and the one I most associate with him.

I also have several variations of this card, like cards from Archives sets, manufactured pins etc.  And of course, these three, which were actually gifted to me by Rod, the sponsor of this post!!

3. 1998 Donruss 'Diamond Kings' insert.  

Well I am the Diamond King!!  But I really like this set, they are designed in a classy sort of way to my eye.  And numbered /10000, which for the time was pretty rare. 

4. The only 'hit' in the post, from 2001 SP Game Bat Edition.

The sepia and design go really well with a Padres player.  Solid card.

5. My favorite Gwynn.  1997 Topps Gallery 'Gallery of Heroes'.

I really love this set, any player, not just Gwynn.  I also love, want, collect the subsequent 'Gallery of Heroes' sets from 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013, 2021 and 2022.  If you have any of those from any of the years, let me know, I would love to trade for them.

So what player is next??  First commenter gets to pick a player that is not crossed off from this list:

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Duke Snider

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Robinson

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ryne Sandberg

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Steve Garvey

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Tony Gwynn - picked by Rod

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke

Pick me a player #1

I did a count on my keepers today.  I have 137 different players in my keepers with at least 10 cards.  The players are listed below.  In an effort to get myself posting more consistently, I invite the first commenter on this post to choose one of the players below and I will post 5 of the most interesting cards I have of that player to be the subject of another blog post.  Then on that post, the first commenter can pick another player and when I get around to it, I will post 5 cards of that player, and so on.  I won't post these more than a couple of times a week max, but it should hopefully get me going again, and posts with more actual content will be right around the corner, right?  We'll see.

So who will be my first commenter/player picker on this post???  Additional comments are welcome, but only the first one will be the player featured on the next post.

Aaron Judge

Adley Rutschman

Adrian Beltre

Al Kaline

Albert Belle

Albert Pujols

Alex Rodriguez

Andre Dawson

Andruw Jones

Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds

Barry Larkin

Bo Bichette

Bo Jackson

Bob Gibson

Bobby Witt Jr.

Boog Powell

Brooks Robinson

Bryce Harper

Buster Posey

Byron Buxton

Cal Ripken Jr.

Carl Yastrzemski

Carlton Fisk

Chase Utley

Chipper Jones

Clayton Kershaw

Cody Bellinger

Corbin Carroll

Corey Seager

Dale Murphy

Darryl Strawberry

Dave Parker

David Ortiz

David Wright

Dennis Eckersley

Derek Jeter

Don Mattingly

Don Mossi

Duke Snider

Dwight Gooden

Eddie Murray

Edgar Martinez

Eric Davis

Felix Hernandez

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Francisco Lindor

Frank Robinson

Frank Thomas

Freddie Freeman

Gary Carter

George Brett

Greg Maddux

Gunnar Henderson

Hank Aaron

Harmon Killebrew

Ichiro Suzuki

Ivan Rodriguez

Jacob DeGrom

Jeff Bagwell

Jim Palmer

Jim Rice

Jim Thome

Joe Mauer

Joe Morgan

Joey Votto

John Smoltz

Johnny Bench

Jose Altuve

Jose Canseco

Juan Gonzalez

Juan Soto

Julio Rodriguez

Justin Verlander

Ken Griffey Jr.

Kirby Puckett

Lou Brock

Luis Arraez

Manny Machado

Manny Ramirez

Mariano Rivera

Max Scherzer

Mickey Mantle

Miguel Cabrera

Mike Piazza

Mike Schmidt

Mike Trout

Mookie Betts

Nolan Arenado

Nolan Ryan

Ozzie Smith

Paul Goldschmidt

Paul Molitor

Pedro Martinez

Pete Alonso

Pete Rose

Phil Niekro

Randy Johnson

Reggie Jackson

Rickey Henderson

Roberto Alomar

Roberto Clemente

Robin Yount

Rod Carew

Roger Clemens

Rollie Fingers

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ryne Sandberg

Salvador Perez

Sammy Sosa

Sandy Koufax

Scott Rolen

Shohei Ohtani

Stan Musial

Stephen Strasburg

Steve Carlton

Steve Garvey

Ted Williams

Thurman Munson

Todd Helton

Tom Glavine

Tom Seaver

Tony Gwynn

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Wade Boggs

Warren Spahn

Will Clark

Willie Mays

Willie McCovey

Willie Stargell

Xander Bogaerts

Yadier Molina

Yogi Berra

Yordan Alvarez

Zack Greinke