tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91370000566832854872024-02-21T07:51:55.505-06:00Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering GeniusTrading cards and commentary since 2008. Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.comBlogger2821125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-52771106757053436032022-08-14T12:18:00.002-05:002022-08-14T12:18:40.474-05:00'We need your stinking patches!' Showing off Topps manufactured patches through the years<p>I've seen some hot takes that people aren't happy with the commemorative batting helmet cards included as bonuses in 2022 Topps Series 2 blasters. </p><p>I've only ripped one blaster of Series 2 and my manufactured relic was of current MLB RBI leader Pete Alonso and my pick for the player who had the best rookie season ever. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg1OvxYnmELDWgspC2uEJIb6kbBwYW0GmxhUTMTI9Np4CbGvezg0kDi-zYIUBBrRPbyqDv_t5Px367LzhgdpE-wLnMcL76trGzYgr2DMsb5oxS3k426CSyadzLQmkh8hbMudNmdAoWip_G1g-1vtH04BMhxwZ2vI4MHY4bRJqrS-VTPcaHqyJ89RN/s1125/IMG_20220722_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1125" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg1OvxYnmELDWgspC2uEJIb6kbBwYW0GmxhUTMTI9Np4CbGvezg0kDi-zYIUBBrRPbyqDv_t5Px367LzhgdpE-wLnMcL76trGzYgr2DMsb5oxS3k426CSyadzLQmkh8hbMudNmdAoWip_G1g-1vtH04BMhxwZ2vI4MHY4bRJqrS-VTPcaHqyJ89RN/w640-h478/IMG_20220722_0001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm personally a big fans of these and I really like the texture of the helmet and the shininess of the metal on the inside of it that really catches the light when the card is in hand. </div><div><br /></div><div>But honestly, I'm a sucker for just about every Topps manufactured patches that have filled blaster boxes with over the past decade or so. Here are some of my favorite examples from over the years. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a patch collector, I still pick these up whenever I see them at a card show. This beauty showing the Minneapolis and St. Paul twins shaking hands on the old Twins logo was included in the 2011 Topps Update Series. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGmSVQd-jOBKyXkPi4GR4IwkNhE_yTi_cktE3JVhaYpUxDuVsFbiM0zfNL89V6vx0AvOOU7waahRzU7iOkIe_y92SSabfil1K5xeaCDgGXcPyDUtDwU8Pkzog06vkfk3KC3WxMlmaGSlzokL_QnPz7zDEWXrjebE1mN72rEbDIgriBbh_ZGCThqES/s1117/IMG_20220722_0013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1117" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGmSVQd-jOBKyXkPi4GR4IwkNhE_yTi_cktE3JVhaYpUxDuVsFbiM0zfNL89V6vx0AvOOU7waahRzU7iOkIe_y92SSabfil1K5xeaCDgGXcPyDUtDwU8Pkzog06vkfk3KC3WxMlmaGSlzokL_QnPz7zDEWXrjebE1mN72rEbDIgriBbh_ZGCThqES/w640-h482/IMG_20220722_0013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>These All-Star Game patches were found in 2010 Topps Series 1 and they created some odd combinations where you have a Bob Gibson card with a Minnesota Twins logo on it. It's something you don't see every day and I'm pretty happy with the patch quality on these. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfLRtSap3H1VB6pAXfvuOrIDv2foNiKiO0IPVpj2fD1zPDGDTQdh8ym-ExCxtpKS6BlOkIiOwOh7DRtVTC_DdQ01zll-urcZaWJic5MFSESz2kFfVo8slE-FA7GoyLv4x88yto8FIlFI3zHg7OM9JRSWhzsYFSQ-PqQ7XT7QcwfVOqakzSMwWNsT3/s1133/IMG_20220722_0012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1133" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfLRtSap3H1VB6pAXfvuOrIDv2foNiKiO0IPVpj2fD1zPDGDTQdh8ym-ExCxtpKS6BlOkIiOwOh7DRtVTC_DdQ01zll-urcZaWJic5MFSESz2kFfVo8slE-FA7GoyLv4x88yto8FIlFI3zHg7OM9JRSWhzsYFSQ-PqQ7XT7QcwfVOqakzSMwWNsT3/w640-h474/IMG_20220722_0012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I always love cards featuring the Expos, especially in French, so this card from 2009 Topps get my approval. Yount had the best season of his career in 1982. He was an All-Star and went on to win the American League MVP, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tIw4Uj76EvMgdu2bDAXRtVYNzZejmzlo5NBSWW7_ZXha_ZcBDBdmzvmCNvHY8ErzH5Kt0rLuxohqwCXGpB-kPYOFnw03djug0vvTnnfoz5X-2Y2EfBeyPtZ2hrQwORm1Eosxp9l8QsWUwhTqV-W14SqeU1dbnjTGsgqn_Vydn3HZHT9EbzYO0ICq/s1120/IMG_20220722_0011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1120" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tIw4Uj76EvMgdu2bDAXRtVYNzZejmzlo5NBSWW7_ZXha_ZcBDBdmzvmCNvHY8ErzH5Kt0rLuxohqwCXGpB-kPYOFnw03djug0vvTnnfoz5X-2Y2EfBeyPtZ2hrQwORm1Eosxp9l8QsWUwhTqV-W14SqeU1dbnjTGsgqn_Vydn3HZHT9EbzYO0ICq/w640-h484/IMG_20220722_0011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Topps kept riding the All-Star Game patch train for years as this Fred McGriff patch from the 1994 game was included in 2013 Topps Update Series. It honored McGriff winning the All-Star MVP award after hitting a homerun with two RBIs in the midseason game. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zIi9YLy6JGDbx_eagTm38hY7CGJYI6SnRym8tOrBuygjdmkQv1rEH1Cp2RG6cP1r93t_UQDGrLXKpw3zrZHg588ApY1Me3H1NZVrtJ8A9zgmi0d4d_F7m_SmnYUas_RvRDG5sW4dmilno5msUzbChzPgfUSxHrMM9CFerIvuhSYqzBCac1fpGv-U/s1112/IMG_20220722_0010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1112" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zIi9YLy6JGDbx_eagTm38hY7CGJYI6SnRym8tOrBuygjdmkQv1rEH1Cp2RG6cP1r93t_UQDGrLXKpw3zrZHg588ApY1Me3H1NZVrtJ8A9zgmi0d4d_F7m_SmnYUas_RvRDG5sW4dmilno5msUzbChzPgfUSxHrMM9CFerIvuhSYqzBCac1fpGv-U/w640-h474/IMG_20220722_0010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In 2013 Topps blasters, patches featuring historic stadiums were included. If you don't know the background of possibly the most controversial stadium construction in MLB history, take a look at this documentary on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBOtKhAAUHs">Battle of Chavez Ravine.</a> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTqsN-ZGfet71Unrg-S77GMhZT9RTWqne58Lr4FlGdFLHhhxOQJzQ-MVRWYbtW99Ftcpz__2CLApp6FIhKDk7gQ5rt69uU-aEmGe4o2GQussvcLPc83FII9fUo5QRJFAU_1qJ4VIL4QPPNsX6c_9ELgYCsQfUmKfKla9GqUysjqzcPfO1HrNcAH-8/s1137/IMG_20220722_0008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1137" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTqsN-ZGfet71Unrg-S77GMhZT9RTWqne58Lr4FlGdFLHhhxOQJzQ-MVRWYbtW99Ftcpz__2CLApp6FIhKDk7gQ5rt69uU-aEmGe4o2GQussvcLPc83FII9fUo5QRJFAU_1qJ4VIL4QPPNsX6c_9ELgYCsQfUmKfKla9GqUysjqzcPfO1HrNcAH-8/w640-h480/IMG_20220722_0008.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">While most of these patches float in the middle of an open area on the cards, the hat logo patches that were in 2010 Topps Series 1, filled every inch available and some of the cards have the feel that the logo could burst out of the card they were so big. </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW6LU4W-Gs3IRNscvt_40V0-cS0mQ6AG_BiqC5uSSCHAsTzaVs3ZFYvasv0jEz_If1VyhUSfcP8yb7ia5mxY7HHtiQxauJj5ZUdOq-oruOpFtQaRV8o2iZom16QE2qBLy0IzNdCp_OtQjBiuwbqHgtibWTaYjfTV_M1Be8xtpJw14pzUuVhGTHD2W/s1129/IMG_20220722_0006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1129" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW6LU4W-Gs3IRNscvt_40V0-cS0mQ6AG_BiqC5uSSCHAsTzaVs3ZFYvasv0jEz_If1VyhUSfcP8yb7ia5mxY7HHtiQxauJj5ZUdOq-oruOpFtQaRV8o2iZom16QE2qBLy0IzNdCp_OtQjBiuwbqHgtibWTaYjfTV_M1Be8xtpJw14pzUuVhGTHD2W/w640-h480/IMG_20220722_0006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For anyone upset about the name change to the Cleveland Guardians this season, they really don't know the history of the franchise. Since 1894, the team has had two locations (Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cleveland) and seven different names (Rippers, Lake Shores, Bluebirds, Bronchos, Napoleons, Indians and Guardians). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This Bob Feller card was among those included in 2011 Topps Series 2 and featured logos of teams, including many that no longer exist. This one highlights the Napoleons era that ran from 1903-1914. The franchise was renamed in honor of their player/manager and future Hall of Fame member Napoleon Lajoie. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXrlAk0wQnt53KXucnfw3dO_lNU7zZfNMe8VL4O-gPyz9F4rbkkfiRG6BC-OWcvQvXe-EWHH9FTtQp-GmTWTW5bjrSyvPP9ejK191LChlXDdbLo-iNgNTO1JaMwuY8RYw9c5Mj6Fwp2Ww8C4GhkJv0ZPPHN-_nJKzrYIpwB92jItPxts1gb8AZ7BH/s1150/IMG_20220722_0003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1150" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXrlAk0wQnt53KXucnfw3dO_lNU7zZfNMe8VL4O-gPyz9F4rbkkfiRG6BC-OWcvQvXe-EWHH9FTtQp-GmTWTW5bjrSyvPP9ejK191LChlXDdbLo-iNgNTO1JaMwuY8RYw9c5Mj6Fwp2Ww8C4GhkJv0ZPPHN-_nJKzrYIpwB92jItPxts1gb8AZ7BH/w640-h474/IMG_20220722_0003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Patches eventually made way for medallions and pins. This win honors Craig Biggio's first career home run hit on Aug. 22, 1988 at Wrigley Field. It is sort of a weird stat to honor for a player not known for his power, but I'll take it. These super heavy cards are from 2015 Topps. </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTqsN-ZGfet71Unrg-S77GMhZT9RTWqne58Lr4FlGdFLHhhxOQJzQ-MVRWYbtW99Ftcpz__2CLApp6FIhKDk7gQ5rt69uU-aEmGe4o2GQussvcLPc83FII9fUo5QRJFAU_1qJ4VIL4QPPNsX6c_9ELgYCsQfUmKfKla9GqUysjqzcPfO1HrNcAH-8/s1137/IMG_20220722_0008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNJjmbazHFA20VPpPZalJIUdhje3_R4Ch4ahWWg8zMkQd_KPUYJk77FG1oJZgYBd1Av7j9tcaS7IsEovZ1IBYBK0NfaMvAFvHEdaGdlCdPC8apTswPef6Q98iNIbC9HvTspftt7ig-UZSnbTgSlDtLcSNo7lLbusckWNYOQ2gnlI5A9ss-fwFGCWc/s1137/IMG_20220722_0009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1137" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNJjmbazHFA20VPpPZalJIUdhje3_R4Ch4ahWWg8zMkQd_KPUYJk77FG1oJZgYBd1Av7j9tcaS7IsEovZ1IBYBK0NfaMvAFvHEdaGdlCdPC8apTswPef6Q98iNIbC9HvTspftt7ig-UZSnbTgSlDtLcSNo7lLbusckWNYOQ2gnlI5A9ss-fwFGCWc/w640-h472/IMG_20220722_0009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Pitchers who have thrown no-hitters were honored in 2016 Topps Series 1. Phil Niekro threw his lone no-hitter on Aug. 5, 1973 against the Padres, winning 9-0. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cCsM5Lphy8x2_XZugyz-9xsb6jWSNpElx82gMRXXqMVVUjAU5yF3vmooAzfQ281P3ZI09BdnjoabC_TYu_cfREhG4XZvSn_LnCXQrzNUODshHDXVyuJ_mV8k9vy2yYgCPJIPaH02mcYUuQS-xoBaeikf95uwMAYgJ8o8MU_KWbD7ej0uarGKarGZ/s1142/IMG_20220722_0007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1142" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cCsM5Lphy8x2_XZugyz-9xsb6jWSNpElx82gMRXXqMVVUjAU5yF3vmooAzfQ281P3ZI09BdnjoabC_TYu_cfREhG4XZvSn_LnCXQrzNUODshHDXVyuJ_mV8k9vy2yYgCPJIPaH02mcYUuQS-xoBaeikf95uwMAYgJ8o8MU_KWbD7ej0uarGKarGZ/w640-h476/IMG_20220722_0007.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The less we say about these leather nameplates from 2011 Topps Series 1 the better. I feel like the idea is interesting incorporating a glove into a card (you don't see a lot of actual glove relics) but these were made with zero effort. Although I do admit, I did pick up Hank Aaron's version of the card. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEBrG0mViV4bgZFUTQkSFKCkUsas5D-4H6p6y5UUCWzd4NQ_RpjNRf6oTbfUrw1QTihJBGh4kgjhbtcrhW9L99Ybt-XVebQ45ZcBAH2oz1DqBJhZsTJlnzQcGnhQoX3XtvHIwJaFIk-YnCKMhad73Kkst9DbAvfarrUio8dyThQ2bjl_JNcJNdZVH/s1120/IMG_20220722_0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1120" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEBrG0mViV4bgZFUTQkSFKCkUsas5D-4H6p6y5UUCWzd4NQ_RpjNRf6oTbfUrw1QTihJBGh4kgjhbtcrhW9L99Ybt-XVebQ45ZcBAH2oz1DqBJhZsTJlnzQcGnhQoX3XtvHIwJaFIk-YnCKMhad73Kkst9DbAvfarrUio8dyThQ2bjl_JNcJNdZVH/w640-h492/IMG_20220722_0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a cool idea if Topps would have done the autograph stitching in the way the players actually signed rather than <a href="https://www.comc.com/Cards,sc,i100,=2012+historical+stitches">the same standard font for each card.</a> I pulled this one from my 2012 Topps Series 1 blaster. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRA5eLIF8UJL14yAQ4SikDqMs3niJ461gz_qj03xOGKQWQsI69Rybecq7Vb2NNHYZeVZOnGYizxVSOi1AONbVPThwDTJkhGdTJG8VUpMjmfdN8jfTeLXnW6FgfRTk3P8Guu46odiYfsvwisdbBVFDapvmxGm_yh_2iBrKi6G7CqoHmYuPmpK8l0gkP/s1125/IMG_20220722_0004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1125" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRA5eLIF8UJL14yAQ4SikDqMs3niJ461gz_qj03xOGKQWQsI69Rybecq7Vb2NNHYZeVZOnGYizxVSOi1AONbVPThwDTJkhGdTJG8VUpMjmfdN8jfTeLXnW6FgfRTk3P8Guu46odiYfsvwisdbBVFDapvmxGm_yh_2iBrKi6G7CqoHmYuPmpK8l0gkP/w640-h470/IMG_20220722_0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 2018 Topps Series 1 blasters featured these MLB Players Weekend patches, which is another version of these that I could do without, outside of maybe one of your favorite player. This card also loses points for having "This commemorative patch was not worn during the 2017 MLB Players Weekend." on the damn front of the card. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-duCLHYopSWM_zhE8CmqUEOJNSNzulIqEqLH50iQ07o_N3D-V7lU6GhK_WzLdNA76hl6w-H_woNw9ZBok6dKtDsMvEGOi4tT7TmwOsBsIJAOWwpPNQJVcWTjn1pgi_VAOENJkaEsJXzbjDsAZbyauukmf0SX8254lMO32NqX4n1wNRwizlE582AdZ/s1126/IMG_20220813_0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1126" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-duCLHYopSWM_zhE8CmqUEOJNSNzulIqEqLH50iQ07o_N3D-V7lU6GhK_WzLdNA76hl6w-H_woNw9ZBok6dKtDsMvEGOi4tT7TmwOsBsIJAOWwpPNQJVcWTjn1pgi_VAOENJkaEsJXzbjDsAZbyauukmf0SX8254lMO32NqX4n1wNRwizlE582AdZ/w640-h468/IMG_20220813_0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We will end on perhaps the oddest overall choice for these sort of patches that comes from 2008 Topps Series 1. Members of the All-Star teams -- the Twins Justin Morneau in this example -- were featured with mini jerseys. Topps definitely improved upon this general idea in future releases. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdkfKhtEK0i3BbBm9_fM59XJUa8zwi5o2SHRfB0N647iuAOIFjQJB_5-KpICSRugiBQcHN42bGnQStjkHBSsB5UxbnPjaGHVtth-SKjveBfnHRSOcAMefPLpKGXImkjfw65qY87ekXfmkItFgkW4GXyY8nLhAI3eoRlTxdsyLV0uQjmULUd4evaGw/s1126/IMG_20220722_0002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1126" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdkfKhtEK0i3BbBm9_fM59XJUa8zwi5o2SHRfB0N647iuAOIFjQJB_5-KpICSRugiBQcHN42bGnQStjkHBSsB5UxbnPjaGHVtth-SKjveBfnHRSOcAMefPLpKGXImkjfw65qY87ekXfmkItFgkW4GXyY8nLhAI3eoRlTxdsyLV0uQjmULUd4evaGw/w640-h472/IMG_20220722_0002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-51008955269964049892022-08-13T12:15:00.000-05:002022-08-13T12:15:04.259-05:00The Hygrade Deluxe Beginner's Complete Baseball Card Collecting Kit<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sort of like <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/06/baseball-card-vending-machine.html">those Exhibit postcards from the 1930s and 40s</a>, I really didn't know where these famous binders from the junk wax era came from. I remembered Hygrade was an Ultra Pro-like company that made supplies but were they sold as binders individually or were they a mail order type of thing?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4GHqZkm1dnIHoVONQR9JpoE1nHdGMXVN0CIbjyjWfokI_AtGFVx9Aj_7k9JLML1zbLgWeQrt7EgQ7VTP9VE_lGGal3GmD0sYtxwEMOhW2PorSGfoLsm1kegIe23SlBWAlPTxUilc3OhetIiPpkFrVibkueqlSwt7c5egDrla4FosYJtMkLuQLlxm/s2221/PXL_20220807_191133470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="2221" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4GHqZkm1dnIHoVONQR9JpoE1nHdGMXVN0CIbjyjWfokI_AtGFVx9Aj_7k9JLML1zbLgWeQrt7EgQ7VTP9VE_lGGal3GmD0sYtxwEMOhW2PorSGfoLsm1kegIe23SlBWAlPTxUilc3OhetIiPpkFrVibkueqlSwt7c5egDrla4FosYJtMkLuQLlxm/w640-h590/PXL_20220807_191133470.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>They are sized to hold roughly a complete set of cards and mine is currently being used to house my <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2015/03/1972-topps-needs-list.html">1972 Topps set that is a work in progress.</a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v23gXXQ8zdvFqX7SjQA6jDzab1TSrXom0PY1Noz4QaodiFgiHfNbjEh-NnhXKQ8ANCSJowfcDomO0aBAz_AdyipMscvRzYosgrgxR5INzDMHKbL9UfterqOqlD2rGqMELR57o_uahbF3lwHqfD2RjExkHgaVkrBX5b8Cj3MedBCAVjIzuvQdLYzN/s3724/PXL_20220807_191156433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2129" data-original-width="3724" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v23gXXQ8zdvFqX7SjQA6jDzab1TSrXom0PY1Noz4QaodiFgiHfNbjEh-NnhXKQ8ANCSJowfcDomO0aBAz_AdyipMscvRzYosgrgxR5INzDMHKbL9UfterqOqlD2rGqMELR57o_uahbF3lwHqfD2RjExkHgaVkrBX5b8Cj3MedBCAVjIzuvQdLYzN/w640-h366/PXL_20220807_191156433.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Recently on a visit back home to Minnesota and Wisconsin, I stopped by <a href="https://threestarssportscards.com/">Bloomington's Three Star Sportscards</a> and stumbled upon where the binders originated from. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h0CgJ2mjI01JRAxzk3Ih3uk2qEFMumAgTbqqiXjqnVKImZS1BsthkBTK_MfdZzmG-3LhCONuw3JbDKnjFb2G18YhaOVNuFkUoJ99GrnGcuBhYDoHGG2VjNG6bXU1z4PgiQ-9fowQJamjV59Uw5w1FnM7dMULCtm6444hESGJ15y60TzFCM0TRigc/s2594/PXL_20220729_165803319.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="2594" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3h0CgJ2mjI01JRAxzk3Ih3uk2qEFMumAgTbqqiXjqnVKImZS1BsthkBTK_MfdZzmG-3LhCONuw3JbDKnjFb2G18YhaOVNuFkUoJ99GrnGcuBhYDoHGG2VjNG6bXU1z4PgiQ-9fowQJamjV59Uw5w1FnM7dMULCtm6444hESGJ15y60TzFCM0TRigc/w640-h360/PXL_20220729_165803319.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They came in these great Baseball Card Collecting Kit that was everything a novice collector would need to get started managing their collection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9MlUvI-XJ7FP4styEZp_k1A6lDoF6SnuA7OK5mhLahzgJ2xHO_PqQ8j08YvgLIq0I-X574tX-cFBzp-ODl5ug0_AfqdEyn0COHKEHGw2q8NBNLN9h-E2b5saHvJsmqtRxNn99nwjeBoGgKHDEeY3s-oxhFdupKnYtxk1_SiD_52uaDhFyF1rqI_8/s3503/PXL_20220729_170237378.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1970" data-original-width="3503" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9MlUvI-XJ7FP4styEZp_k1A6lDoF6SnuA7OK5mhLahzgJ2xHO_PqQ8j08YvgLIq0I-X574tX-cFBzp-ODl5ug0_AfqdEyn0COHKEHGw2q8NBNLN9h-E2b5saHvJsmqtRxNn99nwjeBoGgKHDEeY3s-oxhFdupKnYtxk1_SiD_52uaDhFyF1rqI_8/w640-h360/PXL_20220729_170237378.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>A quick rundown of the impressive includes the following: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Baseball card album</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">20 vinyl pages</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">25 card holders</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Baseball card price guide</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Guide of baseball cards</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Greatest games and records book</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100 baseball cards</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">40 all-time greats cards</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5 rare card reprints</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The reverse gives you more specifics on what you will receive inside. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three Stars had two sets and priced them at $20 which I think is fair and who knows what the "100 baseball cards" might be. But I had my eye on other things, including a <a href="https://twitter.com/MattFlaten/status/1556026518412877824">Twins card guide</a> and a <a href="https://twitter.com/MattFlaten/status/1556042704169193475">Brad Radke bobblehead</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXLjy7EVY49vJRSm2hgPoOedCR6kCyDqnEvnMvuXpzD81gi6TFEh9p3EFMNtD0MC8eeyKz3eN3YL_xL7BElJ4OYsThrwMWQ2TIAOpYCM5AmcYAoit2kfleNolFHNjDmvfSymNl2cBljQ686Bu9ftwrBA8hSc6xS6Dd-59UgKuT_tkaOj_jXQ3HE5s/s3527/PXL_20220729_170246422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="3527" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXLjy7EVY49vJRSm2hgPoOedCR6kCyDqnEvnMvuXpzD81gi6TFEh9p3EFMNtD0MC8eeyKz3eN3YL_xL7BElJ4OYsThrwMWQ2TIAOpYCM5AmcYAoit2kfleNolFHNjDmvfSymNl2cBljQ686Bu9ftwrBA8hSc6xS6Dd-59UgKuT_tkaOj_jXQ3HE5s/w640-h360/PXL_20220729_170246422.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div><br /><p></p><div>The image of the price guide on the back seems pretty basic and I wonder if inside you actually received one of the famous Hygrade guides, which claimed to hold the values of cards up to $6,750. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my ever-growing collection of old price guides, I have one of those that was purchased at <a href="https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/money/2019/01/16/shopko-files-bankruptcy-close-38-more-stores/2551819002/">Shopko (R.I.P.)</a> back in the day.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTAnWiIuug6L2jqQ4KMoN1CXDDS2g_o1UW_XMXuMuWjhwiAglUNimL3pNzvvlFpWnr0tbHCTyckaIxLVRgVOCN7HW-n8yRv8vcdcZBh7ZgeaxUKBp_gYxEmCBI9tXppUj2SdC-arDZalwjPg9dDoCAHQ-WzwLToGNuqPHao4_ubcn5uOCpdYUdnsd/s2349/PXL_20220813_051345352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2349" data-original-width="1879" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTAnWiIuug6L2jqQ4KMoN1CXDDS2g_o1UW_XMXuMuWjhwiAglUNimL3pNzvvlFpWnr0tbHCTyckaIxLVRgVOCN7HW-n8yRv8vcdcZBh7ZgeaxUKBp_gYxEmCBI9tXppUj2SdC-arDZalwjPg9dDoCAHQ-WzwLToGNuqPHao4_ubcn5uOCpdYUdnsd/w512-h640/PXL_20220813_051345352.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-42675448810765706572022-07-16T11:56:00.000-05:002022-07-16T11:56:25.223-05:001, 2, 3 Andy Pafkos (1951 Topps)<p>Somehow over the years, I've accumulated eight copies of <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2012/09/a-captured-white-whale-and-future-of.html">Andy Pafko's iconic 1952 Topps No. 1 card.</a> I don't think any would grade over a "2" by PSA and in the future I plan on sharing how that collection has grown over the past few years. </p><p>I mention it because although 1952 Topps is Pafko's most famous card, his first Topps appearance was his 1951 Topps mini game card and it is one of my favorites Pafko ever appeared on. </p><p>But in my collecting, this card has been overlooked. I picked up one to get if <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2017/04/updated-andy-pafko-collection-needs-list.html">off my needs list</a> but as one of Pafko's rarer appearances, it just hasn't popped up in person or on eBay listing that frequently. </p><p>I'm not sure what changed but recently I was finding reasonably priced Pafko's all over the place this spring and summer and I've added three copies to my collection. Particularly with his vintage cards from the 50's, this is the type of Pafko collector I am. The more the merrier. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXFFOlYXixlksGyVq9TZTwMqMifc7yXrflyjAx59ZqJ9r_dmbZrbj1KLw4oOynI4U1Nv9SBLiAd9sWgb9BZzTqck-VLCGZtgJ929ngvpkpXGKGPHEqAoCEOaATNs9G-TIFtnuskSTT5JRWmwutmMnrL0g14eiuHNXLzyFUpAhziYcQ4pVCRc7CAO-/s2464/1951%20Andy%20Pafkos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="2464" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXFFOlYXixlksGyVq9TZTwMqMifc7yXrflyjAx59ZqJ9r_dmbZrbj1KLw4oOynI4U1Nv9SBLiAd9sWgb9BZzTqck-VLCGZtgJ929ngvpkpXGKGPHEqAoCEOaATNs9G-TIFtnuskSTT5JRWmwutmMnrL0g14eiuHNXLzyFUpAhziYcQ4pVCRc7CAO-/w640-h234/1951%20Andy%20Pafkos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The 1951 set didn't have that big of a print run with sets being pre-made and collectors purchased sets all together. Cards came attached together and you can notice that particularly in the left and middle cards where the connection points at the bottom of the cards are still visible. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cards are blue-backed or red-backed and over time the blue-backs seem to be about half as much as the red. Pafko's card was a blue-back, adding to the overall scarcity of this card. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBY1-9eIIWrTXTAff4n8b-79EOaZAz4QUMzmLMmvnxYn9irr_bO2j9kgRHm-vm6es4YbtUNRLYfHkeYZWxzCrvcFqpFpM8gablTpPiCA5iDnPtVE_h8CCwaUrZJ2MscseLY4MuzmgEU7B8G3AAXFqN0tG7mY8NCQdQXKQ1UGDDOEJsRu7P-_DCzAP/s2497/1951%20Andy%20Pafkos%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="2497" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBY1-9eIIWrTXTAff4n8b-79EOaZAz4QUMzmLMmvnxYn9irr_bO2j9kgRHm-vm6es4YbtUNRLYfHkeYZWxzCrvcFqpFpM8gablTpPiCA5iDnPtVE_h8CCwaUrZJ2MscseLY4MuzmgEU7B8G3AAXFqN0tG7mY8NCQdQXKQ1UGDDOEJsRu7P-_DCzAP/w640-h234/1951%20Andy%20Pafkos%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>On the reverse side of these, you can also see the color variation in the blue ink of the back. I'm sure some of it is probably sun fading and the age of the cards but it is something to consider and compare then thinking about purchasing a card from this set. </div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-83351881802467736432022-07-06T12:46:00.000-05:002022-07-06T12:46:36.098-05:00Which Milwaukee Braves player autographed this ball? <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYuSe3iKLmw-qXwIerqWZGCrWYY0QkOCyRPF9hhrFFHP7zgGaqwhMVfaW5eSVlI3WrMkJVbHQ8BdoDuwl43cjkouvr3QoamfrpYTJFoCMd7sD4GpZJvh5hef3i7pKXvnkDoBO4IBocPEVRvGUxwbuXYZ-_etV0jHClqXL-rA_jbWcgyn09pILm-wc/s1688/Bob%20Autograph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1688" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYuSe3iKLmw-qXwIerqWZGCrWYY0QkOCyRPF9hhrFFHP7zgGaqwhMVfaW5eSVlI3WrMkJVbHQ8BdoDuwl43cjkouvr3QoamfrpYTJFoCMd7sD4GpZJvh5hef3i7pKXvnkDoBO4IBocPEVRvGUxwbuXYZ-_etV0jHClqXL-rA_jbWcgyn09pILm-wc/w640-h282/Bob%20Autograph.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>For an upcoming post, I'm trying to identify all the signatures on a baseball I was recently gifted and I'm turning to you, Dear Reader, to give me your thoughts on whose signature is this.</p><p>Here's what I know for sure: </p><p>It is very likely a Milwaukee Braves player from the 1950s or early 60s and his first name is Bob. </p><p>Here's the list of "Bobs" from the Milwaukee Braves era. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bobby Avila</li><li>Bob Boyd</li><li>Bob Buhl (it's not Bob Buhl because his signature is already on the baseball in another location and it is clearly different.) </li><li>Bob Giggie</li><li>Bob Hartman</li><li>Bob Hazie</li><li>Bob Hendley</li><li>Bob Malkmus</li><li>Bob Ruselli</li><li>Bob Rush</li><li>Bob Sadowski</li><li>Bob Shaw </li><li>Bobby Thomson</li><li>Bob Thorpe</li><li>Bobby Tiefenauer</li><li>Bob Uecker (man I wish it was Bob Uecker!...but I doubt it.)</li><li>Roberto Vargas</li></ul><p></p><div>If not a player, it could be a coach as there is a Braves assistant coach on the ball elsewhere. </div><div><br /></div><div>My personal guess is that it is Bob Boyd, which if true, would be pretty great. He played in the Negro Leagues and was the White Sox first African-American player in 1950. He finished his career with a single season with the Braves in 1961 and his nephew is the Red Sox reliever 'Oil Can' Boyd. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's what I see in the signature but I realize I'm might be doing some wishful thinking. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-_8uxZfFrYQELSkiwNpaPl3vUgRCH6icHrLqpeBEZBceKtjeRuA-BXYZesG-tsS7-x14XsSp-y8r8xDPLJy-HeBnlSh6EFiZBGbXY_wj3iVLfLyo8yZ7M77nXzwUYdIuMW3mvhbXgQR8gaA-Drl4WU2FQmQxy8iKYl1vTU817f5k6oTDoc1EYtBc/s1688/PXL_20220702_040916260_Snapseed%20-%20Bob%20Boyd.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1688" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-_8uxZfFrYQELSkiwNpaPl3vUgRCH6icHrLqpeBEZBceKtjeRuA-BXYZesG-tsS7-x14XsSp-y8r8xDPLJy-HeBnlSh6EFiZBGbXY_wj3iVLfLyo8yZ7M77nXzwUYdIuMW3mvhbXgQR8gaA-Drl4WU2FQmQxy8iKYl1vTU817f5k6oTDoc1EYtBc/w640-h282/PXL_20220702_040916260_Snapseed%20-%20Bob%20Boyd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What are your thoughts? Is it Boyd? </div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-30459174460893297002022-07-04T11:00:00.000-05:002022-07-04T11:00:25.389-05:00Check out my Lawrence Welk rookie card<p>Growing up, I have the distinct memory of being at my grandmother's house on many Sunday afternoons when the TV would get turned to PBS and reruns of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU8XLHvyFic">Lawrence Welk Show </a>would be on. </p><p>The variety show focused on musical performances that were mainly pre-recorded. In general, it was so wholesome and portrays a world of the 1960s and 70s that seems absurd today in many ways. </p><p>Saturday Night Live honored the show many times through the years through their series of skits about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLSg1h0e-M">the Maharelle Sisters...from the Finger Lakes.</a></p><p>Flipping through a stack of postcards and odd-sized cards at The National Sports Card Collectors Convention a couple years ago, I came upon this card which brought me back to those quiet Sundays. </p>A young Lawrence Welk, band leader and accordionist was featured on a postcard put out by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutoscope_cards">Mutoscope Cards</a>. The cards were issued in 1945 by an offshoot of the International Mutoscope Reel Company which had machines that were one of the first ways to watch movies. <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXonvPUjLdWzMWAT3u4gnD5eZ3xTefnfmp-u2fwTIUSOksTh96p5gqFNpsXhgcwsmLUGqWjQifv77B5lzqR4eI_fr5d1woj7MGxMEE3oso32n5MGfaVSikuZoCBf7vOAD7TY253otIX6jV_VxP96wbRzzgRR-Pk-3Vn8xXHn8nN9THcGGRv9ojElcT/s1568/IMG_0013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXonvPUjLdWzMWAT3u4gnD5eZ3xTefnfmp-u2fwTIUSOksTh96p5gqFNpsXhgcwsmLUGqWjQifv77B5lzqR4eI_fr5d1woj7MGxMEE3oso32n5MGfaVSikuZoCBf7vOAD7TY253otIX6jV_VxP96wbRzzgRR-Pk-3Vn8xXHn8nN9THcGGRv9ojElcT/w396-h640/IMG_0013.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As opposed to the Exhibits picture cards, these Mutoscope cards are proper postcards with a postage stamp area and address/message area marked on the back. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSqi8AwuXlV7wx-elhFJk5FGiUjJr9kDnAtQQnIPt6gryKRr17uaa7QysXB6YXpnNINDjkCC-dwZLF5_nW74vvOkMpq0QvZaQXm8yEMMakF81Jwv_Kfn1-vCWHPYa_8Vfql6HgIX6vTk17G3IfglIFdHqm3lMgoKBsgzw9PjOBvHDtlHylhKV2SQi/s1572/IMG_0017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1572" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSqi8AwuXlV7wx-elhFJk5FGiUjJr9kDnAtQQnIPt6gryKRr17uaa7QysXB6YXpnNINDjkCC-dwZLF5_nW74vvOkMpq0QvZaQXm8yEMMakF81Jwv_Kfn1-vCWHPYa_8Vfql6HgIX6vTk17G3IfglIFdHqm3lMgoKBsgzw9PjOBvHDtlHylhKV2SQi/w640-h394/IMG_0017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the other cards sets produced by <a href="https://sports.ha.com/itm/non-sport-cards/1940-s-mutoscope-glamour-girls-complete-set-32-2-on-the-psa-set-registry/a/7120-81382.s">Mutoscope was a set of "Glamour Girls"</a> which at the time in the 1940s was pretty risqué.. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't find any of those cards at The National but I did find some other cards from the Big Band set, including cards of Count Basie, Glen Miller and Benny Goodman. I pulled out some of the bigger names but the set also includes band leaders that are familiar to only the more knowledgeable jazz fans. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9JLYqVs9uY5O21sK3yXGOpSd-oR1RZc36Esy5NJOU0wwWSFjVdXKp7a3sPgrH8P3y3w-BANfnoiruRI_8CugL-7NZRgM7Oqk7TjSYr4FSYM3srHUOjqFHgp3vZR-n_mDyadCZITIJjjcusXrFmWzJr38i5oAAyl-1G8JhH_I3zpnTH1qhNnIbyvy/s1556/IMG_0016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1556" data-original-width="964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9JLYqVs9uY5O21sK3yXGOpSd-oR1RZc36Esy5NJOU0wwWSFjVdXKp7a3sPgrH8P3y3w-BANfnoiruRI_8CugL-7NZRgM7Oqk7TjSYr4FSYM3srHUOjqFHgp3vZR-n_mDyadCZITIJjjcusXrFmWzJr38i5oAAyl-1G8JhH_I3zpnTH1qhNnIbyvy/w396-h640/IMG_0016.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaRTTpGfWXCrz_378OkriWxSfnCv7kd2wI_CgXfDcbRLIoEmYpGbcwZacsdA6jF_i10XoJzdLvDY044qVETRp-cfbcnC0Z9mYT7t4meqZKvl30QHXdvMRAKHiwYK0_n8ms0lIO1OE6Yx_9jJbVjmXZko0CSlKjSkwCtqtzlN6HYT-BT4GspSH5y6w/s1576/IMG_0015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaRTTpGfWXCrz_378OkriWxSfnCv7kd2wI_CgXfDcbRLIoEmYpGbcwZacsdA6jF_i10XoJzdLvDY044qVETRp-cfbcnC0Z9mYT7t4meqZKvl30QHXdvMRAKHiwYK0_n8ms0lIO1OE6Yx_9jJbVjmXZko0CSlKjSkwCtqtzlN6HYT-BT4GspSH5y6w/w394-h640/IMG_0015.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAjm475eSyDGs6L22ldaUtcIefU7hdBdLxPSjLNsOs5bl66QzXcNVs0_tl_nupYLumQ-CcJePKAJbLmWYYgOHVklsdWxGkvk7cELu8YtWysvYxh5BMg-vLXaWC1stJRtrIKjQ_j-iEv65C51EvbuImAiNYOCuzu9uK8BJKjP6pj9XPhnAm_yy03E6/s1576/IMG_0014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAjm475eSyDGs6L22ldaUtcIefU7hdBdLxPSjLNsOs5bl66QzXcNVs0_tl_nupYLumQ-CcJePKAJbLmWYYgOHVklsdWxGkvk7cELu8YtWysvYxh5BMg-vLXaWC1stJRtrIKjQ_j-iEv65C51EvbuImAiNYOCuzu9uK8BJKjP6pj9XPhnAm_yy03E6/w392-h640/IMG_0014.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br /><br />Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-72066677706113235822022-06-25T20:49:00.005-05:002022-06-25T20:49:44.046-05:00Joy of the Completed Team Set: 2022 Topps Minnesota Twins<p> I was surprised to find a 2022 Topps Minnesota Twins team set at my local Walmart when typically it is strictly Cubs or Cardinals with a random White Sox thrown in for some sort of equality. </p><p>But a little searching found sets for the Pirates, Nationals and Astros so it looks like a random assortment was sent to each store. </p><p>I miss that these sort of sets used to include an exclusive card or at least a card of the stadium (which I collect). The only thing "exclusive" is the card numbering which has a "MIN-" before each card number. </p><p>It's been an exciting year for the Twins as they sit a half game ahead of the Guardians in first place in the American League Central with a 39-33 record. </p><p>I'm a really big fan that four of the cards feature the powder blue uniforms that the Twins wore for road games from 1973 to 1986. I love all the <a href="https://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/1985/Fleer_-_Base/286/Kirby_Puckett/1903990/Ungraded/COMC/EX-NM">Kirby Puckett cards from that era in that uniform.</a> Overall, I would say the Kenta Maeda card is my favorite. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uGEnQiw03qJZjIJKc8HHxxKaSqSqoVcWUzLNzjhBjR7JFi7Mfyd1tVg6UFARVT1GlcAuyUYCCtj_TO8rjMmElRKe-c6Yr9h88Bg8-f1ML9fjqqMMutl4X3sYmX90EhlgFpGOajNgZ8vDofLC7uIkBCrkD1xjyR6TtRY7zjJUJ0Zv0g0G9Z7H4caW/s3424/2022%20Topps%20Minnesota%20Twins%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3424" data-original-width="2468" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uGEnQiw03qJZjIJKc8HHxxKaSqSqoVcWUzLNzjhBjR7JFi7Mfyd1tVg6UFARVT1GlcAuyUYCCtj_TO8rjMmElRKe-c6Yr9h88Bg8-f1ML9fjqqMMutl4X3sYmX90EhlgFpGOajNgZ8vDofLC7uIkBCrkD1xjyR6TtRY7zjJUJ0Zv0g0G9Z7H4caW/w462-h640/2022%20Topps%20Minnesota%20Twins%201.jpg" width="462" /></a></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Q9mnkB1IvAlQH28_16T_rGWmJhnedf-WJRahmI9mi-x6MzzAphTJhxKoGcfL6wUlkxBUO6f91M62zEIU3rC5EHhwIsS15rDRApn0QB731D23-5XCwml4OAz0LBV5RqQMMpR5ut5-rWOESt7TOVvFJzvVwvkz187aNmHQeV5GssPS2GdwxiMPKlk/s3424/2022%20Topps%20Minnesota%20Twins%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3424" data-original-width="2501" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Q9mnkB1IvAlQH28_16T_rGWmJhnedf-WJRahmI9mi-x6MzzAphTJhxKoGcfL6wUlkxBUO6f91M62zEIU3rC5EHhwIsS15rDRApn0QB731D23-5XCwml4OAz0LBV5RqQMMpR5ut5-rWOESt7TOVvFJzvVwvkz187aNmHQeV5GssPS2GdwxiMPKlk/w468-h640/2022%20Topps%20Minnesota%20Twins%202.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-31674375678091611202022-06-21T22:46:00.003-05:002022-06-21T22:46:56.584-05:00Is this the worst pack of baseball cards I've ever opened? Yes, it is. <p>I recently got a pack of 1988 Donruss in a Fairfield repackage that I bought at a CVS in town. Over the years, I've probably opened more of this product than another other Donruss issue. It was my first Donruss set and I went a little nuts about these blue-bordered cards at the time when I was nine years old. It wouldn't be until the next year with the first Upper Deck set that I was introduced to the idea of paying $1 for a single pack of cards. Before that, a couple quarters could be me 15 cards plus a puzzle piece at my local <a href="https://tedium.co/2021/05/14/phar-mor-retail-history/">Phar-Mor pharmacy.</a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7x__CwMDBLO8j9YSE0g8w0R-RAhp7N402fuq47m03QlTvF3_PpLMY6XNGS4__qR-WJtAp8A6LbpnIIVjoSq3vfBRWQlsq_N1kPulfHDrbNcMin3kv-hpUG_6TOei5DhU13AY9oHg8TP8Pcbm5LYNLzw4eC09iDY4ggHjQBTQVSCcSiJ6F_fuc7be1/s1957/1988%20Donruss%20Wrapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1898" data-original-width="1957" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7x__CwMDBLO8j9YSE0g8w0R-RAhp7N402fuq47m03QlTvF3_PpLMY6XNGS4__qR-WJtAp8A6LbpnIIVjoSq3vfBRWQlsq_N1kPulfHDrbNcMin3kv-hpUG_6TOei5DhU13AY9oHg8TP8Pcbm5LYNLzw4eC09iDY4ggHjQBTQVSCcSiJ6F_fuc7be1/w640-h620/1988%20Donruss%20Wrapper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The great thing about Donruss sets of this era was that in each pack there was a pretty good chance you would pull at least a Diamond King or a Rated Rookie. As the wrapper even highlighted, the 1988 set featured 26 MVP Bonus Cards, giving you an even better shot at pulling something worthwhile. <div><br /></div><div>This particular pack turned out to be the worst pack of Donruss cards I've ever opened. Here's the first nine. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNovrhI7arZyuNoNSL44Vo4mfx7bfdW4GD339bUGWhYsEmML5NG_6t7VVu4PPZIc-i0zYXhb2t2U9bRHBWT9lIaWsg4_i68lXH8o2qaZeZcJwrGWpNHdc49gLEcznyKFnhL3z3QGwfL7xPYOFK8kVA-TcIM6pfrsq6z1EbpaD1QaxCET4_CKsoB4T/s3231/1988%20Donruss%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3231" data-original-width="2256" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNovrhI7arZyuNoNSL44Vo4mfx7bfdW4GD339bUGWhYsEmML5NG_6t7VVu4PPZIc-i0zYXhb2t2U9bRHBWT9lIaWsg4_i68lXH8o2qaZeZcJwrGWpNHdc49gLEcznyKFnhL3z3QGwfL7xPYOFK8kVA-TcIM6pfrsq6z1EbpaD1QaxCET4_CKsoB4T/w446-h640/1988%20Donruss%201.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And my next six, plus my puzzle piece. The puzzle piece could have redeemed the pack if it had included the subject's face but instead I got Stan Musial's legs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You aren't seeing things, I did pull two Ozzie Virgils in the same pack. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsDt1XdI1s6JHxNrwOa7SihaLPufAyAknbCvyXP-nrMSFzzOk06DSs0NoRvtl0xK6KScrw7vVtBUaocHc6Zup3Ye65heM8vFotKXjIvOnZyDfriPLtAY2gT7uKk7WPs71Eqhr4SqTD7JsCfTJnS3qTJJ5YUzeij2sh-AnD2dTJtbtkdGjYxfdLPbE/s2998/1988%20Donruss%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2998" data-original-width="2276" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsDt1XdI1s6JHxNrwOa7SihaLPufAyAknbCvyXP-nrMSFzzOk06DSs0NoRvtl0xK6KScrw7vVtBUaocHc6Zup3Ye65heM8vFotKXjIvOnZyDfriPLtAY2gT7uKk7WPs71Eqhr4SqTD7JsCfTJnS3qTJJ5YUzeij2sh-AnD2dTJtbtkdGjYxfdLPbE/w486-h640/1988%20Donruss%202.jpg" width="486" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>This is the kind of pack that still affects you decades after it was produced. It is a collecting booby trap. It makes me question what the hell am I doing with my money and my time in 2022. </div><div><br /></div><div>The only way junk wax is ever going to be valuable is if collectors start recycling it to lower the number available or we get a time machine and start sending back mothers to throw their kids collections away, just as they did in the 1950s. That's where this pack belongs, the dump. <br /><br /><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-30218953993485745452022-06-19T21:49:00.001-05:002022-06-19T21:49:43.545-05:00My Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book tribute display<p>For a while I have had three of those trading card displays they sell at Michaels and other places with decorative frames. I've got one filled with my favorite Andy Pafko cards and one that highlights Central Illinois players (mainly Bill Madlock, Chuck Dressen, Del Unser and Walter "Boom-Boom" Beck). </p><p>I couldn't really decide on what to put in the last display and finally decided to do a tribute to my favorite baseball card book, the Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book written by Brendan C. Boyd and Fred C. Harris.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHZA7P9uoQtkyM6Rv4VI7Cnh6dbmTylZDE_kwdGJAxRMS7OqroisDf94qUW9UhyhQEkhpU5FdJCvwX0qR1sG6Vhuo1TqWbiKmR4WwkLTmXMb5bi7l1BF2aPAmkuyNkWDtQagVqanECvwFrcQFuro2YcREKJ_S-tLOx4NaL5jSQ5NfJz39OWPom9oC/s1930/PXL_20220619_053220660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="1725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHZA7P9uoQtkyM6Rv4VI7Cnh6dbmTylZDE_kwdGJAxRMS7OqroisDf94qUW9UhyhQEkhpU5FdJCvwX0qR1sG6Vhuo1TqWbiKmR4WwkLTmXMb5bi7l1BF2aPAmkuyNkWDtQagVqanECvwFrcQFuro2YcREKJ_S-tLOx4NaL5jSQ5NfJz39OWPom9oC/w572-h640/PXL_20220619_053220660.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><p></p><p>Although I started Heartbreaking Cards before I discovered Flipping and Trading (as I like to call it), I feel my writing style about cards and my sense of humor fits right in with the mentality of the book. </p><p>I always wanted to try to make a go of getting every card highlighted in the book. Although there are many oddball cards highlighted that don't command high prices, there are also some keys cards that would make completing it somewhat of a challenge. </p><p>My display holds 20 cards and so I paged through and picked out some I already owned and some that I would try to track down to complete the project.</p><p>The book features photos of pre-1970s cards with the authors sharing their thoughts on each player or why they are a fan of the card featured. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtj7l6p8bV6QWKyETDTI5QAO2HPDePDv3K8xVg_VO34nALisC9R_byagN3bORiYD2ltkfxCEJzpWLlLdmSoQoDSthEv_jkUmwBzutFBV-t5If29Msj-3NTQSREcMlzaFVl4NBM5shpaW_Aw1MH1Ej-iKvFseqaAMih5tylhHk4VPO8KsHkZhCvVit/s2841/PXL_20220619_053154369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2841" data-original-width="2086" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtj7l6p8bV6QWKyETDTI5QAO2HPDePDv3K8xVg_VO34nALisC9R_byagN3bORiYD2ltkfxCEJzpWLlLdmSoQoDSthEv_jkUmwBzutFBV-t5If29Msj-3NTQSREcMlzaFVl4NBM5shpaW_Aw1MH1Ej-iKvFseqaAMih5tylhHk4VPO8KsHkZhCvVit/w470-h640/PXL_20220619_053154369.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the end, I went with these 20 cards. </p><p>1951 Bowman Sibby Sisti<br />1951 Bowman Ewell Blackwell<br />1953 Topps Bob Del Greco<br />1954 Bowman Billy Loes<br />1954 Bowman Joe Nuxhall<br />1958 Topps Sam Jones<br />1958 Topps Bob Cerv<br />1958 Topps Carlton Willey<br />1959 Topps Coot Veal<br />1959 Topps Walt Dropo<br />1959 Topps Stan Lopeta<br />1961 Topps Jackie Jensch<br />1963 Topps Bill Tuttle<br />1963 Topps Harry Craft<br />1963 Topps Tommie Aaron<br />1963 Topps Ryne Duren<br />1963 Topps Ken Hubbs<br />1963 Topps Ralph Terry<br />1965 Topps Bo Belinsky<br />1969 Topps Roy Face</p><p>For the order of the cards I went with something semi-random with an eye for not bunching cards from the same set. I went with Tommie Aaron as the first card...the Aa in Aaron just seemed right.</p><p>Here's the completed project: </p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT82rx8Bn4ZrPj8eNv5adBCBnYnKMYH2y4KSeUWNwa4CJ0Akk3QGACGbifo7l3zQH-y2n-OgEkxkfTCHli9ZSr1TxyCkHYfGYxyybaOXO8a16wt51pL-WNuHDDfLOjsU-_j519pF8H9o-Ps0Vgbf3_QMfAKK4Z-JiHPpfm7_u8UDta87JEPptOLjtK/s2171/PXL_20220619_055551195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="1817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT82rx8Bn4ZrPj8eNv5adBCBnYnKMYH2y4KSeUWNwa4CJ0Akk3QGACGbifo7l3zQH-y2n-OgEkxkfTCHli9ZSr1TxyCkHYfGYxyybaOXO8a16wt51pL-WNuHDDfLOjsU-_j519pF8H9o-Ps0Vgbf3_QMfAKK4Z-JiHPpfm7_u8UDta87JEPptOLjtK/w536-h640/PXL_20220619_055551195.jpg" width="536" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>My pick for the final card was pretty easy for me as I went with 1951 Bowman Sibby Sisti because...<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOp2ISpPz5yGMnZTatX7wLOHx2vYfI2cUm--KXSsDTF3xLipcQFOi6koJlqY563CbegZz0dKcXBph9MNkoImtqe7p6A1P9wvnhzb35kMMlPAZIhtHz7KGG6ZUt1fw9ZBQEYfuJ0mruvopz_YnIhMR6NxghLhNXy5mhXHOR2AjsuuBkihmSNfSfTKj/s2410/PXL_20220619_052814128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2410" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOp2ISpPz5yGMnZTatX7wLOHx2vYfI2cUm--KXSsDTF3xLipcQFOi6koJlqY563CbegZz0dKcXBph9MNkoImtqe7p6A1P9wvnhzb35kMMlPAZIhtHz7KGG6ZUt1fw9ZBQEYfuJ0mruvopz_YnIhMR6NxghLhNXy5mhXHOR2AjsuuBkihmSNfSfTKj/w602-h640/PXL_20220619_052814128.jpg" width="602" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...it was the card that was the last one featured in the book. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi523ZuBgefx2Ppj0XP6fz0g5Es1aK1ij7rUW3JBxj-RLze9QEda8sem_dVB-o5stCh9BrLhohTXD8DdcSPkV5uRCqzGq3jRvNz5wxP7L9eskNRbZfSUnLkOlYTTOnOa_9Xm5rqlmHAI0AYm1lYR38W_Wn8SQWNvjQAeLUjZufeVVU_HVLYGQcbdVp/s2406/PXL_20220619_053047555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1989" data-original-width="2406" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi523ZuBgefx2Ppj0XP6fz0g5Es1aK1ij7rUW3JBxj-RLze9QEda8sem_dVB-o5stCh9BrLhohTXD8DdcSPkV5uRCqzGq3jRvNz5wxP7L9eskNRbZfSUnLkOlYTTOnOa_9Xm5rqlmHAI0AYm1lYR38W_Wn8SQWNvjQAeLUjZufeVVU_HVLYGQcbdVp/w640-h530/PXL_20220619_053047555.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The epitaph "Goodnight Sibby Sisti, wherever you are." begs me to share what Sisti was up to after retirement. How about making an appearance in one of the greatest baseball movies ever made?</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Sisti played the manager of the Pittsburgh team in The Natural's final game (second from left).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSn9ZKjmq-7bAMesXwJ5f7JBZGVqQ-K_PB7FsHqVp7Ulesa2gnoEQFyfdulET1c1NSD1OfCA9kYbi-OAZUEHcPOZfZVvIXdvoRlT2Ai9RMoPTz_gzxqYpaAP0TKtUvES4wjv5kqZLkw9eX1bYY1nnma6kBQLRxPLNkINlvpgRq3gOKLFhVw6LWWIn/s1348/Sibby%20Sisti%20The%20Natural%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1348" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSn9ZKjmq-7bAMesXwJ5f7JBZGVqQ-K_PB7FsHqVp7Ulesa2gnoEQFyfdulET1c1NSD1OfCA9kYbi-OAZUEHcPOZfZVvIXdvoRlT2Ai9RMoPTz_gzxqYpaAP0TKtUvES4wjv5kqZLkw9eX1bYY1nnma6kBQLRxPLNkINlvpgRq3gOKLFhVw6LWWIn/w640-h348/Sibby%20Sisti%20The%20Natural%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>He claps along to the game action and makes a pitching change during Robert Redford's Roy Hobbs famous final at-bat of the game. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU01PIWAt78Wgs5EUIpSXubMknk5tjG3PFKAmJWR42P3AK_1Bgoy4JinQWl0X7X4Xj6uLPjD4-4GYuWJnc5-e1DCNHhLkWUck2l70Qi01k9R2dhDB8-SUEdUxsKYZ_a8yqJhX8Wzd-h26dzdnqhouPh8aj1H5zH7gSu_oeiyQX9fn3QImvBAy5yET/s1464/Sibby%20Sisti%20The%20Natural%204.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1464" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU01PIWAt78Wgs5EUIpSXubMknk5tjG3PFKAmJWR42P3AK_1Bgoy4JinQWl0X7X4Xj6uLPjD4-4GYuWJnc5-e1DCNHhLkWUck2l70Qi01k9R2dhDB8-SUEdUxsKYZ_a8yqJhX8Wzd-h26dzdnqhouPh8aj1H5zH7gSu_oeiyQX9fn3QImvBAy5yET/w640-h338/Sibby%20Sisti%20The%20Natural%204.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and I'm happy to have crossed off a project that has been on my list for a long time. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuMaCtQfqsHOsGl4tAHbOOi_DIG4I_8bzxtwINkl8iqhOUXiZe5gijzPTxudfZyPeJTR5hs-KyoATznPphjWB3V1GtMp0jWXeHXYITanWqHgdd9NfcpFU0uXUUmDXEanXN4RursA9lzpNpRXnzji-bWG8FMndPcTn5k9VNpZswxe0d28zWYfzYAB1/s2171/PXL_20220619_055551195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="1817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuMaCtQfqsHOsGl4tAHbOOi_DIG4I_8bzxtwINkl8iqhOUXiZe5gijzPTxudfZyPeJTR5hs-KyoATznPphjWB3V1GtMp0jWXeHXYITanWqHgdd9NfcpFU0uXUUmDXEanXN4RursA9lzpNpRXnzji-bWG8FMndPcTn5k9VNpZswxe0d28zWYfzYAB1/w536-h640/PXL_20220619_055551195.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-8950733749980848862022-06-18T19:09:00.001-05:002022-06-18T19:09:18.699-05:00Before Wikipedia, there was Marvel Comics Index<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33RcCHIiwLdp6x63hwiZbAuCfbbmlzJvZkCKm4IJGdnlCg8ayTD0InVbcKFRArgy6v93OLyIIk55mS2HMiul6kq7oPzArZwcIN0qm_OFe7ip40vgxgGlFkaLwoiNaaFZnpM1Ut6MRfQ_A8HEGY9QCbUy1m9CVsOJ6xvhU1tkF3vPXMJc1YZO3y5F_/s3264/IMG_20220515_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33RcCHIiwLdp6x63hwiZbAuCfbbmlzJvZkCKm4IJGdnlCg8ayTD0InVbcKFRArgy6v93OLyIIk55mS2HMiul6kq7oPzArZwcIN0qm_OFe7ip40vgxgGlFkaLwoiNaaFZnpM1Ut6MRfQ_A8HEGY9QCbUy1m9CVsOJ6xvhU1tkF3vPXMJc1YZO3y5F_/w500-h640/IMG_20220515_0001.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It is interesting to me to think that as Marvel Comics entered its fourth and fifth decades in the 1970s and 80s that they didn't have a complete archive of the comics they printed, dating back to 1939 with Marvel Comics No. 1. <div><br /></div><div>Issues were missing here and there and the idea of the possibility of issues lost to history is unfathomable with how prestigious and popular the comic book company would eventually become. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully, a collector by the name of George Olshevsky, a comic collector on a level that surpasses all others, was the only person in the world to collect the complete works of Marvel Comics from the very beginning. </div><div><br /></div><div>Beginning in 1976, Olshevsky shared his incredible comic collection with the world, doing summaries on each issue of the key Marvel series. I recently picked up one of those guides in issue No. 5 of the Mighty Thor index from November 1977. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's what each page looks like with the key details and credits of each issue plus any additional comments that might be interesting. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExUG9WYziYN_2yYsAH3zC6eBRoVcyjvr7eMdXAtoReITOc-BZIT4pdpTp9rK3jodKyGxzcR9WJrWZXECiI3qETRi4pOeujRT-zN8VZ1x6XfsqtONgFsRDOXMbu9bgz2NgiXDrb5NaQKgj6AxRYKUO7eSK0BgYphhKkiJlBBjmahXgj7rpq4co6YsN/s2966/PXL_20220618_231507012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2966" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExUG9WYziYN_2yYsAH3zC6eBRoVcyjvr7eMdXAtoReITOc-BZIT4pdpTp9rK3jodKyGxzcR9WJrWZXECiI3qETRi4pOeujRT-zN8VZ1x6XfsqtONgFsRDOXMbu9bgz2NgiXDrb5NaQKgj6AxRYKUO7eSK0BgYphhKkiJlBBjmahXgj7rpq4co6YsN/w490-h640/PXL_20220618_231507012.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are magazine-sized issues and later in the 1980s, the information was reworked into the Official Marvel Index that was put out in comic book form over several years that gave fans an impossible amount of information about the Marvel universe. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize2DXOgCa8lWrSU5eHEP8Gzw9WuEr4WjnJ5r7r9cqGIIrUdHKr4jS6-YhVzgZML7_czQQT4XZ4JVR6MdNoIhlwevjaoh6BjpqDzoRlhROQ9vlfM_ZF7Oqe27I5W3QtndAU_QWIFhyByY0Nlb19ZJ0_2gt5ZtW_d73NI5Ws2Qrsq7PDIW1abmsmUHg/s2661/PXL_20220618_231603372.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="2066" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize2DXOgCa8lWrSU5eHEP8Gzw9WuEr4WjnJ5r7r9cqGIIrUdHKr4jS6-YhVzgZML7_czQQT4XZ4JVR6MdNoIhlwevjaoh6BjpqDzoRlhROQ9vlfM_ZF7Oqe27I5W3QtndAU_QWIFhyByY0Nlb19ZJ0_2gt5ZtW_d73NI5Ws2Qrsq7PDIW1abmsmUHg/w496-h640/PXL_20220618_231603372.jpg" width="496" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I really like this first page illustration because, to me, it has <a href="https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/blog-post-embedded--tablet/public/mm007-041-avenjerks.jpg">a distinct Mad Magazine illustration feel.</a></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-6295763449816591242022-06-17T23:27:00.001-05:002022-06-17T23:27:40.200-05:00Getting on the complete-in-box video game bandwagon: Atari 2600 Spider-Man<p>For whatever reason in my various forms of collecting that has extended from baseball cards to music to comics to <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/06/the-monster-times-magazine-needs-list.html">1970s horror magazines</a>, video game collecting never really struck my interest. </p><p>I guess I always thought of them more as a tool than a collectible. I've purchased more games on Steam than I'm prepared to admit and while I've still got my original Nintendo and Sega Genesis, those old games from my childhood are boxed up in the basement. I really enjoy my Xbox Series S and I have no problem giving up the idea of owning physical games for the digital-only console. </p><p>Although, one exception has recently broken through my disinterest in video game collecting and that is a complete Atari 2600 Spider-Man game. </p><p>This was a release by Parker Brothers in 1982 and was not only the first Spider-Man video game but also the first Marvel Comics video game. What got me interested in tracking one down was taking a closer look at the amazing art on the front. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0fX3rwuXRHe1JvRnFqItNuaezTkVDVkJ8K4UfPLqj93R8gm68jQ_nPS5bW5NF6-BG8oHqciZj8MaP-jr18LWdHs07S_OSax6vB8VXhzsnzi6gln1kJBd70QsrwZa9Tx6F9ub-IukCB-ecFCNuNqaO9YwHHxEjHs3ipNT5VDeRjfK7VmIZxfBiaZc/s2354/Spiderman%20Game%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="1748" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0fX3rwuXRHe1JvRnFqItNuaezTkVDVkJ8K4UfPLqj93R8gm68jQ_nPS5bW5NF6-BG8oHqciZj8MaP-jr18LWdHs07S_OSax6vB8VXhzsnzi6gln1kJBd70QsrwZa9Tx6F9ub-IukCB-ecFCNuNqaO9YwHHxEjHs3ipNT5VDeRjfK7VmIZxfBiaZc/w476-h640/Spiderman%20Game%20Back.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The back gives you a look at the game play and it is one of the more advanced Atari games, in my opinion. You can tell you are climbing a building and the red and blue of Spider-Man is pretty clear...I will admit we are dealing with small victories here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApAPWculANWBCKORH50615jD0_CPkHga7a4ADLTvlZlY-UenmdZVkg8P-tkCISxVuakI0SaJKWgA80njT78B4jaxJFQvZKU-bdrRw-SczuLH33H7tEheDPGqQAjA5DZhnrGcojltfi_v5sKMYYGtzBEr2DGS4YVeAli4QFDz0xvnApWgLkY8rOrZ7/s2395/Spiderman%20Game%20Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="1794" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApAPWculANWBCKORH50615jD0_CPkHga7a4ADLTvlZlY-UenmdZVkg8P-tkCISxVuakI0SaJKWgA80njT78B4jaxJFQvZKU-bdrRw-SczuLH33H7tEheDPGqQAjA5DZhnrGcojltfi_v5sKMYYGtzBEr2DGS4YVeAli4QFDz0xvnApWgLkY8rOrZ7/w480-h640/Spiderman%20Game%20Front.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My complete version also comes with an instruction manual. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5q6PDnzFsg8vDO9dXlGx3C8yc3WOllq5O82r5L1DTV1sVQokKQQOx05iFnPbHd-8MEDPqjxbdLO2lLHUykvBL3azgK68waoH3vQdaWQmsuQ_mt9G2LvTpaawO-0oelEe9rKypgaOVU8dErzokQ6BbicKY11Sy4TeuZuqcoiMl9BajhWcv-dhZc29/s2044/Spiderman%20Game%20Booklet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="2044" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5q6PDnzFsg8vDO9dXlGx3C8yc3WOllq5O82r5L1DTV1sVQokKQQOx05iFnPbHd-8MEDPqjxbdLO2lLHUykvBL3azgK68waoH3vQdaWQmsuQ_mt9G2LvTpaawO-0oelEe9rKypgaOVU8dErzokQ6BbicKY11Sy4TeuZuqcoiMl9BajhWcv-dhZc29/w640-h472/Spiderman%20Game%20Booklet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />And here's the game, which features the same front box art. The game has been played but still, I'm pretty happy with the condition. Picked this up for $25 plus shipping, if I remember correctly. <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KKdgShDPWkjRJE8Tr4vEJrxqxigv3VQXxezO8GHJcX3tEzUV1mM4TPUv61cGo4bA0utz5ypfCbuogd6YIFiwtwBX6HZKRuyakx49c_baZrUd2OOLUMv9ereuc9TpdLuBq1vBrG_ui3O9aNpdmp02qXSoOeDfY_z2y4acbXcfSaZltNGYcp6UvCW5/s3000/PXL_20220612_154846260.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2201" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KKdgShDPWkjRJE8Tr4vEJrxqxigv3VQXxezO8GHJcX3tEzUV1mM4TPUv61cGo4bA0utz5ypfCbuogd6YIFiwtwBX6HZKRuyakx49c_baZrUd2OOLUMv9ereuc9TpdLuBq1vBrG_ui3O9aNpdmp02qXSoOeDfY_z2y4acbXcfSaZltNGYcp6UvCW5/w470-h640/PXL_20220612_154846260.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><br /><div>Now to track down a complete version of <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=captain+skyhawk+nes+complete&_sacat=0&_sop=15">Captain Skyhawk!</a></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-38059160646248720872022-06-15T11:32:00.008-05:002022-06-15T16:07:49.021-05:00Just a cool photo of spitball legend Burleigh Grimes<p>Doesn't Hall of Fame pitcher <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2017/04/upgrading-my-burleigh-grimes-1933.html">Burleigh Grimes</a> look awesome in this photo? </p><p>The legendary last pitcher to be able to throw a spitball in the major leagues is smoking a cigar in a great three piece suit. </p><p>It was taken on, what what I imagine to be, one of the best days of his life -- October 5, 1936 -- when he was named the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, replacing Casey Stengel. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZxin843WPiwWn1k3DD_fsrp8P1fy3wbby8K43gCHvAJcEpr19g6b0W7WmilskA2OHyEQi2ItH6RtfxHXzG_fTSKgyPZDskuDOwXxg5ofnT4stElkZ5a2D6xacOZrofL_84qntbdGKYSrkDtdud0NJZMZZTMwp2yPHjYFA95rvbP33AtyuVIUMp3J/s2497/Burleigh%20Grimes%20Photo%20Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2497" data-original-width="1854" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZxin843WPiwWn1k3DD_fsrp8P1fy3wbby8K43gCHvAJcEpr19g6b0W7WmilskA2OHyEQi2ItH6RtfxHXzG_fTSKgyPZDskuDOwXxg5ofnT4stElkZ5a2D6xacOZrofL_84qntbdGKYSrkDtdud0NJZMZZTMwp2yPHjYFA95rvbP33AtyuVIUMp3J/w476-h640/Burleigh%20Grimes%20Photo%20Front.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grimes was born in the little town of Emerald, Wisconsin, which is about an hour northwest of my hometown of Eau Claire. I must be one of the few people in the world with a "Burleigh Grimes baseball cards" saved search on eBay. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was through that search that I found this original photo up for auction. Originally from Acme Newspictures, Inc., the image was sold to newspapers looking to use it in a story about Grimes' new job. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The reverse side has the following cutline about the image: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Burleigh Grimes, former spitball pitcher in the major leagues and present minor league manager, is shown above after he had been given a one-year contract as manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Oct. 5. Grimes replaces Casey Stengel, was released at the end of the 1936 season."</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu_bdzpSR-mGckdlRIGUDgmEGNnh1n0ll8qc6fiYXp9SUpFKxzKarHlbAS9EPWFCLn_nykdiyk9AgWpyFNcTZYwEpYJxMVz8H-4PEOlXgAF83ka7HsfbNIoQjkk-31p03seqb0DoZk0xhXJrNlzfXF1A0iHrCWxhbTb9EX-WLEMNL9jbqtF1oIuZf/s2486/Burleigh%20Grimes%20Photo%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2486" data-original-width="1811" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu_bdzpSR-mGckdlRIGUDgmEGNnh1n0ll8qc6fiYXp9SUpFKxzKarHlbAS9EPWFCLn_nykdiyk9AgWpyFNcTZYwEpYJxMVz8H-4PEOlXgAF83ka7HsfbNIoQjkk-31p03seqb0DoZk0xhXJrNlzfXF1A0iHrCWxhbTb9EX-WLEMNL9jbqtF1oIuZf/w466-h640/Burleigh%20Grimes%20Photo%20Back.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grimes lasted two seasons as manager, leading the team to a 62-91 record in 1937 and a slightly better 69-80 in 1938. Next up for the Dodgers was Leo Durocher, who got the team to the 1941 World Series. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Dodgers had five consecutive managers who went on to become Hall of Fame members during that era: Wilbert Robinson (1914-31), Max Carey (1932-33), Stengel (1934-36), Grimes (1937-38) and Durocher (1939-48). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grimes earned his spot in the Hall of Fame with 270 victories that included pitching nine seasons (1918-1926) for the Brooklyn Robins, the team that later became the Dodgers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my favorite recent Grimes pickup is this autographed facsimile of an <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/06/baseball-card-vending-machine.html">Exhibits postcard</a> showing grimes pitching for the Robins. The original version is probably out of my price range and so this was a nice way to own a version of probably my favorite trading card image of Grimes. </div></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_Psnt4R4vIY5BNfDybDwCWTMB_-ILBbswIXWhJHlbUWHX7mEoSkv4RmhTDOmqozO5gpJqXQ6h2ySKoH4gu4bgMs18hCqC_duN7HYgAK0SUMxfKoYplaWh8vXi-XBpaqdlUL_e0oBpA5Skd4RzxXv5NE7G2EG_evnzQNCgzNP5do-cCbfRTNDFA5G/s2305/IMG_20210620_0006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1431" data-original-width="2305" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_Psnt4R4vIY5BNfDybDwCWTMB_-ILBbswIXWhJHlbUWHX7mEoSkv4RmhTDOmqozO5gpJqXQ6h2ySKoH4gu4bgMs18hCqC_duN7HYgAK0SUMxfKoYplaWh8vXi-XBpaqdlUL_e0oBpA5Skd4RzxXv5NE7G2EG_evnzQNCgzNP5do-cCbfRTNDFA5G/w640-h398/IMG_20210620_0006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-51487153499300553222022-06-14T09:39:00.000-05:002022-06-14T09:39:34.678-05:00Put out the welcome "Matt:" New cards for my Matt Batts collection <p>Here are a couple recent additions to my <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2016/01/discovering-matt-batts.html">Matt Batts collection</a>. As a collector of "Matt" cards, the best "Matt" to play the game is Matt Williams (or maybe an argument could be made for Christy Mathewson, but that missing "T" makes all the difference) but good old Matt Batts holds sentimental value just for the name alone. </p><p>As a Matt Flaten, I appreciate Batts' name that also sounds like an action...and a baseball action at that. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzgUsT1j_LwZTwfGgMSiNBJXw21NycSVEvvRPA5oqxMjlSTFvk91FRb3_DcUzGZUB_sbYUVNbXdqFqpsPs9myfemw7yBgogsgGgWWzGy7pH7Nv4HJe3GSpYWAHXj7tiLlrpB11vkKeZ_uojFO5TCgjnQ_LH_fmINZegz6tRbeytPEQfRSMj1tCa50/s1675/Matt%20Batts%20Graded%20Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1675" data-original-width="978" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzgUsT1j_LwZTwfGgMSiNBJXw21NycSVEvvRPA5oqxMjlSTFvk91FRb3_DcUzGZUB_sbYUVNbXdqFqpsPs9myfemw7yBgogsgGgWWzGy7pH7Nv4HJe3GSpYWAHXj7tiLlrpB11vkKeZ_uojFO5TCgjnQ_LH_fmINZegz6tRbeytPEQfRSMj1tCa50/w374-h640/Matt%20Batts%20Graded%20Auto.jpg" width="374" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Batts was a Boston Red Sox prospect just before the U.S. became involved in World War II and he served in the Air Force from December 1942 to December 1945. He made his pro debut in 1947 with the Red Sox and also played for the Browns, Tigers, White Sox and Reds before retiring after the 1956 season. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-_4s5VL2DOqLE972Vxj0Zv7xNlyRjmU6zpC2DQtW6mpDxbfd_3g5LISaEXeKeGF4m0LXCpn_l_RWLmtRprPiLxP7c2BUWtzAwbLcXFJSxGOpMFyYCUaA1_eaI2j6WmkIp2ODeunnXhUKlCO-_8LypgEILOPuKt4JUdr39ZnK_RCLKnCD4aE21DpB/s1168/Matt%20Batts%20Bowman%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="804" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-_4s5VL2DOqLE972Vxj0Zv7xNlyRjmU6zpC2DQtW6mpDxbfd_3g5LISaEXeKeGF4m0LXCpn_l_RWLmtRprPiLxP7c2BUWtzAwbLcXFJSxGOpMFyYCUaA1_eaI2j6WmkIp2ODeunnXhUKlCO-_8LypgEILOPuKt4JUdr39ZnK_RCLKnCD4aE21DpB/w440-h640/Matt%20Batts%20Bowman%202.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Batts was a dependable back stop, who had a career .269 batting average with 26 home runs and 219 RBIs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJ8BXGCrZctFJEglvFPv24iihhMAOaHzPq0XJBGDR-L_ah4Ql4JLsiu6aQ6Oczd7NPA68HokmY4Pg0e2Kl0FH58w6HW2a_SKDa-p9rojl4bHI70XUbEF76jO3FAPE4neE1x8tCwFV7Zj4GXlVoE8bW_CIHfcscl7z3sdSD5rpKqo9OgwI5tsygEhh/s1160/Matt%20Batts%20Bowman%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1160" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJ8BXGCrZctFJEglvFPv24iihhMAOaHzPq0XJBGDR-L_ah4Ql4JLsiu6aQ6Oczd7NPA68HokmY4Pg0e2Kl0FH58w6HW2a_SKDa-p9rojl4bHI70XUbEF76jO3FAPE4neE1x8tCwFV7Zj4GXlVoE8bW_CIHfcscl7z3sdSD5rpKqo9OgwI5tsygEhh/w640-h448/Matt%20Batts%20Bowman%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><p>While playing for the Browns in 1951, Batts caught for Satchell Paige, who became the American League's first black pitcher that year. </p><p>This one is a facsimile autograph in black and authentic pen autograph underneath it. I found this photocard at the National in Chicago in 2019. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYBvFZofWjZSwWzzXfOoVHLwEx3yqaaoV_khKKpaYq6oN_zglP6qbdWzQ0ugf6r_AhoOe3gruhWtwygaDEbb_mGVk9E9S1neaWjuA5RDg3RYouXeUxsvPZsqR5eUpxXzsFzHFy_t4SXkoKEDpiHHVS7frF4ZpBbC6DhXD7FhLA2Qp690LhfmCOuz1/s1600/IMG_0066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYBvFZofWjZSwWzzXfOoVHLwEx3yqaaoV_khKKpaYq6oN_zglP6qbdWzQ0ugf6r_AhoOe3gruhWtwygaDEbb_mGVk9E9S1neaWjuA5RDg3RYouXeUxsvPZsqR5eUpxXzsFzHFy_t4SXkoKEDpiHHVS7frF4ZpBbC6DhXD7FhLA2Qp690LhfmCOuz1/w410-h640/IMG_0066.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-88612134210891921562022-06-12T18:05:00.000-05:002022-06-12T18:05:06.310-05:00Stumbling upon an Exhibits baseball card vending machine in Cooperstown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In my card collecting career, I've opened thousands of packs of cards. I still get a thrill getting to rip open something new and that enjoyment is coming back to me after the shortage of retail products during the pandemic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But some of the cards I've owned I've always wondered how exactly they got into the card collecting market. Some cards of course were famously inserted into packs of cigarettes. Some cards were put into food products and cereal boxes. Some you had to collect wrappers to mail away for the chance to getting cards sent back. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But the oversized Exhibit Salutation cards have always mystified me because I've read that they were distributed through their own vending machine. I had a hard time definitively finding answers for some of my follow-up questions (how much were they, how big was the machine?) but then one day a few years ago I got to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York and it was all answered.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiDq6IhfRRaPQbiZdEW2gl_w0qcAaMbhFOcFiCKvOM5cxFGJiNzIdnLiOPvz8CkOAq1u-zWbusnQgJw9IqMVL4sguDofSkgeTXYXhKYK_XaEXMa9geNSTvXM9jCFvxV-g6QlOWwVlxyFwLIq9IoEkCgF5BYGv_QwZ54zfnLqlq1nX2qC6ZFkzPVJJ/s4609/20160728_145633_HDR_Snapseed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2415" data-original-width="4609" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiDq6IhfRRaPQbiZdEW2gl_w0qcAaMbhFOcFiCKvOM5cxFGJiNzIdnLiOPvz8CkOAq1u-zWbusnQgJw9IqMVL4sguDofSkgeTXYXhKYK_XaEXMa9geNSTvXM9jCFvxV-g6QlOWwVlxyFwLIq9IoEkCgF5BYGv_QwZ54zfnLqlq1nX2qC6ZFkzPVJJ/w640-h336/20160728_145633_HDR_Snapseed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After spending several hours in the Hall, I went literally across the street to the series of memorabilia and card shops that are there. That spot probably holds the record for most card shops in a two-block area in the world. A person can build up an appetite sorting through junk wax and so my wife and I went to Hey, Getcha Hot Dog! diner just a few doors down. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhannsQfaK3QWJZA3Bq3n8A92-vnAmfHyzRKYcPly0zDmyEYERkFLQs7Z9Dzgp_rNX3qLCkyo1BfRSxDY7CNd7hVviYT6GR561bZzRZ2xLAwaCluYQnjWuQEJL5BmoI3lqYyr-42p7sj6s/s1600/20160728_145544_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhannsQfaK3QWJZA3Bq3n8A92-vnAmfHyzRKYcPly0zDmyEYERkFLQs7Z9Dzgp_rNX3qLCkyo1BfRSxDY7CNd7hVviYT6GR561bZzRZ2xLAwaCluYQnjWuQEJL5BmoI3lqYyr-42p7sj6s/w640-h360/20160728_145544_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Little did I know that walking inside, I would solve one of my great baseball card mysteries. There, right on the counter, was an Exhibits trading card machine like it had been sitting there waiting for me to walk inside since the days when the cards were originally sold.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXlJXdpOynX_zCF9cJezop6Gy4eilDHa9l_eldF3T0JHAHfcSB0uRqb3cI-hDsVtUiWo7znINJnIHglvMscUBH6Rv9hun0D1p55Pe2pmvsZi50RwNtRU99CFrkdU2_pRHC2OACCbf6GM/s1600/20160728_145423_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXlJXdpOynX_zCF9cJezop6Gy4eilDHa9l_eldF3T0JHAHfcSB0uRqb3cI-hDsVtUiWo7znINJnIHglvMscUBH6Rv9hun0D1p55Pe2pmvsZi50RwNtRU99CFrkdU2_pRHC2OACCbf6GM/w360-h640/20160728_145423_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just two pennies would get you a postcard-size card feature a photo of one of the top baseball players of the time. A deal at twice the price. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cards on display in this machine were Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Warrens Spahn and Hank Aaron in the standard Salutation style of card, along with Walter Johnson and Cy Young in the Baseball's Great Hall of Fame style of card. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Kksbbdj0Pp2BRYxOBu4m3qUnQlsr9hrDjhi8Vgb8UdvOss00gFx2LM3dz_ZwCEPxh5qw-AfxTJzANnnwVMd51yypJHuGtNuMGUPYKw7iXZv-uIwsVa_Qj8pOBGhPhZ-sHptj7LQmWGA/s1600/20160728_143415_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Kksbbdj0Pp2BRYxOBu4m3qUnQlsr9hrDjhi8Vgb8UdvOss00gFx2LM3dz_ZwCEPxh5qw-AfxTJzANnnwVMd51yypJHuGtNuMGUPYKw7iXZv-uIwsVa_Qj8pOBGhPhZ-sHptj7LQmWGA/w360-h640/20160728_143415_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cards would come out on the bottom and to me, it would have the feel of the fortune telling machine from the movie Big.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaejCIgsLbQfsiQlt4aA7EF_JD2BB5rgMWMnfnrh5ONMVgzhQ1Ag5kyMWy6f7r6C7YOzDg7K20ILkZA9j10a85UAbVloeu2qMjGGy4kkC1Kd18MPs15E6gSsDPiBj5qHuJL2VYETbpS0M/s1600/20160728_143409_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaejCIgsLbQfsiQlt4aA7EF_JD2BB5rgMWMnfnrh5ONMVgzhQ1Ag5kyMWy6f7r6C7YOzDg7K20ILkZA9j10a85UAbVloeu2qMjGGy4kkC1Kd18MPs15E6gSsDPiBj5qHuJL2VYETbpS0M/w640-h360/20160728_143409_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>
<br />
As you can see from the photo this is a "Compact" Mechanical Vacuumatic Card Vender that has a U.S. Patent No. 2,840,270 and was applied for in June 1958. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A little searching at the Patent Office and here's what the inside looks like. I particularly enjoy the stack of cards drawn in on the bottom left.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM9zWeOqjM4r6L8xqKdYDm2QwOxR9c_W3RJyUVUZqXN_GQmDCHTtcJj8swVZoAafnmIBgvfcC7PSrck2WP1h3n4SRCeDgQZ6cHil8QUE_6JcOzRjVjbuoAJbQP2Ia2YsE3ltqB23Wcsv3N8IqAjQcqbz49b8EqHTXcb9NwZbJs0I03DNr_kkzEzlV/s831/Exhibits%20Card%20Vender%20Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="574" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM9zWeOqjM4r6L8xqKdYDm2QwOxR9c_W3RJyUVUZqXN_GQmDCHTtcJj8swVZoAafnmIBgvfcC7PSrck2WP1h3n4SRCeDgQZ6cHil8QUE_6JcOzRjVjbuoAJbQP2Ia2YsE3ltqB23Wcsv3N8IqAjQcqbz49b8EqHTXcb9NwZbJs0I03DNr_kkzEzlV/w442-h640/Exhibits%20Card%20Vender%20Machine.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><div><br /></div>If I ever make it back to Cooperstown, I'll check to see if it is still there and maybe make an offer and take it home, if the price is right. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-61271339248045509522022-06-12T11:01:00.000-05:002022-06-12T11:01:26.513-05:00Joy of the Completed Set: Cards with a side of sausage (1991 Jimmy Dean Signature Edition)<p>I'm a big fan of this 1991 Jimmy Dean Signature Edition 25-card set that was the sausage maker's first foray into trading cards. As you can see from Ken Griffey Jr's No. 2 card, logos are airbrushed out of these unlicensed cards. Gary Sheffield's No. 7 card is a particularly great example. </p><p>The collection of players is pretty solid with the only obvious player that couldn't stand the test of time being the Yankees' Kevin Maas. As far as value goes, they are pretty worthless junk wax with the Griffey Jr. being the only thing of any value. </p><p>1991 was turning into the year of the yellow design alongside the hard to look at 1991 Fleer set but I prefer this one so much more as the red highlights limit the overall level of yellow required. I enjoy the Jimmy Dean logo front and center and you rarely get to see the MLB Players Association logo on the front of cards. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcqKqkjukm5JdTw9LmL-sqtwwhfbnAwpfh4viXgPmQ0uvKSCgG0-1ywXauohGz7Svo80vBiK8VcjuQKHbz-WjzIZfRCjvf2MNyQ64f89pfaOc__HP9s5zFAZPndLGycTzxxgzAWx5LhY/s2048/IMG_20200406_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEcqKqkjukm5JdTw9LmL-sqtwwhfbnAwpfh4viXgPmQ0uvKSCgG0-1ywXauohGz7Svo80vBiK8VcjuQKHbz-WjzIZfRCjvf2MNyQ64f89pfaOc__HP9s5zFAZPndLGycTzxxgzAWx5LhY/w458-h640/IMG_20200406_0001.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's called the "signature edition" because on the back you get a facsimile example of each player's autograph. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFziNwiCsR3RO-H_WoS9OIWMIgis7Izd8-xJHql6llM9wQzzyY7SduiJRB6UTT9AZHWoC69jBIXxWDZONz2F0Ei47gc9desg6-DQKnwuRUFJdmgK_nrnwqgwBv_lJr5oYxbT_gtoGCmM/s2048/IMG_20200406_0002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFziNwiCsR3RO-H_WoS9OIWMIgis7Izd8-xJHql6llM9wQzzyY7SduiJRB6UTT9AZHWoC69jBIXxWDZONz2F0Ei47gc9desg6-DQKnwuRUFJdmgK_nrnwqgwBv_lJr5oYxbT_gtoGCmM/w456-h640/IMG_20200406_0002.jpg" width="456" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_tpzfOryhVAlMoq6F4z_iN80OaMEb7HqRKkdh_1sv2ptR8amrywZ5yhyphenhyphenzLPSwvxvd5Sl5eWGSg6VsFkT4MpcOO4Ad8vqnRyaz7iY7rgTwZjdF9P1_ViNZmLNXtWdHcsvvk5MuxaVaMk/s2048/IMG_20200406_0003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1471" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_tpzfOryhVAlMoq6F4z_iN80OaMEb7HqRKkdh_1sv2ptR8amrywZ5yhyphenhyphenzLPSwvxvd5Sl5eWGSg6VsFkT4MpcOO4Ad8vqnRyaz7iY7rgTwZjdF9P1_ViNZmLNXtWdHcsvvk5MuxaVaMk/w460-h640/IMG_20200406_0003.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jimmy Dean made some more sets in 1992 and 1993 before taking off a year in 1994. They returned in 1995 with an All-Time Greats set but this one is my favorite. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLAxJ7rcp8OlmdRiVQnmAAj362eCZqN0WMaTrOpXmWeSsSNKYIyJLq0GJ1fQFnv_lXBFKvx6VRPXsvVj5f7jjqBIIKkgTaXHILcnVcsiQUGvk_VkuMqzXvVuPYFwwVtCTxwLqz5zQXCk/s2048/IMG_20200406_0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1484" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLAxJ7rcp8OlmdRiVQnmAAj362eCZqN0WMaTrOpXmWeSsSNKYIyJLq0GJ1fQFnv_lXBFKvx6VRPXsvVj5f7jjqBIIKkgTaXHILcnVcsiQUGvk_VkuMqzXvVuPYFwwVtCTxwLqz5zQXCk/w464-h640/IMG_20200406_0005.jpg" width="464" /></a></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-37739507369883853432022-06-11T22:32:00.000-05:002022-06-11T22:32:51.167-05:00Joy of the Completed Set: 2016 Sidekick Trading Card Publishing Magical Posters<p>Way back before the pandemic began I was happy to fund a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidekicklab/mars-attacks-uprising/posts/2746102">Kickstarter for a new Mars Attacks set called Uprising.</a> I was very pleasantly surprised that although they faced supply chain issues during the pandemic, the set was released last year. I enjoyed it and might do a post about it someday too. </p><p>As a Kickstarter backer, I got a discount coupon to pick up other Sidekick Trading Card Publishing's products and I took advantage of it. </p><p>One of the sets I picked up was a small nine-card set from 2016 that featured posters of magicians from 1890 to 1910. As a card collector, I appreciate the nine-card set over a 10-card one just for getting it all in a single Ultra Pro page. </p><p>The set arrived in a single wax pack, another bonus for a wax pack collector like myself. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQ9pFnr5koszDnblVR_GQvz9xJCCPXdB3OdWUhGBwr5rx1gN3f8L8tczH4am8R7VaS0iNkJVeq0e3aPXr0YN00K1HvU8KhTxFXp4nGSVJ-iDDfqQ1GcsIYqAW9PzhMYpklNFtt_wlDLztMpUgoaYHitIahp3NG0pU2Hg8FisWTPyMKB7ScCXtmSR-/s1155/IMG_20220609_0003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="859" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQ9pFnr5koszDnblVR_GQvz9xJCCPXdB3OdWUhGBwr5rx1gN3f8L8tczH4am8R7VaS0iNkJVeq0e3aPXr0YN00K1HvU8KhTxFXp4nGSVJ-iDDfqQ1GcsIYqAW9PzhMYpklNFtt_wlDLztMpUgoaYHitIahp3NG0pU2Hg8FisWTPyMKB7ScCXtmSR-/w476-h640/IMG_20220609_0003.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><p></p>Here is it all unfolded with the the red border expanded and even a checklist included. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYmm8gBgMVKPCgZywUzkSDQhZjK24bfhX1xoB3c4GEETyA4a2D_sWmvkKNvLprXORxMy2OM1pd34jqG1lqQu2VNPJQvcfa-JM6mPukhcTKjZVaZl7pNaWSd8MzO9G76j6MpqaTOf0Yd77XebK8NWrmWlIDMhrNnGRGUrjStcD5sYmnxBAZnOeZhbv/s2051/IMG_20220609_0004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1976" data-original-width="2051" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYmm8gBgMVKPCgZywUzkSDQhZjK24bfhX1xoB3c4GEETyA4a2D_sWmvkKNvLprXORxMy2OM1pd34jqG1lqQu2VNPJQvcfa-JM6mPukhcTKjZVaZl7pNaWSd8MzO9G76j6MpqaTOf0Yd77XebK8NWrmWlIDMhrNnGRGUrjStcD5sYmnxBAZnOeZhbv/w640-h616/IMG_20220609_0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The posters feature seven different magicians -- Alexander The Man Who Knows, Carter the Great, <div>Dante, Houdini, Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston and Zan Zig -- with a great variety in the design of each. I was only familiar with Houdini prior to this but I think my favorite of the set is card No. 1 of Alexander. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_8qMutnLOcqkMPkDxCeHTqJ9Kqjia3cyRFvG3pXfYkWRqwt-E3hfDLPi1ncfKYs3GIN1eQARJn1B3q_VuL74abilOJEgOgnzMHsnF6PVRGhQqbadui5X6xwTeLE1dhYl15HMDWwhuXuELYctLiydVs71JdXEcVGTeGEOqmsoH91aFeJt6u2b93yK/s3420/IMG_20220609_0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3420" data-original-width="2496" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_8qMutnLOcqkMPkDxCeHTqJ9Kqjia3cyRFvG3pXfYkWRqwt-E3hfDLPi1ncfKYs3GIN1eQARJn1B3q_VuL74abilOJEgOgnzMHsnF6PVRGhQqbadui5X6xwTeLE1dhYl15HMDWwhuXuELYctLiydVs71JdXEcVGTeGEOqmsoH91aFeJt6u2b93yK/w468-h640/IMG_20220609_0005.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here is the reverse side that features biographical information about each magician. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh187au35TlBnnJPSMdSYXVLImQDRF5cN83w0aA-ta04RB0HpAXfxVNH8Hj83trB-FfekXRGbAi7MmrLIvFerTNNmUuBGNQD3NGnXCmAgGeTVlzaYUL4uKnKPpP-wSut7lwc3PdyC9pC_l00b0V6x67pW3KsuG56whr2tjN2z8V6fenZ8typrmObzJW/s3420/IMG_20220609_0006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3420" data-original-width="2492" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh187au35TlBnnJPSMdSYXVLImQDRF5cN83w0aA-ta04RB0HpAXfxVNH8Hj83trB-FfekXRGbAi7MmrLIvFerTNNmUuBGNQD3NGnXCmAgGeTVlzaYUL4uKnKPpP-wSut7lwc3PdyC9pC_l00b0V6x67pW3KsuG56whr2tjN2z8V6fenZ8typrmObzJW/w466-h640/IMG_20220609_0006.jpg" width="466" /></a></div></div><br /><p></p></div><div>I was intrigued by the "Unknown Details" on Zan Zig's card No. 9 and a <a href="https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Zanzic">Magicpedia search</a> found a great premise for a horror movie: </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>During the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), under the name "Professor Slater," he set up a haunted house aided by fellow magicians Sam Bailey and William Robinson. This enterprise came to a bad end when a client died in compromising circumstances during the course of a séance.[4]</i></div></blockquote>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-73015103417786054052022-06-10T10:12:00.002-05:002022-08-03T22:37:59.830-05:001979 Topps Star Trek The Motion Picture Base and Stickers Needs List<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVU8jztwb8KE_7Wd6hCJkgr_XZabZruCCJYhDjdvvkzcxmKbnvT0p7KCJoFsctkI-8hXFDj8rnaRCfN0wuaWgBkNYF0LLnzItDSubSKRnBx8ObTaYkWLWt7Jv6iTGRoKud_CUYufLt2w9QA19QwUZg2VOfe86kXh6HhKbNez43gxWTq5532jOL0Lf/s750/1979%20Star%20Trek%20The%20Motion%20Picture%20Wax_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="568" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVU8jztwb8KE_7Wd6hCJkgr_XZabZruCCJYhDjdvvkzcxmKbnvT0p7KCJoFsctkI-8hXFDj8rnaRCfN0wuaWgBkNYF0LLnzItDSubSKRnBx8ObTaYkWLWt7Jv6iTGRoKud_CUYufLt2w9QA19QwUZg2VOfe86kXh6HhKbNez43gxWTq5532jOL0Lf/w484-h640/1979%20Star%20Trek%20The%20Motion%20Picture%20Wax_Snapseed.jpg" width="484" /></a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3RBuVpwsFQ&t=43s">I recently finished season 2 of Picard</a> and it made me miss classic Star Trek and made me interested again in completing the 1979 Topps set that promoted the first movie. It collects moments from the 1979 film and also several alien cards from the original TV series and has some iconic cards of the key actors from the series including William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. </p><p>A lot of the photo cards of the cast members and aliens from the original series have a school picture/yearbook sort of vibe rather than a photo from a clip of the series or movie. I enjoy that style for the actors cards but it makes some of the alien cards look like full-body mug shots. Another great thing of these cards is the heavier cardboard used from the 70s. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE1OoaREERX_LAjykUxckcB0VmLOvhiZdn4I6OIzt2vZMGAjFzJyKrdAA2O_lPw0yKP9oB7S1fn3PnKqXoACxnUecNA8Y9wN586f-tENOFT7UMQE58PE25EMIfe4OB1j5GOALJoUEvqjgt0B5Zog4qcbfex4R8RN29Pt_Z0qvEBhpYYUyN_sQ7rC1/s1081/Bones%20Star%20Trek_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="769" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE1OoaREERX_LAjykUxckcB0VmLOvhiZdn4I6OIzt2vZMGAjFzJyKrdAA2O_lPw0yKP9oB7S1fn3PnKqXoACxnUecNA8Y9wN586f-tENOFT7UMQE58PE25EMIfe4OB1j5GOALJoUEvqjgt0B5Zog4qcbfex4R8RN29Pt_Z0qvEBhpYYUyN_sQ7rC1/w456-h640/Bones%20Star%20Trek_Snapseed.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>This is a set that I have probably 20 cards of, spread out in my collection somewhere and some were some of the first non-sports cards I ever owned. I really don't know how I originally got them and as I remember, they aren't in the best condition so I'm starting over with a new set. <p><u>1979 Topps Star Trek The Motion Picture Base and Stickers Needs List</u></p><p>Last Updated: 8-3-22</p><p><b>Base Set (88 cards)</b></p><p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Star Trek The Motion Picture</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Toward the Unknown</p><p><strike>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Space Intruder</strike></p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fate of the Klingons</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Warning from Space</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our Starcrafts…Annihilated!</p><p><strike>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Enterprise In Drydock</strike></p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rebuilding the Enterprise</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Filming ‘Drydock’ Sequence</p><p>10<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>James T. Kirk</p><p><strike>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Captain Kirk’s Mission</strike></p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Executive Officer Decker</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Navigator Ilia</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Uhura</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Helmsman Sulu</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Engineer Scott</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Security Chief Checkov</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dr. Christine Chapel</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Janice Rand</p><p>21.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Vulcan Mr. Spock</p><p>22.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spock on Planet Vulcan</p><p>23.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The UFP Assembled</p><p>24.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Being from Beyond</p><p>25.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Face of Terror</p><p>26.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lizard Like Diplomat</p><p>27.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not of this Earth</p><p>28.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Alien Insectoid</p><p>29.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Unearthly</p><p>30.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Andorians</p><p>31.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Advanced Life Form</p><p>32.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Betel’s Attendant</p><p>33.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Andorian – Close-up</p><p>34.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The U.S.S. Enterprise</p><p>35.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Back In Operation!</p><p>36.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Refurbished Starship</p><p>37.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Enterprise – Rear View</p><p><strike>38.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Return to the Bridge</strike></p><p>39.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Senior Officers</p><p>40.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>View from the Bridge</p><p><strike>41.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Scotty’s Domain</strike></p><p>42.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fantastic New Devices</p><p>43.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Engineering Deck</p><p>44.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Investigating a Malfunction</p><p>45.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Heart of the Starship</p><p>46.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Incredible Explosion!</p><p>47.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Starship Under Attack!</p><p>48.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Assault on Chekov!</p><p>49.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Half Human</p><p>50.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spock’s Fight for Life</p><p>51.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Into the Nameless Void</p><p>52.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Terror in the Transporter Room</p><p><strike>53.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Surak Craft</strike></p><p>54.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Transporter Malfunction</p><p><strike>55.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Zero Gravity Adventure</strike></p><p>56.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Symbol of Her People</p><p>57.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Exotically Beautiful Ilia</p><p>58.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spock’s Discovery</p><p>59.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Phaser Battle!</p><p>60.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ilia In Sick Bay</p><p>61.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stamina of the Alien</p><p><strike>62.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Filming the Shuttlecraft</strike></p><p>63.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Star Explorer</p><p>64.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Alien Menace</p><p><strike>65.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Star Challengers</strike></p><p>66.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beam Me Down Scotty</p><p>67.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Landing Party</p><p>68.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Portrait of a Vulcan</p><p>69.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beyond Infinity</p><p>70.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Encounter</p><p>71.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Its Secret Revealed</p><p><strike>72.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>On Spock’s Native World</strike></p><p>73.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spectacular Starship</p><p>74.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Welcoming Dr. McCoy Aboard</p><p>75.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kirk’s Last Stand</p><p>76.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Landscape of Vulcan</p><p>77.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Klingon Warship – Rear View</p><p>78.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Final Frontiersmen</p><p>79.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Klingon Warship</p><p><strike>80.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Vulcan Starship – Overhead View</strike></p><p>81.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pride of the Starfleet</p><p>82.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Duo for Danger</p><p>83.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Unearthly Mr. Spock</p><p>84.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Woman from Planet Delta</p><p>85.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>New Starfleet Uniforms</p><p>86.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Men With a Mission</p><p><strike>87.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Deltan Beauty</strike></p><p>88.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Klingon Commander</p><p><b>Stickers (22)</b></p><p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Engineer Scott</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Janice Rand</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Vulcan Mr. Spock</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Security Chief Checkov</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lt. llia</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Helmsman Sulu</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>James T. Kirk</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dr. Christine Chapel</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mr. Spock</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lt. Uhura</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Probe Ilia</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Face of Terror</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Being from Beyond</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Advanced Life Form</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Executive Officer Decker</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Betel’s Attendant</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lizard-Like Diplomat</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Enterprise</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Klingon Warship</p><p>21.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Vulcan Starship</p><p>22.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Enterprise</p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-11821640814517108172022-06-09T12:38:00.000-05:002022-06-09T12:38:44.229-05:00I didn't know I wanted some Yogi Berra stamps <div><br /></div><p></p>I've got to say I love picking out a good stamp. When It is time for a new sheet, I enjoy flipping through the binder of options at the post office to find the perfect one that might end up on a plain white envelope headed to a future trade partner. <div><br /></div><div>As I was recently flipping through, I chose a sheet of Yogi Berra stamps. Berra is the first baseball player featured on a stamp since I believe 2012 when Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Willie Stargell and Ted Williams were all featured in an All-Star game set of stamps.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://baseballismy.life/baseball-stamps/">Here's a great article from Baseball Life </a>that highlight many, if not all, of the baseball figures and stadiums honored by the U.S. Postal Service over the years. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyvo8GuOb6zhxAfudNSmNcZzRafKThKrcu_qlzZZwHW50ITzTCQUjcGelSxBs8sKj13QYhJ246szntF-UfkK60RqRxS0MKI3qtZzVm4jjojY5_sn5sYEUU1Oga4fTHsBEhZEuhK7JdHiJy2ij8_mtgIrU_BEyzMQ9PxH8BMCbRjxolVMBIqtP0u3a/s2337/IMG_20220609_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2337" data-original-width="1821" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyvo8GuOb6zhxAfudNSmNcZzRafKThKrcu_qlzZZwHW50ITzTCQUjcGelSxBs8sKj13QYhJ246szntF-UfkK60RqRxS0MKI3qtZzVm4jjojY5_sn5sYEUU1Oga4fTHsBEhZEuhK7JdHiJy2ij8_mtgIrU_BEyzMQ9PxH8BMCbRjxolVMBIqtP0u3a/w498-h640/IMG_20220609_0002.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What struck me about Yogi's stamp is how much the design looks like it could have been taken straight out of an Topps Allen & Ginter sets. There isn't a direct match of the photo used on the stamp to an Allen & Ginter card but taking a look at some of Berra's appearances, you can see what I mean. <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iL5C78PyzuHD2KgXqBopUSIJ0fEblQuObtIMZII0MeRWQJ2d0aQfCJ1BWOzMKA6F3Y8LXz2PHyNu1Xgm4gSRBkmvQ7YN1L3xxZUU3PVzkahMDO7mUHR1UPfjQInEc5wRZcU4vnCWylNeLcN27WQg4-bvhW4xHiSN8LMPFyZwEYzw0LAdjJJT7Wis/s667/Yogi%20Allen%20and%20Ginter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="533" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iL5C78PyzuHD2KgXqBopUSIJ0fEblQuObtIMZII0MeRWQJ2d0aQfCJ1BWOzMKA6F3Y8LXz2PHyNu1Xgm4gSRBkmvQ7YN1L3xxZUU3PVzkahMDO7mUHR1UPfjQInEc5wRZcU4vnCWylNeLcN27WQg4-bvhW4xHiSN8LMPFyZwEYzw0LAdjJJT7Wis/w512-h640/Yogi%20Allen%20and%20Ginter.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-76525648617312072002021-11-27T23:18:00.010-06:002023-02-12T13:06:28.881-06:002021 Topps Allen & Ginter T51 Murad Reimagined Insert Set Needs List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo2OvaTmtRbE7YrtN-9pYftjxzi0dEwLWzCL9ATunFbCKkDY_SN1foj_iUzLpY6No5iOjLDs8pogiE5GXt3neUQ7CszkmpWSO6VojpAQXFix6DPEmWMQrErlZTEQSX9ZZnjdMtnnXID4/s1379/s-l1600_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1379" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo2OvaTmtRbE7YrtN-9pYftjxzi0dEwLWzCL9ATunFbCKkDY_SN1foj_iUzLpY6No5iOjLDs8pogiE5GXt3neUQ7CszkmpWSO6VojpAQXFix6DPEmWMQrErlZTEQSX9ZZnjdMtnnXID4/w640-h454/s-l1600_Snapseed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><u>2021 Topps Allen & Ginter T51 Murad Reimagined Insert Set Needs List</u></p><p>Last Updated: 2-12-23</p><p>MR-2 Randy Johnson - Arizona Diamondbacks</p><p>MR-3 Ronald Acuña Jr. - Atlanta Braves</p><p>MR-9 Francisco Lindor - New York Mets</p><p>MR-22 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates</p><p>MR-26 Yadier Molina - St. Louis Cardinals</p><p>MR-28 Nolan Ryan - Texas Rangers</p><p>MR-31 Babe Ruth - New York Yankees</p><p>MR-40 Ke'Bryan Hayes - Pittsburgh Pirates</p><p>MR-41 Ryan Mountcastle - Baltimore Orioles</p><p>MR-45 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers</p><p><br /></p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-76812839481191993512021-10-12T02:20:00.012-05:002023-03-12T13:02:14.954-05:001957 Topps Space Cards Needs List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflDnXGH90_rzU7JBGmaCvMxj70kfIqJBglOljd3pKw2E1obVUQZiFeM6aqIkD2j-kr5av5uZnWn-uE1QS-75NnMJ8KmLHLSE7BDQ9Qk-nsPVJQ0Ltv6W1zDXuNP1GqR_CpTt0HF8JnHQ/s1428/Space+Cards+Wrapper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1428" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflDnXGH90_rzU7JBGmaCvMxj70kfIqJBglOljd3pKw2E1obVUQZiFeM6aqIkD2j-kr5av5uZnWn-uE1QS-75NnMJ8KmLHLSE7BDQ9Qk-nsPVJQ0Ltv6W1zDXuNP1GqR_CpTt0HF8JnHQ/w640-h570/Space+Cards+Wrapper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another space set to complete but this one is pretty unique in that it is based on real space advancements (the launch of Sputnik and as well as sending a dog into space) as well as fantasy cards of what the future of space exploration would look like. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cards No. 53 "Space Supply Depot" and No 70. "Refueling Planet Ship" offer possibilities of a robust space exploration expansion and as the card numbers get higher, space exploration heads to Venus, Mars and Saturn. I enjoy No. 86 "Pluto — The Coldest Planet" just because it would piss off Neil deGrasse Tyson.</div><div><br /></div><div>The wrapper for the set always reminded me of the the famous image from the early silent film Le Voyage dans la Lune from 1902 by director George Melies. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GxCfLxDbNT32FVxh1sypnMVdlY1YMBTSSg-vdtBSqWNl9sfOp1H8zGvKK4pzJjT6-MyPLpboKN1n_jbOA2UwKsFTIP9zWlDlrsfSEsH8XX-e-YpLKVE5LswtYzUhXMKwlcrL2VhSRNw/s678/moonmovies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="678" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GxCfLxDbNT32FVxh1sypnMVdlY1YMBTSSg-vdtBSqWNl9sfOp1H8zGvKK4pzJjT6-MyPLpboKN1n_jbOA2UwKsFTIP9zWlDlrsfSEsH8XX-e-YpLKVE5LswtYzUhXMKwlcrL2VhSRNw/w640-h360/moonmovies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div>It is appropriate as the film is about a trip to the moon, just like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins would make in July of 1969. </div><div><br /></div><div>In general, these cards are not as pricey as the <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/07/finally-building-one-of-my-favorite.html">1963 Topps Astronaut set </a>which featured color photography rather than paintings in the 1957 set. </div><br /><p><b>1957 Topps Space Cards Needs List</b></p><p>Last updated: 3-12-23</p><p>1, 2, 4, 6, 7</p><p>10, 14, 17, 18</p><p>20, 24, 28, 29</p><p>31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38</p><p>42, 43, 46</p><p>50, 52, 54, 56, 58</p><p>61, 62, 63, 67</p><p>70, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77</p><p>85, 86</p><p>1. Sputnik I</p><p>2. Dog In Sputnik II</p><p><strike>3 Launching U.S. Satellites</strike></p><p>4. Recovering The Rocket</p><p><strike>5 Sputnik Descending</strike></p><p>6. Three Stage Rocket</p><p>7. Target: Moon</p><p><strike>8. Robot Nears Moon</strike></p><p><strike>9. Radio Telescope</strike></p><p>10. Space Flight Headquarters</p><p><strike>11. Testing a Space Pilot</strike></p><p><strike>12. Briefing for Spaceflight</strike></p><p><strike>13. Space Suit</strike></p><p>14. Preparing For Flight</p><p><strike>15. Zero Hour</strike></p><p><strike>16. Strapped Down For Takeoff</strike></p><p>17. Rocket Blastoff</p><p>18. Heading for Outer Space</p><p><strike>19. Diagram of Spaceship</strike></p><p>20. No Gravity</p><p><strike>21. Space Checker Game</strike></p><p><strike>22. Space's Practical Jokes</strike></p><p><strike>23. Meteor Peril</strike></p><p>24. If Meteors Hit New York</p><p><strike>25. Space Acrobat</strike></p><p><strike>26. Flying Practice</strike></p><p><strike>27. Fixing Meteor Damage</strike></p><p>28. Sunset on Earth</p><p>29. 50 Miles to the Moon</p><p><strike>30. Preparing to Land</strike></p><p>31. Moon Landing</p><p><strike>32. Rocket Jet Heat</strike></p><p>33. First Men on the Moon</p><p>34. Moon Expedition</p><p><strike>35. Lunar Scouting Patrol</strike></p><p>36. Conquest of the Moon</p><p>37. High Jumping on the Moon</p><p>38. It's Easy — on the Moon</p><p><strike>39. Trapped in Meteor Shower</strike></p><p><strike>40. Lunar Crater</strike></p><p><strike>41. Famed Copernicus Crater</strike></p><p>42. Moon Huts</p><p>43. Moon Surveying Squad</p><p><strike>44. Moon Mountain Climbing</strike></p><p><strike>45. Photographing Moon Craters</strike></p><p>46. Collecting Mineral on the Moon</p><p><strike>47. Lunar Mists</strike></p><p><strike>48. Lunar Explosions</strike></p><p><strike>49. Palomar Observatory</strike></p><p>50. Enjoying Earthshine</p><p><strike>51. Eclipse of the Earth</strike></p><p>52. Working in Space</p><p><strike>53. Space Supply Depot</strike></p><p>54. Assembling Supply Ship</p><p><strike>55. Supplies for Moon Pioneers</strike></p><p>56. Solar Generators</p><p><strike>57. Lunar Airplant</strike></p><p>58. Lunar City</p><p><strike>59. Gymnastics on the Moon</strike></p><p><strike>60. Lunar Lookout Post</strike></p><p>61. Farming on the Moon</p><p>62. Moon Trains</p><p>63. Space Message Center</p><p><strike>64. Lunar Space Port</strike></p><p><strike>65. Chasing Comets</strike></p><p><strike>66. Heading Home</strike></p><p>67. Return To Earth</p><p><strike>68. Outer Space Station</strike></p><p><strike>69. Takeoff for Other Planets</strike></p><p>70. Refueling Planet Ship</p><p><strike>71. Venus Dust Storms</strike></p><p>72. Mysterious Mars</p><p><strike>73. Martian Landscape</strike></p><p>74. Martian Dust Storms</p><p>75. Martian Air Base</p><p>76. Visit to Mercury</p><p>77. Mercury's Amazing Climate</p><p><strike>78. Studying the Sun's Surface</strike></p><p><strike>79. Melting in the Sun's Heat</strike></p><p><strike>80. Exploring Jupiter</strike></p><p><strike>81. Jupiter's Terrain</strike></p><p><strike>82. Hurricane on Jupiter</strike></p><p><strike>83. View of Saturn</strike></p><p><strike>84. Spectacular Saturn</strike></p><p>85. Saturn's Rings</p><p>86. Pluto — The Coldest Planet</p><p><strike>87. Discovering a New Sun</strike></p><p><strike>88. Life on Other Planets?</strike></p><p> Doubles: 3. 13. 48, 73</p><p>Set complete so far: 49/88 cards = 55.7%</p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-39269643806165292742020-12-28T01:23:00.003-06:002020-12-28T01:23:23.180-06:00Joy of the Completed Page: 1963 Topps Astronauts Mixed Backs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/07/finally-building-one-of-my-favorite.html">I have been plugging away at my 1963 Topps Astronauts set</a> and I'm down to needing just 10 cards. This is thanks to a huge lot I purchased in the fall that were Popsicle brand backs instead of the more-common 3D backs. The lot was such a deal because, although the Popsicle backs are more rare, nearly all of them had tape marks on the back. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a former "taper" myself, I loved the idea of a kid loving astronauts and taping his cards into notebooks or on the wall. I'm a pretty easy going collector so I'm OK with the 3D backs or the Popsicle backs in building the collection. That flexibility has given me my first completed page of the set which includes cards No. 37-45. In total there are only 55 cards in the set so this group is pretty deep into it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmuNncJ1tf33LQbtDU1EDN1YWUv7jqU0a_4-DnNSUtJBtRl5ryfrNn8RHkweM9sGLu-C6sey62AiEnIlWK3HE6J5885gcYZGJKKyMhfpR5bcb3w1raR9E1xcJ80-qHyrajdaoeTL2wEo/s2048/IMG_20201013_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmuNncJ1tf33LQbtDU1EDN1YWUv7jqU0a_4-DnNSUtJBtRl5ryfrNn8RHkweM9sGLu-C6sey62AiEnIlWK3HE6J5885gcYZGJKKyMhfpR5bcb3w1raR9E1xcJ80-qHyrajdaoeTL2wEo/w472-h640/IMG_20201013_0001.jpg" width="472" /></a></div> <div>Here's the reverse side of my completed page and you can see three of the group are from the Popsicle set with the tape marks. I do have a set of the 3D glasses from the set waiting for me at COMC and so hopefully sometime in 2021 I can finally see what the card makers intended with the unique reverse design. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcHb-vpyhm7i-yzZkqsXb1fRambmVx9LhvvX5wa_y5njgrDWO5ph3MLOQfV9j0i3hX6RZW_cump5jcqSSz54XPEPwWb87BCz6Xx82J1nTBl7SqGWCPxxRZ6JATuqb8q6cfXFainuWecg/s2048/IMG_20201013_0002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1523" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcHb-vpyhm7i-yzZkqsXb1fRambmVx9LhvvX5wa_y5njgrDWO5ph3MLOQfV9j0i3hX6RZW_cump5jcqSSz54XPEPwWb87BCz6Xx82J1nTBl7SqGWCPxxRZ6JATuqb8q6cfXFainuWecg/w476-h640/IMG_20201013_0002.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-88951806846794101792020-12-20T22:38:00.001-06:002020-12-20T22:38:11.661-06:00Joy of the Completed Set: The Monster T206 Set <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Certainly the highlight of my 2020 collecting year was finding a copy of the Renata Galasso reprint edition of the T206 set dubbed "The Monster" at my local LCS. I have been collecting the random mini reprints as I found them in quarter boxes for years and I had no idea that the set originally came in this great little set box. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEmQK2eHApWEX8RPVupaA9jHFS6iVFVURq4uKDWoI6qM4VbeLUF3s_tXHg6GJc8tLya-Yv2j178S8tzco8gS7SGgZerkOLpOhyphenhyphenw4j0n85pbRBg-9XS7MbJcgZIFZbk38f5jDYKOb-RNY/s3274/MVIMG_20200820_214438_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="3274" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEmQK2eHApWEX8RPVupaA9jHFS6iVFVURq4uKDWoI6qM4VbeLUF3s_tXHg6GJc8tLya-Yv2j178S8tzco8gS7SGgZerkOLpOhyphenhyphenw4j0n85pbRBg-9XS7MbJcgZIFZbk38f5jDYKOb-RNY/w640-h188/MVIMG_20200820_214438_Snapseed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Taking a closer look at the set when I got home, I became a little worried that I was missing a good chunk of the cards because it looked like a large group of cards were missing, presumably the Honus Wagner and the other top cards. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-LVF1Nnu8c1vSfUX3GeXUW4DRoU8vhWK7FZunWjvJFBDMFbG75kJlm88_V2H3y1BQoCGCoBcPMf74zFKcnf3Pw-OTPEP377uy9fghLXfUck8FoojqFeOt9-hLBycPE6ZgNJHLkE_qJA/s2048/MVIMG_20200822_150452_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="2048" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-LVF1Nnu8c1vSfUX3GeXUW4DRoU8vhWK7FZunWjvJFBDMFbG75kJlm88_V2H3y1BQoCGCoBcPMf74zFKcnf3Pw-OTPEP377uy9fghLXfUck8FoojqFeOt9-hLBycPE6ZgNJHLkE_qJA/w640-h344/MVIMG_20200822_150452_Snapseed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But after getting these into pages...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...which is a side story in and of itself. With no set numbering on any of the cards I went with the subject alphabetical order method and found a T206 checklist that corresponded with the set. I transfered that to an Excel spreadsheet and printed out the list and cut out each little spread sheet box and slipped them into each mini page. That took a couple days of my spare time and then it was putting the cards in order which was sort of exciting not knowing exactly was was missing...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...but in the end, everything was there! I really can't explain why there was such a big gap in the original box packaging.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So here they are, all 524 cards from "The Monster." If you can track the set [<a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/Boxed-1909-1911-T206-Tobacco-Baseball-Card-The-Monster-Reprint-Set-of-524-NM-MT/363119917819?hash=item548ba23afb:g:g30AAOSwZdBfbo6P">sets are available on eBay in a different box for $80</a>] I would highly recommend it because there are a million little details on each mini page that you will never notice without having the cards in your hands. Each card is its own masterpiece and it is a set that you can enjoy for years to come. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVTMsYt3RYktaY4W2f7mYS7uH5G8fy-KLGXm1qB_pRz-XWPHwvwS3Fj7fsErdrT_e4b2f26Ef6ph74goq_c8TkmDPACeaa0-ZIXG8ljpA-ZzIsx_Niq_LiyXRHxzXJsxjp0FVaPUYAHU/s2048/T206+Page+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVTMsYt3RYktaY4W2f7mYS7uH5G8fy-KLGXm1qB_pRz-XWPHwvwS3Fj7fsErdrT_e4b2f26Ef6ph74goq_c8TkmDPACeaa0-ZIXG8ljpA-ZzIsx_Niq_LiyXRHxzXJsxjp0FVaPUYAHU/w472-h640/T206+Page+1.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Renata Galasso gave us a great assortment of back variations on each page and these back pages are just as enjoyable to me as the other side. <div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oN4c9YrDN2VKozOEKL_ozatsQxydcibFcGZmRXb1nZ7SSSzQd0wr1Lq4RJvhd4GQrNaCfbt18XA9nLBVzotKi5axE_PkyhrWbWE7wA25wbQE15xVZ_DqqH8bQi_wxUMNDqY33l7merU/s2048/T206+Page+1+Reverse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oN4c9YrDN2VKozOEKL_ozatsQxydcibFcGZmRXb1nZ7SSSzQd0wr1Lq4RJvhd4GQrNaCfbt18XA9nLBVzotKi5axE_PkyhrWbWE7wA25wbQE15xVZ_DqqH8bQi_wxUMNDqY33l7merU/w472-h640/T206+Page+1+Reverse.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlOfUpmDNutg6bY3uTfW6ssRO7IuqBAXoDuQCCCV9BgDSq4JRuK7IlsyDbw-6Nlvq3yRnYE7nRxDpgfNmd-qbcocvy3N4tS5cozSolcY0s9eGBcDglfXD57JsWYb2Nr93ouLzrLgvdDc/s2048/T206+Page+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRlOfUpmDNutg6bY3uTfW6ssRO7IuqBAXoDuQCCCV9BgDSq4JRuK7IlsyDbw-6Nlvq3yRnYE7nRxDpgfNmd-qbcocvy3N4tS5cozSolcY0s9eGBcDglfXD57JsWYb2Nr93ouLzrLgvdDc/w474-h640/T206+Page+2.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFNHxWPovGICt_rsKs83KDM90KmnuQuq838r6J1il91xnzOiV_i9HovFts6fR990DUoysxofNtL7GJ1nMtUhEitdVwnR65QmhcTyeaMtWh94WMhmI8MBALFcc2SMQRMY-uptL-au-Bpk/s2048/T206+Page+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFNHxWPovGICt_rsKs83KDM90KmnuQuq838r6J1il91xnzOiV_i9HovFts6fR990DUoysxofNtL7GJ1nMtUhEitdVwnR65QmhcTyeaMtWh94WMhmI8MBALFcc2SMQRMY-uptL-au-Bpk/w474-h640/T206+Page+3.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKxDq-3AZMICYDqcAk3rW7vM4NpblWIQbK4nHjozF6cCe6jhd_9R46dxzAgrxQN3VyoIzjbuBFdWhn3xmaIZByIHR4kQdloD74jwehjZMCD1RlTNWmf5Ilj7tuBiEXZiIWiEfb9LZM58/s2048/T206+Page+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKxDq-3AZMICYDqcAk3rW7vM4NpblWIQbK4nHjozF6cCe6jhd_9R46dxzAgrxQN3VyoIzjbuBFdWhn3xmaIZByIHR4kQdloD74jwehjZMCD1RlTNWmf5Ilj7tuBiEXZiIWiEfb9LZM58/w476-h640/T206+Page+4.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfp3ocCWBXtTjy3KehHQeDF-YzbZb96MzhKkeRov2c5JzmEA5mVqm_CtJSlinnU9DLdFKPcdvKpRCA6rJ5WGAiIhGv0iY4qFjBcAvpJDXPNKZK5W9TeiHvlKYLSF-eooyph_4QA1ufQ_s/s2048/T206+Page+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1523" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfp3ocCWBXtTjy3KehHQeDF-YzbZb96MzhKkeRov2c5JzmEA5mVqm_CtJSlinnU9DLdFKPcdvKpRCA6rJ5WGAiIhGv0iY4qFjBcAvpJDXPNKZK5W9TeiHvlKYLSF-eooyph_4QA1ufQ_s/w476-h640/T206+Page+5.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p_PpECQxSM2xluUi_R4iRD6Thx9Tz89T4Fy8CUnvEjmIp6H2AUlHqdt64kwOAjcHi4oQzoOSMOL9XHdJfKtSA6wuVVZ_v-cYTFBbsfFmvzDUsB9YBjzZlkFmNPwL1NITfNt4hVTmhWw/s2048/T206+Page+6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p_PpECQxSM2xluUi_R4iRD6Thx9Tz89T4Fy8CUnvEjmIp6H2AUlHqdt64kwOAjcHi4oQzoOSMOL9XHdJfKtSA6wuVVZ_v-cYTFBbsfFmvzDUsB9YBjzZlkFmNPwL1NITfNt4hVTmhWw/w474-h640/T206+Page+6.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNdtvonnKPkHIEzXMtd_SVu2djFD0i3VjMcIpOZ_QX2qlclgkoGqPMdiiaAYqhku82WcaPHjtvltBJpJEKAmnefUWJYYw9dFpvk872erDo2akyv9LOHshRp_1GWlySFuNXmt3paUbBkc/s2048/T206+Page+7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNdtvonnKPkHIEzXMtd_SVu2djFD0i3VjMcIpOZ_QX2qlclgkoGqPMdiiaAYqhku82WcaPHjtvltBJpJEKAmnefUWJYYw9dFpvk872erDo2akyv9LOHshRp_1GWlySFuNXmt3paUbBkc/w476-h640/T206+Page+7.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIVEw3ZxbvduKFSkXls2QfF0LcsP33k5pEA50QmLUsnhor5aTxtzC2rc3i0F19RKGHvF6nj2gsltrX29J1CDlLb-Ez3dROBm7H1VYo1UXclr3mqskpcBXzfw8SZ9EeJi9vs7YJ0F4KEo/s2048/T206+Page+8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIVEw3ZxbvduKFSkXls2QfF0LcsP33k5pEA50QmLUsnhor5aTxtzC2rc3i0F19RKGHvF6nj2gsltrX29J1CDlLb-Ez3dROBm7H1VYo1UXclr3mqskpcBXzfw8SZ9EeJi9vs7YJ0F4KEo/w476-h640/T206+Page+8.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIS8VizbKFiq_wOzXgRqLGKIt3D5IXeEW5sKfV3A1Ygj_Wo9xwS-P2r7PZCwxuFrOylYtqiddX6tcNGGels8ml3cdIijd4bD8oDGmCEB5hP78iLeBIhHOa83E1mlWn9aQKHIL14owVAs/s2048/T206+Page+9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1523" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIS8VizbKFiq_wOzXgRqLGKIt3D5IXeEW5sKfV3A1Ygj_Wo9xwS-P2r7PZCwxuFrOylYtqiddX6tcNGGels8ml3cdIijd4bD8oDGmCEB5hP78iLeBIhHOa83E1mlWn9aQKHIL14owVAs/w476-h640/T206+Page+9.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmXp4rYNMYRU6av5KGieCmOxV1_35zSMEbbgO4JVzvo5_2ivaBgrUsv0kt4BeURNeFreO7jZ4ZmDYA91_puv0hkTGym4TUBNPWzaiNeENpVTFSQDSSbi-ZGui8RK8Z_V1lePDzMb97r4/s2048/T206+Page+10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmXp4rYNMYRU6av5KGieCmOxV1_35zSMEbbgO4JVzvo5_2ivaBgrUsv0kt4BeURNeFreO7jZ4ZmDYA91_puv0hkTGym4TUBNPWzaiNeENpVTFSQDSSbi-ZGui8RK8Z_V1lePDzMb97r4/w476-h640/T206+Page+10.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonlByhEzXreUgiJOpTCIu_L88BNlpA8CpQz90VzhqThIGYBQeVsDfxBlCfnY0uhcqkqUdummwUO6aCYwOrbvfY4rvLJLUGeQNnWAQRuN0iaTmlEiP3Ow2IHQybiD4t95lLs3iBWXndo8/s2048/T206+Page+11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1523" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonlByhEzXreUgiJOpTCIu_L88BNlpA8CpQz90VzhqThIGYBQeVsDfxBlCfnY0uhcqkqUdummwUO6aCYwOrbvfY4rvLJLUGeQNnWAQRuN0iaTmlEiP3Ow2IHQybiD4t95lLs3iBWXndo8/w476-h640/T206+Page+11.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEy0vfexEYbX0ZBrZ7Wh22sO9W-BVI0JzcCk9305CqzbRxPcyLEqlb9l51KKC13BU1s105FZignAH7ZLSAGuOa_-wTktT62Xrjf-skKIuaFC8wV2TacOTcV73TDnIqQPZdYWQlUMK7hA/s2048/T206+Page+12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1514" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEy0vfexEYbX0ZBrZ7Wh22sO9W-BVI0JzcCk9305CqzbRxPcyLEqlb9l51KKC13BU1s105FZignAH7ZLSAGuOa_-wTktT62Xrjf-skKIuaFC8wV2TacOTcV73TDnIqQPZdYWQlUMK7hA/w474-h640/T206+Page+12.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1GS4V151FSbt6eEMlIQFJM0R-cG4uBHNz5ufCt-gyHfgF0tpYRF-Mzj-A-acjCpHD5b9md2FJy_aGSeA4T1IcCwDZBvbQoA_POXuHq7rvqqll2PRQEtNmEX5A29V0FhhBZYu9c_pj0E/s2048/T206+Page+13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1516" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1GS4V151FSbt6eEMlIQFJM0R-cG4uBHNz5ufCt-gyHfgF0tpYRF-Mzj-A-acjCpHD5b9md2FJy_aGSeA4T1IcCwDZBvbQoA_POXuHq7rvqqll2PRQEtNmEX5A29V0FhhBZYu9c_pj0E/w474-h640/T206+Page+13.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vpJ1fD6A_vLZbLlI66fOq7tkMw00rl1Sv1mrFnFiqSvFCCH9dGc7pRQTvg9VXXowKHUV3y5lyvTjKuaEjQJMeg249mYWNejUppMZWrKtUl9e6bvn5DPzUCSdUhB1z7oS3EDY5CjKKp4/s2048/T206+Page+14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vpJ1fD6A_vLZbLlI66fOq7tkMw00rl1Sv1mrFnFiqSvFCCH9dGc7pRQTvg9VXXowKHUV3y5lyvTjKuaEjQJMeg249mYWNejUppMZWrKtUl9e6bvn5DPzUCSdUhB1z7oS3EDY5CjKKp4/w476-h640/T206+Page+14.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0R_UagH_tVftR6XjeaTOmHIkkbw63LhVKCbWvP_BASIUYssDlEsl2Wb6faiIpOOGQlbQY5q20ULVY-L8mEQnj_M6iJvCsEsFo5BhH9rrXHc6jRQgUKP3aJo9_SFsz-0r1NHRb0LjGFg/s2048/T206+Page+15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0R_UagH_tVftR6XjeaTOmHIkkbw63LhVKCbWvP_BASIUYssDlEsl2Wb6faiIpOOGQlbQY5q20ULVY-L8mEQnj_M6iJvCsEsFo5BhH9rrXHc6jRQgUKP3aJo9_SFsz-0r1NHRb0LjGFg/w474-h640/T206+Page+15.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnYEE3njjY8bcwqDNQOjhDztrKzQ9U6Z4Umu4gkw00GPxNiWhBGf1tu6N-U_iHuIViTxdCoFaWkaQjMy3_nk2lTPvJHtHuuEyCyYaXS42ayuPOP5CqNFVPRXOtgt2BAvOS5zv-A4JEFI/s2048/T206+Page+16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnYEE3njjY8bcwqDNQOjhDztrKzQ9U6Z4Umu4gkw00GPxNiWhBGf1tu6N-U_iHuIViTxdCoFaWkaQjMy3_nk2lTPvJHtHuuEyCyYaXS42ayuPOP5CqNFVPRXOtgt2BAvOS5zv-A4JEFI/w472-h640/T206+Page+16.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZYaA_q36AkQwW2WffvvTfu17nGM8Kr7SmKWuU17KehEFPzTT-wU-n4tbRkqIcc7XLeHZRb0lizQVQjb_pyG-T3HmjIF9f1mFy0Ke3AK7lKZScS_K-Ck3a6t4M4C1kiHoF8cPNv105lA/s2048/T206+Page+17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1516" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZYaA_q36AkQwW2WffvvTfu17nGM8Kr7SmKWuU17KehEFPzTT-wU-n4tbRkqIcc7XLeHZRb0lizQVQjb_pyG-T3HmjIF9f1mFy0Ke3AK7lKZScS_K-Ck3a6t4M4C1kiHoF8cPNv105lA/w474-h640/T206+Page+17.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EKq51-1zvSLchetSyxVw1MDfH39phqDW-Ny6in47Y3CSaM6arSRhV8A7fBLlF5-XPWBix4k_ACIx9mXhpHNA6yJYR1GzXghJ70sRjJEQnhMwffBy2nJZ0GGcOP22L2Pa5WypFcWC7SA/s2048/T206+Page+18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EKq51-1zvSLchetSyxVw1MDfH39phqDW-Ny6in47Y3CSaM6arSRhV8A7fBLlF5-XPWBix4k_ACIx9mXhpHNA6yJYR1GzXghJ70sRjJEQnhMwffBy2nJZ0GGcOP22L2Pa5WypFcWC7SA/w472-h640/T206+Page+18.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDWR7aNiVuBi78sOcg67onFo04ioANYTY5raEOTKJ2fAMj4udrB_mbaLeBmMW_J6SdoU4qc_eOSwzdJj5EchuY6FB6JBy05wkf7Q5hzuqDUiJz00e5XXTKZ4Bo4D0bpkHb-VFovaNhQs/s2048/T206+Page+19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDWR7aNiVuBi78sOcg67onFo04ioANYTY5raEOTKJ2fAMj4udrB_mbaLeBmMW_J6SdoU4qc_eOSwzdJj5EchuY6FB6JBy05wkf7Q5hzuqDUiJz00e5XXTKZ4Bo4D0bpkHb-VFovaNhQs/w474-h640/T206+Page+19.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawqeuu4cDiV85Cct6tkUY6AK5ybvF_iWeCpqfV6TAT0bxTa80PoX49HO5UDJedruO0_uevrz7StgFBs-T9ymruuyql7G5HpVtdIV_hKvG6Bhft9Jp4cj6kVP8Ea1OPtIIsMf16ki9QCo/s2048/T206+Page+20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawqeuu4cDiV85Cct6tkUY6AK5ybvF_iWeCpqfV6TAT0bxTa80PoX49HO5UDJedruO0_uevrz7StgFBs-T9ymruuyql7G5HpVtdIV_hKvG6Bhft9Jp4cj6kVP8Ea1OPtIIsMf16ki9QCo/w472-h640/T206+Page+20.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SxdJ6HEj4WbcA7qpyKcKcvdgAZvC29d4Pw3KreIuKOXdb5fYN0CQK3ubAthzb9Bg66FAmUR77twi6yviRrfuV8kIIPw-o3JJvW5Z0xRiBfC-wDaB-nkZ4QXj6tG_3vJ5WnOh-TGZ2wI/s2048/T206+Page+21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SxdJ6HEj4WbcA7qpyKcKcvdgAZvC29d4Pw3KreIuKOXdb5fYN0CQK3ubAthzb9Bg66FAmUR77twi6yviRrfuV8kIIPw-o3JJvW5Z0xRiBfC-wDaB-nkZ4QXj6tG_3vJ5WnOh-TGZ2wI/w474-h640/T206+Page+21.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfGPL7ct6bCRJKwmSgY3Qu8IaSOD-SKRyaWfqP3TxhHOzlc9VFlKEgdgIE7BfxorBJRAqHKCivjK7cFEm-PgMUR-ypyzDTtAwdR4ACBC_TfPIgTJDnipFJ8wsC1tIdgrlHfGsWpZZPMo/s2048/T206+Page+22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1520" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfGPL7ct6bCRJKwmSgY3Qu8IaSOD-SKRyaWfqP3TxhHOzlc9VFlKEgdgIE7BfxorBJRAqHKCivjK7cFEm-PgMUR-ypyzDTtAwdR4ACBC_TfPIgTJDnipFJ8wsC1tIdgrlHfGsWpZZPMo/w476-h640/T206+Page+22.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytj_0r1xzNbZ4K5TOM1bU7HykzWhtjNpt2iqOLwHRglzD1PwZ-kcMg_YzJ0269RH2bk_z0OEt7eGvkxruay8j-HFyNpIjhKUZ8kPb2nRGlWbpfubcPR39fcx2CF199mqPYbmgmOEIVHs/s2048/T206+Page+23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytj_0r1xzNbZ4K5TOM1bU7HykzWhtjNpt2iqOLwHRglzD1PwZ-kcMg_YzJ0269RH2bk_z0OEt7eGvkxruay8j-HFyNpIjhKUZ8kPb2nRGlWbpfubcPR39fcx2CF199mqPYbmgmOEIVHs/w472-h640/T206+Page+23.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDf7KnrujRR8AuOEsViVCq5q1V686JgKg1h_netPk02igKm_RokvMHghWITlo_lgLIy_WK-Mwpb7ZmO3nUrUDO_aCkHeCnhbHvnJ8Rk5MKI0fix3R7PXRt0ghSxS7JGO52hAnqfB7_-Y/s2048/T206+Page+24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDf7KnrujRR8AuOEsViVCq5q1V686JgKg1h_netPk02igKm_RokvMHghWITlo_lgLIy_WK-Mwpb7ZmO3nUrUDO_aCkHeCnhbHvnJ8Rk5MKI0fix3R7PXRt0ghSxS7JGO52hAnqfB7_-Y/w472-h640/T206+Page+24.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraG0wLCIMsvdE7Na6wepVuea-d79MoclZFmlYJwL8yJURFiGb5Yt9L74y1iUWgzUKM3TrxhE4VnjziJMP1rD5cpmWInBAJUMYmCGPglfs4dlgCMrn5KB3uzRlo7ag1LqrLNafTwb4uEU/s2048/T206+Page+25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraG0wLCIMsvdE7Na6wepVuea-d79MoclZFmlYJwL8yJURFiGb5Yt9L74y1iUWgzUKM3TrxhE4VnjziJMP1rD5cpmWInBAJUMYmCGPglfs4dlgCMrn5KB3uzRlo7ag1LqrLNafTwb4uEU/w472-h640/T206+Page+25.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HPjBB_DmmSzoQhTqFcH28A-UvNy1XiPTaHIz8hdyCQqFTZjfIMv54bEr7ZWzfyEuRnyB7DsNV2St8OOAAYh5cQPADtegraY6Y2bBsMSVDTYv1doL0eG7SmiAoWjroqf5zqFFAk5BXOg/s2048/T206+Page+26.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HPjBB_DmmSzoQhTqFcH28A-UvNy1XiPTaHIz8hdyCQqFTZjfIMv54bEr7ZWzfyEuRnyB7DsNV2St8OOAAYh5cQPADtegraY6Y2bBsMSVDTYv1doL0eG7SmiAoWjroqf5zqFFAk5BXOg/w472-h640/T206+Page+26.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K_OEPe9LFLcVY-A3BvOBhQsU3FPG3d_ZL4loYfxBl2hSM1TdsDBThL6KiNf1Za_UQzEV1cvVsNa5_8vqABjl4EQn_jaPBXJWdj8GjB9zOgzmXtS5DUS7dj8pVdeFt_CnE2lPVHA5j94/s2552/T206+Page+27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="2552" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K_OEPe9LFLcVY-A3BvOBhQsU3FPG3d_ZL4loYfxBl2hSM1TdsDBThL6KiNf1Za_UQzEV1cvVsNa5_8vqABjl4EQn_jaPBXJWdj8GjB9zOgzmXtS5DUS7dj8pVdeFt_CnE2lPVHA5j94/w640-h232/T206+Page+27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-47766811428445152622020-10-19T13:13:00.000-05:002020-10-19T13:13:01.879-05:00The one and only T206 in my collection<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On my last trip to the Chicago edition of The National, one item on my to-do list was to not leave Rosemont, IL without an original T206. Sure enough, I found a seller with a bin with graded cards of the most famous set ever created and I flipped through and hemmed and hawed and finally decided to make this my first T206. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUcBH1e6CfAX2WB9b5XHHFandAjpuN6Uta3lknw7Z8OAqVdg0o5cEOf8Kvn1_ZDXi8v82uRwHnUY3ub7yLcXFRs60CRIFolF6Y-D8okcZnWF3TriLGvhl2anJMniwnG69fNJfWo5srag/s2048/PXL_20201003_235953899_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1342" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUcBH1e6CfAX2WB9b5XHHFandAjpuN6Uta3lknw7Z8OAqVdg0o5cEOf8Kvn1_ZDXi8v82uRwHnUY3ub7yLcXFRs60CRIFolF6Y-D8okcZnWF3TriLGvhl2anJMniwnG69fNJfWo5srag/w420-h640/PXL_20201003_235953899_Snapseed.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just love Fielder Jones' expression and the hands on hips stance is just a perfect. Doing a quick search, Fielder could have been called "Hand on His Hips" Jones. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGB7FOgCH49m_dReJgyzVdKaPyVhnxPFjPug179_Jx4HV5mmANED9yRwK43VdDCiLGxlkMwdSMcz4DO9nKaPqIB2BE141WE1LN1M5V-kkU0k6GTZ64iJZZMEBup_1xLxL-5J4EfzxjLU/s261/Fielder+Jones+Hands+on+Hips+2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGB7FOgCH49m_dReJgyzVdKaPyVhnxPFjPug179_Jx4HV5mmANED9yRwK43VdDCiLGxlkMwdSMcz4DO9nKaPqIB2BE141WE1LN1M5V-kkU0k6GTZ64iJZZMEBup_1xLxL-5J4EfzxjLU/w307-h320/Fielder+Jones+Hands+on+Hips+2.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwqiWj6r3rRx-4N1BLbXo08HYqtCT11V8Uhk3_2oxYBTT0sPIRlhLJHHJPvGkogpyyUsC3gOuyFR4E8n8aQ32_-_cHQ7Q_PUNi2nJY9xVvTEXSNxSqzjTc0pTpBYkOK2LK-vJdzZLcpo/s500/Fielder+Jones+Hands+on+Hips+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="401" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwqiWj6r3rRx-4N1BLbXo08HYqtCT11V8Uhk3_2oxYBTT0sPIRlhLJHHJPvGkogpyyUsC3gOuyFR4E8n8aQ32_-_cHQ7Q_PUNi2nJY9xVvTEXSNxSqzjTc0pTpBYkOK2LK-vJdzZLcpo/s320/Fielder+Jones+Hands+on+Hips+3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fielder was a center fielder and manager (often while still a player) and he was a pretty good batter with a career .285 average and 631 career RBIs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a manager, Fielder captained the White Sox to the 1906 World Series title. The Sox beat the Cubs in one of the biggest upsets in World Series history. The White Sox got hot in the playoffs after hitting .230 on the season (The Mets hit .272 and the Brave his .268 in 2020 by comparison) and beat the Cubs in the one and only Chicago series. <span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the reverse side, I've got a Sovereign Cigarettes back which are always printed with forest or apple green colored text. Throughout the T206 set, the Sovereign backs say either "150 SUBJECTS" or "350 SUBJECTS" making this a forest green version because Jones' cards don't have the green apple version. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsvHTKNwrhBnRi7ToPHs0yEGLSwtssWPymNzHQ5GycnZ5_pPJec-KTANHmB4uuHFN2NpR3thLBvPpocfl0UbLf2Pa_7t_KiQETjRcr74Bx3ePMJHfa3_USCqV8fcU1JWKUl2MF5U1HVI/s2048/PXL_20201004_000021357_Snapseed.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1181" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsvHTKNwrhBnRi7ToPHs0yEGLSwtssWPymNzHQ5GycnZ5_pPJec-KTANHmB4uuHFN2NpR3thLBvPpocfl0UbLf2Pa_7t_KiQETjRcr74Bx3ePMJHfa3_USCqV8fcU1JWKUl2MF5U1HVI/w231-h400/PXL_20201004_000021357_Snapseed.jpg" width="231" /></a><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJDmcza-9vkieXPYubAElJeEg4SY-j6MwkOz0945ldSVoaM5jQhc4YJHSyD8uZmqC_bpRXfXHDjHL9IDOUekBZb5NnddfCBff9eLNlwNvnG4GNSAzI-Hf4AIthhRvP454vcmlShq1hZs/s2048/PXL_20201004_000015529_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJDmcza-9vkieXPYubAElJeEg4SY-j6MwkOz0945ldSVoaM5jQhc4YJHSyD8uZmqC_bpRXfXHDjHL9IDOUekBZb5NnddfCBff9eLNlwNvnG4GNSAzI-Hf4AIthhRvP454vcmlShq1hZs/s2048/PXL_20201004_000015529_Snapseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1175" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJDmcza-9vkieXPYubAElJeEg4SY-j6MwkOz0945ldSVoaM5jQhc4YJHSyD8uZmqC_bpRXfXHDjHL9IDOUekBZb5NnddfCBff9eLNlwNvnG4GNSAzI-Hf4AIthhRvP454vcmlShq1hZs/w230-h400/PXL_20201004_000015529_Snapseed.jpg" width="230" /></a></div></div></div></div><br /><div>I also enjoy the damage my card has on the front which looks like Wolverine ran his claws across it. SNIKT! </div><div><br /></div><div>The great part of all the different backs (there are 16 different ones available) means the big T206 set gets exponential larger with somewhere around 5,500 different card combinations possibly available to collectors.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my next post, we will get a look at the complete T206 set with a reprint set I've recently picked up. </div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-24785183395199371842020-09-27T23:36:00.003-05:002020-09-28T12:52:57.035-05:00Can we get more magazines that include free T206 cards in them? <div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wish I remember where I picked up this copy of The Baseball Hobby Card Report issue No. 2. It has been a while I know and it could have been at The National in Chicago a couple years ago. I am familiar with this particular magazine's reputation for one reason -- the "40 FREE CARDS INSIDE" advertised on the cover. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSScrCYm1U8mzUa8NQE5XCaGWDVjRKLAFkISXVD5VD3Zlb9gVxYUPA3SS_64IfwNG6i3s18o-nKQLWJSzZhSKCZFB0HsS3gt3cfMt8-01UwqmLRRcCfQmFTs_RwaOlhzDlmufldxsDpLs/s2048/IMG_20191103_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1533" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSScrCYm1U8mzUa8NQE5XCaGWDVjRKLAFkISXVD5VD3Zlb9gVxYUPA3SS_64IfwNG6i3s18o-nKQLWJSzZhSKCZFB0HsS3gt3cfMt8-01UwqmLRRcCfQmFTs_RwaOlhzDlmufldxsDpLs/w480-h640/IMG_20191103_0001.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator"><br /></div>Issue No. 1 of The Report featured 40 cards from the T206 and issue No. 2 continued that trend. The Report is a product of the great cardmaker Renata Galasso who made so many great unlicensed and reprint card sets through the years. They produced reprint sets for the T206 sets and so including them in their new magazine was a perfect combination. </div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator">Issue No. 2 is from March 1983 so somehow my copy has survived for nearly 40 years without being ripped apart. The 40 cards included feature some of the best known T206 cards including Walter Johnson and the four Ty Cobb variations in the set produced from 1909 to 1911.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1489" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMF_5SWMtru-BptHOuT5O_ugzd2jD7_g-xEmWTVdPljkmmeHaLXbTY8hQfAOu6qVxzn4PqJm5bDY4uqffItq7lkuCUanbNw-elJg5HxHYjIOVV0Jaq0fQAibEWE9RVU8SVLO85tt9qkR8/w291-h400/IMG_20191103_0007.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="291" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iaAblwIr7M0QLI1z5vmt7bfwMNh9sRdMvoyCbSFqFOSxmcXVAIwpgUmv_C2kZeh9__g6-VHvieD7Zfzf2GX8Bsw5CsIdqkd7hOzHb4iryp5Cgzr-yxlJrEzDbd3wCIhRD3yNYV4avao/s2048/IMG_20191103_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iaAblwIr7M0QLI1z5vmt7bfwMNh9sRdMvoyCbSFqFOSxmcXVAIwpgUmv_C2kZeh9__g6-VHvieD7Zfzf2GX8Bsw5CsIdqkd7hOzHb4iryp5Cgzr-yxlJrEzDbd3wCIhRD3yNYV4avao/w290-h400/IMG_20191103_0006.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br />If I have one complaint, it is that the backs are all red. The T206 backs vary in color (red, blue, black, green) and I wish these were more realistic but I do appreciate the magazine gave us a wide variety of back designs featuring the different tobacco brands.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWO88sZ5JGR-J0FaImEjp6aHnuyGuzsVSTOchJ4n03Fdu243Fc79aAlDZcHPLJKLJs2UBsRD9qSesUjB2ElH3rHmaGRO_lwZ0u38qDGllm27EUezwPc_5ENE_tldqbcxLMfzUpbUM7Pw/s2048/IMG_20191103_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1505" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWO88sZ5JGR-J0FaImEjp6aHnuyGuzsVSTOchJ4n03Fdu243Fc79aAlDZcHPLJKLJs2UBsRD9qSesUjB2ElH3rHmaGRO_lwZ0u38qDGllm27EUezwPc_5ENE_tldqbcxLMfzUpbUM7Pw/w294-h400/IMG_20191103_0004.jpg" width="294" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1498" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAx3yGQghN4U5AH9rsEvnjQUfvxT5FmI0GIDRtJVFF9MXuui5PExL1ZWEBgu0KPkcTXjnX9p7Ihdpy2DzSKXbybl8YMQIjl_sH0FpbaS98UeqQctp1Us_JT99AD2mUN9J863GtmfrjhY/w293-h400/IMG_20191103_0003.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="293" /></div><br />Here's a great comic included in issue No. 2. Baseball Card Man is Chip Harris and I would have spit out my drink if I turned the page and the character's name would have been <a href="http://blog.stalegum.com/">Chris Harris.</a></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydQIGwRNTPKpZ8rqQ_9zt7mq53XtGvcApJnDAA6ORaooY0Of4O8VKqGDasJ1aSpp6yY0hZj6Y1GjTB0pYzGPh5Jsslq6meCykZWu4GoJIPUATfGOPyi6t6e61MqsWxwEr0WvLHwFvgMc/s2048/IMG_20191103_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydQIGwRNTPKpZ8rqQ_9zt7mq53XtGvcApJnDAA6ORaooY0Of4O8VKqGDasJ1aSpp6yY0hZj6Y1GjTB0pYzGPh5Jsslq6meCykZWu4GoJIPUATfGOPyi6t6e61MqsWxwEr0WvLHwFvgMc/w457-h640/IMG_20191103_0005.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the first of a few T206 posts I'm planning on doing this week, including my first T206 that I've added to my personal collection and a <a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/search/label/joy%20of%20the%20completed%20set">Joy of the Completed Set</a> featuring every card in the T206 set, so check back! </div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-17731057739101418872020-09-25T00:26:00.001-05:002020-09-25T00:26:48.963-05:00Genius Covers: Always in the horror comics section<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><i>Judging comics by their covers. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><i>You can find other entries in the Genius Covers series <a href="http://www.heartbreakingcards.com/search/label/genius%20covers" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">When I make it to a comic shop I haven't been to before, my first stop is typically the horror comics section. There are so many great unknown/short-lived horror series that have such great covers that I'll pick up some of them before going with issues of th more well-known series. </p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Monsters on the Prowl started off as Chamber of Darkness before switching names after issue No. 8. The series also switched from new content to reprinting older stories from the Atlas Comics days before they became Marvel Comics in 1961. Issue No. 27 (from Nov. 1973) features a story written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby that is originally from 1963. The monster that is prowling is Sserpo who is a brick-like monster sort of like the Fantastic Four's The Thing if he was the size of a skyscraper. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj919V1KyRQiI8qECVfwEmXkna4KFnXRl1BMnRGTp1qBQOeC6Jj8AgbW6IJbP3beIUS4C5DlDIMWZKAgKdMmRDqzdsS0I7s8l9ZEkIfl8BYRTeUGOs56B1cGfCuQkM5oqu41eExtKO390U/s2048/IMG_0021+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1397" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj919V1KyRQiI8qECVfwEmXkna4KFnXRl1BMnRGTp1qBQOeC6Jj8AgbW6IJbP3beIUS4C5DlDIMWZKAgKdMmRDqzdsS0I7s8l9ZEkIfl8BYRTeUGOs56B1cGfCuQkM5oqu41eExtKO390U/w436-h640/IMG_0021+%25283%2529.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First Monsters on the Prowl and now Creatures on the Loose. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seeing a pattern here? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Creatures on the Loose was originally called Tower of Shadows before going through a similar transition as Monsters on the Prowl. My issue, No. 34 from March 1975, comes from the final story line in the series which focuses on J. Jonah Jameson's son John Jameson who is....you guessed it -- Man-Wolf. These issues were illustrated by the great George Perez. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcueGezVh5FEPxKqQICHAZsdRJquLgcmB-59OnmEoghDu90UL_DkABTg1Z25sQnhiRuTa-x5bviqlPd2_DyktjVB5AoLugOBbc7QNWO9InzpE4VVak8Hy3YJNUIS2KH9ggh_NWa7DXmY/w424-h640/IMG_0020+%25283%2529.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="424" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last issue isn't strictly horror but I will always pick up a reasonably priced Doom Patrol. This is No. 113 from June of 1967 and the original run of the comic only lasted eight more issue to issue No. 121. DC Comics then did something that no other comic had done before in ending a series...I won't spoil exactly what they did here, especially if the great Doom Patrol TV series has inspired you to investigate where it all started. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This great silver age issue has the team going Robotman vs. another robot man in the form of Arsenal who has a sword for one hand and an AK-47 for the other. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1372" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpIW1sXsVhPv6UfEnsY9brD2YyMIutLtJo45QIIxRQWmmgbB4b0bLqjlBLYIaaoDdGSEGGqMKUeHJ6VlCHSSz0LFzOOuaQnP31qc3Cw0mv5OOrpjUXwymv4sZoBN1LS4Og1EBmBUHrSo/w428-h640/IMG_0022+%25283%2529.jpg" width="428" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137000056683285487.post-44646942756107639422020-09-23T22:38:00.001-05:002020-09-23T22:38:34.431-05:00My Juan Berenguer bobblehead completes a p.c. set<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.heartbreakingcards.com/2020/07/one-juan-berenguer-white-whale-obtained.html">Now my Juan Berenguer "Berenguer Boogie" cassette tape</a> has its partner as I have recently been able to pick up the companion bobblehead of Berenguer in his trademark suitcase and trenchcoat to complete the set. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1386" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxb96pb9tLL-FfEzjo4T2Ti1ELZxOUYnwr02taK8wFht_fcTP-SN68JQYkUYoTFKe4VnccIJJgaHc9CWLbBsMgj0GjpvHnoJgmEhpWKzQ7fJTQRlU7tnxLV-WAYYBDAq5FSnHTijqr-k/w434-h640/PXL_20200921_205037586_Snapseed.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="434" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While my tape is from the World Series championship season of 1987, the bobblehead was created two decades later to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Twins first championship. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEr0T9Xn6_Ysu1geFuVTRRbPMpkSk2WopoLt2N9GOHSd8Z4RctoT4qjiK9KStrXYyg5V7DXvCYZPM5s_ud7DTEgAROZVqH-jBAzXe9CbaWxckLu934_eDCrfcRwuciGuVmeOtGrlT7Os/s5377/Twins+Bobbleheads.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="5377" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEr0T9Xn6_Ysu1geFuVTRRbPMpkSk2WopoLt2N9GOHSd8Z4RctoT4qjiK9KStrXYyg5V7DXvCYZPM5s_ud7DTEgAROZVqH-jBAzXe9CbaWxckLu934_eDCrfcRwuciGuVmeOtGrlT7Os/w640-h230/Twins+Bobbleheads.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Twins made 1,000 sets of 25 bobbleheads feature a wide range of players including Don Baylor, Randy Bush, Bert Blyleven, Joe Niekro and Kirby Puckett, as well manager Tom Kelly. Sets could be purchased for $387 (that's about $15.50 per bobblehead) from the Twins website and all the profits went to charity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, Juan (on the far right) was the only one not in his Twins uniform (I guess he might have it on under his trench coat) and somebody must have pieced out their set individually. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With my love of Juan being entirely related to his Twins career, I forget sometimes that he also won a World Series with the Tigers in 1984. That season was Berenguer's busiest year as a starting pitcher when he started 27 games for the Tigers and had an 11-10 record. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Following the World Series win, twenty-six Detroit players were featured on Coke cans, including Berenguer. Mine had the Coke emptied out of it from the bottom through a punched hole and so looking at it on my shelf it looks like a pristine can just waiting to be cracked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS2FgWeex_INdcoBQstowItRc29qsRqvpyomDomvTOHGg8Vx1CRpEp8ZT_oKOJuHED4Uz7ElQcwY166bcZbfDxy4SoFAac-BXk98FgWEvX2Z6LdWvJZdc6qZYev5ajaslFszPCzBMfVg/s2048/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200820112824914_COVER_Snapseed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS2FgWeex_INdcoBQstowItRc29qsRqvpyomDomvTOHGg8Vx1CRpEp8ZT_oKOJuHED4Uz7ElQcwY166bcZbfDxy4SoFAac-BXk98FgWEvX2Z6LdWvJZdc6qZYev5ajaslFszPCzBMfVg/w300-h400/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200820112824914_COVER_Snapseed.jpg" width="300" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA0jixLVYSifbeNtnMzmFPJEbFqKLqaxw4CIC0XuIRGWwsD68ExG8MOlLNCn8M2SP4LuAU-mA5AgzprxVrc2rfekc37es0O656NiGaTTfUb0MEICCa2hKs8WVhdkFkn2UOztsvFuuVKU/w313-h400/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200820112808756_COVER_Snapseed.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="313" /></div> <p></p>Matt Flatenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157226107144209201noreply@blogger.com2