Walk in the Park

Someone once said that choosing a favorite card is as difficult as picking your favorite child.  I wouldn't know, because I don't have any children.  However... I can assure you that choosing my favorite card was a walk in the park.

In fact, I'd guess that most of you already know my favorite piece of cardboard in the collection.  I mean... I've written about it on multiple occasions: here, here, here, here, and here.

But just in case you're new to the blog, I'll go ahead and mention it again since it's the final topic in Tony's 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge.

So without further adieu... here's a look at my favorite card:

1956 Topps #30

The man who broke MLB's color barrier featured on my favorite Topps baseball card design.  It truly doesn't get any better than that.

Now asking me to choose my second favorite baseball card isn't so easy.  Luckily that wasn't one of Tony's challenges.

Thank you Tony for creating the 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge.  It motivated me to write and take a closer look at my collection... even if I took much, much longer than anyone else to complete it.  If you decide to create another challenge, I promise that I'll be there to step up to the plate and I'll try not to take 342 days the next time around.

Happy Saturday and sayonara!

Never Say Never

About twelve months ago, I accepted Tony's 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge.  If you read my first post, then you know that there was no way I'd be able to complete it in 30 days.  30 weeks seemed to be much more realistic.

Well... it's been 51 weeks and I still need to complete two challenges: Day #29 and Day #30.

Since I hate to leave things unfinished... especially challenges, I decided to sit down and hammer out my Day 29 submission, which is to write about a favorite card before 1950, whether you own it or not.

I struggled to choose a card for this challenge, because there isn't a single card that truly stands out.  Part of the problem was deciding if the card would be one of those "never gonna own it" cards or something that I might actually dig into my wallet and purchase.

I decided to target the latter category:

1933 DeLong #7 Lou Gehrig

One of my favorite baseball movies of all-time is Pride of the Yankees, which focuses on The Iron Horse's life.  And since I was a little kid, I've been fascinated by Mr. Gehrig.

Issued the same year as his Goudey rookie card, I tend to favor this card's design over the more popular and expensive Goudey.  

I've never actually a copy of this card in person, but I have seen the Jimmie (spelled Jimmy on the card) Foxx.  They have the same (or at least very similar) backgrounds, so I can assume that the Gehrig is just as beautiful in person.

I'm not going to say that there's a good chance that I'll ever own this card... but unlike a T206 Wagner... there's a chance.  Like Whitney Houston,Mariah Carey, and the One Voice Children's Choir once said, "there can be miracles, when you believe":

I choose to believe.

Next Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of me starting this challenge.  I'm hoping to publish my Day 30 response before then.  In the meantime...

Hey Tony, any plans to start a 2018 version of the 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge?

Everyone else, let's help Tony out...

What are some challenges you'd like to see people write about if Tony chooses to throw down the gauntlet again in 2018?

Happy Monday and sayonara!

Last-Ditch Effort

Colbey Hopper over at Cardboard Connections is hosting an affordable group break that's guaranteed to include 20 hits (autographs or relics)!

For $18, you will receive two teams.  You get to pick the first team and the second team will be randomized after the break has been filled.  He'll be busting these two boxes:  2004 Topps Clubhouse Collection and 2002 Topps Gallery.

All cards will be shipped and the break will be posted live on Facebook on Saturday, March 31st, 2018 at 9pm Eastern.  Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the break.  If you're interested, click here.

Hobby Resolutions: Past and Present

Once upon a time, I was an ambitious collector who created challenging goals to pursue each upcoming year.

These days I'm more like Michael G. Scott from The Office who is all about trying to keep things simple.

Let's take a look at the hobby goals I created for myself last year and see whether or not I was able to achieve them...


Goal #1:  Maintain an average of 3 posts per week.

Let's see.  52 weeks in a year with 3 posts per week means anything over 155 posts in 2017 is a success.  A quick glance to my Blog Archive on the left side panel will confirm that I wrote 166 posts in 2017.  Grade: A+


Goal #2:  Continue reading your blog posts.

This is one of those subjective grades, since it's impossible for me to go back and calculate exactly how many blog posts I've read.  With that being said, I know that there were times when I went AWOL and didn't leave comments on blogs due to a variety of excuses.  However... overall... I feel like I did a good job of reading your blogs.  Grade: B


Goal #3:  Pick up at least one 1956 Topps HOFer.

In regards to creating goals for specific cards, this was the only one I created for myself.  Before 2017, I had five 1956 Topps Hall of Famers sitting in my collection: Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, and Ted Williams.  The goal was to add one more.  I added four:

Willie Mays

Al Kaline

Yogi Berra

Whitey Ford

Writing this post made me realize that I had never written about the Kaline or Berra pickups.  Even more surprising is that I've never written about the Hank Aaron I purchased back in 2013.  I guess I have some writing material the next time I have a bad case of writer's block.

Getting back to my hobby resolution... Grade: A+


Goal #4:  Continue to live within my means.

Here's another one of those goals where I'll have to grade myself subjectively.  I'm pretty good about living within my means.  I pay my bills on time and never leave a balance on my credit cards.  The only debt I current have is the mortgage on my place.  However there have been times when I spend more money on cards than I really should.  After a pretty intense summer shopping spree, I came to the conclusion that I needed to tighten up my hobby budget and focus more on my retirement and an investment property.  And since the middle of August, I've really cut back on purchasing cardboard.

With that being said... I did make two pretty significant purchases recently that I'll share in future posts.  Hey.  Ya gotta treat yourself every once in awhile.  Grade:  C


Goal #5:  Have fun.

Surprise.  Surprise.  Another subjective grade.  Kinda says something about the guy creating these goals, huh.

Anyways.  2017 was a pretty good year.  Even though I dealt with my best friend moving to Oregon and my mother having a hip replacement surgery, the one thing that always helped cheer me up was this hobby and our community of bloggers.  Grade: A+

3 A's, 1 B, and a C = 3.40 GPA.  I'd say that I was pretty successful when I step back and look at the big picture.  As for 2018... I'm sticking with the Michael Scott philosophy and keeping things simple.


2018 Goal #1:  Maintain a Monthly Budget

Although I came pretty close to sticking to a $50 monthly hobby budget the last four to five months of the year, it definitely was a challenge.  I've made the executive decision to double the monthly budget.  This is a more realistic number that allows me to add certain cards (see Goal #2 and #3) to my collection without stressing out too much.  Any unused hobby budget will carry over to the next month.


2018 Goal #2:  Purchase a 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens

This is the last high-end rookie card from the 80's that I need for my collection.  Love him or hate him, he was the best pitcher of his generation and I really want to add his best rookie card to my collection.


2018 Goal #3:  Purchase another 1956 Topps Hall of Famer

There are thirty-four hall of famers in the 1956 Topps baseball card set.  I currently own nine of them.  I don't think it'll be too difficult to add one more.  There are a few guys I'm specifically targeting waiting for one to fall into my hobby budget, but there's one condition.  I'm only looking for PSA, BGS, or SGC graded copies.


2018 Goal #4:  Average 3 Posts Per Week

The 30 Day Challenge that Tony created back in March really helped me reach my 2017 goal.  I'm not sure if they'll be another one this year, but I'm hoping to reach the 156 mark for the 8th time in 9 years.


2018 Goal #5:  Complete 2 Card Sets

I'm currently building 40+ trading card sets.  Completing two of them shouldn't be too difficult, although my monthly hobby budget might get in the way.


2018 Goal #6:  Attend 2 (or more) Card Shows

This past year, I started ditching card shows and honestly there aren't many left in the Bay Area to begin with.  I mostly avoided them, because I didn't want to spend money.  However card shows aren't just about card purchases. It's also about camaraderie.

Hooray!  None of my 2018 goals will need to be graded subjectively.  Although... just in case you're wondering... I'm still planning on reading your blogs on a regular basis, continuing to live within my means, and having as much fun as I can.

How about you?

What's one hobby related thing you'd like to do in 2018?

I've really been enjoying all of the "hobby goal" posts out there.  Keep up the great work!  And here's to a a great 2018!  Happy New Year!

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!

It's a Sunshine Day

It's been over a month since I've written a 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge post.  I'll try to sit down and wrap up the final two challenges over the holiday break.

In the meantime, I'd though I'd share two other memorabilia cards I stumbled across while putting together my Day 28 (Favorite Relic/Manufactured Relic Card) post.

First up is this brightly colored card of The Wizard:

2001 UD Decade 1970's Game-Used Bat #B-OS

I've been a fan of this relic card design since I first laid eyes on them years ago.  The whole beaming sun rays coming from the supposedly game-used sliver of bat practically pops off the card.  I also love the color combination used for this set.  They sort of give off a Partridge Family/Brady Bunch vibe.

2008 Topps Factory Set Mantle Memorabilia #MMR60

I'm not really sure how this could have happened... but I actually forgot this card was sitting in my collection.  It's one of those cards that Topps includes on top of their factory sets.  A few years ago, I purchased the entire 2008 Topps set for $20 at a local card show.  Mantle has always been a big name in our hobby... and he was hands down the biggest name when I started off collecting in the 80's.  I don't really have a lot of his stuff and this is the only game-used memorabilia card featuring The Commerce Comet that I own.

There might be rarer and more expensive Mantle relic cards on the market, but as a fan of the 1960 Topps design... I'm more than content with owning this one.

Let's do something a little different with today's question of the day...

What's your favorite 70's television show?

For my readers who weren't alive during the 70's...

What's your favorite television show?

I probably could write a Saturday Night Five post on this question... but I'll go with Three's Company, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and The Brady Bunch.  

Not sure if I'm ready to declare which one is my absolute favorite, but I'm leaning towards Marsha and company.

Have a Sunshine Day!  Happy Wednesday and sayonara!

Overlooked and Underappreciated

Whenever collectors talk about iconic memorabilia cards, Ken Griffey Jr's 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey card is usually part of the discussion and rightfully so.  It was a part of a historic set... the first baseball game worn jersey memorabilia card set ever produced.

Plus it featured one of the most popular baseball players of the era and arguably the best player in the game at the time.  And when you factor in how tough this card was to pull (1:800 packs), it's no wonder this card still sells in the $500 price range.

But often lost in Griffey's shadow are the two other players on this set's checklist:  Tony Gwynn and Rey Ordonez.

1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey #GJ3

Okay.  I understand why Rey Ordonez doesn't receive a lot of recognition.  Sure he was a 3x Gold Glove Award winning shortstop playing in New York, however he wasn't exactly the hottest rookie in the game.  That title should have gone to the other shortstop playing in New York.

But the third guy on the checklist is a bonafide first ballot hall of famer and was one of the best pure hitters of his generation.

1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey #GJ2

Yet I was able to pick up this jersey card a while back over at Dave and Adam's Card World for a little under $10.  Some of you might be thinking that spending $10 for a memorabilia card is a little outrageous, but compared to Griffey the Gwynn is a steal.

I'll never deny The Kid's greatness.  He was the driving force for the hobby for years... whereas Mr. Padre was buried in San Diego his entire twenty year career.  But is Griffey really worth 25 to 50 times more than Gwynn?  Well... based on what collectors are paying... I guess he is.

But that's okay, because that just means that Gwynn and Ordonez collectors have the opportunity to grab a really cool piece of history for a reasonable price.

In addition to advocating for Gwynn and Ordonez's 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey card, I'm also using them for my Day 28 submission to Tony's 30 Day Baseball Card Challenge, which asks us to show off a favorite relic/manufactured relic card.

So there are two of my favorite relic cards.  What about you?

Do you have a favorite relic or manufactured relic sitting in your collection?

Happy Hump Day!  Have a great Wednesday and sayonara!