Friday, February 14, 2025

The Back-up Plan


At some point in my life... probably around fourth or fifth grade... my dad talked to me about life, careers, and my future.  That's when I told him about my plans to play baseball.  He explained the importance of having something to fall back on... just in case I got injured or wasn't good enough.

Well if I couldn't play second base for the A's, I'd follow in my father's footsteps and become an engineer.  By the time high school rolled around, I struggled to hit a fastball and my baseball career was over.  Thankfully... I had a back-up plan.  Actually... I had chosen a few of them.  Fast forward a few years and it was time to pick a major in college.  That's when I made the life changing decision to become a teacher.

Three decades later and I'm still living the dream as a middle school teacher... but I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm thinking I'll stay in the classroom another eight or nine years.  Believe it or not... I already have two potential back-up plans to help supplement my income and keep me busy, but that's a story for another post on another day.

Today's post features seventy-five gentleman who had the opportunity to play a professional sport.  They also had another thing in common.  They all had a very similar back-up plan... which was to become educators or work in education.

However before we get to these courageous champions of the classroom, let me explain where these cards came from.  Back in December, Bo over at Baseball Cards Come to Life! wrote a post about Skip Nelloms.  He was an outfielder in the New York Yankees organization who went on to become a teacher and school administrator.  I left a comment about being interested in athletes who eventually became educators... and half-jokingly talked about the possibility of starting a new PC.

That same day, he emailed me offering to help me out by putting together a list.  After thinking about it, I told him to not worry about it.  Christmas was only three days away and there was no way I could ask him to do that for me.

A few weeks later, five PWE's arrived in the mail and the rest is history.  Here's the newest PC in my collectionEducators on Cardboard 

Chuck Abbott (HS PE), Jamie Athas (Elementary PE), & Don August (HS Social Studies)
Rod Bair (HS Economics), John Baker (Elementary PE), & Kevin Bearse (MS PE)
Chris Begg (HS Business/PE, Sean Bergman (Elementary PE), & Larvell Blanks (HS)

The first nine guys feature a solid mix of elementary and high school teachers with the majority specializing in physical education.  John Baker's teaching gig was an off-season side hustle.  And Don August is the only name I recognize.

Brent Brede (HS Government), Brad Brink (2nd Grade), & Andrew Brown (Elementary Math)
Mike Campbell (HS PE), Cris Carpenter (HS Social Studies), & Tom Carter (HS PE/Driver's Ed)
Travis Chapman (HS Social Studies), Randy Choate (HS Substitute), & Nathan Culp (HS Health/PE)

Carpenter and Choat are the two names that stand out on this nine-pocket page... which was dominated by high school teachers.  

Pete Dalena (HS), Joel Davis (HS Health), & Adrian Devine (MS PE)
Jeff DeWillis (MS Social Studies), Steve Dreyer (Elementary PE), & Steve Dunn (HS Humanities)
Brad Duvall (HS Physics), Robert Ellis (HS PE), & Chris Enochs (HS Social Studies)

High school teachers continue to be the majority with a couple of middle school teachers and an elementary teacher sprinkled in for variety.  Unfortunately, I didn't recognize any of these guys.  I'm kind of surprised that I don't remember Mr. Enochs.  He was a first round pick for the A's back in 1997 and spent seven seasons in their farm system.

Nate Espy (Assistant Principal), Frank Eufemia (HS PE/Health), & Bryan Farson (Superintendent)
Dave Fleming (5th Grade Math), Nate Frese (HS ELA), & Mike Gardellla (5th/6th Grade)
Dave Gassner (Science/Math Substitute), Tim Harkrider (Superintendent), & Dusty Hughes (MS PE)

This page gives us a look at our first administrators.  One of them is/was an assistant principal and the other two are/were superintendents.

I remember Dave Fleming, because he had a really solid sophomore season with the MarinersCard companies rewarded him with a few inserts cards back in the early 90's.

Terry Jorgensen (HS PE), Pat Keedy (HS Principal), & Joe Kmak (HS Math)
Jerry Kutzler (MS PE), Bob Lacey (HS History), & Jim Lindeman (HS PE)
Bill Long (6th Grade Social Studies), Mike Magnante (HS Math), & Jason Maule (MS PE)

Magnante and Lacey are the two familiar names on this pageMagnante pitched in the 90's and was with the A's for a few years in the early 2000's.  As for Lacey, I don't remember him pitching... but I do remember that 1981 Topps card.

Shawn McCorkle (HS Health/PE), Bob McCreary (HS AP Psyc/Socio), & Alvin Morman (MS Guidance Counselor)
TJ Nall (HS PE), Brian Nichols (HS PE), & Todd Pridy (HS History)
Charlie Puleo (HS PE), Mario Ramos (HS Math), & Robert Ramsay (HS Math)

Alvin Morman represents our only non-high school teacher on this page.  He's also the first sighting of a guidance counselor.  I'd like to point out that the guidance counselor at the school I'm at is one of the hardest working people I know.  Huge props to her for working with a bunch of kids while assisting our administration team.

Eric Reichenbach (HS Special Education), Dan Schatzeder (HS PE), & Mike Schooler (MS PE)
Tony Sheffield (HS Driver's Ed), Jacob Shumate (HS Math), & Mark Sims (HS PE/Health)
Scott Stahoviak (MS PE), Joe Strain (Substitute), & Mark Swope (HS PE)

None of these names ring a bell.  I'm kind of surprised that I don't recognize Mr. Strain.  I sorted my 1981 Fleer set over and over and over again... and the Giants would often get extra attention.  Bo pointed out to me that he would often sub during the off-season.

P.S.  I doubt we're going to come across a better "teacher" name than Schooler.

Dave Telgheder (HS Assistant Principal), Roy Thomas (MS Science/Math), & Terry Tiffee (HS Social Studies)
Billy Traber (HS Science), Tom Veryzer (HS PE), & Joey Vierra (HS Special Education)
Wesley Walker (Elementary PE), David Walsh (HS English), & Jim Wilson (HS PE)

This page features the lone non-baseball card... and arguably the biggest name in the postWesley Walker is one of the New York Jets greatest receivers in the history of their franchise.  Can't tell you much about Tom Veryzer, but I do remember seeing his cards back in the 80's.

Steve Wojciechowski (MS Social Studies), Jim Morris (HS Science), & Dan Wheeler (MS Social Studies)

I've saved the coolest card for last.  What are the odds that a combo card would feature two guys who would go on to teach after baseball?

2000 Skybox Dominion #282

Thank you Bo for taking the time to put together this list of educators, pulling cards of each of them, and then sending them my way.  Any of these things by themselves would have been overly generous.

I went out to my LCS and grabbed one of those special nine-pocket folders to store this unique collection:


I'll start working on a return care package.  I'll start digging through my stuff for some Yankees and vintage that you might be able to use.

By the way... I was suppose to meet up with the PDX Blogger Crew today, but I had to postpone my trip due to a winter storm advisory.  It was definitely a last minute decision... as I cancelled my flight an hour before I planned on leaving for the airport.  The good news is I have credit towards a future flight, so I'll look into returning in the spring or summer.

My back-up plan is to catch up on some hobby stuff.  I have plenty of care packages, stacks of cards, and a pair of COMC shipments cluttering my office that need to be scanned and organized.  If things go according to plan, you'll see a few posts published on here over the next week or so.

Until then....

Happy Valentine's Day and sayonara!

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Hanger Pack Prophets

Ten years ago... the Seattle Seahawks were one yard and twenty-six seconds away from a Super Bowl victory when Russell Wilson threw an interception to Malcolm Butler to hand the New England Patriots their 4th Super Bowl title in franchise history.  That was the last time I was super excited about the Super Bowl.

Ever since then... I'll either root for a team because I have a friend who roots for them... or root against a team I really dislike.  This year... I'm faced with a conundrum in the sense that I don't really hate either of the Super Bowl participants... nor do I have any friends who are Chiefs or Eagles fans.

Ultimately... I decided to root for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, because I'd love to see them become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row.  Plus there's a part of me that wants to see Mahomes match Joe Montana's four Super Bowl wins.

My gut tells me Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are going to end Kansas City's run, but honestly I only watched eight to ten games this season and most of them involved the 49ers, Seahawks, or Packers.

That's why I decided to let these two 2022 Mosaic hanger packs predict the next Super Bowl champion:


The scoring will be based on the 36 (there were actually 21 cards in the first hanger pack) cards.  Each card will be worth at least one point using the following scoring system:

AFC or NFC Base Cards = 1 Point
AFC or NFC HOF Base Cards = 2 Points
Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles Base Cards = 3 Points
Mahomes, Kelce, Hurts, or Barkley = 2x Multiplier
Unnumbered Inserts or Parallels = 2x Multiplier
Numbered Inserts or Parallels = 3x Multiplier
Autograph or Relic = 5x Multiplier

Let's get it started...


First Quarter:

 

Jalen Hurts scores six points to give the Eagles a comfortable lead.


Second Quarter:



Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs bounce back in the second quarter with help from Antonio Gates who just received the call to Canton this week.  They enter halftime with a slim two point lead.


Third Quarter:



Patrick Mahomes and some help from random AFC inserts/parallels help the Chiefs pad their lead in the 3rd Quarter.  Let's see if they can hold onto it.


Fourth Quarter:



The Philadelphia Eagles fight until the final card... but end up falling two points short as the Kansas City Chiefs become the first team to win back to back to back Super Bowls.

Unfortunately for Mahomes fans, he doesn't win his 4th Super Bowl MVP Award.  According to the cards, that honor is going to go to Taylor's boyfriend:

2022 Mosaic Reactive Orange Prizm #97

I'm 100% okay with this outcome.  But honestly... whether or not this hanger pack prophecy comes true or not... today is all about the food and company.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!  Stay safe and sayonara!

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Cooperstown Class of 2025

Yeah.  Yeah.  I know I'm late to the party again.  This post was originally scheduled for two weeks ago... but I got behind in my writing.  However it's not often that one of my favorite players gets voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, so better late than never.

Today's post honors the five new members to this very elite club.  Let's start with the two members voted in by the Classic Era Baseball Committee:

2001 Fleer Greats of the Game Autograph #NNO

Dick Allen played his final game when I was in preschool, so I don't remember watching him play.  However I've looked at his statistics and have read enough articles and blog posts to know that he was a great hitter.  I'm just sad that he didn't get inducted a few years earlier.

2013 Archives Fan Favorites Autographs #FFA-DP

Dave Parker is another one of those Hall of Very Good members who has made the jump over to the Hall of Fame... and I'm absolutely stoked for him and his fans.  His career numbers at the plate was super impressive, but I'll always remember him for teaming up with Gary Carter in the 1979 MLB All-Star Game to gun down Brian Downing at the plate.

Moving along to the three guys voted in by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.  Let's start with the guy that many bloggers have been rooting for the past few years:

2016 Archives Signature Series Buyback Autograph
1997 Topps Gallery #178

Out of the five guys in this class... Wagner is the one I'm least knowledgeable of.  I mean... I obviously know that he's one of the greatest left-handed relief pitchers of all-time.  But that's only because I've read that on your blogs.  Regardless... I'm happy there's another lefty headed to Cooperstown.

Speaking of lefties...

1999 Topps Traded Autograph #T33

Even though he spent over a decade with the New York Yankees... I was excited that Sabathia received the call to the hall on his first ballot.  I purchased this autograph back in 2018 for my Left-Handed Cy Young Award Winner PC.  Guess I need to track down another CC auto for my Left-Handed HOF PC.

Last, but certainly not least, the man who inspired this post:

2023 Finest Flashbacks Autograph #183

During the 2000's... Ichiro was one of the greatest and most exciting players in the game.  

Even if he wasn't from Japan, I would have been collecting his cards.  I just loved how he would slap the ball around the diamond like someone was controlling him in a video game.  It just seemed so easy to him.  Then there's the fact that he won ten consecutive Gold Glove Awards for his performance in right field.  If that wasn't enough to lock him in as a first ballot hall of famer... he also helped open the door for a generation of baseball players from Japan.

Congratulations Mr. Suzuki, Mr. Allen, Mr. Parker, Mr. Wagner, and Mr. Sabathia!

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!