30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Thursday, November 22, 2018

JFK and my Pops

Today marks the 55th Anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination.  I wasn't around during his tenure in office, but he's often regarded as one of the most popular Presidents in U.S. history.

Earlier in the year I discovered on another blog (can't remember which one) that Topps produced a trading card set back in 1964 to honor him and give people the opportunity to see him inside and outside of the Oval Office.

I was immediately drawn to this card which features him at the Hyannis Port Golf Club in Massachusetts:

1964 Topps John F. Kennedy #15

I purchased this card off of COMC for 93¢, because of the image.  Whenever I see older golf photos, they instantly make me think of my father and his passion for the sport.  Growing up... he always had positive things to say about President Kennedy... and his favorite thing to do in his free time was play 18.


He recently made the decision to hang up his clubs to spend more time with my mom, but he played a few times a week well into his 80's.

Anyways... getting back to the card... it was obviously discounted due to someone writing down their phone number on the back:


But if you can look beyond the red ink, it truly features a solid design.  I'm especially fond of the United States Capitol Building heading.

Today's question of the day:

Are there any cards that immediately remind you of someone special in your life when you see them?

I'm sure I've asked this question before, but that's what happens when you've been blogging this many years.  I hope all of you are enjoying your turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, or whatever you chose to eat with your loved ones.

I know that I'm very grateful to be spending the day with my father, mother, and brother.

Happy Thanksgiving and sayonara!

12 comments:

Johnnys Trading Spot said...

Topps did another set 2 years later for Robert Kennedy too.

Hackenbush said...

I wrote about it here,
https://canthavetoomanycards.blogspot.com/2014/06/like-father-like-son.html

CaptKirk42 said...

Nice question. I don't usually associate cards with people in my life. However, one of my early memories of card collecting was trading with my older brother in the late 60s early 70s We both had those hard plastic trading card lockers that came in red and blue (I forget who had which color, I think I had the blue and my brother the red) anyway one card in particular I recall (and still have somewhere, I need to scan it sometime) is the 1970 Topps Baseball Fergie Jenkins card. I recall it because it was one of the cards I defaced with my large "K" initial right on the front in red ballpoint ink. ON some cards I used to do that to tell my cards from my brothers. Good thing I didn't do that too ALL my cards. At one point I traded it to or had traded for it and my brother had also initialed it with an "E" (for Erik) but his initial was tiny like his printing on some of his artwork. Took after my Dad who wrote often wrote tiny, but very legible writing. So that card has a HUGH red "K" and a tiny red "E" on it. At least it wasn't with the black magic marker that I often used on the backs of 1070 cards. I've been meaning to gather some of those old childhood cards together and scan them and talk about them on my blog. Haven't gotten to do that yet.

CaptKirk42 said...

Oops 1970 cards not 1070 csrds.

CaptKirk42 said...

Dang another typo cards not csrds.

defgav said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Fuji!

Dick Pole cards always remind me of Peter North, a very special person in my life.

The Lost Collector said...

I have a few cards that remind me of my mom. They are basketball cards from 93-94, when went went on a road trip to see a relative and she had a brown paper bag full of packs of cards in the back.

SumoMenkoMan said...

Good question. Any 1980s baseball cards remind me of my brother who got me I to collecting. Good stuff and why I have such fondness for the era.

Baltmoss68 said...

Happy Thanksgiving. Topps made a set of Evel Knevel cards in the mid 70s. My dad knew him, or maybe just met him a couple of times. So there’s a connection for me there. Also the motorcycle cards put out by Donruss I believe . Again, Dads connection to that... he was a very well known Harley Davidson mechanic for many decades.

Chris said...

Can't beat that JFK card for under a buck, even with the writing. My mom still has the newspaper from the day (after) he was killed.

Cards that I collected with my father in law, such as the 1968 Topps Tigers or 2011 Topps Diamond Die-cuts, will always be special to me. My wife and her sibligs were just discussing this topic on Thanksgiving-all the food issue/oddballs he used to buy from Domino's QB Challenge to Drake's NBA cards, to Hostess baseball.

As for me, my mom is the driving force behind my '56T set build. I'll always think of her when I see the Koufax and Rizzuto cards.

Fuji said...

john miller - thanks for the heads up. i found the one i'm going to target from that set. unfortunately... comc doesn't have it in stock, but i'm a patient man.

hackenbush - thanks for sharing. that stanley hack is truly a priceless piece of your family's history

captkirk42 - i have very few cards left from my childhood collection... and none that i traded with my brothers (they didn't collect cards). i look forward to reading your post though.

defgav - lol. different strokes for different folks.

the lost collector - your mom packed a bag of packs for you to rip open on a road trip? that's pretty awesome!

sumomenkoman - always wish my brothers shared my interest in the hobby. does your brother still collect cards?

baltmoss68 - wow... that's pretty cool. i vaguely remember the evel knevel cards from the 70's. i definitely remember the harley davidson cards from the 90's.

chris - i was a kid when reagan was shot... and that left a pretty big impact on my family. can't even begin to imagine how devastated people were with kennedy's assassination. that's pretty cool that you collected with your father-in-law. and that's pretty great inspiration to build the greatest set of all-time (imho)

Anonymous said...

jack ruby dog story: Ruby denied any involvement of a conspiracy but stated that it was an impulsive act while under the influence of prescription drugs. There were wide reports that Ruby left his oscar mayer weinerdog in the car to support his argument that the shooting was not planned?ruby didn't keep dachshunds at home but at carousel club why?jack ruby murdered Lee Harvey Oswald on November 24, 1963, two days after Oswald was accused of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (j d tippit)?Armstrong work Ruby he claim 11-22-63 He got bus got off main st look around at crowds walk to the carousel club? Armstrong mention to ruby he going watch parade prior to it?Armstrong mention that Ruby always call him about dog if fed? Larry Crafard mentions 11-23-1963(or24)that he call Jack that out of dog food for the dogs and jack hollered at him slam phone down that when Crafard decide to leave dallas? Armstrong claim He got off bus 11-22-63 took him about 10 min walk carousel club about 12:30pm then he took off jacket/went bathroom listen to sirens then he went room get portable radio listen to it?Then Armstrong went room Larry Crafard sleeping he try to wake him up by shake him told him jfk shot/but he kept on sleeping& it took Armstrong 2nd time to wake up Crafard (approx 1pm)?Afterwhile later (10-20min)jack ruby called told Armstrong carousel closed&Ruby forgot to ask about dogs being fed11-22?question is who feed the weinerdog Armstrong work for jack ruby 1 1/2yrs or Crafard oct-nov1963?Curtis Laverne Crafard/Craford:1941-2011(dallas ore)wife wilma jean johnson age 16 (curtis21) wed 6-22-1962.Son born Robert Gerald Johnson(craford) In marriage record Curtis use Craford Not Crafard?Curtis says wife leaves him(few times go back to her parents dallas tx)At the time He’s interviewed (4 testimony) he slam’s wife by call her l*sbian?Curtis said Army he start use Crafard instead Craford why he gave the wrong name then?Why did Curtis hitch hike to cousins aunts sister Michigan instead dallas Oregon to his parents maybe cause arrest/fined disorderly conduct?1969 Curtis marries again Shirley Eliz (1938-2005)in dallas/Lafayette Oregon area?Curtis work as Securityguard?Curtis in Army discharged not eligible reEnlistment?Curtis Record take minors over state line?