Monday, November 24, 2014

ATBATT's Blog Post Recommendation of the Day



Because: Organization Rules

Sunday, November 23, 2014

JBF Beats Black Friday Every Time

Aloha everybody,

Whom of you out there loves Black Friday? Who wants to fight, kick, scratch , and toss Molotovs with a tummy full of turkey? And that's just in the parking lots! 

Not me. No way. I'd much rather stay at home in my post-Thanksgiving warm up pants and enjoy the great new cards that came to me courtesy of one of the most generous of all card bloggers ever, the legendary Wes, from the now defunct Jaybarker Fan's Junk.

I'm sorry that Wes has shut down operations over at JBF central, but thankfully he will still be around the blogs. To use his own words, he'll still be around "in the shadows"That's good news, because the blogosphere just wouldn't be the same without him.

As sorry as I am that Wes has gone into the shadows, I'm honored that he included me in the last blast of cards that he sent out from the JBF site. 

The package he sent me was so full of cardboard goodness, it's going to take at least two posts just to show off my favorites. So let's get started...


 First up is a kick-ass card of Iron Mike Piazza. This card totally sums up Piazza in his L.A. heyday. 

I dig Piazza shooting The Eye of the Tiger on a posed card, while being framed with a magnificent sky of Dodger Blue. Digging the Mike Piazza model mitt as well. Mizuno does make great catcher's mitts. I own one myself.



Next up is a very nice numbered Karros card. The SP in bronze is set into the card and makes for a cool change in surface texture.


Let's now jump into the present with this year's (and last year's) Cy Young winner in an MVP caliber card. 


The way Kershaw is a throwback to the pitchers of ole, like Gibson and Koufax, this card's imagery is like a throwback to the gritty "In Action" style card photography of yesteryear. 



Wes must have figured - rightfully so - since I collect Kershaw, I'll also be wantin' to collect our other Ace, Grienke.  

Grenks here is giving us a sweet pitcher's grip shot, while giving Piazza a good run for the Eye of the Tiger award. 


I'll be closing out this post with a cool old school artcard from a man who needs no introduction, in both the National AND American Leagues. 

I feel a bit bad about the way Gibby's baseball career seems to have imploded and ended in ridicule and boos. Gibby was a sports warrior who tried to manage like one, but he found out the hard way that dog just won't hunt, and it's not such a good idea to ask your pitching staff to be headhunters on a regular and obvious basis. 

That said, it's going to take a lot more than that to steal the thunder of Gibson in his Dodger days (for me), and the unbelievable World Series heroics he pulled off while I watched on TV all alone that night in my living room. 

If I can only take one baseball memory to heaven with me, that wonderful World Series at bat is the one. (losing by just half a point is Bob Welch striking out World Series cheater Reggie Jackson)

Do I sniff a theme for a blog-around?  How about it? I'm tossing out the idea of a blog-around where we write up this post:

"IF I CAN ONLY TAKE ONE BASEBALL MEMORY TO HEAVEN, THIS IS THE ONE..."

Of course, include cards of the players or teams involved. That might be a fun one to see what memories we all consider the greatest. 

To clarify, it doesn't have to be a World Series memory. Mine just happens to be one. 

I'll leave you all with that, and I'll be back next time with The Last JBF from JBF Part 2.  

Aloha! 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Whatever Happened To Good Ol' Stealing Home?

Aloha readers and trade partners,

It's been a long time since we commiserated. 

I haven't been around here since the Dodgers' season ended, and that feels like a pretty long time to me. 


I haven't lost my passion for writing or blogging, as others before me. In a way, it's only increased over this time. 

No, I haven't run out of ideas to blog about either. 
Most certainly no, I haven't lost my love for our beloved hobby. 

And regardless of what you may have heard, I didn't ebay my collection and buy a seaside condo in Costa Rica. 




I mentioned the last time I was around these parts that I've been working on a project, and I would fill you all in on it sooner or later. 

As I write this, I'm divided about spilling the beans about my mysterious project, because on one hand I want to share what I've been doing, but on the other hand, while it is in motion, it's not as far developed as I would like. I want you all to see, but I want to add a bit more before I pull back the curtain.

The project is another blog over on Wordpress. I'm learning how to build a website with a blog, and while lots of the parts to build a website are simplified, it has taken quite a bit of time to get it up and running, looking like I want it to look, and having enough content for people to read. 

Sure, some of you computer whizzes can knock out a website in a couple of hours, but the fact is, when I started, I knew nothing about how to do any of that, so everything has been baby steps for me up to this point. 

Writing for the Dodgers website, Lasorda's Lair  , working on my new website, and all the stuff of which is life, unfortunately forced me into putting this humble little blog on hold. I don't intend to let it die - but I also haven't had the time to give ATBATT the love and attention it deserves. 




For that, my fellow card collectors, trade partners and those who just dig reading my pieces here, I apologize for letting it seem like I've walked away or dropped the blog.


I actually have a couple of pieces intended for ATBATT, one of them being a post about some great cards that I received from the great JBF a while back.

I have several trade packages also that need to go out. Rest assured, I haven't forgotten any of you.  I can't forever blame my bad memory or not having enough time on that one. The main reason many of those packages sit today is I have been in hard financial times this 2014. I mean - hard financial times. 

Some folks think it's hard times when they can only go out to dinner twice a month. I used to think that too. My situation went well beyond that a long time ago. 

I don't expose this to all of you because I'm fishing for pity.  Heck, it's hard enough to get a comment out here sometimes for what we feel is a brilliant post, so I know pity's certainly out of the question. lol 

The reason I mention it is because I've read a few of your posts in the past where you mentioned hard times and losses of jobs, or the loss of your spouses jobs. I mention my situation so you will know you're not alone. 

We come together here because of our love of the cardboard, but we also share a camaraderie that other hobby communities do not. 


Stamp collectors don't have rivalries between collectors of train stamps and stamps with nature scenes. Bird watchers don't feel bitter emotions between those that watch Orioles and those who admire Cardinals. But we have among us Yankee fans and Red Soxers, Pirates and Phillies fans, Dodgers and Giants (Booooo!!!!) fans - but those rivalries are crossed because of our trades and shares. 

We can forget for a moment that we hate that other team when we read each other's blogs, comment and send emails, and form friendships across the country because of our love for the grand game and our hobby. 


That's why I can't ever stop sharing my love for cards with all of you. Things may have slowed down on this site for the time being, but keep your eyes open for the news and link about my website, and at least a few more posts to come here on ATBATT.

Aloha!