Social Distancing Diary with Baseball Cards: Mantle, the Babe, and Giants

Aloha, everybody, 

In this episode of Social Distancing with Baseball Cards, we check out some tribute and vintage Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, the Babe and more.

Enjoy and aloha! 

Vintage Card Show Haul: Baseball & Basketball HOFers

Aloha, everybody, 

I hit the card show recently, and picked up some vintage Los Angeles Lakers and baseball Hall of Famers cards, including a Mickey Mantle!

Aloha!

Speaking of What I Collect

Aloha, everybody, 

If you saw my previous post, "What I Collect", you know I collect Mickey Mantle and a few subsets. Today I'm going to show you a mash up of these two chases, and a recent leap forward in that pursuit. 

When I first got into collecting (circa 1991), I spotted this fantastic Mickey Mantle subset. These cards were inserts in 1992 Pinnacle. I really dug that Pinnacle issue, so I ripped plenty of packs. I got a good start on this 30-card set through my own pulls and picking up strays from dealers tables. 

Eventually, the packs and strays dried up, and my chase stalled. Did I say, "Stalled"? It stopped dead in its tracks - for years.

On my last trip to the card show I came across a few more of these Mantles. I couldn't believe it! The dealer wanted an overpriced 75 cents for each, but I jumped! 

The set covers Mantle from his childhood through his career and retirement. 

Here's what the rear of the cards look like...

I couldn't believe I was able to find a few more of these and inch toward completion! 

Are these Mantles magnificent or what? 

As I mentioned, it's a 30-card set, and with these pickups I'm just over 50% towards completion. 

I still need a good chunk of 'em. Cards needed: 2, 3, 4, 6, 12,  13, 17, 18, 23, 24, 26, 28 and 30. Looks like my chase will go on about as long as Mantle's career. 

Aloha!

Mo From Bo

Aloha, everybody, 

Sorry I've been away for a few days too many. Just a few life things getting between me and my beloved blog. I'm happy to say I'm back now...so let's get back to checking out some more cards that came to me from that big feeder box I received from Bo. 

Leading things off today are some cards inspired by the old "Play Ball" set. This Bobby Doerr is slightly smaller than the others. I'm guessing because it's being true to the size of the originals. 

These cards are real beauties. I'm showing off a few that some of you out there might enjoy. 

Here's a World Series card reprint...

Bo sent a bunch of the "Legends of New York" set...

He also included a bunch from these very attractive 2001 Upper Deck Pinstripe Exclusives inserts...

How about this fistful of cards from the 2002 UD World Series Heroes set...

Those will mix in well with the small handful that I already had. The set is 180 cards strong, so I'm not close to completing it, but I've got a great starter set now, thanks to Bo. 

Here's what they look like individually. I dig the Americana design and World Series feeling...

A look at the backside...

Next time: Some Dodgers! 

Aloha! 

Rockin' my Fridge with Vintage Custom Magnets

Aloha, everybody, 

I was one of the lucky Christmas recipients of a custom mini-magnet from Baseball Card Breakdown. Here's the magnet Gavin created...

That Jackie Robinson has joined the other custom magnets on my fridge, and I thought it would be cool to show off the rest of my now vintage, magnet collection. 

Back in the early 90's I was a regular at the Frank and Sons card show, which is where I ran into a vendor who created custom magnets. I figured if my boys' macaroni artwork could grace the door of the refrigerator, so could the legends of baseball.  

Back in those days, before chasing prospects and rookies was a thing, Mickey Mantle was the king of cardboard. 

Mantle cards were the holy grail. I wanted them, the magnet guy made a lot of them, and that was about the only way I was going to see Mantle in my collection, so I bought a few. 

Unfortunately, time has faded the colors, and some of the edges have been bent, but that's what happens to our cards over time as well. 

Here's one of my favorite Babe Ruth tribute cards on a magnet...

Of course, these aren't actual cards. The guy told me he cut pictures out of Beckett magazine to use as his images. 

Here's the Mick with friends...

They weren't all Mantles...

Finally, the biggest rookie card of the day...

Enough time has passed that these custom magnets can now be considered vintage. The macaroni art is gone, but my magnet collection is still going strong. Thanks to Gavin, it just grew by one more. 

Aloha! 

Custom Rip Cards? Numbered /25? HOF Inserts? Merry Cardmas, Baby!

Aloha, everybody, 

You may recall my earlier post about the Christmas package I received from custom-card artist, Gavin @ Baseball Card Breakdown. 

Included in that package was a custom ripcard which I decided to not open until Christmas. 

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Lots of you have probably seen what Gavin put inside these ripcards, as they've been showing up in posts around the blogosphere. 

You've also probably seen the various methods bloggers have been using to open the cards. Some were methodical and careful, while others took great joy in ripping it up. I saw one that looked as though the blogger inserted tiny charges of dynamite and blew open the top of the card. 

I chose the careful route, as I wanted to be able to keep it in pristine condition (as much as that was possible) for binder display.

My method was to use an exacto knife to cut around three sides and create a door or hatch that I could carefully lift open to reveal the payoff hiding inside. 

Here's the cut open card...

I knew from reading other blogs that other ripcards contained custom mini-magnets, so I figured mine would as well. For extra coolness, G customized the magnets to fit each blogger's collection. For example, Night Owl received a Ron Cey magnet, so I was in suspense about what Dodger legend would be uncovered in my ripcard. 

Gavin mentioned to me in a Twitter conversation that mine was one of his favorite creations. The wait till Christmas was rewarded...

Out popped the patron saint of ATBATT, none other than ol' number 42 himself. Just how badass is that!?!? 

Thanks so much for including me in the ripcard project, Gavin. You hit it out of the park with your selection and the work itself. Absolutely awesome. 

This magnet gift reminded me of a guy who custom-made magnets back in the day over at the legendary Frank and Sons card show out here. I made a small collection of some of his customs, and Gavin's work is now sitting in a place of honor alongside them on my fridge. 

I'll be showing that magnet collection in a future post, so stay tuned. Until then, here's a preview...

Aloha! 

Where To Get Your Collecting (And Munchies) Fill In Hawaii

 

Yes, I actually own non-blue tank tops.

 Aloha everybody. The L.A. sun is a real scorcher and the Dodgers have the day off, so I find myself longing for those Hawaiian ocean breezes and sunsets.

I previously mentioned that I was lucky enough to hang out with some folks who grew up on Oahu, so I had the extra benefit of checking out some spots that are popular with the locals. 

One of my missions was to find great macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast.  Little did I know the place they took me would open my taste buds AND my collector's eyes. 

Dis place is da kin', bruddah

Boots and Kimo's is located in Kailua, on the Windward Coast area of Oahu.  It's a small place, and I mean small - but it's very popular - and I mean popular.  

I know this is a sportscards-centric blog, but I gotta drop this one on ya. If you like macadamia nut pancakes, you gotta go there! These are the best ever, bar none! But go early, the place is small and the waiting list gets real big, real fast. 

Returning to our collecting topic, apparently the owner of the place is a collector as well.  The tiny restaurant is covered wall to wall with autographed memorabilia and Wheaties boxes.  Check it out...

I spotted a few boxes that I own myself.

 Every wall has these boxes and autograped helmets. There are autographed jerseys galore as well...

Did I mention the popularity of San Francisco here?

Actually, these Montana to Rice jerseys are pretty sweet.

 Every table in the place is adorned with an NFL logo...

And then, you go to the restroom, and you get these...

Sweet, framed, uncut sheets.  Very cool.  Unfortunately, they were hung pretty high on the wall and I couldn't get a shot that would eliminate all of the glare.

But it's not all football and baseball at Boots & Kimo's.  You want hockey? They got hockey...

 Sure there was lots of sports memorabilia - lots of helmets and jerseys, card sheets and logos...but where was something for me???

All I had to do was look up.  My table mates were not too shabby...

I had breakfast with Mr. Mantle and The Kid. 

What a great place to eat.  Aloha.