Raz Tries His Luck With Number 7

Aloha, everybody, 

Raz chose 7, which is the Vintage from the 70's (and a coupla 80's) prize...

Third man up is Josh D. You can steal the 70's Vintage or the Wheaties Boxes, or choose Number 1, 3-6, 8-13. 

Aloha!

Adventures With Voting (and the Players Who Fought for that Right)

Aloha, everyone, 

I've mentioned before that it's been awhile between posts because I was off on other adventures. This here is about my latest. 

I recently worked for an organization that was registering people to vote here in California. Yup, I was that guy outside the local shopping center registering voters. 

We weren't pushing any agenda or candidates. The effort was simply to expand democracy by registering as many voters as possible. That appealed to me, as I'm a big believer in voting, so I took the gig. Here are a few experiences from that adventure. 

But first, since we're a card-collecting community, and I like to share my collection with all of you, I'm dropping in some cards from ML ballplayers who were combat vets. They're the heroes who fought for our precious right to vote. 

Leading off is Jackie in sparkle-vision (WW2) 

In this gig I interacted, for better or worse, with a couple of hundred (or more) folks a day. I asked if they were registered to vote, and their reactions ran the gambit from thanking me and encouraging me to "keep up the good work" to outright hostility. 

Tris Speaker WW1- The War to End All Wars

The work was rarely boring, and often pleasantly surprising. We came across all kinds, from yahoos dressed head to toe in camo gear (who don't want to vote), to a young man with a Bob Dylan shirt that read "This Machine Kills Fascists" (who also didn't want to vote - and failed to see the irony in it all). 

In looking up ballplayers who were combat vets, I came across Warren Spahn, who like my father, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and who also just like my father, was awarded the bronze star in the action. Unfortunately, it turns out I don't have any Spahn cards. This is something I'll have to remedy. 

Joe D, UD Baseball Hero, and WW2  hero. 

Here were some of the pleasant surprises:

The mom who's been eligible to vote for 37 years, but never bothered to vote. Until now. 

A new citizen-mom with a baby under her arm who happily registered for her first election. 

A heavily tattooed, heavily muscled biker, wearing stomping boots, who broke into a warm smile and proudly proclaimed he's already a registered voter. 

I was particularly surprised and encouraged by the number of 20-somethings who were already registered. 

Willie Mays, Korean War, and Stan the Man, WW2,  together again in Topps Archives 

Sometimes couples registered together and completely surprised each other. One would register as a Democrat, and the other as a Republican. Eyes would open wide, and more than once I heard the shocked partner continue the spirited conversation into the store, or the parking lot. 

Lots of folks felt very comfortable giving me their political opinions. Some of the Trump supporters worried me. They took a  little too much enjoyment in staring me down and declaring their allegiance to Trump in voices laced with venom. 

Christy Mathewson, UD Origins of the Game , and WW1

A few times people tried to stuff a dollar or two into my hand, without looking at me or listening to my words. Were they exceptionally kind because they were so quick to give me a couple of bucks? I didn't know what to make of a society where people wanting money are in our face so often, that it's just assumed. 

Teddy Ballgame WW2 AND Korean War

One not-so-pleasant surprise was running into so many people that our prison system holds in its grip. Far too many people told me they couldn't vote because they're ex-felons. 

Every day I met ex-felons, men and women, who were on active parole, or just off. They stopped being invisible numbers and became visible - in numbers - all around me. 

Bear in mind I was in completely random settings, for only a few hours a day, and I kept meeting people who had been snared in the prison population nets, and couldn't vote. 

Ty Cobb WW1

I've never had a gig like that before, and I'm not sure how much I'd like to do it again. That said, I got to work outside, which I love, and I was able to use the gig to put in lots of walking exercise, logging miles a day. 

And in a small way, I did my part for democracy by registering a couple of hundred new voters. 

Aloha! 

Some More Trade Bait Coming At Ya

Aloha everybody, 

Here's a fast fistful of cardboard up for trade.

Leading off is something for vintage, set and White Sox collectors...

1953 Topps #156 Chewy corners but beautiful baseball art

1965 Topps

 Anybody chasing this vintage subset?

1976 Sporting News All-Time All-Stars #350

Sure, these next couple are classics, but are they in YOUR collection yet?

1982 Topps Lee Smith RC

1980 Topps

Anybody collecting managers?

Some final vintage...

1959 Topps Words of Wisdom Don Larsen, Casey Stengel (unfortunately, the tape residue is real and on the card)

Hope you saw something you liked - 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. 

Grand Blarney Stone Of Trade Bait - Boston Irish Red Sox

Happy St. Party - oops - I mean, Happy St. Patty's day, everybody,

Bringing the Irish vibe is the city of Boston...

Freddy Lynn in the cornah!

PEDRO !!

Rock those front choppahs, Rocket.

The Kid. 'Nuff said. 

Nooooo-Maaahhhhhh !!

Thanks for stopping by!