Card Show Loot Part 2 - The Vintage Goodies

Aloha, everybody, 

Here's Part Two of the cool cardboard I picked up last week at the card show. Let's go! 

This time my vintage dealer had a few cards that got me closer to completing my World Series subset chases. The cards were a bit chewy, but they were priced right, at a quarter or fifty cents.  Believe it or not, these are my first cards from the subsets. 

First from the '70 series...

My first card from the 1974 World Series.

That's Boomer behind the plate. I need another copy of this for an auto. 

Chalk up my first from the 1960 series also. 

This card brings me to the "almost done" point for the '71 series. I just need one more: #226 World Series Game 4.

Next up is a card I hadda have. 
Reason 1: This fits my defunct teams collection.
Reason 2: Every collection should contain a guy named Rocky. 
Reason 3: "Old friend" status. Rocky began his career as a Brooklyn Dodger. 
Reason 4: How about that jaw fulla chaw? 

Finally, I can't pass up a bargain Hall of Famer, so ol' Bob Gibson jumped right into my hands and my collection. 

Aloha! 

Aloha, everybody,

I hit the card show last weekend, and after scooping up a few cards for my Perfect Game Project, I started scanning the binders and boxes on the dealers table for any other available gems. Here's what I came up with...

I grabbed this '72 Topps Willie Davis - without remembering I already have a copy. There's so much groovy going on in this card that I just couldn't walk away from it - well-loved or not. 

I love cardboard with World Series Heroes doing World Series shite, so I jumped on these...

 That's Johnny Bench about to drop the Big Red Hammer. I swear I can hear the roar of the crowd when I look at this card. 

Another WS card, another appearance from Bench. 

Brooks Robinson on Tattoine. What an image! 

Everybody knows BobWalkthePlank is Pirates HQ, but there's always room in my collection for the Sarge on a great card. 

I grabbed some cards to add to my "Defunct Teams" PC...

Bonus: Defunct, highly insensitive/probably racist, team logo. 

Chuck Stobbs, 1955 Topps

Here's a couple of suggested taglines for the back of Stobby's card: 
"Stobbs was one of baseball's first bonus babies." and "Southpaw Stobbs once had a 16-game consecutive losing streak."  

Willie Davis wasn't the only Dodger I found in the binders...

I added one more card from my favorite Brooklyn southpaw, Johhny Podres. 

And I grabbed this for a buck. Overpaid? Not in my mind. 

Finally, this little slice o' cardboard that didn't really fit any themed page in my binders, but I hadda have it. 

Monobrow stare? Check.
Funky name? Check. 
Too bad ol' Zup wasn't repping a defunct team, I woulda had the trifecta. 

Aloha! 

More World Series Heroes

Aloha everybody, 

The other day I dropped a post with Dodgers World Series Heroes, so tonight we'll take a look at some Fall Classic cardboard that doesn't feature Dodgers. 

How far we going back? We're going way back - Honus Wagner kinda back...

Maz's legendary WS home run isn't featured on the front of this attractive card, but the story of it is told on the back....

Let's roll out some vintage...
 

 

Gettin' the Mets mojo going!

This card absolutely drips baseball nostalgia. 

The Vacuum - In Action!

 Here come the damn Yankees! 

Did somebody say "World Series MVP?

Numbered to 99 - Awesome!

You can't say "Yankees in the World Series" without saying this guy's name...
 

I'll always remember just catching Joe Carter's WS-winning home run blast off of Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams from the hotel bar, as I kept slipping out of some fundraiser dinner to watch the game.
 

Joe Carter sez, "Aloha, baseball!"

Mattingly's Dodgers Missed The World Series - These Dodgers Didn't

Aloha everybody,

We all know this year's Dodgers went BUST - but that hasn't always been the case, as the Boys in Blue have been to many a Fall Classic - winning their fair share, and leaving behind some legendary World Series moments in their wake. 

Tonight's post will run with the World Series theme, and show off a few cards from a few of my collecting passions:

1. The Dodgers
2. World Series highlights cards
3. World Series Heroes doing World Series shite. 

Leading off is the 1952 Brooklyn squad...

The celebration was short-lived, as the Dodgers went on to lose the series in seven games to the damn Yankees. 

Next up are a few cards celebrating the 1955 Fall Classic. First up is a card featuring another angle of the famous play featured on ATBATT's header photo, and the same play that spawned my nom de blog - here comes Jackie Robinson Stealing Home in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series...

Trivia Question: Who was at bat when Jackie stole home? 

A: It was pinch-hitter Frank Kellert, who went on to hit a single, and was quickly lifted for a pinch-runner. 

 The Duke of Flatbush was definitely a hero, as he blasted four home runs in the series. 

Finally, my personal hero from 1955, the first ever World Series MVP, Johnny Podres...

Podres pitched and won two complete games in the series, posting an ERA of 1.00

 Jumping forward to the 1959 World Series (hopefully I can complete this subset someday)...

Dig the mattress-style chest protector on the ump. 

Games 3, 4 and 5 took place in Los Angeles, so these cards feature the LA Coliseum in the background...
 

"Look ma, no ear flaps."

Here's another beautiful vintage subset I would love to complete; these cover the 1963 WS...

Once again the Yankees were the foes, and this time the Dodgers went on to sweep them. It was the first time the Yankees had ever been swept in four games, and the only World Series Championship the Dodgers ever clinched and won at Dodger Stadium. 
 

I've always thought this photo looks like someone is twisting Koufax's arm from behind. 

Finally tonight, from the last time the Dodgers were in the Fall Classic, a moment which needs no introduction...

 Aloha!

Happy Birthday To Me And I'm Back In The Game

Hey everybody !

Remember little ol' me?  I've been away for awhile and I said I would be back in January.
Since it's the last day of the month...I better keep my word and get a post up and running.

In case any of you are wondering - I was away because I had an unhappy event occur and I just didn't have the desire to post.  That's a bit in the past now, so I'm gonna get my bloggin' boots back on and return ATBATT to its humble little place in the blogosphere.

Besides all that, it's my Birthday today, and what better than to have some fun with my hobby on my special day. 

Enough about me...let's get to the reason we all gather here...that glorious cardboard.  I reenter the game with a couple of cards that came my way through ebay.   These represent a few of my top collecting loves: Vintage, vintage Dodgers, past Topps subsets and World Series heroes.  

First up, 1965 Topps featuring a couple of the greatest Dodgers ever:

 I'm chasing the '65 Topps Dodgers, and although the above card isn't particularly hard to find, it is hard to find in good shape for a great price, and that is exactly what I caught here.


Next up is 1959 Topps  Baseball Thrills.  Again, a beauty of a card found at a beauty of a price.  I'm one more card closer to finishing this great, underrated subset. 

Finally, for all of you readers and trade partners who stuck with me through this post, I'm offering a bit of a "welcome back" and thank you contest.  It's super easy to win.

The first person to leave a comment will win a fistful of cards from their favorite team, and everyone who comments from the time of this post until Super Bowl kickoff will be entered into the randomizer in order to win cards from their team and other assorted goodies.

Yes, the first commenter can win twice.  :) 

Thanks for reading ! 

A Trade Viewed From The Skybox

Hey everybody,

Here's one more trade, but it's not any old trade.  This was the FIRST trade with Mr. Skybox from that new blog on the block, View From The Skybox.

Meeting a new trade partner is for me, the cream of the hobby.  That was the first reason I started ATBATT, and if the trades should ever dry up, that'll be the day I hang up my cardboard guns.

 But I don't see that dark day coming anytime soon, as evidenced by the way new blogs keep popping up.  I've seen a couple of bloggers go, but I've been here long enough to see our corner of the hobby sustained by new blood joining us on a semi-regular basis.

Mr. Skybox is a great new member of the community, and his blog is coming out of the gate on fire.  He's currently running a box break; get on over there, as there's still some good teams to be chosen.  He initiated a great new idea that  I hadn't seen before - the personal repack.  He'll shoot you a repack of 100 cards in exchange for a repack from you.  Brilliant idea.

I'm proud to say I helped Mr. Skybox break in by pulling off his first trade here.  Furthermore, I'm very happy to say he's a most excellent and generous trader.  Why most excellent?  He obviously checked out my "What I Collect" page and hit on all cylinders, across the board.

Let's check out some of the cards he sent my way...

Leading off with one of my favorite rookies that played the up again- down again elevator between AAA and the big club last season.  Herrera was not a favorite of the other Dodger bloggers out there, but I liked what I saw when he played.   He showed hustle, grit and a good eye at the plate. 

Here we go now.  Can't.   Have.  Too.  Many.  Nomos.....

 Some of you out there will always associate Nomar with the Red Sox and Nomahhh.  That's fair, but I'll always link Nomar with the Dodgers.  To this day, every time I hear the opening drum roll from "Low Rider" by WAR, I see Nomar walking out to the Dodger Stadium plate in those beautiful home whites.

Long before Yasiel Puig was all the rage, the Dodgers had another young 5-tool right fielder with a cannon for an arm, Mr. Mondesi.  I've never seen these Hardball Heroes before,  and I like this design. 

Here's where Mr. Skybox separates himself into the upper tiers of traders, it's a couple of cool vintage Dodgers, and they are in no way just bench slugs...

 Sweet Lou Johnson - World Series Hero - with old time Dodger Stadium lurking behind.

One more 62 Topps Dodger.  I've sung the praises of Wally and his Moonshots at the LA Coliseum before.   Mr. Skybox wasn't done.  Nope.  He hadda go and send me...

This Great auto of our backup catcher.  "Fed X" is no slouch on the field, and neither is this great Dodger Blue signature card.  I'm digging the way Fed X slanted his sig to match the design of the card.  Nice!

Thanks for a great fistful of Dodger cardboard, Mr. Skybox.  I'm looking forward to our next trade.