As you know, although my primary collecting focus is on my beloved Dodgers, I also collect Hall of Famers and vintage that is just plain irresistible to my collector's eyes.
So let's take a look at a few more goodies that were hidden away in that old shoebox...
Leading off is this 1953 Topps absolute beauty - on a few levels.
First of course is that Norman Rockwell-ish portrait of Sid and the great stadium tiers complete with flying flags behind him. I also dig the old-timey logo for the Braves. Finally, although off-center, the card is in pretty good shape for a '53.
I've never heard of Gordon, but his Wikipedia page says Sid hit a home run in every stadium he played in - for three straight years.
Next up is 1954 Topps. I must be attracted to that Braves logo as it's here on another card, but I'm not a big fan of the pea soup.
Another beauty, this time from 1956 Topps. I remember picking up this card because of the stadium backdrop. This card also fits the Games Played On Tatooine subset.
Next up are a couple from 1964 Topps.
Aparicio was the measuring stick for shortstops in the '60's. He's on MLB's All-Century Team. Never mind those scratches, they're on the plastic holder, not the card itself.
Back in the days I was gathering these cards (the early 90's), one of my collecting goals was chasing rookie cards of HOFers. Of course, that can be impossible without Donald Trump money, so I would often settle for the next best thing - their second year cards.
I couldn't afford a Stargell RC, but his second year issue was right in my wheelhouse. Furthermore, Stargell shares his RC with three other rookies, and this card features a great solo shot of Pops.
It's amazing how much the price can drop from RC to second-year issues. It drops even further for third year cards. IMO grabbing second year cards is a great strategy.
That's all for today, folks.
Next time: The final installment!
