I Just Hadda Go Back (to the Card Show!)

Aloha, everybody, 

You might recall I dashed out to the the ol' card show a couple of weeks ago, where I attacked some specific PC wishlists. They run that show twice a week, every week - so it's been calling me back ever since. Despite the fact there's really only one dealer's table worth my time, I heeded the cardboard call, and here's some of the loot I picked up.

I love the vintage World Series highlight subsets. These are courtesy The Sporting News and 1970 Topps... 

This little set features The Amazin' Mets vs the Orioles. I was able to grab Games 1, 3 and 5. 

Tommie Agee made two great catches in Game 3. Much like Sandy Amoros' 1955 WS catch for the Dodgers, Agee's catches will stand forever in Mets WS history. 

Agee later went on to play for the Dodgers. 

Now I just need Games 2 and 4, plus the Champion Mets card. How about some more World Series cards...

These WS sets are great (and inexpensive) ways to catch vintage Hall of Famers doing what made them HOFers.  Here comes Johnny Bench trotting home another run...

I picked up some defunct Washington Senators cardboard...

After deciding to collect cardboard from defunct teams, I quickly decided that I can't just collect every card from every player. That's not exactly where I want to spend my limited collecting budget. I'll have to be discriminating in my choices. 

I chose the above Cox card because of the great action shot (unknown stadium). Below is a triple play of Senators...

Manager Cookie Lavagetto was a hero in the 1947 WS for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Sievers and Lemon were mashers who combined to be the biggest home run hitting combo in Senators' history. 


Believe it or not, this is my first 1967 Topps Dodger...

Dock Ellis In Action. The alternative facts version of "high" heat... 

Defunct team and logo? Check
Great name and posed action shot? Check
Dirt cheap vintage? Checkeroni! 
Get inside my binder! 

Finally, a Pirates great dressed as a banana. I just couldn't walk away from this one. 

I get the feeling it won't be too long before I'm back to the show for more. 

Aloha! 

ATBATT'S All-Time All Stars

Hey everybody,

Now that good ol' Potch helped me to finish collecting the 76 Topps subset "The Sporting News All-Time All-Stars", I've been inspired to name my blog's set of All-Timers.

ATBATT's All-Stars will differ from the Sporting News' in a few substantial ways.  First and foremost, S.N. chose their players in 1975 (for inclusion in the 76 release), and we now have more than 35 additional years of great players to choose from for the roster.  

Just like The Sporting News, I will be selecting one player to represent each of the infield and outfield positions, one backstop and two pitchers; one right handed and one southpaw. Unlike S.N., I'm also going to include an All-Time manager.  Furthermore, since we're dealing with today's game, I'm also going to add two new players - a middle reliever and a closer.

Sorry, American Leaguers, I'm not including a D.H..  Primarily because the old-school, purist National Leaguer in me still views the DH as a baseball abomination.  Pitchers should have to face the high heat, and batters should earn their ups, dag nabbit!

Where S.N. probably had a team of analysts studying stats from every available baseball almanac, I'm choosing my All-Stars less on pure stats analysis and more on their stat-us in baseball lore and legend.  The final criteria will be the player's status in the cardboard collecting universe in general, and my collection in particular. 



                 ALL TRADE BAIT ALL THE TIME'S
               ALL-TIME ALL-STARS...

First up will be Catcher.  Presenting the best catcher to play the game, and Cardboard Hero,

Starting off with a card paying homage to the Sporting News.  Johnny B. was ROY in 68 - the first catcher to ever win the honor.  Bench also pioneered the one-handed catching technique.

He anchored the Big Red Machine, which constantly battled the Dodgers for the N.L. West title.

My favorite Johnny Bench card.

10 Gold Gloves and 14-time all-star.

Kicking ass in the Fall Classic earns triple points in my book any day.  Bench was the WS MVP.

389 career home runs.

The first of ATBATT's All-Stars - Bad ass Johnny Bench.

THANKS for reading!

Next post: Around the horn.