Friday, May 29, 2015

Barry Larkin oddball

My folks picked up a few baseball books from a Cincinnati area library book sale. Inside one of them was this card, probably used as a bookmark.

It standard size and the text on the back refers to events that happened in 1999, so I assume that it is from no earlier than 2000.

On the front is a scratch off area.  It appears that this card is not a winner.  Could it have been a regional game giveaway at the park? 

I guess I'll never know.


Monday, May 18, 2015

What if...? - All Washed Up

Over a year ago I asked the question "What if...?"

What if I took 20 sports cards and treated them like I might have when I was in elementary school for the summer?

I gave an answer in November of last year. 

Every day for over a year I carried the cards in my pants pocket.  The experiment has now ended.  This weekend I realized that I didn't have the cards in my pocket.  I was out of town and they weren't there.  After getting back to the hotel I discovered that they were in my jeans, not in my shorts.  The day was saved.  Then thinking back I realized that I hadn't worn my jeans in a few days.  The run was over.  I can live with that.  Most every player sits out a game or two.

Then, after the trip, I did laundry. 


This is why the experiment has ended.  Cards don't like a washing machine.  Or the dryer.


I'd kept John Marzano at the top of the stack of cards for many months.  He didn't do to badly in the wash warm, rinse cold cycle.


It appears that the cardboard is laminated in some form.  And it appears that printed surfaces like to stick to each other. 



Tim Federowicz was at the bottom of the stack. He took a beating.  Below him are the other cards, fused together in a newly formed brick by Kenmore.


More of the clump.


So, John Marzano will move from pocket cards to a true wallet card.


And now you know.