Bip Roberts - then & now

Sports Illustrated has recreated some memorable sports trading cards.  I swiped the images of Bip Roberts, everyone's favorite ballplayer (wearing a sombrero).

Go to the SI story for some other card updates and a bit of cool technology.

#WalletCard

So, it seems that the #WalletCard is all the rage these days.  I was flapping my way through the twitter late last night and I stumbled across Night Owl's tweet about his WalletCard.  I thought to myself: "Hmmm.  That sounds like a mash-up of what I did sometime back."

I looked back at Greg's blog and found his post about it.  He gave me a bit of a shout out (although he got the name of my blog wrong.  I think that it is now officially called "Mark's Only Gonna Blog When He's In Danger Of Rolling Off The Sports Card Blogroll".).

Greg says that the current fad is a variation on my experiment.  That's carrying around a bunch of cards.  Another correction for Greg.  I carry the cards around in the left front pocket of my jeans/slacks.  He said that it was my shirt pocket.  I can see where he made that assumption (based on my post), but no self respecting school aged boy is going to wear a shirt with a pocket.  My bad for not being clear about which pocket.

I'd also add the mix of WalletCard - the photos.  Five years ago I took Cy Seymour out and about.  Please note that I'm not claiming to be the father of the WalletCard phenomenon.  I just needed a post for January.

Update on the "What if" question.  I'm still carrying the cards around, all through the holidays.  Maybe they'll be my WalletCard.  Without the wallet.  And there are multiples.  But I've never been one to play by the rules.  WalletCards?  PocketCards?  PantsCards?  I'll just go with WalletCard.

John Marzano peeking out from under the sombrero
#WalletCard

On to other things.  You know.  Something where I can share some photos of semi serious cards.  When one's birthday and Christmas are just a week apart one can get cash because nobody know what to get one.  I'm a winner.

So, after some thought I headed to ebay.

1909-10 Murad T51
College Series 26-50
The University of Tennessee - Polo

As far as I know UT did not have a polo club.  I haven't checked, but I will.


From a different seller I snagged this card that I wrote about wanting just 11 months ago.  I think that this is the earliest card of a Knoxville Smokie ball player.

1933 Goudey
Walter French (card # 177)

Both came in at reasonable prices.  I still have some more jingle in my pocket.  Well, it is muffled by the WalletCard I carry there.  I'm back off to ebay.  Who knows what I'll find.  Anyone want to guess?

Returning to the Night Owl.  It still give me a lift to have my blog/name mentioned on another blog.  Thanks, Greg.

TommySom

This is for the Collective Troll, Marck, who is missing in action. Maybe this will lure him out of real life and back to the blogosphere.

Happy May 5th.

Another Sombrero Card

The wonderfully quirky Collective Troll likes sombrero cards. Well cards with pictures of baseball players wearing sombreros. The other evening I found a photo on the web, snagged it, grabbed a font I like, ran it through the fictitious card making machine and blammo, instant sombrero card.

Marck, here's another one for your collection.

Update:
Here's some more info on the photo.  I lifted it from the Corbis Images website.  (Okay, that will get me in trouble, I'm sure).

Their caption reads:

As a result of the published statement that former mayor William O'Dwyer of New York has a proposition to transfer the Brooklyn Dodgers to Mexico City, two Dodger pitchers try on Mexican sombreros for size.  They are Russ Meyer (left) and Clem Labine.  O'Dwyer, who has a law business in Mexico City, is here on legal business and to see the series.  He said he was to meet with Dodger President Walter O'Malley on his proposal.  Asked about the proposed switch, O'Malley said "if we blow this series, Mexico City won't be far enough south for us."

The photo was taken on September 30, 1955 by Sam Goldstein and is © Bettmann/CORBIS.

And now you know the rest of the story.

Connie Mack - American Vaquero

Here's something you don't see every day.  Connie Mack without his standard hat.  Here we see him with a sombrero.

This photo came from the Jeanette (Pennsylvania) News-Dispatch (March 5, 1937).

Here's the text that went with the photo:

I saw the photo and immediately thought of Marck, the Collective Troll.  He likes cards of players in sombreros.  This card creation of Connie Mack shows Mack when he was managing, but many don't know that he also was a player.  He played 11 seasons, from 1886 to 1896. He was a player manager from 1894 to 1896 and then full time manager from 1901 to 1950.  He led the Philadelphia Athletics to nine pennants and five World Series championships. 

For the border I used an image from the From Old Books website.  A bit of black and white magic and poof, instant border.  In the note that I sent to Marck last night, I mentioned that I could have spent some more time cleaning up the image and card, but that I liked the raw-ness of it.

Earlier this year I sent Marck another custom card.  Of the White Sox from 1976.  This card was featured on Marck's site as his blog header for a while, but I don't think that I ever showed it here.

So, Marck, enjoy the Mack.