Huggins & Scott Auction - Man Cave Edition

I need to start these auction posts earlier. The catalog arrived right around Labor Day. The actual auction is on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. That's right. Today and tomorrow. Or yesterday and today, depending on when you read this.

When I've reviewed auction catalogs in the past, I've gravitated towards what I like, tried to set a spending limit, etc. This time I'm going at it from the angle of: "Could I decorate a Man Cave with the items in this catalog?"

Now, I know that there are some women that read my blog, so I'm not trying to be sexist in any manner. It could also be a Woman Cave. I really don't care. Man Cave just carries a connotation with it.

Before I start decorating this den of testosterone, let me talk about the catalog itself.

As usual, Huggins & Scott published another great looking catalog. 327 full-color slick pages. 1,555 lots. Baseball. Autographs. Football. Basketball. Boxing & Wrestling. Hockey. Modern Inserts. Mulit-Sport. Other Sports. Americana. They've got it all. And they shipped the hefty catalog to me via Priority Mail.

Now, on to the decorating of the room. I'm assuming that it will be paneled, with a few recliner chairs, a small wet bar, a decent sized wide screen TV, a fireplace. The usual. I tried to focus on a variety of sports, not focusing in totally on baseball.

Every Man Cave needs a pinball machine. I'd suggest a Stern 1980 Muhammad Ali Pinball Machine ($850).

Tastefully hanging around the wet bar could be several of the 15 Multi-Sport Vintage Pennants ($220).

On the fireplace mantle I would place several of the Sports Statues Collection - With (10) Signed Salvinos ($500).

For the walls I have several options. I'd definitely hang the 1961-62 Shirriff/Salada Hockey Coins Complete Set (120/120) with Shields ($800).

On another wall would go the 1985 500 Home Run Club Print with (10) Signatures—Ron Lewis ($300).

I think that over the mantle would I would place the three and a half foot 1939 Washington Redskins Panoramic Photograph - With Arcade Pontiac Ad ($250).
On a wall by the wet bar would go the John Wayne Signed Magazine Cover ($325). That's manly.
Over in a corner I would put the Shibe Park Original Seat Pair ($300). That's manly, in a nostalgic way.
While sitting in them you could peruse the 2007 Topps Co-Signers Dual Auto Moon Shot Set ($900). We need to have some baseball cards in there. Manly in a scientific kind of way.

Then, what would make a Man Cave complete? That's right. A 1959 Fleer Three Stooges Complete PSA Graded Set ($2,300). Enough said.

That's how I'd decorate the Man Cave from the latest Huggins & Scott auction catalog.

Note: Prices listed are the current bids as of the time of composition. They do not include any Buyer's Premium.

Johnny Bench Bat Card

2003 Topps ARTifact, Johhny Bench (card # AR-JBE)

Bench, a 14 time All-Star, was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1968. Two seasons later he was named the NL MVP (again in 1972). 1970 also brought him the Major League Player of the Year honor. From 1968 through 1977 he won the Gold Glove award as a catcher. His 17 seasons, all in Cincinnati, had him playing in a variety of positions, Catcher, 1B, 3B and spread out across the outfield. He played in four World Series, with the Reds winning two of them, in 1975 and 1976. He was the World Series MVP in 1976.

I won this on ebay for $1.25, plus $3.26 shipping. Under my $5.00 self imposed limit. The subtle shades on the card are relaxing. The artwork is clean. I'm glad to have this one in my collection.

1988-89 Star Gold Edition - Hershiser

Here's a player set from the very confusing Star series of the late 1980s into the early 1990s.

In 1988-1989 they produced Star, Star Promos, Ad Cards, Gold Edition, Nova Edition, Platinum Edition, Platinum, Silver Edition, '88 Promos and '88.

These are cards #111-120 of the Gold Edition. 1500 of each of the Gold Editions were printed. The cards are not numbered, but the baggie that they came in is. My set is #0210. The last card, Personal Data, although listed on the card as 110, is an uncorrected error. The card is actually numbered 120.

Part of the confusion come into play with the checklist. Shouldn't they be listed as:

111 - Checklist

112 - Minor League Stats

etc....

I won them on ebay for 99 cents. I had bid on another set of these but was outbid at about $7.00. Sometimes patience is the best thing. Or the cheapest.

Yes, this is two Orel Hershiser centered posts in a row. There will be more as I continue to scan and organize.

Yes, this is a 'long' post for me. It is in homage to Night Owl. But he writes better than I do. They say a picture is worth a ... I'm letting the cards talk for me.

Yes, I posted them to Zistle.

Hershiser Panini Stickers

Several weeks ago I won an ebay auction that was a lot of Orel Hershiser Panini Stickers. The 1989 stickers measured 1-7/8" x 2-11/16". They sold in packs of six for 30 cents. The album featured Jose Canseco on the cover.

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #9)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (NCLS MVP) (sticker #13)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #18)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #19)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (World Series MVP) (sticker #25)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #97)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser, Danny Jackson (sticker #225)

1989 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #474)

The 1990 stickers grew in size to 2-1/8" x 3". Nolan Ryan graced the album cover.

1990 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #275)

The 1992 stickers stayed that same size, but they got daring with their design. There was also a Canadian issue. Usual bilingual language. The cover focused on the World Champion Twins.

1992 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #199)

1994 saw the cards increase in size to 2-3/8" x 3-3/8". The price also rose to six stickers in a pack for 49 cents. The album cover is described as being "colorful."

1994 Panini, Orel Hershiser (sticker #200)

1991 Kane County Cougars

The Wausau Timbers (single A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) ceased to be after the 1990 season. Emerging from the flames of the 1991 season were the Kane County Cougars (single A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles).

My beautiful wife and I had been married for about a year and a half. So, like young newlyweds, we'd head out to the ballpark with some friends of ours. We lived in DuPage County. Kane County was just to the west. A pleasant drive.

I don't remember much about the games, although a few players from that season went on to make it to the Majors. They went 68-67 that first season.

The next season they went 61-76, but they did have a penny smashing machine. I'm a sucker for those things. Actually, they are a nice souvenir. Cheap. Small. And you feel like a real man when you crank that handle around and out pops a coin thinner than Twiggy*.

In case your eyes are failing you, here's what it looks like under the magnifying glass...

The Cougars are now a part of the Oakland A's organization and have had over 8,000,000 fans attend games.

My wife and I are still together. We're a few months shy of celebrating 20 years of marriage. I think I'm luckier.

* Okay, that didn't really make sense because all coins are thinner than Twiggy. Except those stone coins from Yap. But you can't carry those around easily.

The kindness of fellow bloggers

I am amazed at the kindness of fellow bloggers. Night Owl, up in the hinterlands of New York, was awake enough over the past few months to read my blog and know what I like to collect.

I like Carl Erskine...

,2005 Topps Fan Favorites, 1960 Carl Erskine (card # 24)

I like Orel Hershiser...

1989 Promo Card, Out of the Blue, Orel Hershiser

I like the Cardiff Giant...

2009 Topps Allen & Ginter,
World's Biggest Hoaxes, Hoodwinks & Bamboozles,
The Cardiff Giant (card # HHB19)

I first saw the Cardiff Giant in the late 1960s or early 1970s. It was (and still is) resting at the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The museum has a blog. Here are some entries they've tagged with "Cardiff Giant".

I went searching online and found a few images that were the inspiration for the card front...

So, while Mr. Owl has the Saturday blahs, I'm excited because next week I get to start reading A Colossal Hoax.

Greg (and yes, I do call him Greg sometimes), thank you for the cards.

Avast, ye landlubbers

dayf, over at Cardboard Junkie, put forth the idea of a National Collect Like A Pirate Day. Since I have no idea how pirates actually collect, I just slapped together a quick card of Ed "Walk the" Plank.


And, giving credit where credit is due...

1997 Coke Phoenix Giants, Ed Plank