One-Card Challenge ... Complete

Earlier this month, the Night Owl blogged about his desire to finish off sets that needed just one card. He called it The One-Card Challenge.

I had a card that I was trying to find from the 1994 Ted Williams Card Company Negro League subset.

1994 Ted Williams Card Company
John "Buck" O'Neil (card # 109)

Reader Jim came through for me.  Not only did Reader Jim send the "Buck" O'Neil card he also sent me an upgrade.  I first picked this card up in the early 1990s at a card and comic shop in the western suburbs of Chicago.

1989 "Out of the Blue" Book Promo Card
Orel Hershiser

Two and a half years ago, the Night Owl sent me another copy.  Now I've got three of them sitting around collecting dust. 

Thanks, Reader Jim.  You've filled a hole in my binder.

Truly, someone wants to trade me for some of my extra Hershisers.  Anyone?

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

I was out running some errands with Caroline a week and a half ago. The University of Tennessee men's team was hosting Kentucky. We drove by Thompson Boling Arena in the final minutes. UT lost.

Then we tooled a few miles away to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

We didn't have time to take the tour. I did pick up some info on their admission fees and hours.And a BOGO coupon / Lady Vols schedule.

The Lady Vols have had a tough season so far.  I think that they're 14-5 right now, with a low scoring loss to Notre Dame earlier this week.  On a positive note, the recent outpouring of love and support for Pat Summitt from the SEC has been unbelievable. 

I Back Pat.  How about you?

These Winnings are Cool!

Ryan, that traveler to the west (or far east, depending on which way you look) sent me my winnings from his contest.  No, not at all card related, but I like to show the kindness of others.

First up is that wonderful 2000 comedy, Dude, Where's my car?  Follow the wildly hilarious adventures of Jesse and Chester as they try to locate their missing automobile.

Ryan also tossed in a matchstick garden.  I hadn't heard of this before, but apparently you can grow a garden from a matchstick.

I'll wait until the threat of snow goes away and then Caroline and I will plant these indoors.

Thanks, Ryan, for your generosity.

Marty's Sports Card Exchange Superstore

A few weeks ago, before the end of last year, I took my wife to Chattanooga for a few days away to celebrate our 22d anniversary.  We got a nice suite and went our own ways.  She brought her sewing machine and spent the time quilting.  I headed to the library for some baseball research.  Oh, we did some stuff together.  Dinner at P.F. Changs.  A bit of shopping.  Dinner at Olive Garden and then the movie Moneyball.  I was able to head out to a card shop not far from the hotel.

I've showed some of the packs that I bought there in posts earlier this month.  Now I get to show you the store.

I got there about 45 minutes before they were scheduled to close.  The store was spacious, with lots of memorabilia for sale.

Jerseys, helmets, prints, cards.  Lots of cards.

The owner, Marty, asked if I was interested in anything.  Standard line: "Hershisers".  Then I added: "But I'm guessing that based on the selection of cards you have out that you probably don't have boxes sorted by players."  Marty replied: "Yep.  That's right.  There might be a rookie or something in the baseball rookies box."

The baseball rookies box was near the boxes of vintage football, racing, and basketball.  They were stuffed with more modern era hits.  I don't quite consider cards from the 1980s as vintage.  A few cards from the 1960s were sprinkled in, but nothing caught my eye.  The prices seemed fair enough, but nothing really grabbed my attention.

Marty and his wife have plenty of modern wax, as well as boxes of much older product.

It wasn't quite closing time, but Marty asked if I wanted to buy anything because they had a meeting to attend and then were going on the road.  I snagged a few packs from the dollar box.  Marty included the tax in the price.  I asked if I could take a few photos and put them up on the blog.    His wife said yes.  I asked if they had an internet presence.  She said, "No.  We use the internet sometimes, but not too often."

Based on the customer traffic I saw, which was considerable for the end of the day, right before a major holiday, this is one old school brick and mortar store that isn't going away anytime soon.  Next time you're passing through Chattanooga, give them a call to make sure they're open and say "Hi" to Marty.

Marty's Sports Card Exchange Superstore
6851 Lee Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37421
423-648-7037 (map)

The One Card Challenge

Greg, the Night Owl, has nothing better to do than to juggle a few great blogs, work, blog some more.  And devise the One Card Challenge.

He asked for some help in designing a graphic.  I took a stab at it.  I searched the web for images of checklists, found one at VintageCardPrices.com, snagged it and went to town.

1963 Fleer 1st Series Checklist

One-Card Challenge logo

I chose #7, Bill Monbouquette as the player that hasn't been collected because I like the name and I find it ironic that someone could find all the other players, including Hall of Famers, before they found Bill.

Greg was enamored by my graphic abilities and has decided to use it.  I'm honored that he's using it for the One-Card Challenge.  Look through your wantlists and see what you're lacking.  Post a comment on the OCC and see what happens.  In a few hours my card want was filled by Reader Jim.  See, it works.


Tonight while I was looking for the site that I lifted the original image from I came across the Cards That Never Were blog.  Just two weeks ago he used the same card for a fictitious card.

Some would cry, "Foul. Plagarism. Bidenism." But, truth be told, I have not visited this blog in many a moon.  I should've, but I didn't.  I just 'followed' it now and have added it to my blogroll.

Look at them celebrate ...

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Kermit Kendrick (card # 28)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Chris Mohr (card # 29)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Vaughn Mancha (card # 36)

Big College Game

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Billy Neighbors (card # 20)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Willie Teal (card # 196)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Paul Bryant (card # 1)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Roy Winston (card # 189)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Pooley Hubert (card # 34)

1991 Hoby Cards SEC Stars
Bert Joness (card # 199)

I picked LSU to win in Cards on Cards Fantasy Pick 'em.  31-27.  It doesn't look good right now.

Rain of Error's First Book Club Book

Jon, over at Rain of Error, has chosen the first book of his new baseball book club.

Grab a copy and start reading.  All the cool kids are.  Discussions start at the end of the month.

Bam-Bee-No Baseball Game ad

Illustrated World, vol. 36 - 1921

Heads Up!

My last dollar pack from Marty's in Chattanooga.  I opened this by slitting the top.  I removed the card before I could get a good scan.  The suction cup was causing major shadows.

I had to lay a file folder behind the back card scan.  The white of the cardstock bled into the white of the scanner.

1990 Topps Heads Up! Baseball Stars
Harold Reynolds (card # 17)

At first, I thought that it was Ken Griffey, Jr. I was wrong. Harold is just as good a floating head as Jr.

2011 Press Pass Optima

Another dollar pack from Marty's in Chattanooga.

I like the colors and I kind of like the front design.  Lots of stuff without looking too crowded.  These cards were issued the same year that Dale Earnhardt Sr. died at Daytona.

2011 Press Pass Optima
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (card # 5)

It is kind of hard to tell the players without a score card.  For those very casual fans, it is almost too difficult to know who drives for who.  Whom?  Drivers change teams faster than Kardashians change husbands.  They go up and down between classes of the sport.  The classes of the sport change names faster than Sinead O'Connor changes husbands.  It seems that there's a new main sponsor every race.  With new featured sponsors comes new featured paint schemes.  Great for the die cast car industry.

2011 Press Pass Optima
Bobby Labonte (card # 11)

When Jeff Green was sporting the Nesquik firesuit, he was driving in the Busch Series.  No, wait.  It was the Busch Grand National Series.  It didn't become the Busch Series until 2004.  Four years later it became the Nationwide Series.

2011 Press Pass Optima
Jeff Green (card # 28)

I haven't figured out Press Pass's subsets.  I can't find a checklist on their site from this long ago.  Whenever I  see Mark driving the Viagra car I think of these photos (yes, they're family friendly).

2011 Press Pass Optima
Mark Martin (card # G14)

This G-Force insert doesn't do a whole lot for me.  I like Kyle Petty and all, but ...

2011 Press Pass Optima
G-Force
Kyle Petty (card #GF 18)

Overall, I'm pleased with the pack.  Wish that there was a Jeff Burton or two in there, but I'll live.

No race-used lugnut cards, either.  Bummer.

Classic? Maybe. Best? Not Really.

Another pack from the dollar bin Marty's Sports Card Exchange Superstore. I'll get to Marty's in a bit. Please be patient.

This is a pack from 1992.  Not a wax pack, but a stiff, thin cardboard pack.  Reversible Crush Proof Box.

I decided to show only the players that went on to the Majors.  Just one quarter of the pack.

1992 Classic Best
Joel Adamson (card # 74)

1992 Classic Best
Mel Nieves (card # 94)

1992 Classic Best
Damon Buford (card # 120)

Not a whole lot of info on the back.  That lends itself to a clean look.  And no, I didn't find any autographed cards.