It has started ...

and the end is near.

Gint-A-Cuffs is open.  The 2012 rules have been published.

Or, as the Mayans say:

Nya b’a’n tu’n tjax tk’on chi’l toj twiy, ku’n b’e’x ch’ajila tu’n tx’yan.
(It’s not wise to put a basket on your head as you will be eaten by a dog.)

National Park Service Trading Cards

There was a story in the local paper about the National Park Service's trading card program. I've tried to find some more info on the program, especially a checklist, but the results of my search have been weak.

Greeneville and Greene County Boys and Girls Club members trade 150th Civil War trading cards Monday at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greeneville. The National Park Service is offering more than 500 of these trading cards to kids to mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. (J. Miles Cary/News Sentinel)

It appears that various National Parks and Sites will provide some cards to young visitors.  The cards might be an extension of the Civil War cards to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the start of that conflict.

Some of the NPS websites that contain info about the cards are:

• Lowell National Historical Park
• Mammoth Cave National Park
• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
• Andersonville National Historic Site
• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site
• Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
• Hot Springs National Park

Adam Lind signs strange stuff

Knoxville Smokies Cards

These two cards of Smokies players came from the baseball brick.  There was a bit of 'stickiness' to the cards, almost like high humidity had fused the cards together.  I'm guessing that the flecks of white on Alex's jersey are on the back side of some junk wax card.  I received two of the Alex cards.  I'll have to see if the other one is cleaner.

1993 Fleer Excel All-Stars
Alex Gonzalez (card # 5)

 

1993 Classic Best
Shawn Green (card # 72)

 

I have seen the Shawn Green card listed as an Uncorrected Error - Photo. Comparing it to the 1993 Fleer Procard of Shawn Green, I can see a bit of difference. Now the question is, who is pictured on the Classic Best card?

See, I've resisted posting any racing cards for a while.  Soon enough, though.

Bricks Aplenty

I took a few hours on Saturday to drive around, run some errands, and get some fresh air.  All were good for me.  I did a bit of shopping, stopping in at the South Knoxvegas Junque & Krappe store.  I found a booth that was offering bricks of sports cards, two for a dollar.  The cards were wrapped in Saran Wrap, with lots of tape.  About 80 cards per brick.  I picked up one brick of baseball and three bricks of NASCAR.  I'll show you some of the baseball cards since I think I'm starting to lose some of my audience.

There were Bowman Chrome, Kmart, MLB Showdown, a 1981 Topps Sticker, Fleer Tradition, Donruss Classic, Stadium Club, Pinnacle, and a boatload of other brands.

I thought that my scanner would explode when I scanned these three cards.  They look much more dazzling in person.

1999 Upper Deck Choice Starquest
Roger Clemens (card # SQ13)

1998 Metal Universe
Curt Schilling (card # 108)

1999 Upper Deck Ionix
Larry Walker (card # 25)

No Hershisers, but a few Diamondbacks for my dad and a couple of Knoxville Smokies.  I'll show those later.

Boys Will Be Boys

The Knickerbocker News - April 7, 1961

This, from 51 years ago. The Knickerbocker News was an Albany, NY, paper from 1937 to 1969. I snagged this from Old Fulton Post Cards.

Up and Moving about

Thanks for the well wishes.  I made it through the gall bladder surgery with just a bit of pain and discomfort.

I watched the bulk of the All-Star Game Tuesday night, drifting in and out of the drug induced haze they put me in.

I had all sorts of plans for cute tie in posts, but I still haven't ventured near the scanner.

But I have been watching a bit of television.  I came across a new (to me) show on the Discovery Channel.  Final Offer.  Someone brings in something that they want to sell, talk with four dealers.  The dealers may, individually, offer to purchase it.  If the seller declines, they cannot return to that dealer and must then negotiate with the other dealers.  An interesting concept.

There were a few segments that were baseball or baseball card related.  Here's a clip of a 1977 Topps Star Wars uncut sheet.




 
And here's one of a Ruth/Gehrig signed baseball.

Another show, also on the Discovery Channel is Auction Kings. In this episode someone wants to sell their 1952 Andy Pafko card. This is a full episode, with the sellers showing the card at about 5:00, with an expert talking at about 9:45, and the auction at about 15:05.


A few weeks ago I came across the deplorable 2010 Bruce Willis / Tracy Morgan film, Cop Out. Bruce Willis' character has a 1952 Pafko card stolen. I saw it on TBS or TNT or one of those. My guess is that they had to clean up the language.

So, if you have to have your gall bladder removed, it really isn't terrible.  Just have plenty of batteries for the remote.

Home Run Derby post

I've been a slacker. No posts for over a week. I had a medical procedure last week and tomorrow I will have my gall bladder removed, so there will be another drought of posts.

I'm watching the State Farm Home Run Derby as I type this.  Matt Kemp isn't fairing well. Oh, he just hit a gold ball.  Another $18,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.  Thanks, State Farm.

2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary
Earl Wilson (card # 50)

One thing you don't see in home run derbies is pitchers batting. There's a reason for that. Earl Wilson sits in fifth place for all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers.

How many did he hit as a pitcher and who sits above him? Let's see. Earl hit 33 HRs.

Red Ruffing - 34
Warren Spahn - 35
Bob Lemon - 35
Wes Ferrell - 37

SABR member David Vincent wrote a fascinating article about pitchers hitting the long ball.  Enjoy the Derby.  Enjoy the All-Star Game.  See you in a few days.

Catching that Olympic Fever

I enjoy watching the Olympics, both the Summer and Winter games.

I like track and field, archery, swimming, boxing, weightlifting, gymnastics.  Well, I guess I like all of it.

I've enjoyed the Olympic trials.  The drama of a dead heat, the beauty of the athletes.  One thing I haven't cared for is NBC's audio mix during the women's gymnastics trials.  I could never clearly hear the commentators.

I found a few (new to me) Olympic cards on ebay and I'd like to share them with you.

They are from the 1910 T218 set "Champion Athletes and Prizefighters" distributed with the Hassan and Mecca tobacco brands. Apparently there were 153 subjects in this set, not all of them Olympians.

Robert Cloughen won the silver medal in the 200 meter race at the 1908 Summer Olympic Games in London.

Frank Riley was also a member of the US team in London in 1908.  He ran in the 1500 meter race but did not do well enough to advance to the finals.

Yes, I snagged the images from ebay auctions.  Cloughen and Riley.