Nick Adenhart - RIP

At the urging of Greg over at the Night Owl Cards blog, I'm adding my own tribute to an athlete that died way too young, at the hands of another young man who apparently had too much to drink and didn't understand that he was driving a lethal weapon.

Late last night or early this morning, Nick Adenhart was involved in a traffic accident that left him and two of his passengers dead. His vehicle was apparently rammed by a van that was driven by someone who was drunk.

Like Greg, I didn't know of Nick Adenhart. I don't really follow the Angels. It is too early in the season for me to get past the Cubs and the Dodgers. I barely know who is on my fantasy team.

When one hears of a tragedy like this, a young man, in his prime, killed for no apparent reason (other than stupidity on the part of the other driver), it makes baseball card blogging seem so minuscule. Unimportant. Flippant, almost.

Let us not forget that it wasn't only Nick that lost his life. Two other people involved in the accident have died.

And for what reason? Because someone got toasted and didn't remember to call for help. I don't know why.

My guess is that the driver of the van that killed Nick and the others didn't say to himself, "Hmm, I've just killed a young pitcher. I'd better split."

No, he realized that he did something wrong and then split. He shouldn't have split. He shouldn't have been driving in that condition.

It doesn't matter whether the victim is a pitcher, an actor, a doctor, a produce manager, a speech therapist, a veteran, a grandmother, a hairdresser, a student.

Don't drink and drive.

Just don't.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Nick and his passengers.

What's behind the beard?

I've often wondered what is on the cardboard beneath the various sticker cards. Is it blank? Advertising? The same image as the sticker? Only Creswell knows.

Our subject today is a 1981 Fleer Star Sticker, Gorman Thomas (card # 77). Standard size (2-1/2" x 3-1/2"). This set has 125 player cards and 3 checklist cards and was issued with bubblegum at fine retailers everywhere.

James Gorman Thomas, III, was drafted in the first round by the Seattle Pilots in the 1969 amateur draft. In 1973 he played his first major league game with the Milwaukee Brewers. Mostly he played in the outfield, sometimes he was the designated hitter. 1981 proved to be a good year, as he was selected to play in the All-Star game. In both 1979 and 1982 he led the American League in Home Runs (45 and 39, respectively). In the early-mid 1980's he bounced to Cleveland then to Seattle and then signed as a free agent with Milwaukee. He ended his career in 1986 with a .225 Batting Average.

Now, like an onion, we shall peel it.

Ta da...

Glossy, waxy white. Now, to figure out where I'm going to stick Gorman.

White Sox ticket stub

May 24, 1994.  Yep, last century.  26,677 other fans went to see the White Sox beat the Twins.  I don't remember much about the game, except that Frank Thomas lifted one in the first inning and I walked to the top of the new Comiskey Park.  I only needed one oxygen bottle after I left the base camp.

 

Video breaks in the news

My brother sent me a link to the New York Times story about the surging tide of video pack/box breaks.  Thanks, bro.

I've never wanted to do that and probably never will.

Here's my favorite pack break video, by one of my favorite baseball card bloggers, Ben Henry.

Ben's blog, The Baseball Card Blog, has been retired.  His insight is missed by me and probably dozens of others.

A walk down Memory Lane

Memory Lane, Inc., that is.  MLI is an auction house of fine sports cards and memorabilia.  I received the catalog for their current acution in the middle of this week.  I'm just now getting around to posting about it.  The auction ends today, Saturday, at 8pm, EST.  I know that doesn't give you much time to register and bid.  Sorry.

The catalog has 162 pages, mostly baseball, but other sports and non-sports are represented.  Want signed checks from the Beatles?  They've got them.  Want that 1914 Baltimore News Ruth?  They've got it.  A 1971 Willie Mays Game Used Bat?  They've got it.  You'll find something that you'll like in at least one of the 1,022 lots they're offering.  Presidential signature to gangster signatures.  1964 Leaf the Munsters  Unopened Wax Box.  Many tobacco cards.  A 1965 Gilligan's Island #49 (PSA 9 Mint).  They've got it all.

Now, for nit-picky time.  Their editing was a tad sloppy.  A hard retun in the middle of the two digits of a two digit number.  Example:

56, 7

1, 89.

are cards #56, 71 and 89.

Quite a few missing apostrophes.  Many "Wow! You've got to bid on this one" type of copy.  No, this isn't the end of the world, but I feel that I have to give my honest opinion.  Both of my readers would expect no less.

In comparing this catalog to REA or a Huggins & Scott catalog, I'd have to say that MLI might be catering to a slightly different audience.  My first impression of the MLI catalog is "Sham-Wow!".  Giving it another look over, I'd say that I was wrong on my first impression.  They do a very nice job presenting what they have.  I won't be bidding, as many of the items are currently well over my monthly mortgage payment.

I'd invite you to look at MLI's website, request a catalog for their next auction.  It costs nothing and is a joy to peruse.

More Baseball Boss

 

This quick post is for Greg over at Night Owl Cards.  And for dayf over at Cardboard Junkie.

Baseball Boss is running a gimmick/contest where they have a special team, the Springfield Nukes, as a give away.

My team beat them (on the second try) so I got a random card...

April Fools 2009, Mike Scioscia (card # 7)

Dodgers and the Simpsons.

And then another milestone, so I got a pack of 2008 National....

Baseball Boss Pack Break

 

So, after reading about Baseball Boss on the Cards in the Attic blog, I decided I should look at the site.

Very fun, very addicting. Yes, you get cards. As you play matches, you get tickets which you can use to buy cards in an auction or directly from their in house store. No, I can't describe it all without spending lots of time. It isn't complicated, but I'd just start rambling.

Anyhow, I collected enough tickets today to purchase a pack of cards. It was from the 1907 National set. Five cards. 2,000 tickets.

Here's what I got...

Frank Corridon (card # 88)

John Eubank (card # 128)

Pete Lamer (card # 220)

Tex Neuer (card # 283)

Irv Young (card # 416)

I don't know if there are checklists.  Other card sets are Spire and Spire Legends.  You can buy a pack, a box or a case.  The years for the sets are 1907, 1957, 2007 and 2008.  And there are the team sets.  In terms of game play, the Spire cards seem to be of more value.  I don't have any, yet, but I'm bidding on one in the auction area. 

Yes, the game can cost you some real world cash, if you want to.  I'm choosing to keep the coin in my pocket.  Until I can get to my local card shop.

The game is very addicting and could easily become a time sink if you let it.  Don't let it.  But do have some fun.

Yes, I know that I blogged about Baseball Boss seven weeks ago.  I just hadn't tried it out.