Potpourri for 100, Alex?

"What is, 'Mark has too much time on his hands'?"

I've been poking around old newspapers and magazines and came up with a few articles that are interesting but don't quite make a whole post on their own.

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I'm not quite sure where I found this. Could have been Google News archives, Paper of Record, I just don't recall, nor can I find it again. What caught my eye was two colored teams playing in 1878. Sure, the gunshot and beating was interesting.

Current intersection of Cumberland and Gilmor.  (link)

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An ad from the September, 1958 issue of Popular Science.

I can't find any other reference to this game.

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This article is from an earlier issue of Popular Science. October, 1937.

Okay, either their copy is wrong or the images are reversed.  The pitcher is not a left-hander.  I don't know who the pitcher pictured is.  Here's the 1937 Washington Senators roster from baseball-reference.com.  Who is he?

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Back in the middle of June, I was watching a baseball game on television.  It might have been ESPN. Yankees at the Cubs, if I remember. The announcers were talking about how neat it was for AL teams to come play at Wrigley, since it is such an iconic park.  They spoke of Gehrig and Ruth coming to Wrigley for the 1932 World Series, among others.  I know that 1929 Philadelphia Athletics visited for the 1929 World Series, bringing Mickey Cochrane, Jimmy Foxx, and Lefty Grove.  Mickey Cochrane returned to Wrigley in 1935 with Detroit.  He brought Charlie Gehringer and Goose Goslin.  The Yankees also returned in 1938, with Tommy Henrich and Lefty Gomez.  Then the announcers mentioned that the Red Sox had never played at Wrigley in the Golden Era of Baseball so it was sad that Ted Williams never got a chance to play there.

This didn't ring completely true to me.  The Red Sox have never faced the Cubs in the World Series, but the 1947 All-Star Game was played at Wrigley.  Who batted third?  Ted Williams.  Yes, this is nit-picky, but I like to be right.  I'll claim it where I can get it.

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To wrap up I'll leave you with a fun photo from 107 years ago.

Phoenix Indian Industrial Training School, 1904
Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

In very broad terms, the school was set up to assimilate the Indians to the Anglo way of life.  I don't know who these young men played against.

Nachos Grande's Autograph Survey

In honor of Autograph Week, Chris, from the Nachos Grande blog has asked a few questions:


1. What is the best autograph you own?
I'd probably have to say Ryne Sandberg because I got that in person.

2. What is the best autograph that you've ever pulled from a pack of cards?
I don't buy or open enough packs to have ever pulled one.

3. What is the worst autograph you've ever pulled from a pack of cards?
See the answer to #2.

4. Do you try to get autographs through the mail? If so, what sort of success (or failure) stories do you have?
I've contemplated it, but have never actually done it.

5. Who was the subject of your first ever autograph?
Not sports related at all, but in July of 1971 Lt Col Eugene W. Loy, 4007th CCTS commander, piloted the first FB-111A to Plattsburgh Air Force Base. I do remember getting the crew's autograph on a promotional picture.

Probably the first sports related auto that I got was B.J. Armstrong.

6. Do you actively collect any autographs (certain players, teams, brands, etc)?
Being a Hershiser collector, I've got one of his and wouldn't turn down any more.

7. Which is better: Autographs or Relics?
I'm thinking that Autographs are better, especially based on the recent charges of fraudulent jerseys.

8. What do you think of cut autos?
It depends upon the design.  Some are nice.  Others... not so nice.

9. What is your favorite autograph design (say in the last 5 years)?
Allen & Ginters look nice with an auto.  I don't have a specific design in mind, but I prefer on-card.

10. If you could get the autograph of any five people (dead or alive) who would you want a signature from (and why)?

This one took some time to ponder.

• Alfred Hitchcock - I admire him as a director
• Walt Disney - A true part of Americana and a neat signature
• John Hancock - duh
• Shoeless Joe Jackson - I don't think that there are that many of his signatures out there
• William McKinley - just so I could give it to Beardy

Hershiser Venezuelan Stickers

While scouring ebay today I came across these Orel Hershiser oddball stickers. Oddball in that I don't think that one would typically find them at their typical card shop.

2007 Venezuelan Panini Sticker
Orel Hershiser (sticker # 170)
image lifted from this ebay auction

2008 Venezuelan Panini Sticker
Orel Hershiser (sticker # 225/26)
image lifted from this ebay auction

I assume that the 2008 sticker numbers are actually 225 and 226.

The seller is offering them up for $5 each. A bit too rich for my blood, but good to know that these are out there.

Corey Hart and his vast collection

I was poking around on my BlackBerry last night and came across a free app from the MLBPA.  Somehow they collect tweets, news, videos, and player profiles then serve them up right to your mobile device.  Interesting.

It isn't going to be the "go to" app on my phone, but I will use it.  One of the news stories was about Corey Hart.

He talks about his collection of comic books, action figures, bobble heads, jerseys, signed baseballs, and other memorabilia. 

"I like my original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers and He-Man figures."

Seriously?  $6.8 million last season, $9 million next season and you're obsessing about TMNT and He-Man figures?  If I was making that kind of green I'd be looking into some very nice vintage.

You can read the whole story on MLBPlayers.com.

Interesting ebay auction

I've been looking at this auction for the last few days. I just can't pull the trigger.

More Women on Cards for the Night Owl

I'm not going to clutter this up with a bunch of words. Well, maybe a few. I went to the Antiques and Collectibles store in south KnoxVegas this afternoon while running errands. I dropped a whole 80¢ on these cards. Marilyn Green was the first Miss Winston Cup. 1971 was the year. Now they have have a bevy of young lasses to be the Miss Sprint Cup.

1991 Pro Set - Legends
Marilyn Green (card # L6)

1992 Pro Set - Legends
Marilyn Green (card # L17)

1991 Pro Set
Miss Winston/Beth Bruce (card # 27)

1991 Pro Set
Miss Winston/Renee White (card # 125)

1991 MAXX - Red
Shawna Robinson (card # 65)

Enough women with long, flowing hair.  Now on to some guys that have long, flowing hair.

1994 Action Packed
Kyle Petty and Aerosmith (card # 95)

According to the back of Derrike Cope's card "A knee injury had ruined his his chances at a professional baseball career".  Derrike was the Daytona 500 winner in 1990.

1994 Press Pass
Derrike Cope art card (card # 138)

And finally a card for my wife.  This Raybestos car was driven by Jeff Burton, her favorite driver.

1994 Action Packed
Jeff Burton car (card # 125)

Don't look at that last one too long.  Go back to looking at the long haired beauties.

Feel the Guilt

Last night I had to run down to the Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. Light bulbs, Italian bread, shredded hashbrowns, whey protein powder, storage box. Things of that nature. I try to look at the card aisle. I call it a card aisle. It is actually a small part of one aisle. Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Beyblades, and the like take up most of the space. There are a few sports cards, but nothing really caught my eye. This whole baseball season I haven't purchased any new cards. New as in "off the rack". I've picked some singles up from ebay, JustCommons.com and I've been eyeing a few singles on SportLots.com.

I was drawn to the 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter feeder packs.  They've already moved out the rack packs to make room for football cards.  And some hockey cards.  Not much left for baseball.

As assistant to the Commissioner of Gint-A-Cuffs III, I figured that I should at least pick up a pack.  Let's see what I got, shall we?


A sketch card of Ryan Howard.  I still can't figure out if the card should be shown in portrait or landscape mode.  I'm going with portrait, since you can read the words more easily.  The painting of Howard doesn't do much for me, but I do like the Monetified fans.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Ryan Howard (card # BHS-10)

One of those mini-cards chase sets.  I don't think so.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
The Human Blockhead (card # SRU6)

I don't know anything about Madison Bumgarner.  I was taken by his hat, which looks like it is camouflaged.  Probably just part of the printing process.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Madison Bumgarner (card # 304)

Delta Burke.  Night Owl just posted about getting this card and how he has the hots for her.  Or women on cards in general I think was the overall theme.  She sure has slimmed down since her Designing Women days.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Cheryl Burke (card # 242)

Another player I don't know much about.  Pedro Ciriaco.  Sounds like a car model.  "Come test drive the new Volkswagen Ciriaco.  A sports car that doesn't look like a sports car."

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Pedro Ciriaco (card # 34)

Robert Fulton.  Commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to build a submarine.  How cool is that?

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Robert Fulton (card # MMF21)

The pack cost me $2.98. That's 50 cents a card. I can get a few more Hershiser cards for that. They are what I collect. I should have saved the coin and put it towards something that I really wanted.  I should have listened to my inner card collecting voice.  I feel guilty.