Put Slam-Dunk on Wildfire!

Doug Roth

Last week I stopped into a local thrift store.  I was looking for a copy of All the President's Men.  I didn't find a copy but did find some basketball cards.  It appears that this set was issued in 1989.

Clarence Swearengen

Don DeVoe coached at UT for 11 seasons.  He has a .598 winning percentage (204-137).  He is the second winningest men's basketball coach at UT, behind Ray Mears.

Don DeVoe

It appears that this set was issued in 1989, based on the copyright.

Greg Bell

UT has several mascots.  There's the over-sized costumed Smokey and the real Bluetick Coonhound.  This card features the costumed Smokey.  Smokey on the front, Smokey Bear on the back.

Smokey

A UT basketball set wouldn't be complete with out a nod to Thompson-Boling Arena.  The court is now called "The Summitt" in honor of Pat Summitt.

Thompson-Boling Arena

There are another six cards I didn't scan.  For completeness I'll list them.

• Rickey Clark
• Mark Griffin
• Travis Henry
• Ian Lockhart
• Dyron Nix
• Ronnie Reese

I assume that this is a 12 card set.  I have three sets and some singles.  Anyone a UT collector?  College hoops?  Anyone?

Topps BUNT

Cynical Buddha, over at Collector's Crack, turned me on to Topps BUNT. It is an app for both android and iPhone.  I use it on my android phone.  I can't explain it.  You get virtual coins for checking in each day and a bonus for checking in every day for the week.  Then you can go to the store and purchase virtual packs.  You can play cards and depending how the players do, you get points.  There is a leaderboard.  I think that if you get to the top you get special cards.  There are at least five levels of rarity.  Rainbows and everything.

Today I saw an Allen and Ginter pack.  I purchased two of them (5,000 coins each pack).  I came away with a Freddie Freeman card.

People already want to trade me for it.

I also got a Topps Fireman.

Here's a common card.

Uncommon.

Rare.

Scarce.

Super Rare.

Topps is doing a good job with updating the app, but maybe that means that there are issues with it.  I don't play the cards so much, just collect them by purchasing packs.  One can get virtual coins by spending real money.  I'm not going there.

If you'd like to be my BUNT friend my user name is MARK_AUBREY.

Sorry I didn't take the time to crop the screenshots.  I did, scale them down in size.  You're welcome.

1982 Topps Dungeon Master Screen

When I picked the Braves photos (see last post) I also picked up a rare 1982 Topps Dungeon Master Screen. Oh, they'll tell you that it is some sort of sell sheet, a promo given to the dealers to get them and their customers excited about the upcoming card set.

We really know what it is.

Here's the closeup of the ad for Collecting Boxes.

And the back of that "card" is the add for the Card Locker.

I've never seen the Boxes, the Locker or the DM screen before.

Be Brave and Smile!

I had a chance to stop by one of my local card shops today. He had cleaned out a mess of misc and moved it to the dollar table.  Pawing through the debris I found two team photos of the Atlanta Braves.  I know a few fans of that team so I picked them up.

When I first saw the 1975 team photo I thought, "Now why would a team in the mid 70s have a mascot?" not realizing that it was Don Davidson, longtime traveling secretary for the team.  Research on him pulled up this gem of a quote on the 1969 Braves-Astros free-for-all in Houston: "The next time something like that gets started I'm going to punch the other club's traveling secretary."

Smile!

Bruce Lee or John Wayne?

We've all had the discussion. Who is better? Maris or Mantle? Batman or Superman? Beatles or Stones?  Mary Ann or Ginger?  And we've all had our opinions.

Here's one you might not have considered.  Bruce Lee or John Wayne?

In 1999 Racing Champions issued these 1:64 scale cars with special paint jobs.

So, who would win?

Racing Champions also did other die cuts.

I picked these cards, and more, up from a Listia auction some time back.   I'm too lazy to look up when or how many credits it cost me.

After you're done thinking about John and Bruce, think back to November 7, 2010, when Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon got into it.

Jeff or Jeff?

A Visit to the Hall of Fame

Today was induction day at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville.  There are six new members.

• Linn Dunn
• Michelle Edwards
• Mimi Griffin
• Yolanda Evette Griffith
• Jasmina Perazic
• Charlotte West

The Hall of Fame had an open house for the day.  Free admission.  Free inductee signings.  Caroline and I went downtown to enjoy the activities.

Linn Dunn and Caroline

Caroline and Michelle Edwards

Yolanda Evette Griffith, Caroline, Mimi Griffin

Jasmina Perazic and Caroline

Caroline and Charlotte West

The local newspaper provided a nice two sided poster for signing.  A bit oversized.  17" x 11".

The back side was reserved for the 1976 US Olympic Team.  The five that signed our posters are also members of the HoF.  I was fortunate to see the 1976 Team, actually all the US athletes, before they went to compete in Montreal.  The staging area was at SUNY Plattsburgh.  My neighbor at the time was a VP at the school.  I went to the Field House and saw President Ford speak.

After the signing we went through the Hall.  There are some great exhibits.  Jerseys, photos, trophies, interactive stations, that sort of thing.

Caroline is in the huddle, giving advice to the players.

The bronze Eastman Statue is 17 feet tall.  Hard to capture in just a photo.

As we were leaving we passed another Hall of Famer who was there to sign her new book.  We didn't get a signature but did get a photo.

Robin Roberts and Caroline

Caroline had fun.  I had fun.  Another successful day.  I'd like to thank the women that I met today.  They were all very personable and super pleasant.  Congrats to the inductees.