START THE CAR.....QUICK!!!!!!

 

                                  I confess that I shouldn't have done it but, however it wasn't my fault that some shops need to do a better job in the hiring process. 

          You see back in the summer of 2001 I was on the road in the town of Battle Creek the home of your Kellogg's company. Anyways I stopped at this Comic/Card shop & what little bit of cards they had I feel guilty about this tale. So they mainly had some singles but I mainly was focused on what you see in pictures throughout this post.  I saw this set no price on it no indication that was a complete set or not. So I asked the guy who was working supposedly but mainly was tending the Magic tournament if I could see it closely. He pulled it out from the display case he wasn't sure about the price but he said if I knew what it was worth he'd check the Beckett on it give me an additional 20% off the price as well half off any sports cards or sets within the display case it was sitting in. 

                   So I found the latest Beckett Plus at the time in which I was going to buy since my local shop hadn't received their copies yet that week. The guy went back to the game supervision post. I took a closer look at the box didn't look like it was tampered with so I opened it up it looked like all 132 cards were there as well the 36 Logo Stickers so I pulled out a small stack just to see the cards perhaps untouched since 1984 & within that small stack I pulled the Kirby Puckett & Roger Clemens cards.

                   They looked very pristine to me as I couldn't believe I was holding within my hands. I flipped them over to check to see if I could find anything that would say counterfeit or something of the effect that would have me not want to buy it. They had passed the test they were legit. So I put them back into the box very carefully so I wouldn't ding any corners or scuff any of the others in the box. I then quickly looked up the price of the 1985 Fleer Update price noting that it was going for $4 to $8 high book value.  

                  As I mentioned at the top of this post I feel guilty about this but I couldn't possibly pass it up besides the set would have been over $200 had I been truthful. So I grabbed a box of 9 pocket sleeves to complete my buying spree. 

                      I called the guy back over to the register telling him I was ready to check out. He got up from the game he was in the middle of calling a time out so he could help this customer. He proceeded to ask me what all I decided on buying I told him the set of cards the Beckett Magazine & the 9 pockets sleeves.

                     He asked me what did the price say I showed him the 1985 Fleer Update price he said hows $5 sound for the set without skipping a beat in hopes that I would say yes to the price I didn't hesitate to say that sounds good when I mentioned about the other things as well of the percentages total amount he figured the set would sell at $2 Beckett magazine $10 box of 9 Pocket Ultra-Pro Sleeves $15 with 25% off any supplies($11 he said) & then we figure out Uncle Sam's take of 6% sales tax total cost was $24.38 but he said since I was paying cash $24 even. I quickly whipped out my wallet paying him $24 walked out the store found my ride waiting patiently for me to finish shopping. I hopped into the car telling my mom Start the car......QUICK!!!!! before they realize the mistake. My mother quickly started off she asked why the sudden rush I told her what I did needless to say they didn't question or come after me. About a year later the shop had moved to a different location focusing on more of the gaming card games and less sports cards & still dabbled in the comic realms. But I got my reward owning what you just read about. I still can't believe that I own the 1984 Fleer Update set its in the same binder as the the regular set starting with Willie Mays Aikens in slot #4 of the 9 pocket sleeve with card #660 preceded him in slot #3 & all the other 131 cards were in the set that follow Aikens. Back in 2015 I was at another shop found a nice starter lot of the Update set for my friend Greg it was missing some of the major rookies in it as well some of the minor stars & of course the hometown Tigers were missing in it as well but Greg being the hunter he is as well as me as of this posting he lacks these cards still from his set being complete the reason some of have a x2 on his list is they're players in his PC he like to own 2 copies of them 1 for his set & the other for his Player Collection guys so if someone can help him out I am sure Greg will try to help you out with your needs as well. Again here is his list of what he needs still.  With that said I like to hear what you think of what I did should I go back to confess my wrong-doing or what. As always Rogers Hornsby put it nicely once about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids isn't an American, He's a Communist." 

1984 Fleer Update  

  (U-)  4 Bailor x2  5 Baker x2  27 Clemens RC  34 Eckersley  43 Gooden RC 
83 Niekro  93 Puckett RC  99 Rijo RC  102 Rose

DAN..... DAN..... DAN.....

When I left my Dollar General job the score was 13-23 I was shocked to see that my girlfriend wasn't watching the game. She explained that Jared Goff wasn't on his game after throwing 4 picks & the offense was struggling with the exception of Sam LaPorta lone touchdown catch & David Montgomery's rushing. Then suddenly the Lions finally took over & I can't believe that the Lions never gave up compared to years past. I have endured many of many years of failure on their part. Yes the Lions were basically like the Chicago Cubs loveable losers well after seeing the Cubs win the World Series in 2016 just maybe 2024 Detroit Lions can finally make it to the Superbowl.  Afterall they have come close 2 times only to lose in the NFC Championship game. The first was in 1991 with inspiration of Mike Utley in their minds Barry Sanders couldn't over power the eventual Superbowl champs of then Washington Redskins(Commanders) but I remind people had the Lions played at the Pontiac Silverdome they might had won cause they had an Undefeated record at home that year as well any dome stadium as well. 

                         The second time they came close was this last year where they were winning at halftime only to fall to the San Francisco 49ers. This year as I do this post prior to week 11s match up game between The Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars had the Lions not lost to the Buccaneers in week 2 the Lions would have been undefeated much like the Kansas City Chiefs. 

                       Dan Campbell was an interesting hire if you asked me 4 years ago did I think he would been a great hire. I was skeptical at first but of late maybe the guy who will bite the other teams kneecaps, still has to make all of us people in Michigan wonder if the apocalypse of the end of the earth is coming if the Lions do make it to the Superbowl. 

                    Prior to the start of this years season I found myself looking at my football wantlists & well....I needed 2 of Dan Campbell's rookie cards I was surprised they came to me within 3 months of each other I found the 1999 Score Supplemental Set for $5 at the Chantilly show in June. Then at a show I set up at in September this dealer had the 1999 Skybox Dominion combination card for $.10 I couldn't turn it down the dealer didn't know that Campbell card was in a box of a bunch of others that I needed.

                  Just recently a friend of mine told me about how high price these 2 cards are now going for due to the successful job he's doing this year so far. The Score card was seen at a price mind you it wasn't graded but for $45.00 the Skybox Dominon also not graded was selling for $30.00 I am so glad I got mine when I did. Anyways I can only hope the rest of this 2024 season to be like the first 10 weeks have been. With that said I am reminded of the great Rogers Hornsby talking about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

MARK Z: THIS THUMBS UP IS FOR YOU!!!!!!

 

                  I know that I may get some bad feedback for doing this post on my blog but I figured since no other blogger in the blogging community feels like they need to say anything I just hope that we can get a mystery solved mainly from the person who is behind the response that he gives. So Mark Z. I am asking on behalf of many bloggers whom you sometimes comment on with a THUMBS UP EMOJI only we like to know other than a like why you don't explain the reasoning behind the THUMBS UP. So in the tune of the old Budwiser commercials cue the background singers MARK Z for all you do THIS THUMBS UP IS FOR YOU!!!!!!  

                               I think that's enough THUMBS UP so Mark Z. I hope you can explain until then I know this was a short post I am reminded what the Rajah once said about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, he's a Communist." By the way anyone else think of any more THUMBS UP CARDS please leave a comment below. 

THE SHIRT SAYS IT ALL

           Well sorry for not posting since the 26th of October I have been extremely busy with my 2 jobs with usually my nights spending time relaxing compressing the day I endured.  My shirt says it all "......I am not dead yet!!!!!" Yes its a quote from Monty Python & the Holy Grail as well the musical Spamalot. I can hear some of you saying why am I griping about working 2 jobs well my first job during the day is working at an elementary school dealing with kids from Kindergarden through the 3rd Grade as an Instructional Assistant (Fancy name for being a tutor to kids) I have been working with the district since 1998 what can be stressful working with them well......just when we get them settled down and ready for recess a co-worker will play music that gets them jumping up and down a lot like its a mini Mosh Pit. I try to clear tables & its not easy with them not paying attention to where they're dancing at. Then after I deal with school kids I go directly to my other job which is working at Dollar General. 

             On rare days off from school I like to sleep in until I have to go to DG. Now on my days off from DG I like to just either try to go to the local shop or leave on a trip to a shop outside of my area to see if I can find things I might need from my lists or find things others are looking for. Then there's times where I spend time with my girlfriend & we try to find things we both can enjoy case in point last week Friday after I got back from cashing my paychecks we went to the west end of the state to a mall to do some shopping then enjoy a nice dinner at a TGIFridays. Then after dinner my girlfriend asked me if I wanted to go to a local shop that I like going to since they moved to a bigger location & I mentioned how I like to see the changes since I saw a YouTube video of the shop starring Mojo & how he enjoyed going to it. 

          Needless to say I found a few singles I needed but the biggest find I did was thanks to the video & after talking to Greg (The Collective Mind blogger if you haven't read his stuff I suggest you do) I mentioned I found him a set he was missing in his Allen & Ginter run that was the 2017 Set. I paid $40 for it & he was extremely excited that I found it & I have to agree with him that $40 was a hell of a deal considering that the Aaron Judge RC is in it with average prices from $25 to $40 raw plus all the SPs were in it so he didn't have to hunt any of them down.

          So don't think that I have given up on working on my blog I just been busy at my jobs & trying to come up with more exciting things to discuss on here. In fact I am looking forward to the next show that Ill be at on the 10th of this month cause my friend Pat said she has some nice 2024 Update Inserts for me as well 2 of my 2024 Heritage Box Toppers those I can't wait to get plus Greg sent out a package for me of stuff so I can't wait for that mail day arrival hoping that he included the long awaiting set finisher in my `97/`98 Fleer Basketball set of Allen Iverson that I needed to complete so I no longer have to look for that card & then I can enjoy looking at that set.

           Before I wrap up this latest posting sometime this month I am hoping to drop a challenge & I hope I can get a great challenger(s) in the fight. I also hope that I can win it as well. I know that time will tell me if it was worth trying to do or not pending on my opponent(s) is & if they are ready to take on POISON *evil laugh* or will I be the one that gets crushed. Until then I am reminded of the Great Rajah Hornsby quote of signing autographs for kids " Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

JUMPING ROOKIES CARDS

 

                       Rookie Cards are somewhat the majority of collectors collecting these days. What made me talk about this subject about jumping Rookie Cards was hearing about the passing of this guy shown here underneath. 

                           You see back in 1981 the Baseball world was captured before the strike in Fernandomania. Prior to Topps going full-speed with a Year end Traded set (Yes I know they dabbled a little bit on the Traded sets in 1972,1974, & 1976) kids were opening packs of Topps and Fleer cards & to their amazement was a Fernando or in Fleers case Fernand. Rookie cards of a player who was making it big. Back in 1951 Bowman was first to do that with a pair phenoms of Mickey Mantle & Willie Mays neither had yet played a single game in the majors yet there were their Rookie Cards.

             1975 Topps issued Fred Lynn who later in the 1975 season won the Rookie of the Year & MVP awards. 

                         Fast forward there was a player toiling in the minors trying to make the Detroit Tigers as the photographer for Topps was taking photos passed on a phenom who later made a name with the Los Angeles Dodgers cause he didn't sign a Topps Contract. Fleer again jumped the gun to create the 1963 Fleer RC of Maury Wills later Topps added Wills in 1967 as his first card (Yes I am also familiar with the 1960 Topps World Series card in which Wills is shown but uncredited on it)  

                  Well we now jump to 1983 Fleer again jumps the gun in getting the South-Side Slugger yet was cold-hearted on many Beckett Magazine early issues after his 1983 season I am talking about the 1 & only Ron Kittle (Again Topps was late in getting him but included him with the Traded set). Kittle is 1 card that I believe should be the sportsman for hot 1 year & then turn Anartician Frigid the next most flippers in the trade must take homage to Kittle in my opinon cause everyone talks about the hottest rookie must have etc then if the player becomes like well what Ron endured these so-called collectors don't want anything to associate with owning a card like that. Now case in point Wander Franco is the newest version of the Ron Kittle saga all everyone wanted in 2021 Franco this........Franco that.......anyone got any of his cards comes the voices of the hobby. Then he falls from the scene cause of the Young Child case I understand its a crime but c'mon this is why I am against Grading cards of as soon as they are released as well collectors jumping too soon on these phenom players I still stand in wishing all the graded companies would just wait until 2 years of a release so you can see if the player is a stud or a dud before grading it. I know I'll hear alot of your comments on saying Grading shouldn't matter well.....it does. 

                       Anyways now in 1985 Topps jumped the RCs with these next 3 players pictured Belcher didn't get noticed until 1988 another 3 years after this card was made. Shawn Abner I can still remember watching NBC's Game of The Week Pregame show when they announced the New York Mets with the 1st overall pick selected Shawn Abner.  We didn't see Abner again until 1988 (Fleer,Donruss,Score, & YES!!! even Sportflics made a card of Shawn that year)  like Belcher however Abner was featured with the San Diego Padres. If you think about it opening a pack of 1985 Topps your a Mets fan wonder who is this guy & Topps didn't create another Abner card until 1990. Now we come to the 1985 Topps Subset that starts at #389 & runs to #404 & who's the RC that is featured in it well 2 years later we all would hear the name of Mark McGwire (Yes I know theres others like Cory Snyder,Oddibe McDowell that were in the same area of having their RCs in the set but Mark was the poster child of the 1984 Olympic Team).

Now its 1986 Donruss as well Fleer were jumping the guns with Canseco RCs making them the hottest RCs before the Update sets were released. Are you convinced yet if not keep reading.

                    1 year later we see Donruss jump the gun with Greg Maddux  (Again Topps & Fleer included him in their Traded/Update set respectively) 1988 Fleer,Score,Donruss did a Gregg Jefferies jump much after seeing him hit .500 in his short time in the 1987 season (He played 6 games).

                   By 1989 everyone included this phenom in their sets with Topps waiting until the update to feature him. By the turn of 2001 Ichiro was issued by then we all learned that Jumping the RCs were a normal. So anyways I leave my readers to see if I have forgotten anyone if so let me know in the comments below. Until then I remind you of the quote of the Rogers Hornsby talking about signing autographs for little kids. "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, he's a Communist."

WORLD SERIES TIME AGAIN

 

         For the 12th time in the World Series we get to watch the New York Yankees play against the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Am I excited to see who wins the crown this year not really if the Dodgers win it Ohtani will get his first ring the same goes to Judge. Some of you are saying wouldn't Soto get his first you all forget he was a member of the 2019 Washington Nationals team.

                       My phone was blowing up with my insiders group last night midway of the 4th inning between the Mets & Dodgers game on Sunday night wondering the question I am now asking my readers to answer afterall your input is neither right nor wrong but I just like to tell you the group is split on the tribute that you'll be part of in the question that was brought up.

The group was wondering since 1995 (Yes I know there was someone prior to this in 1964 for the San Fransisco Giants but most collectors focus on the 1995 season mainly). Since Hideo Nomo made his debut for the Dodgers then in 2001 you had Ichiro appear 2003 Hideki Irabu debut then in 2004 Hideki Matsui then in 2018 we had Ohtani 2024 brought in Yoshinobu. Do we let Matsui decked in his #55 jersey again Ichiro in his road Grey #31 & Nomo his white Dodgers #16 come out just to toss a first pitch for Game 4? 

If I were to answer that here's the top 10 People I would say to toss out a first pitch.  5 players for each team. 

For the Yankees I would say Graig Nettles,Reggie Jackson,Ron Guidry, Derek Jeter (yes I know he wasn't involved in any of the previous 11 match ups), Joe Torre (same answer as Jeter but he did manage both clubs).

For the Dodgers Sandy Koufax,Steve Garvey,Fernando Valenzula(Yes even though he was rookie & didn't factor much in 1981 he was a member of the last time these 2 teams fought for the title)Dusty Baker,Night Owl would be surprised if his main man Ron Cey did it so I am giving him a call to throw it out. Plus Cey & Baker were co-MVPs in the 1981 series.

There's been a lot of historical facts that I could go on a lot about that you would say Damn Poison please you are cha-chinging too much with all these Highlights do you not have a life other than talking baseball factoids. So I won't do that to my readers so your quite welcome.

Instead I will propose this next question to you that the group is wondering as well. That question is this which of the 11 previous times that these 2 teams played which year would you like to own a piece of memroabilia from it can be ball or a jersey or a bat from 1 player thats all nothing else.

                        Now if you ask me what cards featured in this post do I own real simple the I only own the 1989 Talking card featured on the top of the post and basically the 2004 Fall Classic Covers & the Podres Autograph shown as well so what ones do you own. 

If I have to pick a winner of the series its simple I'll take the team that Willie Randolph was an All-Star with & it will be 7 games.

So with that all said I am reminded the quote from Rogers Hornsby talking about signing autographs for little kids. "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

DON"T GET ME WRONG.....

                         

                  Don't get me wrong this guy featured on my blog was to me yes the enemy meaning he's a Wolverine. As a Buckeyes Fan I don't like many players from the school that is my arch-rival but you see Glen to me was an underrated All-Star player when he was in the NBA. He played a total of exactly 1000 games in his career he was an NBA Champion when he played for at the time in the 1999-2000 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The reason I am calling out Glen is simply it seems he is if I don't count all the major superstars of the NBA like Michael Jordan,LeBron James,Kobe Bryant. Glen is the 1 player on my basketball lists that usually alludes to me in my set building process. 

             I just don't understand why he is the 1 player that I never seem to locate when I am making my sets & when I go to shows or shops & they have those individual piles devoted to the stars I never seem to find his cards that I need. It's really flustering to me or I go through a monster box of singles that are organized by sets that I can't locate him. My friend Greg has the similar problem within trying to find Derek Jeter. 

             Don't get me wrong I just wonder if any of my readers have someone that they usually can't be able to locate if so let me know in the comments below. Here is my list of the players whom I seem can't be able to get. 

Baseball-Ken Griffey Jr.

Basketball-Glen Rice as you read

Football-Barry Sanders

Hockey-Any Red Wings Game Used or the Top RC for the Hockey year I am working on.

            As usual I am reminded the quote of Rogers Hornsby about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs ain't An American, hes a Communist."