SHE'S NOT EVEN A DAY OVER 60

 

         This woman yesterday turned 104 years old. All I can say is happy birthday a day late. For you see this lady is a legend she is history,a former nurse,a mother of 3 children. She is Rachel Robinson.

                                                If you ask me she doesn't look any older than 60.


                 Back in 2010 I was visiting my friend Greg from The Collective Mind blog at the time he was living in Maryland. We went to a used bookstore called Wonder Books where I could locate some old books to add to my library of reading. Besides collecting cards I usually read a lot of books about baseball & so I came across this book written by this wonderful lady. At first I didn't think much of it but if ya look closely its a signed copy of the book by her. I went home without purchasing it I can hear ya say ya fool how could ya do that. Au Contraire Mon Frere I didn't have enough $$$$ to afford everything I wanted during my 2 weeks after all I was there to check out places like there & attend the National the second week cause it was being held in Baltimore that year & I didn't want to be broke completely.  Anyways when I got back home I reached out to Greg & I mentioned about the book if its still there could he mail it to me cause I wasn't sure if many people saw it or not but as someone who likes autographs especially from an elite class of a lady that she is I couldn't turn it down. So he went back to the store called me up & asked me what was the book again when I told him about whom the book was about he went directly to find it & mailed it after he told me it was only $10 that's not a typo folks thats what he told me it cost $10 so I was very excited to own this piece of history. So tell me my readers would ya have gotten this book knowing it had a rare signature of the widow of a great man that doesn't do many signings & now she's at 104 years young & still going strong. 

Best $10 book with an autograph I couldn't pass up.

                    As you know I normally end my posts with a quote from Rogers Hornsby however I find it fitting that Rachel's Husband should end this post to the birthday girl. "Above anything else, I hate to lose." Well Jackie ya never lost her she's been a winner Happy Birthday Mrs. Rachel Robinson!!!!!!

IN 2 WEEKS I SHOULD BE THERE BUT CAN'T 😭 THANKS DOLLAR GENERAL

 

              Normally around this time I would be doing a countdown to gearing up to the National Sports Card Convention in Rosemont, Illinois this year. But I am not attending it thanks for nothing Dollar General 🤬. I am hoping next summer to go to the show also no matter what I definitely will attending the 2028 National when it returns to Detroit for the 1st time since 1981 (No!!!!! I didn't attend that show cause I was 6 years old when it was going on) cause I won't have to deal with hotel costs when it comes to Detroit instead I'll be staying at Home Sweet Home.

      Instead I will be working at A&W or maybe I will be shadowing at 3 Kings Sports Cards (I'm still waiting for them otherwise you hear from me sooner than before).  I'll continue to blog discussing cards with you as well try to finish my Hank Aaron post on his 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970s Bat Piece. Trying to figure out 44 interesting things about him that most people wouldn't know about is been fun to figure out. If any of my readers are attending this years National please drop me a line so I can have ya try to locate somethings for me if you could please pick them up for me if ya come across them.  Until then I remind you of Rogers Hornsby once saying "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

WE 3 KINGS PART II & CALLING OUT READERS

 

Well I thought I give you readers on an update on my interview that I had with 3 Kings Sports Cards in Michigan last week Wednesday.  In my opinion I think I did alright answering the questions about my experience at Dollar General as well card related factors even though the interview was a bit nerve-wracking cause I was told that I have a great chance on going to the next stage of the process of getting hired that I will either get an email scheduling for when I can shadow someone at the shop or a sorry old guy even though you have experience in retail & a vast knowledge of sports cards were going to see if someone else can do it better email. Either way I feel like an award winner nominee honored to get an interview even though I was more nervous about getting to the place where it was taking place at on time cause I took a side route & after I got off the expressway I ran into accident turned on the street I was going on. 

So I got to 3 Kings on time with about 5 minutes to spare. Walked in went directly to the register to see how soon it was so if someone was there I could wait by going through their boxes to find stuff I was told just a 2 minute wait so I wasn't able to rumble through the boxes maybe next time I can rumble through them or locate the other shop & see what they have compared to the location I've only been at either location I want to see if I can find more good things for myself other bloggers or friends that are looking for me to help with their lists (You know its 90% others get found compared to my lists.) So again I am playing the waiting game no matter what happens I will let you my readers know what they decide to do. Again I want to thank you my readers & especially those 6 (at the time I am typing this post up while at my A&W job on Saturday) people that commented on my quest.  

Now I know that he's not a blogger but enjoying coffee reading blogs but, Mr. R.J. Stahl I was wondering if you that's right I'm calling you out 😆 if you had a chance to look over my lists & are able to locate anything from it if you are tell me in the comments below & lmk at my email address shown here SR75OSUFAN75 AT YAHOO.COM in the subject heading in all CAPS RJ STAHL EMAILS POISON75 & if possible no spreadsheets since my only access to the internet is through my phone send me your list of needs as well your home address so you can be rewarded by me should I find some things you want. I also want you my readers that if I don't get the job its not going to stop me from posting more content as well helping people with their needs cause again I know the agony of locating that 1 card(s) that has been driving yourself crazy in finding it plus even though there's times I am not looking I find something for someone & am not afraid to reach out to them about it that's right even if I am on the road & stop at a shop,show or find a flea market or antique store & they have cards & I spot something that somehow someone was talking about or sent me their lists & I find that 1 thing I either will text them if I know they will answer or call them tell them what I found & if they want me to pick it up for them in hopes that they are interested in it thats right I'm calling you out the legend bloggers Mr. Fuji 😆 as well Mr Bo anyways I leave to get this post out so ya can read it while ya reading this I'll be heading to my folks cottage for a day trip maybe if I see any yard sales or something & be warn a hunter of cards like me is on the trail until then I leave you the words of Rogers Hornsby " Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign Autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a communist."

WE 3 KINGS CARDS COLLECTING I GO....

 

         About 2 weeks ago there's was a surprise in my email from the shop you see advertised on top of my post. Usually its telling me as a member of an upcoming trade nights or what's being released or information about something hobby related.  Well....this email was asking for applications for to work at their 2 locations if possible if interested drop your resume off to a link that was set up. 

           Well....I just had to submit my resume to see if they could hire someone like me let alone set up an interview with me. So the next day I drove to the location of 1 of the 2 shops (1 is Located in Canton,Michigan which is 75.2 miles away from my home the other is located in the heart of downtown Detroit about 88.7 miles away). While I was there I brought out my lists to look for stuff was there until they closed at 7pm. I Mentioned I put in my resume to them hoping they will take a look at it especially since I'm 51 as most of you readers know thats 1 thing so far against me they probably wouldn't want an old guy like me knowing too much about cards. Then comes last week Friday was getting to send an email to my friend in Austria to give him grief on how the Yankees were swept by the Tigers since he's a huge Yankees fan. When I saw a notice that from 3 Kings again I thought up coming news well....not necessarily instead they said they want to have me schedule a time next week for an interview. I almost spit out my 6 cup of "coffee" (those who don't read Coffee with Cards blog Matt is a great read hopefully he doesn't mind me plugging his blog lol.) & when I say "Coffee" its actually Pepsi 1 liter bottles. Anyways so I tried to schedule an appointment that I was free on the calendar that they had me try to schedule wasn't working properly so I quickly called them mentioned it didn't work as I was talking to them I mentioned that I hope that I can let them know when I was available since I didn't know my schedule for my current job was going to be like & I didn't want to schedule a day that had me go to the interview directly to my current job cause I rather not be late so on Monday I got an updated email they fixed the calendar so my appointment for my interview is at 5:30pm today. I know some of my loyal readers & friends are already saying that I hope you get the job cause who knows alot about cards & things like you. Its good to know that I have support from other bloggers that understand what it would mean to me should they hire me. I also hope that realize that I'm willing to drive a long distance to work 5 out 7 days a week to work 40hrs if possible to show how much working at sports card shop would mean to me. So as your reading this I am hoping not get too nervous about the interview & even though my blog is 2 years old I can continue to do this blog as well have a dream job that I mentioned back in March of this year that I always wanted since becoming a Major League Ballplayer didn't work out when I was in high school. I will post how the interview went & if I am hired or not you my readers will know what happens next. So I leave you to head to the interview now & remind you of what Rogers Hornsby once said about signing Autographs " Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign an Autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

HAPPY 250 YEARS OLD AMERICA

 

                   As Brent Musburger would say "Your Looking live at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia in 1976 where days earlier America celebrated its Bicentential celebration. Tonight's Major League Baseball All-Star Game will take center stage here in the city of Brotherly Love." Sure we celebrate 250 years today & the All-Star Game is in Philadelphia this year. Well its been 30 years since the last All-Star Game was in Philadelphia & sure most of you old school people know who was the MVP of that game 30 years ago it was Philadelphia's native son Mike Piazza. I am not here to talk about that, what I am going to talk about that most people overlooked again on this year's Topps Heritage. I can hear ya already saying what are you going on about now. 
Simple the 2026 Heritage set is based on the 1977 design & in that set there were 3 players on the American League squad from the year before that were a shocker to the starting line-up for the American League team that year considering that the team that was featured with the 3 starters were for a team that finished in 17th place out of 24 teams & well that same team had 4 Starters named to the All-Star game last year. What team is that you ask the Detroit Tigers look at the 1976 All-Stars starters Mark Fidrych,Rusty Staub,& Ron LeFlore now last year ya had Tarik Skubal,Riley Greene,Javier Baez,Gleyber Torres as of typing this post the Tigers are in 17th place out of 30 teams now. Its like history repeating itself again now the clincher would be if last years All-Star game MVP repeats as MVP again but it be a 30 year replay again however even though Kyle Schwarber is not a native son like Piazza was but hes playing for the local team & both are catchers.  Anyways I just wanted to say to everyone have a safe & enjoy the celebration as for me Ill be busy working tonight gotta make some more $$$$$ to get more stuff I leave you now with a quote that sums up the 250 celebration given by none other than former Soviet Union deportee who's an American citizen now Yakov Smirnoff "America what a great country"

2026 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS UPDATED!!!!!

 

Its July 1st lets see how I am doing so far from what I wanted to accomplished in 2026.

1. Finish my 1967 Topps set by the end of the 2026 National Sports Card Convention in July.
Well if you don't count the Damn card #128 Ed Spiezo rubbed out name I have it done as of June 12th. 

2. Post more on the Blog or keep having readers enjoy my content.
49 posts counting this one hopefully I am not boring anyone with the content I have provided on the 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's single bat pieces so far.

3. Other than finishing the 1967 set finish off 5 or more sets before the National.
Hockey
`81/`82 TCMA Greats -June 12th
`08/`09 Ultra- June 5th
`10/`11 Donruss- June 5th

Baseball
1967 Topps(DESPITE SPIEZO!!!!!!!)- June 12th

Basketball
`25/`26 Topps 
`03/`04 Topps- January 3rd 

So far 6 sets complete lots of them on the verge of being completed soon hopefully more trades will come so I can cross more off my lists so please readers look at my lists I look through yours!!!!!

4. Do once a month post an update on my 1968 set make.
I think I have so far done an update usually once a month on the progress of what I have picked up.

5. Go to the Chantily Show in June & the National in Chicago in July.
They moved the Chantily Show to a different location waiting to hear back from The Collective Mind Blogger when he can tell me in during the winter where they moved too plus losing 2 jobs so far as this being written I couldn't attend the National this year. 

6. Post on my Man Cave Decor before the MLB All-Star Game. 
I think I showed off my Bar Mirrors in January still haven't hung them up yet. 

7. Hold at least 3 Card contests on the Blog.
Held one so far & yes I know Mike From Not Another Card Blog I still have yet to mailed it out you 

8. Give an update on a post that I made last year to hear the latest comments on the subject.
I just might GUM!!!!!! it up again for the All-Star Game *EVIL CHUCKLES!!!!!!*

9. Try to make a purchase of a `79/`80 Topps Hockey #18 or `03/`04 Upper Deck or Topps RC of LeBron James. Haven't yet purchased the Hockey card or the `03/`04 Upper Deck RC of LeBron James but I did get the Topps RC back in January see my January 4th post on completion.

10. Don't start anything other than the flagship 2026 Topps Baseball set until I can finish off 2 or more sets that I am currently working on.  Haven't started the Flagship set more than likely Ill get the factory set when its released been too busy finishing off sets as well adding new stuff & only 2026 set I am currently involved with is the 2026 Topps Heritage. 

IT SHOULDN"T BEEN TO HARD HOWEVER.......

 

                        This is going to be a short post I wanted to get something up before the July 4th weekend. Yesterday I went to the monthly mall show which I usually sometimes attend & other times I have to miss it due to my work schedule pending where I am employed at the time (In which I was scheduled at 3pm on Saturday) plus its decent show if ya don't mind the Slabs & Suitcases & of course the families walking in the mall approaching each table looking for the Pokenmon Shiitake Mushrooms cards (I wish the promoter would put those dealers in a separate area from the sports cards people to avoid hassle its that huge that takes up most of the mall & as well a whole store front that used to be an J.C. Pennys so its not like they don't have the space to do it.). 

                  Anyways this is a post about trying to locate something that shouldn't be too hard however........ They were as you can see the card on the top of the post is a Barry Sanders 1992 Topps Gold #300 ya have to think since I live in Michigan that this card can be found 3 different ways that I can think of at the moment. I can find him in the Barry Sanders piles believe me I have been trying to locate this card every show & shop since I started building this set back since 1995 to no availability & this is also means shopping at the local stores,going out of the area where I live so elsewhere in the state of Michigan still nothing well....finally I found it yesterday at this one table I thought I give the dealer a chance since he wasn't busy & plus I figured it be another swing & miss but no there was Barry I snapped it up cause I didn't want to have to continue to looking for that card. The other ways I would look for it besides his name piles check the Lions stacks if sometimes people have snuck Barry in those just to cheat the dealer or the dealer didn't want the hassle to make a separate pile of Barry after all its a DETROIT LIONS CARD!!!!!! only people who live in Michigan that are die-hard Lions fans are looking for Lions cards not many collectors collect the Lions players.
               The top 5 Lions cards people look for are Barry,Jared Goff,Jahymr Gibbs,Calvin Johnson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, & maybe Matthew Stafford if ya want his RCs again otherwise no one wants the Lions. The other way I would have located it is if any dealer had any singles of the 1992 Topps Gold (I still need 9 cards to complete my set so if ya can help me I would be greatful for the assistance) I even tried out of state again thinking no one collects Lions or maybe out of state I can find the Barry piles & hope I cant count how many times I would check from out of state to not find it my guess is Barry was an SP but they wont mention that it is but its gone from my list so I don't need to keep looking for it Thank F God!!!!! 
                  Now the other thing I have to report I picked up not counting the 33 Game card Insert which there's 2 of them (Al Kaline & Bill Freehan) I got the last of the 1968 Topps Detroit Tigers cards it was my good friend Mickey Stanley I mentioned to him in April (again the previous time I met Mickey was in 2015) what I was doing & he said he keep an eye out for his 1968 card for me well Mickey ya don't anymore. I still need 51 to complete the regular set again the 1968 Topps Tigers cards are higher priced here in Michigan then most so when I can get them for under $20 its a good thing 

Even Mickey back in 2015 knew greatness when he met me.

                The last Tigers card for the base set thank goodness I don't have to find anymore Tigers cards former Tigers players a few but as for them labeled as a Tiger in 1968 none. 

             Well as I mentioned before I wanted to do a quick post before the 4th of July weekend tell me what ya think of the 2 pick ups I know its not much to even post about but I wanted to talk about how sometimes its hard to find local cards in a place where it shouldn't be hard to find. Plus I had to do this post prior to me leaving for my work at 3pm on Saturday.  Until then I remind you again what Rogers Hornsby 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."