LAST DAY UNTIL VACATION

 

      Well....I am on my last day before I leave for The National Sports Card Convention in Rosemont Illinois. I'm excited to go but I am wishing I had a backup friend joining my adventure since more eyes to help me in finding stuff even if I am at 1 part of the show & they are somewhere else but it is what it is & I can't change that. In the past when I have gone with my friend Greg from The Collective Mind blog I am not sure if he sees as well or its just me in how observant I am when I go through stuff at a table. What I mean is that yes there's at least I've seen them but the tables that most dealers that spent over a bundle of money for the table that they charge a lot for just miserably common that I would need to get closer to completing my set & aren't willing to budge on a price for that card. It could be the only card I need & they're the only person who has it. Case in point last year I was at the Chantilly show outside the D.C. area & this guy had a common of the card that's featured on the top of this post. 

       Mark Bryant no relation to Kobe is not the hottest player in the league nor is he Michael Jordan it's just a common player unless you're from Portland or Houston area & I am sure no one is looking for card #26 from the `96/`97 Topps basketball set unless you are trying to make it or replace it. Again I don't know why the dealer has a sticker on the penny sleeve $2 it's not chrome,it's not a parallel version,it's not numbered like xxx/xxx, it's not signed by Mark, it should be $.05 to $.25 not $2.00 The dealer claims I need to make my table back. You got better stuff that can easily do that like that signed Alan Iverson Refractor for $75 so don't give the B.S. about how ya need to get your table cost to break even for the show just cause ya don't want to deal with coinage in your pockets. For the record I didn't get the card but I let the dealer know that he could have a sale & had taken my $.25 for the card instead of the $2 

         As I was finishing up with my work last night I saw that my phone was blowing up with word about the passing of Cubs Legend Ryne Sandberg. To me Ryno's induction to Cooperstown was kind of sad seeing how Lou Whitaker was overlooked sure Sandberg won a MVP award but Lou won a World Series Title in 1984 as well Rookie of the Year in 1978 over Hall of Famer Paul Molitor hopefully Lou will be inducted sometime soon. But with Ryno's passing it will place a black cloud over the National stay tuned when I will see if the Grim Reapers raise the prices on his cards as well Memorabilia from signed balls or stuff. RIP RYNO you'll be missed.

                          Strange thing there's a 3rd former MVP featured on this card as well. Can you figure who it is. Funny thing both the Cobra & Sandberg are true Hall of Famers even though Parker's road was more longer than Sandberg's. 

           Well I best get this post on the way cause I have alot to do between now & before I leave on Wednesday. So I leave ya with words from Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby talking about autographs for little kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!!!!!

 

         Back when the Dodgers were playing in Brooklyn this was the battle cry heard by many of Dodger fans until 1955 when the Dodgers finally won their only World Championship before heading to the west coast. This is a post that I hadn't planned to post cause I was waiting to hear from my friend Greg of The Collective Mind Blog. Unfortunately he informed me that he won't be making the trip to see me this year & he'll let me know what will happen next year if we do anything cause after all the National Sports Card Convention location will be in Chicago the next 2 years after this one at least that's what the future location site has mentioned.
          Regardless with Greg not being able to attend I am still planning on attending the event for the 2 ½ Days if I don't have any problems with my ticket entry to the show stay tuned to see what happens. I am also planning to post what all I encounter at the show as well what all I pick up at the show cause I need this after having to deal with the passing of my little brother Ethan back in January & I know he would like me to still go & having a great time. 
         I know that I am still planning to have a great time & really hope I can find some great stuff that I need & I can go all out tourettes with my emotions should I find some things I have waited for a long time to complete like my 1967 Topps Set or finding a cheap Topps Wayne Gretzky RC. I also hope I can luck out in meeting some great new friends that might read this & spot me at the show & talk non-stop about our collections. So with that I leave ya with a To Be Continued at the moment & remind you 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."

DELAY OF GAME ON THE COLLECTIVE MIND

 

           Well.....I was planning on doing a post of my friend Greg's arrival last night however Greg's Health threw a Yellow Flag so Delay of Game on The Collective Mind Blogger $5 of buying me some of my needs when at the National still a good friend, he will be delaying his arrival to Michigan to visit me. I can only hope that he arrives either sometime later tonight or Sunday at the latest so we can have fun in Chicago.  Yesterday after I woke up to a text message saying he won't be coming right away have to see the doctor about some health issues I told him to keep me posted so I can still prepare for his visit later that night then no sooner I sent that text when I hear from another friend about the passing of Legendary Wrestler Hulk Hogan. 
              I remember as a kid watching the Hulkster run wild on TV watching every Saturday after the cartoons were over switching over watching Hulk doing his famous speech "Brotha` eat your Vegetables.....take your vitamins.... say your prayers cause whatcha going to do when the Hulkamania runs wild on you." I would watch wrestling up until Wrestlemania III when it made its appearance at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Watching the Hulkmaniaics take on The 8th Wonder of the World aka Andre the Giant as the main event my friend in the 8th Grade Robert Clark was a lucky kid he got ringside seats for it & saw the match live in person I had to wait until after he came to school to have him tell us how each match came out before watching some of the highlights that Saturday then be on the waiting list at the local video store for to watch a copy of the match once it was released on VHS tape. After viewing it my older brother David told me & my little brother Ethan that wrestling was fake he proved his points by showing us how it was staged on the tape.  However it didnt stop my mom to get me this board game prior to the Wrestlemania match & my mother just told me we still have that game in the basement wondering if she should get rid of it. After I mentioned about the Hulksters passing she said well I guess we don't. 

Darn Right mom we ain't getting rid of this game yet. RIP Hulkster.

               Well by the time you read this I am hoping that Greg will pass along an update to me & I can wait for his arrival still so stay tuned for future posts. Until then I am off to sheet up some of my sets that I need to put in respective binders as well figure what sets I will be focused on once I hit the National floor. I leave you with my usual signature quote from Rogers Hornsby "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

LESS THAN 6 DAYS AWAY

               

                  Well...I am just less than 6 days from joining the mob shown from this file picture from a past National Sports Card Convention in Rosemont (Chicago) Illinois. I am so excited cause while you read this post I will be currently slaving away at my job at Dollar General & waiting to see my good friend & my collecting brother & in the Blogging world from The Collective Mind Greg. I made a call to him on Tuesday after work to remind him of last minute items he needed to bring along with him so I can enjoy the goodies he has for me as well other stuff prior to the show & go over the game plan for the 30th & beyond only to have me tell me that he is arriving today the 24th of July not the 25th as what I expected I am not complaining at all just if he doesn't pick up one of the last minute items then Ill complain somewhat but I am excited nevertheless so I don't have not bother calling him after work to see him on Friday.  

              I did get some news my boss finally agreed to let me know about my vacation plans even though I had them set since January of this year. She first wanted me to come in work today,Saturday,Monday,Tuesday & then on the 31st come in.......My answer was FLOCKING NO!!!!!! I made my plans & have the support from some of my co-workers & customers as well even you my readers like Fuji & my Little Brother Jeremy & of course Mr Owl & Bo & Angels Tom threw in supporting me just to name a few don't worry Matt & Matt trouble with guys with the same name its hard to describe each separately ( 1 likes the Coffee & the other lives in Virgina)  & of course my new Canadian pal Mike hopefully you'll answer when we call you from the show. So she will allow me to take the 30th through the 6th of August off so I can enjoy myself without remorse even though it is what it is. 

               I want to say to all my blogger friends whom I traded with in the past as well those whom I sent packages to or commented on their respective blogs that I consider you as part of my card collecting family thanks & I mean it I hope I can run into some of you while at the show so if ya see me please lmk & I'll be sure you get the press you deserve in meeting someone like me. Stay tuned as Greg & I showcase or he'll show ya when he returns from his cross-country trip to his account on things he saw & leave it to our respective readers to decide which story made you feel like your there witnessing what we did at those things or got.  

            I am not sure what to expect on what I will finish off or start but know this I will do my best to post about it so for those of unable to attend you can feel like your there with Greg & I every step of the journey. Until then I am reminded of the great Rajah Hornsby once said about signing autographs "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

5 TO 9 DAYS

     

           In 5 days I will be expecting my company from my friend Greg from The Collective Mind blog for his every other year visit to Michigan for card shows & card shopping at the National Sports Card Convention which is in 9 days from now hence the title 5 to 9 days & I can't wait for his visit. I have some great new places that I hope we have time to visit but more than likely it will be just 1 new shop since I still haven't heard if my vacation time is acceptable I blame my store manager having me being bitter about it. I rarely don't understand why I have to do this when it was approved back in January as most of you know. My Co-workers said they understand my frustration & have mentioned that I deserve the time off. 

           When I worked on Saturday I had checked to see if anything happened after I went in to request for the time off it was still pending as I type this post up.  I'm not trying to cause any issues about it but I'm just upset that others can get time off for their vacation & I pick up their slot & some of them are willing to pick up my slot if I can get my vacation off.  
               

          During my downtime of late I have been reworking on a set that I made a long time ago & haven't been able to complete plus I am not been able to find the binder that I had them in so I had to start from scratch in making this set what set am I talking about the one & only 1990 CMC Pre-Rookie Card Minor League Set. There's 880 cards in the set back in 1992 when I first started to make this set it was the largest set I took the honor in making (Later on I took on & achieved completion thanks to Greg getting me Micah Bowie the 2002 Upper Deck 40-Man set which has 1180 cards in the set.) I also later & still struggling in finding the autographs still of the players as well a few of the Post-Season cards of the 2008 Upper Deck Documentary Set.  You can find those listed on my lists if you like to help me out on them I would be so humbled to complete it. Anyways the player you see atop of the page has a significant history with me for you see Bruce Fields was a career batter in the Minors he had some stints with the Tigers after being drafted out of Lansing Everett High School in the 1978 Draft in the 7th Round the same draft that Kirk Gibson was the Tigers 1st Pick that summer & a lesser known Pitcher/ 3rd baseman from Harve-de-Grace, Maryland was taken in the 2nd round by his hometown Baltimore Orioles by the name of Calvin Ripken Jr.  Bruce attended the same High School as me & our paths would cross when he would come home to watch his Alma Mater play his second sport he loved to play which was basketball since he was a member of the 1977 Michigan Class 'A' High School Championship Basketball Team with some guy that would be a Benchwarmer for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980's Showtime Teams named Earvin Something of sorts. 

                              Bruce is the guy wearing #14 in that picture for some reason he was overshadowed by the guy in the middle holding the ball I don't think he will make it big his name was Earvin something.The High School wouldn't win another State title until 2004 somewhere in 1993 a crazy kid would graduate  never seeing a State title in a sport where he was a manager for 4 years from 1989-1993.

                  Bruce would make his MLB Debut on my Mother's 38th Birthday on September 3rd 1986 against the Seattle Mariners. His RC is in the 1987 Donruss Set as a Rated Rookie card #47 but its not Bruce in the picture that's Darnell Coles instead Bruce will sign the card for you but will mention that on the card so be warned if you want a tiny inscription on the card.  Later Bruce was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Stan Clarke(Never played a single game with the Tigers) in 1987 then played for the M's from 1988 to 1989 only to be released so a son of a Major League Player who was a Teenager could get more playing time by the name of George K. Griffey Jr. in Bruce's last game it came in 1989 Against his old Team The Detroit Tigers. 

                  If you wondered why Topps was late in jumping on the Griffey Jr. bandwagon while Donruss had him as a Rated Rookie,Fleer had his card as well Upper Deck Made him the #1 to lead off their set even though DeWayne Buice had the luxury of being a promo type #1 at the National Sports Card Convention in Anaheim that summer the reason is well.....Don't hate Bruce but he was featured in the regular set as card #556 & not Junior the reason Topps thought they would correct a wrong that Donruss made in 1987 by featuring Bruce's real face, Pushing Griffey to be featured in the Traded set so people would buy the Traded set over the other companies. Upper Deck would do the same as well #238 but then again they had Griffey in the base set already.
               Bruce like I said made a mark in the minors by being a great batting champion in some of the Minor League stops he had while trying to make it in the Majors. He later became a Minor League coach for some teams including the Tigers & managed the Toledo Mud Hens a couple years his son Daniel was a Prospect that never hung on with the Tigers appearing in 1 game back in 2015 with the big league club.  
Like I mentioned its 5 to 9 Days at the begining of my post I am typing this at 3am est I need to end this post so I can be ready for my long day at Dollar General my 9 to 5 job at the moment lol. Anyways I am reminded by the Great Rogers Hornsby who once mentioned about autographs "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."
 

I JUST WONDERED IF ANYONE EVER THOUGHT OF......

                 

                     I recently saw a YouTube short where a guy bored out of his mind started showing all the 1986 Topps Traded card of the man you see atop of this post Dick Williams. Mind you I found it ironic that I am currently reading Dick's Autobiography "No More Mr. Nice Guy" after watching the video I passed on the link to a fellow collector to mention he wanted some of my dupes of stuff so I joked with him about talking about dupes imagine if you had this many of dupes of 1 card.

I am only on Chapter 2 but the book is interesting to say the least.

                 So he said it was kinda like being BIPPED!!!! right away I said Cha-Ching cause Bip Roberts is also in the 1986 Topps Traded set a long with Mr. Williams here. The guy couldn't believe he did a move that I normally do. Anyways it made me wonder if anyone has ever thought of making a set of cards & believe me I have seen people try only to not finish it but I wondered has anyone thought of making a set of multiple cards so it takes 9 pages of just 1 card times that per how many cards are within that set to make a set. What I am referring about is something like this shown in the example below. 

             Now I have to ask if you are willing to do something like this. Let me know in the comments below for I could make it interesting for you. I could offer my suggestion on what set I like to see & if it was accomplished I would personally like to see you get credited with it on my blog as well as something else. You'll have to check the list of sets I would like to see but if none of these sets mine you the set has to be more than 125 cards in the set cause then it makes it a bit of challenge so here's my top picks & again if you're interested please let me know in the comments or anyone has a better selection of sets maybe we can compromise on that particular one. Without further ado here's the sets. No particular order on why I chose these sets either & yes if error cards & variants as well any update or traded sets as well no inserts please I like to see a master of the masterpiece of the set.

1. 1981 Donruss 

2. 1982 Fleer 

3. 1982 Donruss 

4. 1985 Fleer 

5. 1989 Fleer 

6. 1989 Upper Deck 

7. `89/`90 Fleer Basketball 

8. `89/`90 Hoops 

9. `84/`85 Topps Hockey 

10. 1989 Score Football

          Just a reminder that I'll be leaving for the National in about 13 days from today if you want me to find something at the National & is reasonable & your willing to get me something back in return lmk those of you that have my email address let me know otherwise I'll be shopping for myself. Until then I am reminded by Rogers Hornsby saying "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

ALL-STAR GAME THOUGHTS

     

                    Well the All-Star Game is tonight in Atlanta. I'm sure at the time I am typing this post which is on the Thursday the 10th we'll already had the All-Star Game festivities like the Home Run Derby,The Celebrities Softball game with former players, Soon later tonight the red carpet parade etc..... & of course All-Star Fest where probably the Sportscard Investor's store which he boasts in his videos on YouTube got some exclusive stuff from Fanatics to Crack open for his store.  Then get more money into his business & then get kids from the ages of 7 to 12 that don't know much about cards get happy if they pulled an Ohtani or Judge or Atlanta's own Ronald Acuña Jr exclusive 1/1 Game Used Autograph or something in that sort then kinda try to get the kid as well parents to sell to them for such a nice amount,then they get it slabbed ASAP then resell it for some astronomical amount cause it was an All-Star Game Exclusive. So whichever graded company he goes with gives him Presidential treatment by grading his stuff before some guy from Waynesboro, Virginia sends the same day & arrives the same day at that grading company only to wait 4+ months cause the graded company claims oh they're stuck with back orders from the New York Fanatics show,stuff from the All-Star Game festivities & then they're getting ready to focus on The National Sports Card Convention in Rosemont Illinois at the end of the month leaving the guy in Waynesboro wondering why they can't get their slabbed stuff sooner. My thoughts in the grading companies only want to cater to the case breakers on YouTube more then they do the regular guys like our friend in Waynesboro cause he's not overly hyped on newer products when it comes to the breakers & the same goes with the companies as well when they send the breakers cases way in advance especially when it comes to retail products. Heck I am still trying to figure out how a certain YouTube breaker can be acquired numerous cases of retail products before it hits the store shelves & everyone still applauds this Pyramid scammer by sending him $$$$ for his breaks for a guy who bashes Junk Wax products on his channel sure buys a lot of it & send it to his patrons instead of sending the better breaks of stuff that they get when they even get into those breaks for the deep pocket products stuff. 

                   The reason I bring this up is the week Fanatics released the 2024 Topps Heritage High Numbers no retail boxes could be found I was lucky to find 3 the next week though & snatched them cause of the next week the 2025 Topps Heritage was released then when the 2025 Heritage release that's all I was able to find on the shelves. Now I started this years Heritage later then most due to the fact I blame a card shop giving me some freebies for my milestone birthday last month then I was on the fence in building it but I figure what the hell they have plenty on the shelves for me to get.....Survey says *BUZZER SOUND!!!!!* oohh were sorry thanks for playing the retail game enjoy this consultation prize of finding 2nd hand places that might have the Heritages boxes cause we released Series II of the flagship now & that's a better selling thing & oh yeah throw in the Bowman boxes as well so what was promising in finding Heritage is now an Easter Egg Hunt. Lucky for me I am down to a few cards of the set minus the SPs from 401-500 so far & this last week Friday I went to a shop that had 3 blasters still cause I didn't want to pay 4 times as much as I did with the blasters in getting a hobby box of the 2024 Heritage High Numbers so I snatched those 3 boxes without blinking an eye.

                The late Jose Fernandez is shown on top cause I have been too busy working at my job to take a picture of the card I pulled from a pack from the same game. I actually pulled the Jose Bautista back in the day. Currently every year since 2004 when Topps decided to make All-Star Game Stitches cards I try to pull or get if I am not lucky to get in a pack a Game Used card from each of the Leagues & I am not fussy if I am pulling a white swatch of a card its still a thrill for me to get that card knowing I got a practice jersey card of that player 1 of 3 jerseys that player wears during the All-Star Game Festivities so Topps can cut it up & then place it on some cardboard for us collectors to get. Even though I don't have an exact list of what Leagues I still need from certain years I have them written down on a piece of paper that I can't locate at the moment so I need to find it again so I can see what All-Star Card I like to find. 

                In closing this post I want to say when this page is shown for you to comment on that were 15 days away from Opening Night at the National Sports Card Convention & am getting excited in hopes I am able to find some descent deals & not have any dealers try to dump something new to me that Ill have a long time trying to finish up I also hope that you my readers are looking at my lists cause I truly like to get my lists shortened up more with your help & my lists aren't just cards I have books I am looking for as well CDs from baseballvoices.com  if still nothing well....we can figure out something when we reach that bump in the road. Until then I am reminded from Rogers Hornsby who once said about signing autographs "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, he's a Communist." Oh yeah I predicting an 7-5 American League Win in tonight's game what do you say the score will be even though I like to see the National League get back to winning the Mid-Summer Classics again like they did when I was younger. 

3 WEEKS TO GO

 

                  Just 3 weeks from today I am hoping still to be at the 2025 National Sports Card Convention in Chicago. For the past 5 days starting last week Friday on the 4th of July I've been busting my hump at Dollar General while my Store Manager was on her vacation nice eh!!!! Anyways the reason I am saying I am hoping still is my Store Manager has yet to let me know I can take time off from work. If anyone who's been following my blog knows I have done a lot for the company only to be given a cold shoulder attitude back cause I requested for this time off way back in January of this year & recently am being treated like a pawn that my job should come first & am not allowed to go on this trip. With that I am calling B.S.!!!!!! 

              The card you see at the top of my post was a give away during the 2010 National in Baltimore. I still have it in its sealed pack that it came in I am looking forward to what goodies that will be given away to the VIPs as I mentioned in my June 23rd post I am still on the fence on whom I want to get signed if I go for any of the autographs.  I am also doing a small countdown to when my friend & fellow blogger & the guy whom we don't need to identify but we can all say we know its the guy from THE COLLECTIVE MIND blog aka Greg. We're just 12 days in hopes that he arrives in Michigan for his visit. I have great shops for him to go & explore as well some of the old places he has visited as well. Even though he won't mention it on his blog cause he has been busy with his work as well other things I'll mention it here so keep watching for reports from his trip through our blogs hopefully he'll find the time to post when he visits. I hope to share some of our insights as well. 

I end this post by saying that some of you Fuji,Mike Matson,Night Owl,Angels Tom, The winner of my 1 year anniversary post contest,My new Little Brother Jeremy watch your mailboxes I'll be heading to the post office today mailing out nice goodies to add your collections. Until then remember that All-Star Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs. "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."