BY THE NUMBERS OF VINTAGE BASEBALL SETS STARTED IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

 

                  I guess I should do my version of the blog bat-a-blog of my numbers. My version of the numbers is how many cards I need still as of the date of this post of the vintage sets I've started in the last 5 years. I think I will talk about them in chronically order. The 1st set is the 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats I had just finished the 1960 version of this set so I thought well during my hunt of the 1960s I found a lot of the 1961s so why not give it a go. So I have 14/154 cards to locate which is about  % of almost completing it a lot faster then my 1967 Topps Set which I have endlessly talked about a bunch of times on this blog. Here's the list of names that still have me searching in Vintage boxes most of them are from Series II of the set they made Series I for cards 1 through 88 & Series II was 89 through 154. Series II was suppose to be more tougher to locate but I have seen them just I don't have the deep pockets to pull the trigger on some of them just yet.

75-Babe Ruth
78-George Sisler
126-Joe McGinnity
129-Kid Nichols
131-Bob O`Farrell
132-Roger Peckinpaugh
133-Herb Pennock
136-Ray Schalk
139-Bob Shawkey
141-Billy Sullivan
143-Joe Tinker
149-Rube Waddell
152-Ted Williams

          Back in 2023 I was figuring out what vintage set I could make that would be fun to do that most people would have but wouldn't be to expensive to make as well where if I were to go to a huge show like The National Sports Card Conventions that I could find I was debating the 1964 Topps Stand-Ups or the 1964 Topps Giants & since my friend Greg did the 1963 Fleer Set I really didn't want to try to make that set so I went for the 1964 Giants & after getting a Short Print like the Sandy Koufax is & as well getting some great stars for under $10 I was hooked so here's the remaining cards for that set making it another set 6/60 at 10% remaining to find that includes 3 Short Prints of my namesake,Willie Mays, & Bill Skowron. Of course 4 Hall of Famers but they are the highly sought after ones for this set so they are reasonable to locate.

11-Roberto Clemente

25-Mickey Mantle
42-Dick Stuart
49-Hank Aaron
51-Willie Mays
60-Bill Skowron

                   Next up is a set that I started in December of last year on the 14th to be exact when I attended my monthly show in Livonia Michigan. Where I picked up an 800ct box of 1968 Topps for the price of $80 when the dealer knocked off $20 for what he was asking cause he heard I was down to my last 2 cards on my 1967 set so he didn't call my bluff & after wondering why I did what I did cause I thought no way would I do this set after starting the next set I will discuss later on those 2 sets would be harsh to do especially 1968 in Michigan the Tigers cards as well the Ryan & Bench RCs are mirror reflections of the 1967 Tom Seaver RC in my opinion.  Well when I first started I mentioned in my blog I needed at the time including the big name rookies still was at 181 well after a couple shops & trades later 4 months into making this set. I can say & I still need the Ryan & Bench RCs I am at 99/598 cards not counting the 33 Inserts at a remarkable 17% to complete the set. Again I have enclosed my list of the remaining ones I need. I want to thank a very special friend of mine Señor Emilio Ruiz of Puerto Rico who sent me a couple of nice 1968 cards to me in a trade including the 1968 Tigers Team card to help me get closer as it looks I might be making this number smaller if I continue at the pace I am getting the commons leaving me with the stars left to get for the National in July.

4 5 6 10 11 13 20 22 26 40 45 46 49 60 78 80 103  110 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 122 123 125 129 130 131 133 138 142 144 147 149 150-Roberto Clemente 152-Yaz Hits 2 (Game 2)  154-Gibson Hurls Shutout (Game 4) 155-Lonborg wins Again (Game 5) 156-Petrocelli Socks 2 Homers (Game 6) 158-Cardinals Celebrate WS!!! 160  167 169 172 175 177-Mets Rookies (J. Koosman/N.Ryan) 178 184 185 196 230 238 240 247-Reds Rookies (J.Bench/R.Tompkins) 250 256 264 280-Mickey Mantle 285 288 307 309 314 333 364 365 368 369 370 372 374 378 410 414 416 425 428 444 467 470 481  490 505 509 514 544 563 581 583-Gates Brown* 

                   Next up is a set I started in 2023 cause I picked up at a garage sale an 600ct of 1971 Topps & whole bunch of other oddies at this sale cause the lady selling them didn't realize what she had in the box cause she mainly knew it was baseball cards but didn't know how old they were cause they looked to beat up for anyone to care about. She had about 7 boxes of wax she was selling as well but she told me someone else was purchasing them at a later time & at the prices was asking for they can have them at $200 a piece mainly it was 1988,1989,& 1990 Donruss so when she told me about the 600ct box that this person passed over I was shocked. She only wanted $10 for the box again she thought this person would be interested but they weren't they wanted packs only so I bought the remaining stuff (which was a bunch of the `89/`90 Fleer basketball & other mid 90s to early 2000s basketball singles in 4 binders) for a great price of $25 I tried to offer her more but she just wanted them gone before the other person returned cause I was honest with her about what they normally go for she said it doesn't matter knowing someone like me would take beat up 1971s & make good use with them. Plus she figured the guy who was buying all those wax boxes would have asked her to sell the rest of them to him for $1 so I am not the bad guy in this needless to say this set & my 1968 Topps will be 2 sets where Ill figure if I want to go out & make an Immaculate set of them or just if the condition isn't too bad Ill keep it for the set & enjoy it when its done. I am at 46/752 cards remaining which is a nice 6%. I have some en route eventually to make the number a little smaller again I have enclosed what is remaining for me to find again I am patient in finding them when I can in the vintage boxes at shops & shows I am excited when I do find some of them especially the Short Prints from the last couple series & as well some big names for some decent prices cause if the condition fits what I would like for the set I'm happy to get that player removed from the list. 

503-Gates Brown*
513-Nolan Ryan
525-Ernie Banks
549-Jim Brewer
559-T.Cox/B.Gogolewski/G.Jones
572-Jerry Kenney
598-Rick Wise
599-Norm Cash*
600-Willie Mays
612-L.Camilli/T.Ford/S.Mingori
625-Lou Brock
630-Roberto Clemente
635-Bobby Murcer
644-Jimmy Stewart
648-R.Folkers/T.Martinez/J.Matlack
650-Richie Allen
651-Jerry Robertson
655-Mike Epstein
656-Gerry Nyman
661-Chuck Tanner
664-A. Reynolds/B.Reynolds/K.Reynolds
669-Ike Brown*
670-Bill Hands
671-Bill Voss
677-Jack DiLauro
679-Don O`Riley
680-Don Mincher
683-Bill Burbach
688-Sparky Anderson
692-H.Haydel/R.Moret/W.Twitchell
695-Joe Niekro*
698-Milwaukee Brewers Team
706-Joe Foy
707-Fred Lasher
708-Russ Nagelson*
712-Jose Martinez
713-Mike Marshall
719-Jerry May
720-Matty Alou
723-Vicente Romo
725-Gary Gentry
726-Paul Popovich
736-Mel Queen
738-Russ Gibson
748-John Purdin
750-Denny McLain

                As I look over the numbers I think I am doing well better than I did when I first started my 1967 Topps Set in 1990 I guess its cause of the internet to help me find these cards as well finding new shops that have stuff whether if its something I need or not as well my loyal readers who have helped me get closer to accomplishing the set to completion to even going to out of state shops & shows to find some of the great finds I have. My goal is to have each of these sets I mentioned are as follows by the time the National rolls on in July. I like to have the 1961 Fleer be down to 8 cards,1964 Giants be down to 3 cards,1968 Topps All the Tigers gone & be down to 40 cards, & finally the 1971 Topps down to 30 cards. Until then I will be patient & continue to look for them one thing for sure once I get closer Ill be sure to talk about it on here until then I am reminded of 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."