2001 UPPER DECK DECADE 1970s GAME USED PART XXIV

 

                  "Now Batting #9 Graig Nettles....." The crafty 3rd baseman was called "Puff" by his teammates played from 1967 to 1988 for the following teams Minnesota Twins (1967-1969), Cleveland Indians (1970-1972), New York Yankees (1973-1983), San Diego Padres (1984-1986), Atlanta Braves (1987), Montreal Expos (1988).  The reason he was called Puff was cause he was a practical joker & 1 minute he was there & then like in a Puff of smoke he disappeared.  He was a 6x All-Star, 2x World Series winner (1977,1978) MVP of the 1981 ALCS, 2x Gold Glover & lead the American League in Home Runs in 1976. & was the older brother of Jim Nettles (More about him later). When I first heard of Graig is reading his autobiographical season book called BALLS his co-author is legendary sports writer of many books mainly about Yankee players Peter Golenbock that was in 1984 when I read this book it worth reading it includes a chapter on the 1983 season talking about the Pine-Tar game & how he was pounding his fist into his glove as celebration of calling George Brett out after his home run since he & Brett were rivals for 4 ALCS in between 1976,1977,1978,&1980. 

                   Don't fret there's another book that Golenbock co-wrote with Davey Johnson called "Bats" it's about the 1985 New York Mets Season. 

                            Its going on 46 yearsat the end of this month that Fleer won its Anti-Trust case over Topps that broke their monopoly in producing baseball cards. That following year Fleer came out 660 card set & one of the cards it produced in the first of three printing of the cards was the card #87 where they errorously typed the name of "Craig"  instead of Graig on his card. 

         Error cards run in the Nettles family cause earlier on Graig's RC there was this error.

As you can see this has a loop it was later corrected at least the name is spelled right.

                     Then in 1990 we see baby brother Jim making a Billy Ripken mark on his bat knob of the 1990 Pacific Senior League set. Incase you are curious about what it says well the price guides call it the "Apple" card also if someone is interested in a set of the 1990 Pacific Senior League w/some surprises in the set & I'll let you know they were legit surprises lmk just check my wantlists for what I like for it.

                   Now a little bit of this card information is one of the 6 players that have a limited run with Graig he has only 219 pieces of them. Now if you ask me does Graig make the grade in being the set yeah he does not only cause he was a quiet leader on the field also he did have a role in leading the Yankees to 3 World Series appearances in the 1970s (1976,1977,1978) so what your take let me know in the comments below. Until the next time where we will honor a true legend of the game but please note that you will be reading 44 facts of this player that you may or may not know about this player & that is Mr Henry (Hank) Aaron until then I am reminded of what Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs for little kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

 

HAPPY BELATED TO ME

 

                                Since 1985 in a town called Royal Oak, Michigan which is a suburb of Detroit when a young man age 10 along with his older brother 13 & mother set forth on a Sunday skipping church to attend a comic/Sport card show. This young man was seeking some new cards to add to his collection mainly Pete Rose & any other Cincinnati Reds cards from 1985. While his older brother was seeking Marvel Comic G.I. Joe #2. Well...during the show the young man's mother called him over to look at something she had found. What she found was baseball cards the young man tried not to look like he knew the crazy lady & did his best to avoid her during this conversation. He said it was up to her what she should do about it. So the mother pulled them out of the trash container placed them in a box then later in the car she handed them over for the young man to see what all in it. 

                    In the box he saw cards ranging from 1966 Topps & 1967 Topps  also including a 1957 Al Kaline & a 1958 Topps Billy Martin they went well with his 2 other pick ups from the show a 1966 Topps Pete Rose & a 1985 Fleer Update an upcoming pitcher Tom Browning rookie card of the Reds.

My Rose still sits in my old bedroom at my parents house on a bookshelf.

My Browning now has Tom's signature on it & is in my 1985 Fleer Binder.

David my late older brother was happy with this choice.

The Infamous 1957 Kaline that's in my PC that mom rescued.

In 1985 I only thought he was an ex-manager of the Tigers I didn't know he played for them as well until I read "Damn Yankee The Billy Martin Story" By Maury Allen. I read it so much in junior high that the librarian gave me the book for my graduation present in 1993.

             5 years had passed since that show bringing us to 1990 it was then the young man decided to make sets for his collection when it was suggested by his mother that he take a chance to make the 1967 Topps Set. So it was one of the earliest sets he was making. As many of my readers have read about the task at hand & numerous times I have told the story about this caper well this last Wednesday most of you wished me a Happy Area 51 Birthday & again I can't thank you enough my readers & those of you whom left comments about it then on Friday prior to going to my new job (I still love it as of this writing lol) I stopped at Rocket Sports Cards in Howell,Michigan to finish paying off the last card that is featured on top of this posting. My 1967 Topps if you don't count that blasted card #128 Ed Spiezio rubbed out name variant is completed. 

It's free again from its shackles. Heres the front view of it.

The back view from its shackles still.

As you can see its a perfect fit in its spot with the others.

          I am now awaiting to hear back from SCG about the card from being eliminated from its database so they can remove it from its population reports. So I asked some of my friends whom I have contacts with on Friday what should I do with the label strip do I put it in the set so when ya go through the binder you can see what it would grade as if I never took out of its shackles let me know my reader what I should do put it in the binder or not. Also let me know what ya think of this journey my next big vintage set as most of you know is to complete the 1968 Topps set which of the date this published I am down to finding 55 cards after starting it 6 months ago & I am hoping that it doesn't take as long as the 1967 set did. Also as you read this I am heading to my favorite show in Livonia Michigan to continue to look for that card that I mentioned about otherwise like I said its complete. Until then I am reminded that what Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs for little kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

I AM AREA 51 TODAY!!!!!!

 

                         Today if I hadn't gotten fired in March I would have asked for a couple of days to travel to Nevada for a certain place & give my readers something to say yeah yeah we can't believe that he did it just as he mentioned in his blog. Instead I can let you leave your comments to tell me best wishes instead. Now you ask me what would ya have mentioned on your blog on had you not been fired......well.......I would have gone to that special place & then had the Government wonder why I was there & my answer would been to them "MOM......DAD.......I AM BACK!!!!! Can we go home now I am tired of this vacation......" If you haven't gotten the clues I am referring about going to Area 51 on my 51st Birthday which is today since most people think I am an alien already. Anyways I wanted to do something special after all its my birthday besides my buddy Brutus did one thing I would like to do but my version is totally different at that venue. I wont say but mine would have to deal with a huge piece 💩💩💩💩  on a certain spot in that venue.  

Besides I have a summer Birthday its not the same in the winter time. Glad that Brutus did this mess last November. 

                   Anyways I am hoping to do a 9-9-9 challenge tonight but will have to wait & see until then some of you have yet to send me things I always try to send you things. I have provided the belated ideas to send me to celebrate my Area 51 day here's the top 10 items I like to receive any single listed I preferred a RAW version no GRADED SHITAKI MUSHROOM CARD!!!! Now here's the top 10 list from the home offices of Nevada where I know they made experiments on my family after capturing Grandma & Grandpas ship in Roswell in 1947 LOL.

10. `85/`86 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #9
9. 1968 Topps Baseball #247
8. 1968 Topps Baseball #177
7. 1952 Topps Baseball #406
6. All 3 Series of the Fritsch One Year Winners Set.
5. 1989 & 1990 T&M Umpire sets w/the 1989 Binder.
4. `03/`04 Upper Deck Basketball #301
3. `79/`80 Topps Hockey #18
2. $$$$$$$$
1. 1967 Topps Baseball #128 That for saken RUBBED OUT NAME CARD!!!!!!! I DON'T WANT NO REPRINT OR FAKE I WANT AN ORIGINAL!!!!!!!!!! 

Now if ya excuse me I have a party to attend I wont leave ya a quote only say this whoever would send me the #1 request just say this I would make a special post on my special day every year to mentioned who sent me this great thing. 

2001 UPPER DECK DECADE 1970s GAME USED PART XXIII

 

                          "Now Batting #31 Garry Maddox....." Garry Maddox was a center fielder with the San Francisco Giants & the Philadelphia Phillies for the decade of the 1970's. He was an 8 time Gold Glover while patrolling the center field area during that time. Pretty much stealing bases was what Garry was known for other than his glove work/ 

                Maddox first broke in the majors as I mentioned with the Giants,prior to getting the call to the show Maddox fought Giants Management over salary cause he felt he deserved the same amount of pay as some of the other prospects when they said he didn't deserve it Garry called it a career & decided to join the U.S. Army so he volunteered his services to go & fight over in Vietnam. He suffered some chemical after effects when in the service so hence he grew his famous beard to cover up his skin sensitive face. After his stint in the Army he got an honorary discharge to rejoin the Giants so he could be the major caretaker for his family.  Garry then was traded in 1975 to the Phillies for Willie Montanez (Another player featured in this set later on in the series). It was in 1976 that Daily News beat writer Bill Conlin made a quote after watching him play " 2/3s of the Earth is covered by water the other 1/3 is covered by Garry Maddox." 

              Garry in 1980 caught the last out of the 1980 World Series then 3 years later he made the final out by hitting a line shot to a 2nd year shortstop of the Baltimore Orioles by the name of Cal Ripken Jr.  Now does Garry deserve a spot in the line up had it been a piece of a glove fielding or batting then I would say yes he does but since its a piece of his bat I am sorry Garry wouldn't be in my line-up what you say next in our line-up is Graig Nettles until then I am reminded of Rogers Hornsby once saying "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."