Andre Dawson 2011 Topps Series 2 – Base & Diamond Anniversary Edition

Andre Dawson 2011 Topps Series 2 – Base & Diamond Anniversary Edition

I’ve been slowly scooping up Andre’s cards from the many 2011 Topps sets that he was featured in over the course of the year.  If he continues to be promoted throughout Topps’ line-up of baseball cards in 2012, I will have no problem getting to 1,000 cards rather quickly.  My fingers are crossed…

As for the cards featured below, they are both from the Series 2 release by Topps in 2011. 

Have a peek:

 

 

 

On the left you have the base card from the set, one that features ‘The Hawk’ in his Montreal Expos uniform while playing on a field he would soon call home – Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

On the right, you have the Diamond Anniversary version of the same base card –   Full of fractals, sparkle, and gloss!!!

Enjoy.

Brooks Robinson 2005 Upper Deck Classics – ‘Legendary All-Stars’

Brooks Robinson 2005 Upper Deck Classics – ‘Legendary All-Stars’

By now you all probably know that I am not too much of a fan of baseball cards that feature posed photos.

But every once in a while I find a card that makes me think differently.

Here is an example:

This card is from the 2005 Upper Deck Classics set tagged as ‘Legendary All-Stars’.  The card features Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, and the image used is perfect!!

I am loving the shot of Brooks on this card – he is in his ‘ready’ stance that was made famous during his highly successful career at third base.  And this stance is one that actually looks very practical, even though it was staged.

Great job Upper Deck.  And Great job Brooks!!!

Vince Coleman 2008 Upper Deck Goudey – A Very Kind Throw In…

Vince Coleman 2008 Upper Deck Goudey – A Very Kind Throw In…

I continue to get ‘lucky’ when it comes to throw-in baseball cards.  In the past I have pulled Hall of Famers, All-Stars, MVPs, etc.

This time around, I snagged a 2008 Upper Deck Goudey card of one of my favorite runners of the 1980s – Mr. Vince Coleman!

Here is the card:

Oh, and the card that I bought to get this ‘freebie’??  A handful of Cardinals!!!

Kirby Puckett 1994 Fleer Ultra – Front & Back

Kirby Puckett 1994 Fleer Ultra – Front & Back

How about a little front and back this morning for ya??  LMAO

Anyways, this card features my buddy Mr Kirby Puckett.  Part of the 1994 Fleer Ultra set, Ultra was known for providing great images on both the front and backs of their cards – a move probably orchestrated to compete directly with Upper Deck.

So, here is the front:

And now, the back:

Solid stuff, right??

As for my likes, well, I really like the multiple images that Fleer threw on the back of the card.  But for me and my personal taste, I really like the front of this one.

On Kirby’s face, you can basically see that he is thinking at least ‘Double’.

Go Get ‘Em Puck!!!

My Ozzie Smith Baseball Card Collection Is Finally Complete!!!

My Ozzie Smith Baseball Card Collection Is Finally Complete!!!

I wanted to save this post, for a special day.  And since today is Ozzie’s birthday, I cannot think of a better suited day for this very exciting announcement:

“My Ozzie Smith Collection Is Complete!!!!!”

That’s right, more than one year into it, and containing more than 100 different cards, my Ozzie Smith collection is finally done.  Containing all major brand releases from his first season in 1979 through to the last few cards from his playing days in 1997 – I’ve got them all!!!

Here is a peek at what the full collection looks like:

Pretty solid stuff right there!!!

And as I do with all newly completed collections, I will seek out my ‘Fab Five’ and show them off to you.  Starting next Monday, you will get to see the five that draw my eye the most.  It will be tough to narrow this group down to five – Ozzie was a very photogenic player, and he has some great looking stuff to choose from!!

See you next Monday (and hopefully before too

Ozzie Smith’s Tough To Find Mint 1979 Topps Rookie Card

Ozzie Smith’s Tough To Find Mint 1979 Topps Rookie Card

There is no bigger card in the 1979 Topps set than Ozzie Smith’s rookie card.

I had one of these cards as a kid and eventually traded it away(I’m sure that I got the short-end of that stick!).

It is very hard to find a well centered Smith rookie card for some reason.  I don’t know if it was a manufacturing defect, but most of the Smith rookies I was able to find back then, and now on eBay as well, are cut pretty badly.  With a large and uneven border on the left, and a thin and slight border on the right being the norm, if you were able to find a well-centered Ozzie Smith rookie card, it carried a hefty price tag.

Today there are no less than 250 of Ozzie’s rookie cards circulating on eBay.  And if you look closely, probably 95% of them are badly centered.

For this card, the quest to find a nice one is certainly worth the wait!!!

Nice ‘Chops’ Ozzie!!!

A Statue To Honor Ozzie Smith!!!

A Statue To Honor Ozzie Smith!!!

Shortly after being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, the St. Louis Cardinals unveiled this status as a tribute to one of the team’s greatest players – Ozzie Smith!

And of course, the sculptor had to feature Ozzie doing what he did better than anyone else, playing defense at shortstop…

What a great piece, huh??  The next time I am in STL, I am going to have to go check this out.  I have seen a small handful of sports statues in person, but never one that appears to literally leap right at you!!!

Baseball Card Companies Love Ozzie Smith!!!

Baseball Card Companies Love Ozzie Smith!!!

Ozzie Smith’s baseball cards are rare.  Rare in the fact that may of them feature him playing defense.  With set after set littered with cards showing offense, it was nice to find an Ozzie Smith card, and more often than not, he was being featured playing ‘D’.

Here he is blocking the sun from his eyes as he prepared to catch a pop-up…

…and here he is bolting to his left in an attempt to stop the ball from leaving the infield.

Here we have Ozzie calling off either a third baseman or left fielder as he prepares to catch a lazy fly ball at Wrigley Field.

And last but not least, we have ‘The Wizard’ turning two as he completes his part of a double play.

See what I mean??  The card companies were probably thrilled that Ozzie was so photogenic while in the field.  It gave them something new to offer everyone!!

Ozzie Smith And The 1982 World Series.

Ozzie Smith And The 1982 World Series.

Ozzie Smith played in three World Series match-ups, winning just one.

In 1982, his Cardinal teammates took on the Milwaukee Brewers.  It took 7 games, but Ozzie’s team was victorious and came away with the championship!!

Ozzie played in 21 World Series games.  And in those games, he compiled a .173 batting average with 13 hits, 7 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases.

Ozzie’s Defense Earned Him 13 Gold Glove Awards!!

Ozzie’s Defense Earned Him 13 Gold Glove Awards!!

Make no mistake about it, Ozzie Smith is one of the greatest defensive infielders of all-time.  And for shortstops, he ranks as #1!!!

Ozzie made playing defense cool.  As a kid, I played first and third base.  But that didn’t mean that I didn’t want to roam around between second and third trying to replicate what Ozzie was doing in St. Louis.  He made playing defense a respected part of the game during the 1980′s and he took the expectations of what a shortstop can do to a whole new level.

Ozzie won 13 consecutive Gold Glove awards, from 1980-1992.  It was said that his range was so vast that he could cover any ground ball hit between the second base bag and third.  With lightning quick reflexes, and feet to match, Ozzie was spectacular in the field.

And while he may not have effected each game he played in with his bat, his glove certainly did the job on a nightly basis!!!