Baseball Card Show Purchase #2 – Rod Carew 2004 Playoff Prestige ‘Changing Stripes’

Baseball Card Show Purchase #2 – Rod Carew 2004 Playoff Prestige ‘Changing Stripes’

This is a pretty neat card, and I think I have another one somewhere in my collection, I’m just not sure where…

The card comes from the 2004 Playoff Prestige subset titled, ‘Changing Stripes’.

This one features Hall of Famer, Rodney Carew.

Have a look:

The card acknowledges Carew going from the Twins to the Angels. 

I like the look of the card, and the team logos really stand out against the black background.

Happy Birthday Ron Santo!!!

Happy Birthday Ron Santo!!!

Today we celebrate the life of Ron Santo who would have turned 73 years old today.  It’s still very saddening that Santo is no longer with us – but the greatness that he left with the Cubs organization, the city of Chicago, and to the world of diabetes education and treatment will live on forever.

One of Chicago’s favorite sons, Ron Santo enjoyed suiting up for the Cubs for 14 years as a player and then for close to 20 years as a radio and television broadcaster.

A popular player on the field, Santo was an All-star 9 times during his 15-year career.  And today he is as popular as he was during the 1960′s and 1970′s. 

Happy Birthday Mr. Santo!!!

Ron Santo 2012 Panini Cooperstown – Where Was This Picture Taken???

Ron Santo 2012 Panini Cooperstown

As I told you a few days ago, I went on a little bit of a shopping spree for cards from the 2012 Panini Cooperstown set.

I went after most of the guys that I have built collections of, and a few surprises too.

Here is the card of Ron Santo from the set:

It’s nice to see a very young picture of Santo being used.  He was a fun and energetic player, and a true igniter of offense for the Cubs teams of the 1960′s.

I do have a question though – Where was this photo taken??

To be honest, it looks like the shot was snapped in the backyard of my next door neighbor’s house from my middle school days.  The Henderson’s had a fence just like that!!! 

Seriously, where was this photo snapped?  If you know, please share the info.  Thank you.

1973 HEADLINE: Ron Santo Traded To The Chicago White Sox

1973 HEADLINE: Ron Santo Traded To The Chicago White Sox

On this day in 1973, Ron Santo was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Chicago White Sox.

After 14 glorious seasons in which he called Wrigley Field home, Ron Santo was traded to the White Sox where he would play his 15th and final season in the big leagues.

During his time with the Cubs, Santo established himself as one of the best third basemen in all of baseball.  A 9-time All-star and winner of 5 consecutive Gold Glove awards, Santo was a fan favorite.  As the team started to tear apart it’s core, Santo was gone along with Fergie Jenkins and Billy Williams.

In that 1 year he played for the White Sox, Santo hardly lived up to his reputation.  At just 34 years of age, his prime was past him.  Gone were the double-digit home runs and gone were the 80+ RBI tallies.  Still, Santo enjoyed one more year in the city he loved.  And the fans showered him with appreciation!!!

2011 HEADLINE: Ron Santo Elected To National Baseball Hall Of Fame

2011 HEADLINE: Ron Santo Elected To National Baseball Hall Of Fame

On this day in 2011, Ron Santo was elected into the Baseball Hall Of Fame.

From MLB.com:

Legendary Cubs third baseman and broadcaster Ron Santo was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by a 16-member Golden Era Committee, which revealed the results of its balloting on Monday at the Winter Meetings.

Santo and Gil Hodges, for many years two of the most-debated candidates for Cooperstown, were once again up for induction on a 10-person ballot, representing players and executives who participated from 1947-72.

Needing 12 votes (75 percent) to be elected, Santo — who died last year from the complications of diabetes and cancer — received 15 of the 16 votes. Pitcher Jim Kaat finished second with 10 votes, followed by Hodges and Minnie Minoso with nine each and Tony Oliva with eight.

Buzzie Bavasi, Ken Boyer, Charlie Finley, Allie Reynolds and Luis Tiant each received fewer than three votes.

Santo becomes the fourth member of the Cubs teams from the 1960s and ’70s to enter the Hall, joining teammates Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Ferguson Jenkins. Williams was a member of the committee that elected Santo.

Santo will be inducted during next year’s ceremony on July 22.

Also to be announced during the Winter Meetings are the winners of the 2012 J.G. Taylor Spink Award on Tuesday and the Ford C. Frick Award on Wednesday. The Spink is awarded by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to a baseball writer for long and meritorious service from that group. The Frick Award annually honors a baseball broadcaster for his excellence.

The annual BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot was sent out this past week and includes Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, Tigers, Twins and Blue Jays pitcher Jack Morris and a host of players whose names are appearing on it for the first time. Larkin is on the ballot for the third time and seemingly has the best shot at being elected. Last year, he garnered 62.1 percent of the vote.

The BBWAA ballot winners will be announced on Jan. 9 by Hall president Jeff Idelson. MLB.com will simulcast MLB Network’s coverage of the announcement at 2 p.m. ET.

The Golden Era Committee gathered on Sunday to discuss the candidates and voted early Monday morning prior to the announcement.

The Golden Era Committee took its first crack at it this year with a pre-integration, pre-1946 committee to hold its first election next year. The post-expansion committee voted in general manager Pat Gillick last year. The trio of smaller committees cycle every three years. Finalists each year are selected by a BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee. To be eligible this year, candidates must have played at least 10 Major League seasons, not appear on MLB’s ineligible list and have been retired for 21 or more seasons.

Managers, umpires and executives must have spent at least 10 years in baseball and be retired for consideration.

Members of the Golden Era Committee were Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Ralph Kiner, Tommy Lasorda, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, Don Sutton and Williams; Major League executives Paul Beeston, Bill DeWitt, Roland Hemond, Gene Michael and Al Rosen; and veteran media members Dick Kaegel, Jack O’Connell and Dave Van Dyck.

Ron Santo 2004 Fleer Greats

Ron Santo 2004 Fleer Greats

It has been almost two months since I last added a Ron Santo baseball card to my collection.  And that is not good…

I am hoping that when the new collecting year begins that the newly inducted Hall of Famer is included in some more releases.  I have yet to see any complete checklist for any of the new Topps product slated for 2013, but I am crossing my fingers that the name ‘Ron Santo’ is on a few of them.

Thankfully, there are still some modern issues of Santo that I need to grab.

And this card from the 2004 Fleer Greats set is no longer one of them!!

Have a look at this beauty:

Ron Santo 1992 Action Packed Baseball Card

Ron Santo 1992 Action Packed Baseball Card

I found this card on my desk this morning.  I know that it was sent to me as part of a trade package, but I must have mis-handled it as I cannot recall who sent it to me.

So, if you are the generous person, THANK YOU for the great Ron Santo card.  I have never seen this one before and it makes a great addition to my Ron Santo player collection!!!

We miss you, Ronnie!!

Chicago Cubs To Honor Hall Of Famer Ron Santo On Friday At Wrigley Field

Chicago Cubs To Honor Hall Of Famer Ron Santo On Friday At Wrigley Field

By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

CHICAGO — Cubs legendary third baseman and broadcaster and new Hall of Famer Ron Santo will be celebrated at Wrigley Field on Friday from the top of the ballpark down to the grass.

The late Santo was enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., last weekend and will be feted before Friday’s game between the Cubs and Cardinals. There will be blue and white No. 10 flags rimming the top of Wrigley Field.

There also will be a “10″ design in the center-field grass. The Cubs partnered with Scotts Lawn Care Co., to incorporate the “10″ in the outfield. The perfect “10″ was chosen by fans online in a month-long contest.

Santo’s No. 10 was retired by the Cubs in 2003, and he was elected into the Hall of Fame by the Golden Era Committee in December 2011, one year after his passing.

The first 10,000 fans at Friday’s Cubs game against the Cardinals will receive a commemorative Ron Santo Hall of Fame plaque.

The Santo family will be on hand to receive a photo from the Hall of Fame ceremony last Sunday. There also will be a video tribute to Ron Santo before the game on the right-field scoreboard.

Cubs players will wear the No. 10 patch on their uniforms, which they wore last Sunday in St. Louis when Santo was inducted.

It’s unclear whether they’ll click their heels again. Cubs manager Dale Sveum asked the starters to do so as they took the field before last Sunday’s game in St. Louis to honor Santo, who did the heel click in 1969.

There will be commemorative Ron Santo Hall of Fame Cubs jerseys, T-shirts and patches for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and fans also can purchase Kernel Fabyan popcorn in a special Santo tin, with proceeds going to JDRF. Santo worked tirelessly in the fight against diabetes, raising more than $65 million for JDRF.

A nine-time All-Star, he was one of four players to total 2,000 hits, 300 home runs and 1,300 RBIs, joining fellow Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Billy Williams.

Barry Larkin And Ron Santo Inducted Into Baseball Hall Of Fame

Barry Larkin And Ron Santo Inducted Into Baseball Hall Of Fame

By JOHN KEKIS | The Associated Press 

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Barry Larkin lost it before he even started. Vicki Santo never wavered as she honored her late husband, Ron.

Baseball’s highest honor always seems to leave a special impression on those directly involved.

Larkin, the former star shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, and Ron Santo, a standout third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and later a beloved broadcaster for the team, were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

After wiping away tears as his teenage daughter sang the national anthem, Larkin began a litany of thank-yous to the important people who helped him along his journey, none more important than his mom, Shirley, and father, Robert, who were seated in the first row.

”If we were going to do something, we were going to do it right,” Larkin said. ”Growing up, you challenged me. That was so instrumental.”

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Larkin was a two-sport star at Moeller High School and thought he might become a pro football player after accepting a scholarship to play college ball at Michigan for Bo Schembechler. That changed in a hurry.

”He (Schembechler) redshirted me my freshman year and told me that he was going to allow me just to play baseball,” Larkin said. ”Occasionally, I’d call him while I was playing in the big leagues and told him that was the best decision he made as a football coach. He didn’t like that too much.”

Drafted fourth by the Reds in 1985, despite playing just 41 games his first year Larkin finished seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1986.

Two years later, Larkin was an All-Star with a .296 average, 91 runs scored, 32 doubles and 40 stolen bases. And with a host of older players to guide him – Eric Davis, Ron Oester, Buddy Bell, player-manager Pete Rose, a Cincinnati native, slugger Tony Perez, and even star shortstop Dave Concepcion, the man he would replace – Larkin’s major league career quickly took off.

”I played with some monumental figures in the game,” said Larkin, who was introduced to baseball by his dad at the age of 5. ”They helped me through some very rough times as a player.”

After giving special thanks in Spanish to the Latin players that also helped mold him, Larkin heaped special praise on Rose and Concepcion.

”I wouldn’t be in the big leagues if it weren’t for Pete,” Larkin said, eliciting a stirring applause from the fans, two of whom were holding a placard inscribed with ”Cincinnati’s hometown heroes, Larkin and Rose.”

”And Dave Concepcion, understanding that I was gunning for his job, understanding that I was from Cincinnati, he spent countless hours with me preparing me for the game,” Larkin said. ”I idolized Davey Concepcion as a kid. Thank you, my idol. My inclusion in the Hall of Fame is the ultimate validation. I want to thank you all for helping me along the way.”

Larkin, who played his entire 19-year career with the Reds, retired after the 2004 season with a .295 career average, 2,340 hits, 1,329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases.

Ron Santo didn’t live to experience the day he always dreamed of. Plagued by health problems, he died Dec. 3, 2010, at the age of 70. His long battle with diabetes cost him both legs below the knees, but he ultimately died of complications from bladder cancer.

A member of the Chicago Cubs organization for the better part of five decades as a player (1960-74) and then beloved broadcaster (1990-2010), Santo was selected by the Veterans Committee in December, exactly one year after his death.

Vicki Santo said she cried a lot while practicing her speech. Her poise was remarkable when it counted most.

”It just feels right, a perfect ending to a remarkable journey,” Vicki Santo said. ”Ron left an awful hole for many of us today. This is not a sad day. This is a great day. I’m certain that Ronnie is celebrating right now.”

So, too were his beloved Cubs. They paid a tribute of their own to Santo, clicking their heels as they jumped over the third-base line to start the bottom of the first inning at St. Louis.

In 15 major league seasons, all but one with the Cubs, Santo was one of the top third basemen in major league history. He compiled a .277 batting average, had 2,254 hits, 1,331 RBIs and 365 doubles in 2,243 games. He also was a tireless fundraiser for juvenile diabetes, raising more than $65 million.

Santo fought serious medical problems after he retired as a player. He underwent surgery on his eyes, heart and bladder after doctors discovered cancer. He also had surgery more than a dozen times on his legs before they were amputated below the knees – the right one in 2001 and the left a year later.

As a broadcaster, Santo was known for unabashedly rooting for the Cubs, a trait that endeared him to fans who never saw him play.

”I want you to know that he loved you so much, and he would be grateful that you came here to share this with him,” Vicki Santo said to the fans. ”He fought the good fight, and though he’s no longer here we need to find a cure (for juvenile diabetes). He felt he had been put here for that reason. He believed in his journey. He believed in his cause. We can’t let him down.”

 

Chicago Cubs Announce Schedule Of Activities Honoring Ron Santo’s Hall Of Fame Induction

Chicago Cubs Announce Schedule Of Activities Honoring Ron Santo’s Hall Of Fame Induction

From MLB.com

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs have announced a schedule of events for fans to celebrate Ron Santo’s Hall of Fame induction, including a Cubs Corner Luncheon at Wildfire Chicago July 17; a Cubs Fan Fest in Cooperstown, N.Y., July 21; the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown July 22; a corresponding viewing party at Wrigley Field’s Captain Morgan Club July 22; and Ron Santo Day at Wrigley Field for the Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals game July 27, the team’s first home game following Santo’s induction.

On Ron Santo Day at Wrigley Field, the Cubs will honor Santo with a special pregame ceremony featuring members of his family. The first 10,000 fans in the gate will receive a commemorative Ron Santo Hall of Fame Plaque courtesy of PNC Bank, while commemorative memorabilia will be also available for purchase from corporate partners such as Majestic and Chicago Kernel Gourmet Popcorn. The team has partnered with Scotts to incorporate an honorary design into the outfield grass of Wrigley Field for that afternoon’s game.

“Ron Santo embodied what it meant to be a Chicago Cub. This franchise couldn’t be prouder as he is enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and we’re honored he will forever represent the Chicago Cubs in Cooperstown,” said Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts. “Our family looks forward to celebrating this well-deserved accomplishment with Cubs fans worldwide.”

A full schedule of celebratory events follows:

July 17 – Cubs Corner Luncheon – Chicago

A panel featuring Ron Santo’s son, Ron Santo Jr., former teammate and Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, and Cubs WGN Radio broadcaster Pat Hughes will reflect on Ron Santo’s Hall of Fame induction at the Cubs Corner Luncheon July 17 at Wildfire Chicago. The session will air on WGN Radio 720 AM from 12-1 p.m. CDT.

Cubs Corner Luncheon tickets are priced at $55 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Each guest receives an autographed photo of a featured panelist upon check-in and a lunch of signature Wildfire dishes, including an individual salad, rolls, an individual main course plate and dessert. On-site registration begins at 11 a.m. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., while the live broadcast takes place from 12-1 p.m. Tickets are available at www.cubs.com/cubscorner.

July 21 – Cubs Fan Fest – Cooperstown

The Cubs will host a Cubs Fan Fest in Cooperstown Saturday, July 21, in honor of Ron Santo’s induction into the Hall of Fame. The party will be held in the lawn-tented section of Cooperstown’s Fenimore Art Museum from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT. This casual party is for Cubs fans who wish to celebrate Santo’s life and induction with other members of the Cubs community, including Ron’s teammates and several members of the Cubs front office. Special guests include Pat Hughes, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Randy Hundley, Glenn Beckert, the Ricketts family and others. Attendees will enjoy a live Q-and-A session, video of memorable Santo moments, music, food and drinks. A suggested $10 donation at the event will help benefit Chicago Cubs Charities and the not-for-profit National Baseball Hall of Fame.

July 22 – National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – Cooperstown

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Sunday will take place in Cooperstown July 22 at 1:30 p.m. EDT on the grounds outside of the Clark Sports Center. The ceremony is expected to last two hours. Seating for the event is unlimited and free of charge. A blanket or lawn chair is recommended for comfortable viewing. Ball caps, yearbooks and museum membership packages are available for purchase at the Hall of Fame induction site.

July 22 – Hall of Fame Induction Viewing Party, Wrigley Field’s Captain Morgan Club – Chicago

Concurrent with the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, the Cubs will host a viewing party at the Captain Morgan Club adjacent to Wrigley Field starting at 11 a.m. CDT. Attendees can watch the ceremony live on dozens of televisions from 12:30-2:30 p.m. CDT just steps away from Ron Santo’s statue at the corner of Addison Street and Sheffield Avenue.

July 27 – Ron Santo Day at Wrigley Field – Chicago

The first Cubs home game following the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be dedicated to honoring Ron Santo in the ballpark he enjoyed the most with the fans he cherished closely. The following activities will highlight Ron Santo Day at Wrigley Field:

• The Cubs will honor Santo during an on-field ceremony featuring members of his family before the 1:20 p.m. CDT game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.
• The first 10,000 fans to arrive at that day’s game will receive a commemorative Ron Santo Hall of Fame Plaque, courtesy of PNC Bank.
• The outfield grass in center field will showcase an honorary Number 10 design that was chosen by fans through a partnership with Scotts, the Official Lawn Care Company of the Cubs and Major League Baseball.
• Chicago Kernel Gourmet Popcorn will hand out free samples of their gourmet popcorn at Wrigley Field and sell a limited-edition collectible art popcorn tin commemorating Ron Santo’s legendary career and induction into the Hall of Fame. Each tin includes a limited-edition Ron Santo baseball card.
• Majestic will offer commemorative Ron Santo Hall of Fame Cubs jerseys, T-shirts and patches for sale, with proceeds benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Fans may purchase tickets for the July 27 game at Wrigley Field at www.cubs.com, 800-THE-CUBS (800-843-2827) or in person at the Wrigley Field Box Office.