Baseball Card Show This Weekend!!! I’m Ready To Go!!!

Baseball Card Show This Weekend!!!  I’m Ready To Go!!!

Yessir, it is that time.  One of my favorite times of the month, as a matter of fact.

The Dania Beach baseball card show is tomorrow, and I will be there.  It has been a very long time since I have attended the Dania show, but between the cancellation of the show in Coral Springs and the failure of last month’s Sportacular show, I am willing to give it another try.

So, I will be headed to Dania in the morning, and I have several goals for the show:

1. Topps Lineage cards of Andre Dawson and Fergie Jenkins
2. Inspiration for some new subsets
3. GU relic cards of Hall of Famers
4. Cards to help me complete a few player collections I am building
5. Cards for a few bloggers that I need to re-pay for their donations to ’30-YOC

So, stay tuned to ’30-YOC’ on Monday, as I will have a full card show report to offer up.  And sticking with my customs, I will also show off every purchase I made at the show too.

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend everyone!!

Joe Morgan ‘Fab Five’ – Card #1 – 1971 Topps

Joe Morgan ‘Fab Five’ – Card #1 – 1971 Topps

Now that my Joe Morgan collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #1 – 1971 Topps

Ok, now this one is a beauty!!!

Let’s get right to it – if you frequent this blog often, and I hope that you do, you know that the 1971 Topps design is a ’30-YOC’ favorite.  I love the basic design, and the Black borders (when mint) look fantastic.

You also know that I am a sucker for action photography on my baseball cards.  And for 1971, this image offers up a sweet, and very unique, angle from which the photo was snapped.

Come see:

What a great card.  And definitely a nice way to finish off showing off my ‘Fab 5’ cards from my Joe Morgan completed collection.

Thanks for reading.

Ozzie Smith 1981 Donruss

Ozzie Smith 1981 Donruss

1981 was Ozzie last full season in San Diego as a member of the Padres baseball club.

In the strike-shortened season of 1981, Ozzie led the National League in plate appearances and official at-bats with 507 and 450 respectively.

Due to the volume of his appearances at the plate, Ozzie was able to become an All-Star for the first time in his career.  And even though the stats from that season (100 hits, 53 runs scored, 22 stolen bases) look un-All-Star-esque, it is because his team only played in 110 contests that year.

Here is the card:

After the 1981 baseball season, Ozzie was shipped off to St. Louis, where he would spend the next 15 baseball seasons becoming one of the greatest defensive infielders of all-time.

Did You Know…

Among the members of the 3,000 hits club, Eddie Collins has the fewest home runs.  Hall of Famer Eddie Collins, collected 3,315 hits throughout his big league career.  Just 47 of those hits were home runs.

Happy Anniversary George Brett!!!

Happy Anniversary George Brett!!!

On this day in 1992, George Brett collected hit number 3,000 of his amazing baseball career!!!

On the road playing the Angels, Brett’s Kansas City Royals teammates were playing in front of 17,000+ fans.  If the baseball fans in the Los Angeles area knew that history was going to be made on this day, I would have to imagine that more people would have been in attendance.

For the day, Brett put on quite a display of hitting excellence.  Going 4-for-5, he hit 1 double and 3 singles.

George Brett finished his Hall of Fame career with 3,154 hits and ranks as 15th in baseball history for career hits. 

Happy Anniversary Mr. Brett!!!

’30-Year Old Cardboard’ Official 2011 Baseball Playoff Prediction!!!

’30-Year Old Cardboard’ Official 2011 Baseball Playoff Prediction!!!

I don’t make my living as a better of sports.  But that does not stop me from wanting to predict the baseball playoffs.

And if the games are as awesome as Wednesday’s action, we are all in for a treat.

So, with the help of a few tools on my PC, here is my prediction for the 2011 MLB playoffs:

The two teams in my World Series prediction – The Texas Rangers and The Philadelphia Phillies.

As for the winner….

I am going to go with….

My track record for predicting champions is not strong.  Still, I find it fun!!

So, who are you taking??  Let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Jose Reyes Is A Douche. And A Batting Champion…

Jose Reyes Is A Douche.  And A Batting Champion…

Look, I am a loyal Florida Marlins fan (one of very few).  With being a Marlins fan, there is a certain distaste that you have for the New York Mets.  I think that I do a pretty good job of keeping my emotions and my sensibility in check, but Jose Reyes reminds me of everything that is wrong with baseball.

Congratulations Jose, you are a batting champion.  And you won the award during a contract season – coincidence?  I think not…

While I fully understand and acknowledge that it takes an enormous amount of skill to compile a .337 batting average, the way in which he secured his batting title simply turns my stomach.

Enjoy the award Jose – most likely it is your last.  Or at least your last until the final season of your next contract…

Ted Williams must be rolling over in his grave…

FINAL – Milestones To Look Forward To During The 2011 Major League Baseball Season

FINAL – Milestones To Look Forward To During The 2011 Major League Baseball Season

Wow, what a season.  Tons of surprises and tons of disappointments too…

Let’s get right into it.  These are the baseball milestones I was most looking forward to from the 2011 baseball season. 

Here is how that panned out…

Derek Jeter needs 74 hits to reach the magical number of 3,000 for his career.

Jeter’s season ended with 3,088 career hits.  He now rests at 20th on the all-time list.  If he has another solid campaign in 2012, he could get all the way up to somewhere between 11-13.

Jim Thome needs 11 home runs to join the 600 HR club.

Thome has 604 career home runs, ranking him at 8 on the all-time list.  6 more homers and he moves to number 7.

Mariano Rivera needs 41 saves to become just the second pitcher to reach 600.

Mo finished the season with 603 career saves, and 1st place on the All-time list.  It is very possible that he sees number 650 next year if health stays on his side!!

If Ichiro collects 200 or more hits, he has 11 200-hit seasons on his resume – a MLB record!!!

Ichiro finished the season with 184 hits and a .310 batting average.  And while that is not the kind of production we have become used to from Ichiro, it is still a very solid season.  Streak Busted!

If Dan Uggla can amass 30 or more home runs with the Braves, he will continue his record-setting as the game’s greatest slugging second baseman.

Uggla kept the streak alive by belting 35 home runs, a career high.  His streak is now extended to five straight seasons.  He has a very solid 30+ game hitting streak to thank, for sure.

Mark Teixeira needs just 25 blasts to reach number 300 of his career.

Tex finished the season with 37 home runs and 312 career blasts.  At just 31 years of age, the sky is the limit for this very talented slugger. 

Can Albert Pujols hit 30+ home runs and drive in 100+ RBI for the 11th straight season and build on baseball history?

Mission failed.  37 home runs and 98 RBI leaves Pujols 2 RBI short of extending his record.  Kind of sucks – hopefully he can stay healthy in 2012, wherever he is playing…

Adam Dunn needs 46 home runs to reach 400.  Can his new home in Chicago become his latest launching pad?

Dunn connected for just 11 home runs in 2011.  He has 365 for his career, and while 400 is still very likely the question is what season will it occur in 2012 or 2015?

Alex Rodriguez is preparing to hit 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI for the 14th consecutive season and 15th overall.  Can he do it again???

A-Rod managed to reach just 16 and 62 this year, an injury plagued one.  Here’s to hoping that he can get back on track in 2012!!

The 2011 baseball season was fantastic!!!  It was a thrill to watch these milestones, and some other unexpected ones unfold.

I cannot wait for next season to start!!!!

Dennis Eckersley 1983 Fleer

Dennis Eckersley 1983 Fleer

By 1983 Dennis Eckersley has solidified his role in the Boston Red Sox starting rotation.  Having been with the Sox since 1978, and logging over 1,000 innings with the team, the number of photos of ‘Eck’ in a Red Sox uniform should have been endless.

So, when Fleer produces a card like their 1983 issue below, it leaves this collector very unsatisfied!!!

Take a look.

 

 

Lazy is the first word that I think of when I see this card.  But, I will happily file it with my collection of cards that feature the Hall of Famer.

Moving on…

My First Time – Greg Maddux – September 3, 1986

My First Time – Greg Maddux – September 3, 1986

The setting – Wrigley Field.  Chicago, IL

From Maddux – ‘I debuted on September 3, but the game was in the books for September 2.  The game was into the 14th inning when it was called due to darkness.  We resumed play the next day and I made it into the game as a pick-runner and then a reliever.  I gave up a home run to Billy Hatcher that eventually cost us the game’.

The boxscore – Astros 8, Cubs 7.  Maddux takes the loss giving up a tie-breaking home run in relief.