Jim Rice 1986 Donruss

Jim Rice 1986 Donruss

You may have missed my announcement earlier in the week (shame on you) but I am going to take a small break from some of the vintage player collections I have been building in an effort to focus a little more time and energy into the modern player PC’s I am also working on.

The net result of this change in your ’30-YOC’ programming is that this will be the last Jim Rice baseball card post that I will launch for a while.

I’m sorry that it is the 1986 card that ended up being the final card, but at least Mr. Rice is smiling in this one…

Did You Know…

Only two Hall of Famers ended their careers with home runs in their final at-bats – Mickey Cochrane (1937) and Ted Williams (1960).

 

1971 HEADLINE: Cubs’ Banks Set To Retire!

1971 HEADLINE: Cubs’ Banks Set To Retire!

On this day in 1971 Chicago Cubs great, Ernie Banks, retired from major league baseball after 19 seasons.

‘Mr. Cub’ will always be the most popular and respected player from the Chicago Cubs organization.  His 19-seasons of perfection in a Cubs uniform still remain as fond and vibrant memories for the ‘North Siders’.  Banks’ 512 career home runs and season after season of MVP caliber baseball earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 1977 on the first ballot.

Unfortunately Banks never played 1 single inning, never batted 1 time, never took the field 1 time in the playoffs.  For someone that means so much the sport of baseball and specifically to the city of Chicago, it would have been great to see Ernie Banks play when the games counted the most!

1956 HEADLINE: Frank Robinson Wins National League Rookie Of The Year Honors

1956 HEADLINE: Frank Robinson Wins National League Rookie Of The Year Honors

On this day in 1956, Frank Robinson was voted the National League’s Rookie of the Year!!!

Capturing 24/24 votes cast, Robinson was the unanimous choice as the league’s top rookie.

And the numbers certainly back up the award – 166 hits, .290 batting average, 27 doubles, 36 home runs, 83 RBI, 122 runs scored, 8 stolen bases, and an All-Star team selection.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Robinson!!!

Happy Birthday George Foster!!!

Happy Birthday George Foster!!!

George Foster turns 65 years old today.

Simply put – George Foster is a bad-ass!!  Never known for 1 talent that overwhelmed the rest of his skills, Foster compiled some incredible stats over the course of his 18-year career.  And during the 1976 and ’77 seasons when his Cincinnati Reds teams were at the top of the baseball world, Foster was leading the way.  In 1976, Foster finished 2nd in the MVP voting while hitting .306 with 29 home runs and 121 RBI.  He outdid himself the next year by winning the Most Valuable Player award after blasting 52 dingers, driving in 149 runs, and still hitting an amazing .320.  Foster continued to build on his rapidly growing legacy as he finished in the Top 12 for MVP in 3 of the next 4 seasons.  George Foster led his Cincinnati Reds teams to 2 World Series titles in 1975 and 1976.  In the 13 games he played in World Series competition, Foster hit an incredible .326.

Happy Birthday Mr. Foster!!!

Bryce Harper 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini – Short Print Image Variation

Bryce Harper 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini – Short Print Image Variation

Topps’ Gypsy Queen set from 2013 is one of my favorite releases of the year – and this is the first time that I have opted to go after a few of the set’s ‘Alternate Image’ cards.

So far, I have two – Giancarlo Stanton and now, the one you see below of Bryce Harper.

Here it is:

 

I like it.  But, I don’t want to make this a habit either.  If there are cards of the guys that I collect that offer alternate images, I will investigate and purchase when affordable.  I just don’t want there to be more and more of these in the future.

But, I may be in the minority on that as Topps seems to be dropping these kinds of ‘alternates’ into more and more products each year…

Sheesh.  What’s a player collector to do?!?!?