Street trade - baseball for basketball

I've still got a lot of basketball I'd like to unload for a few baseball cards (or maybe something else interesting?). Al the street vendor had been bugging me for basketball stars so I traded him a Jordan, a couple of Oakleys (still popular in NY) and a few others for some baseball cards.


He's got a new binder so there was fresh stuff to look through. Like Yankees oddballs!

 Other random stuff - two 1994 Donruss Triple Play inserts I'd never seen before. I learned from the Tigers nickname card that the team name came from the striped socks that they wore. Also a Wade Boggs Broder and a see-thru Ben Grieve card.

Robinson Chirinos on baseball cards

Catcher Robinson Chirinos has played six seasons in the major leagues, mostly for the Rangers. This season he played in 88 games for Texas, hitting .255 with 17 HR and 38 RBI. He kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"My son David and I collect baseball cards. It's something that we both enjoy."

Thanks!

Logan Darnell on baseball cards

Logan Darnell pitched seven seasons in the Twins organization, making the major leagues in 2014. Last year he pitched for the Montgomery Biscuits, the Rays' AA team, going 5-3 with a 3.98 ERA. He kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I really don't have too many good stories! But i remember when I was in rookie ball, in Elizabethton, TN, signing my first rookie card deal for like 10 bucks."

Thanks!

Wallet Card at the South Shore Trust Company

The South Shore Trust Company was founded in 1929 in Rockville Centre, NY by George W. Loft. He was the son of William Loft, who started the Loft Candies store chain. I showed a recently-uncovered sign from that company in a wallet card post last year. The bank lasted for 21 years before being absorbed by Franklin Bank in 1950.

Before founding this bank George Loft served in the US House of Representatives from 1906 to 1917. He also was a real estate developer. His Loft Estate Homes development in Baldwin, NY still exists, with an interesting-looking sign of its own.

1993 Studio Carlos Baerga

Hobbies are music and football: Carlos Baerga Productions, among other things, produces gospel music.

Favorite sports announcer is Harry Caray: Interesting pick has Baerga had no connection to the Cubs. Maybe WGN was broadcast in Puerto Rico?

Favorite player as a kid was Roberto Clemente: On the twenty-fifth anniversary of Clemente’s death, Baerga participated in a five-day charitable event in Puerto Rico.

Might have been an engineer if he hadn’t been an athlete: Baerga did not go into engineering after his baseball career.

Where he is now: In addition to music he is heavily involved in youth coaching.

Cards from a basement

I'm glad to see a few people were interested in trading for what I posted yesterday. Jasongerman9 and TSHenson - please email me as I don't have any other way to contact you.

Maybe something in today's post might also be of interest to people. They came from the Basement Fun Game that Matt of Summer of '74 recently hosted. I won the "oversized lot" and there were a lot of cool things in it, some I needed but some that are up for trade.

The keepers: Some 1984 Donruss Champions - only had a few from the set and needed all of these. Same for the two 1989 Bowman reprints. The Cadaco discs are new to me - apparently from a board game. Very cool oddball.

 The traders: In this case I already had the complete set these cards came from. As you can see there are a whole bunch of Topps Big from all three years of the set - every card is a hall-of-famer except for Buhner and McGwire, so let me know your needs there.

 The miscellany: Not sure if I would consider these cards. The two hockey Master Photos are up for trade. There are two copies of the Cal Ripken Sr. postcard, so at least one is up for trade, as is the Shaq postcard from his rookie year (a canned reply to fanmail).

 The bonus: Matt generously threw in some bonus cards of current Yankees. I love the "New Dynasty" card with Aaron Judge and Greg Bird. I hope Topps is right.

Calling set collectors and basketball fans

Picked up some cards in a Craigslist transaction this week. Not my best score but not bad either. Slightly disappointed that there was not a lot of baseball variety, and a large amount that I had already. Here is what I got, and what is available for trade:

That row of cards along the top is about 95% of the 2002 Topps set. Anyone want a mostly-complete starter set? Or have other needs from it?
In the second row we have:
- Most of the 1998 Leaf set. Needed most of it so that's good.
- A full 1997 Leaf Series I. There were actually two of these, so I have a full Series I (200 cards) to trade and probably 100 more singles to trade.
- All but one of the base cards from 1999 Upper Deck Black Diamond. Missing #76 Ken Griffey - anyone have one to trade?
- A smaller stack of 2000 Upper Deck Ionix. Needed most of those.
- A big stack of 1990 Donruss. Come one, someone must need something from that set, right?
And in the bottom row:
- A full base 2002 Ovation set just missing the Griffeys (57, 95-99). Probably about half of these will be available for trade.
- A few silver parellels from that set
- A very few mixed random cards
- A small stack of 2011 Topps cards - up for trade
- Huge stack of 2002 Fleer Hot Prospects. Many duplicates but somehow still missing several cards.
Not shown:
A complete 1992 Ultra Series I - up for trade
A large variety of basketball cards from the 1990s and 2000s. Would gladly trade these for a smaller number of baseball cards.

Anyone interested in trades just let me know!

Shawn Talbott on baseball cards

Shawn Talbott pitched in the Astros organization from 1985 to 1987. In 92 games, all in relief, he went 8-8 with 22 saves and a 3.63 ERA. Now a PE teacher and softball coach at Farmville Central High School in Farmville, NC, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards, sharing another baseball story as well.

"I have 2 cards and I cherish them both. I do not collect baseball cards but I do cherish the days that I played professional baseball. The best story that I can tell you is that when I played in Asheville, the bullpen pitchers had a special relationship with one of our fans. He was referred to us as “The Mountain Man”. He was a big burly man that always wore blue overalls and walked with a walking stick. He would walk behind the outfield fence retrieving baseballs that were hit during batting practice before each game. He made a deal with the bullpen pitchers that if we would leave 4 balls at the base of a tree, behind the dugout, in the woods, he would exchange them for a bag of moon pies and candy bars. No one knew about this deal other than the bullpen pitchers. It was something that the bullpen looked forward to every home game and fun to keep the secret only in the bullpen. The position players and starting pitchers couldn’t figure out where we were getting the snacks from. Apparently, he had been doing this for years!!!"

Thanks!

Brian Harrison on baseball cards

Brian Harrison pitched in the Padres organization from 1987 to 1990. After a breakout year in 1990, when he went 5-2 with 18 saves and a 1.19 ERA at Class-A Riverside, he was a Rule V pick by the White Sox and pitched for the major league team in 1991 spring training. Unfortunately injuries kept him out of baseball from 1991-1993, but he did stage a comeback in 1994 and 1995 with San Bernardino and Memphis. Overall he pitched in 221 minor league games, going 26-24 with 37 saves and a 3.83 ERA. Now a youth baseball coach in San Diego, he kindly answered my questions about cards.

"My personal favorites are my 1986 rookie card because it was literally taken just moments after my 1st pro start.

Next, the 1990 Riverside RedWave throwing 94 mph. Great shot at my peak.

And the next is 1994 San Bernardino Spirit, another action card and is the one I'm most proud of because I endured 2 elbow surgeries and countless hours of grueling training and physical therapy. I never threw 94 again more like 86 89 but I learned how to pitch.

I feel like Moonlight Graham. I got close to my dream and wish, one pitch and gone. But I sleep well because I made the big league club with the 91 Chi Sox. And that's all I have to say about that️"

Thanks!

1993 Studio Carlos Garcia

Hobbies are music, going to movies, watching videos and playing video games: Lots of outdoorsmen in this set. Not Garcia, though.

 

Favorite player as a kid was Dave Concepcion: Garcia wore #13 as a tribute to his fellow Venezuelan shortstop.

 

Might have been a farmer if he hadn’t been an athlete: Not an unusual profession in Venezuela.

 

Pet peeve is errors: Garcia was a good fielder, making 47 errors in 2,547 total chances over eight major league seasons, for a .982 fielding percentage.

 

Where he is now: He was third base coach for the Venezuela team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Wallet Card with some vestiges of classic New York retailers

Here are some barely-visible vestiges of a couple of classic New York retailers.
B. Altman was once considered one of the grandest New York department stores before closing in 1990 after over 120 years in operation. It's flagship store on 34th Street and 5th Avenue has been the CUNY Graduate Center since 1996, but faded letters where a sign once stood can still be seen on the façade.

Lerner Shops headquartered this building on Seventh Avenue for just two years in the 1920s before moving on, however shields with the company's name can still be seen at the top of the building. Founded in 1918, Lerner changed its name to New York & Company in 1995, as it is still known today.

1993 Studio Will Clark

Hobbies are hunting and fishing: Clark is still very active in both pursuits. Here are some recent fishing exploits, courtesy of Crappie.com.

Favorite sports announcer is Chris Berman: No Berman nickname for Clark.

Favorite players as a kid were George Brett and Mike Schmidt: I guess he wanted to be a third baseman.

Most prized possession is his gun collection: In the 1990s Clark participated in a firearms injury prevention campaign for the National Fire Protection Association.

Might have been a petroleum engineer if he hadn’t been an athlete: Clark majored in the subject at Mississippi State.

Where he is now: A community ambassador for the Giants.

Rob Smith on baseball cards

Second baseman Rob Smith played in the Indians organization from 1990 to 1992. In 168 games he hit .200 with 0 HR, 27 RBI and 18 SB. Now the owner of the Smith Baseball Academy in Topeka, KS, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"There are baseball cards of myself from the 90’s. But no interesting stories about the cards. Tons of baseball stories, but none related to the cards. Maybe an interesting fact is that there are approx 9-10 different cards out there of my self, and I own zero. Hah."

Thanks!

Wes Chamberlain on baseball cards

Outfielder Wes Chamberlain played six seasons in the major leagues for the Phillies and Red Sox. In 385 games he hit .255 with 43 HR and 167 RBI. Now a youth baseball coach and motivational speaker, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I don't have any stories or a favorite card. I do collect baseball cards."

Thanks!