Summer of '71

Another vintage trade, this time with Summer of '74. He sent me a nice stack of '71s. Some highlights:

One of the key rookies in the set.

 Three hall-of-famers, including my first vintage Gil Hodges.

 A great photo from the old Yankee Stadium. Interesting to see the near-empty bleachers in the background, with a few very casually dressed fans visible in the background.

 A great photo from the old Shea Stadium. Jesus Alou appears to be taking a pitch in the middle of game action, even though some other Astros are just walking off the field into the dugout. And look at the fans - it's helmet day at Shea Stadium!

1993 Studio Alex Cole

Hobby is music: Listening or playing, I wonder?

 

Favorite sports announcer is Chris Berman: Cole did not get a nickname from Berman.

 

Favorite player as a kid was Julius Erving: A basketball selection. Cole grew up in North Carolina, not near any one NBA team.

 

Might have been a coach if he hadn’t been an athlete: Cole did not go into coaching after his baseball career.

 

Pet peeve is tardiness: Mine too.

 

Where he is now: Has had numerous legal troubles including doing jail time for selling heroin. Not sure where he is now.

Vintage Card Breakdown

Got some awesome vintage cards in a trade with Baseball Card Breakdown. Sending him back a bunch of cards for his '78 Topps set and other modern set and PC needs. REMEMBER - if you have vintage (any condition) that you are willing to trade for modern cards - let me know! (I also have some beat-up vintage to trade as well).


Early '60s! Love the Yankee cards of Deron Johnson and Eli Grba.

 Mid 60's!

 Late 60s/early 70s! Billy Martin had two fantastic cards in 1972 Topps and now I have them both.

 1973! A lot of these are coming in lately. Roy White and Sparky Lyle appearances here.

 Gavin also threw in some modern cards as well. Love those minor-league cards!

Street trade

Some of the dupes from the Lost Collectors' package were cards that Al is always looking for - Mattingly, Rivera, and UD Baseball Heroes. I converted them into these cards:

Bowman Platinum must be the most underappreciated shiny set there is. These cards always grab my eye.

 Some more random cards that I picked up.

Trade with The Lost Collector

Just did a big trade with the Lost Collector. We're both Yankee fans so lots of Bronx Bombers went both ways. AJ also threw in some awesome vintage cards. If you have vintage to trade, I have lots of modern cards (and some beat-up vintage) to trade and will make sure you get more cards than you send me!


Some highlights:
Lots of Tino Martinez cards, of course.

 I love this shiny, psychedelic card.

 Another nice holographic effect.

 Great photo that really capture's CC's personality.

 The vintage was a small stack of '73s. Dave Nelson recently passed away. Very unusual style of photo - in a good way.

 This has to be one of the first beards on a modern baseball card, especially for a non-Oakland A. And I love the details of the old Yankee Stadium in the background, including the monuments in center field. Also visible are a sign for Schaefer Beer and for the New York Lottery, which had started only a few years earlier. That sign says "50 cents can get you $50,000!".

1993 Studio Randy Milligan

Hobby is boxing: That’s an unusual hobby. I wonder if it was banned from his contracts?

 

Favorite sports announcer is Brent Musburger: Solid national choice.

 

Favorite player as a kid was Jackie Robinson: Milligan was born five years after Robinson’s retirement, and was ten when Robinson died. Impressive that he acknowledged a player from before his time.

 

Might have been a mailman if he hadn’t been an athlete: Milligan did not go into postal work after his playing career.

 

Pet peeve is having to play ball on Easter Sunday: You’d never know it from his performance. He played on three Easter Sundays and had five hits in ten at-bats. He did go 0 for 2 on Easter Sunday 1992, presumably shortly before taking this questionnaire, but did walk twice in the Orioles’ win.

 

Where he is now: A scout for the Orioles.

Wallet Card miscellany

A few wallet card shots I took recently, none really worth their own post on their own, but I enjoy them . . .

Another elevator alarm bell with a vintage alpha-numeric phone number.

 I posted this sign last year. At the time it was partially hidden by a deli sign. The deli is gone so the sign is completely visible now.

 Here's the other side of the sign.

 I couldn't get a good view of this recently-uncovered vintage clothing store sign due to the scaffolding.

 Got a better one of the sign next door, also newly revealed.

1993 Studio Andre Dawson

Hobby is deep-sea fishing: Dawson hosted an autograph signing to help launch the Chicago’s Best Angler website.

Favorite sports announcers are Jack Buck and John Madden: Solid national choices.

Favorite players as a kid were Hank Aaron and Dusty Baker: Dawson and Baker are only five years apart in age. Dawson was 14 when Baker made his big league debut.

Most prized possession is his rare coin collection: He auctioned off the collection a few years ago.

Might have been a high school coach if he hadn’t been an athlete: He did not go into coaching after his playing career.

Where he is now: Owns and runs a funeral home in Miami.

Eddie Bane on baseball cards

Eddie Bane pitched for the Twins from 1973 to 1976. In 44 games he went 7-13 with 2 saves and a 4.66 ERA. Now a scout for the Red Sox, he kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

"I’m surprised and flattered that three or four times a week I’ll get a note from someone that wants an autograph.  Always, nice to have people take time out to ask.

      I get one odd card once in awhile.  The card has my name, stats, height, etc - even a little blurb about me.  Only problem is the picture on the card is my roommate and fellow LHP, Mike Pazik. It really is Mike's card, but people send it to me all the time."

Thanks! I don't have that card, but here is one from my collection.

Wallet card with a Pennsylvania Railroad manhole cover

This manhole cover is one of several on the tracks of Penn Station that date before the merger of the Pennsylvania Rail Road Company with the Penn Central railroad in 1968. Probably dates back to the construction of the new Penn Station from 1963-1968.