Joe's Birds

Lately I've tried not to alienate all four of those who actually read this thing regularly by posting football over and over. So I've been digging around for baseball cards that are within reach and I quickly ran out. But that white box on the edge of my desk was calling my name, I just wasn't listening.

In the box were baseball cards, Orioles no less, that came from Joe Shlabotnik a couple of weeks back. I had spent time sorting and arranging the football vintage that he'd sent and forgotten that I still had some other stuff in the box. So today's the day.

First up are a couple of Hygrade All Time greats from the late 80s. Hygrade sounds like a dairy but they were a company that published price guides at the time.

The cards have a fairly complete (for baseball cards) career summary but surprisingly there is no copyright line or anything at all identify Hygrade.

Joe included the Brooks Robinson card. I believe there were 100 or so cards in the set.

Joe sent two cards from one of my favorite 80s sets, the '84 Donruss. I once had a nice chat with Mike Young in the lobby of the team hotel in Arlington. I asked him if anyone ever confused him with the basketball player of the same name. He said 'no' but he asked me if I knew the 'other Mike Young. I think we talked basketball for a few minutes. I have a nice 8x10 someplace that he signed for me that day.

John Stefero showed some minor league power but never did much in the majors. He played about 50 games for the O's one season in the 80s. He played for the Expos as well.

These were my favorite of the baseball cards Joe sent. Two minor league Arthur Rhodes cards. He wasn't small back then but he managed to get a lot bigger as time went by! He pitched for 20 years in the bigs ending in 2011. We went out on a high note, too. He won his only World Series ring that season with the Cards.

(My scanner didn't like the borders here)

Her's a little Arthur Rhodes trivia. He pitched in over 900 games and got six at bats. He got one hit, a two out single off the Phils' Jerry Spradlin in Philly on June 8, 1998. The O's won that game 14-8. The Orioles starter was Doug Johns. I had to look him up because I was clueless as to who he was. He was rocked that day, btw. Getting the win in relief was none other than Arthur Rhodes. I hope he celebrated that big day in style.

My Diamond Giveaway cards

I read somewhere that the Diamond Giveaway site was shutting down so I figured I'd go ahead and pay more to have these cards shipped than they are worth. Whatever. 

Here's a Ben McDonald Topps from 1996. Is this the regular issue design? I don't recognize it. McDonald was signing at a local hotel ballroom card show near me once. I think he was signing for free. I got a picture and asked him to sign it for my sons, Brooks and James. He looked at me like I had two heads. 

1977 Dyer Miller and 1980 Pat Kelly

Both of these are a bit nicer than the ones in my Oriole team sets from those years so I'm happy. Plus a Pat Kelly card is always welcome.  He was a super nice guy. He passed away far too young in 2005. He'll aways be a favorite of mine.

And finally the card my scanner hated, 1993 Arthur Rhodes

I watched some of the World Series last year and at one point the Cards called in a reliever. When I saw the name 'Arthur Rhodes' I assumed they just left 'Jr.' off the graphic. No way it could be THE Arthur Rhodes. But it was, of course. He was only 41 at the time. But I would have bet he'd pitched for 41 years. I'm glad he got his ring. Nice job.