More from Fuji

Gonna post some more from the package I got from Fuji. Honestly, I wasn't really planning on blogging anymore so I had placed quite a few of the cards into my binders, particularly the '73s and '74s which he sent. Those finished out my wants and I was anxious to get them in pages.

But let's move on.

This first item is one that stopped me in my tracks when I saw it. I had no idea what it was and I'm somewhat embarrassed that I completely missed it in my Baltimore Colts Card History series here. I think that because it's not a 'card' it wasn't included on any of the checklists I was using.

This is a 1971 Mattel Instant Replay disc of John Mackey. Clicking that link will send you to an SCD story about these and the disc players they were used with.

It was hard to get a good photo of the back but this gives you an idea of how they were styled as full-sized vinyls.

They are a shade under 2.5 inches in diameter and look like this next to a regulation card.

This YouTube video will give you an idea of what they sounded like.

Poking around the net for a checklist (haven't found a complete one yet, I was told the TCD list is incomplete) and I see that CaptKirk42 blogged this very set back in 2010 (with a comment from Fuji!).

2014 Framed Rookie Card Reprints Eddie Murray!?!?

I had no idea that these were a thing either. But apparently so.

If you've never seen one they are fairly hefty and an eighth of an inch thick. Interesting item. In my previous post I mentioned that I had a question. This answered it...I had whiffed on my first attempts to figure out what it was.

There were more neat Orioles/Colts but the dolt that I am I folded a few into Bru's gift cards and others were binder-ed before I thought to scan them. So let us skip to the largest part of the package.

Fuji finished off my 1973 and 1974 Topps needs. Well, technically, they were the last ones into the binder. I bought the last cards I needed at a show after Fuji sent me the list of what was coming my way so Fuji's cards were actually the last ones in the books. It's a special feeling to fill that last slot.

I'll just post the few that I scanned before I booked the lot of 'em.

Walter Johnson from the '73 All-Time Leader subset.

And, woo, Johnny Bench. Never cared for those 70s baseball stadiums with dugouts you can just run into. There was also a '73 Clemente with 50/50 centering. Now THAT is a rare bird for sure. I was in on a long conversation with a couple of dealers at a hotel card show last fall while they discussed how tough it is to find that card well centered.

Same deal with the '74s. These filled the last open holes in the binder. A few were dupes but those were upgrades, so it was perfect.  Tony Oliva. What a great, underappreciated hitter. I was just a few seats away from where his lead-changing two-run homer landed in the first game of the 1969 ALSC in Baltimore.

Fuji also sent some of the Washington "Nat'l Lea." cards I needed.  I like the story behind these. It's a neat 'subset', true parallels.

All in all this was a pretty great gift package. I've been thinking about him and my other teaching friends. Challenging times for them as they navigate this remote lessons deal.

Please continue to be smart and safe out there.

Harry Howell, RIP

Harry Howell, long time Ranger standout defenceman and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee died earlier this month at the age of 86.

I grew up among Rangers fans. All my friends, no matter their baseball or football loyalties, loved the Blueshirts. And we all had our favorite players. I idolized Eddie Giacomin, my two closest pals were Rod Gilbert devotees. But I never remember anyone claiming Harry Howell as his favorite. Howell was not flashy. Most blue line guys back then usually stayed back, rarely getting involved in the rush so they didn't score much. (Bobby Orr changed all that.) They were defencemen and they played mostly, well, defense. Howell was my father's favorite Ranger. If you had known my father that fact would not surprise you.

I had one brush with Harry Howell and it happened when he ventured into the WHA after 17 seasons with the Rangers. He was playing for the NY/NJ Golden Blades (or maybe it was the Knights) and they came through Houston to play the Aeros. As usual, my snowbird college buddies and I would make our way down to the concourse of the old Houston Coliseum before the game and during intermissions to watch the players tromp back and forth from the ice to the locker rooms. They had to come right through the crowd 'walking' on a rubber mat and protected by a rope held by security guards. It was not unlike what happens when pro golfers exit a green to make their way to the next tee box. Anyway, on this night I wore my Rangers tee and when Howell passed by I said something witty like "Hi, Harry!".  I remember that he replied, "Hey, Rangers" and moved on by.

All that is a too long introduction to the item at the top. It's a 6"x6" ceramic tile from a group known as H.M. Cowan/Screenart Hockey Tiles. They are a 1962/63 item that has a very murky history. Supposedly, and I only found one source of info (and no checklist), they were designed with the intention of being souvenirs to be sold in NHL arenas. But they were unlicensed and the project never got very far. Most (again, supposedly) were destroyed but obviously, some have survived and are neat little period pieces. The tiles depicted players and coaches from the six franchises in existence at that time. The number of different tiles is estimated at 104 but that's just someone's guess. I've been poking around eBay and auction sites and have seen about six different Rangers on these things, including Gump Worsley (a tile I'd give my right arm for).

I was completely unaware of these until the February TriStar show. I spotted a couple of Ranger's tiles (Howell and Dave Balon) in a case on a table near the front. They were listed at $150 each. The dealer(s) who manned those tables had nothing but rare and fascinating oddball items. They had one display case filled with loads of unusual Roberto Clemente items. Another case has Topps rarities and test issues from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Crazy rare stuff like the '68 Plaks, the '67 Punchouts and on and on. They also had zero interest in chatting with a schlub like me dressed in a Baltimore Colts tee-shirt and Ping cap. I stood around for quite a while as they dealt with neighboring dealers, a guy with a briefcase of graded cards and their cell phones. Meanwhile, I had $150 in cash in my hand waiting to get their attention.

Finally, I gave up and figured I'd come back later when they were not quite so busy. But the tiles had me hooked. I went and sat down and pulled out my phone to find out exactly what I had been looking for. After a few minutes I had a decent amount of info and on a whim I checked eBay. Well, what do you know? I found a guy selling the Howell tiles for about one-third of what the Snooty Table© dealers were asking. I bought it without a second's hesitation. Even the $15C shipping didn't faze me...heck that's just $10 American! 😏


For the curious, here is the back of the tile.

So, there it is. A great Rangers display piece now on my shelves. Oh, and I spent the money I saved with other, more appreciative dealers. Not all of it there at TriStar but a week later with my dealer friend at his hotel show. His ever-rotating cheap crap boxes featured some hockey and I was happy to dig these cards up:

I've already made this post far too long so I won't comment on each card very much. But I have to say that I hated Ken Hodge with the searing heat of an exploding sun when he played for the Bruins. To see him in Rangers gear takes at least a month off my life.

These Rangers' unis were almost enough to make me an Islanders fan.


No, not really, but I  consider them the worst mistake in team history. Given the Rangers legacy, that's saying a lot.

And finally, Eddie!! I told Darryl (a fellow Rangers fan from NJ) that this card should have been in his glass case instead of his quarter bin.

The Andrews Boys Part 2 (Reprised)

Aaaarrrrggh! I completed this post this morning work a couple hours worth of research, typing, and editing at a Starbucks. Then, as I was getting a refill, it somehow disappeared, morphing into a second copy of Part 3. It was weird and very aggravating. Not looking for sympathy but if I can't vent here where can I vent?

But I'm going to do it all over again. And it should be easier with having my browser history available. Here goes:

Shane Andrews was the 11th overall pick of the Montreal Expos in 1990. He made it to the majors after five seasons in the Expos' chain where he hit for power but not much else. He ended up staying in Montreal as a corner infielder for nearly five seasons. He later played for the Cubs and Red Sox and finished up with a season in the Mexican League.

He had 86 career homers which makes him the leader among the Andrews crew. He was an everyday player, or at least close to it, for five of his seven big league seasons. And yet I had no memory of him until I poked around looking at players for this collection. I then remembered seeing his rookie card once upon a time. But the second half of the 90s and on through about 2010 is my weak spot when it comes to baseball knowledge.

He has several dozen cards listed in the Trading Card Database. This Leaf Autographed card set me back about 2 bucks.

This Bowman even unsigned, is a much better card. I wish I had seen it first.

Fred Andrews played seven seasons in the Phillies chain before getting a look at the end of 1976 after they had clinched the NL East. He went four for nine and got himself another taste the next season. But after making the team in the spring he got off to a terrible start and was back in the minors again until another September call-up. But he failed to improve and he never returned to the big leagues. The Phils traded him to the Mets for Bud Harrelson but after a season at Tidewater Andrews was off to Mexico for a year and then out of baseball.

This 'card' is actually one of two stickers Andrews has from his winter baseball days in Venezuela. He has a couple of minor league cards and a Phils team-issued postcard as well. This was an eBay find that came from Venezuela via DHL...who knew they were still in business?

BTW...the sticker shows Fred with Los Aguilas de Zulia. The team has a long history in Venezuelan Professional Baseball League and some notable players who spent time with the team include Luis Aparicio, Ryne Sandberg, Greg Maddux and Cesar Tovar.


John Andrews was drafted three times in the late 60s (Yankees, Angels, Mets) but didn't sign a contract until he was offered one by the Cardinals in 1971. He impressed in his minor league seasons and got a shot with the Cards in 1973. Game logs show he made the team, was farmed out, came back at least once during the summer and got a September call-up. All told he got into 16 games out of the bullpen, went 1-1 with a hold and actually got a hit in his last at-bat (of two) which gives him a career .500 batting average.

There are no cards listed for John Andrews but eBay had a couple of autographs. I normally don't buy signatures. I always have doubt as to whether they are real. But in this case, well, who would forge John Andrews' autograph and try to make a living a $1.50 at a time?

Ivy Paul Andrews is the most accomplished of the Andrews Boys who made their living on the mound. He began his big league career with the Yankees in 1931 and finished with them in 1937. But between his two terms in the Bronx, he pitched for the Red Sox, Browns and Indians.

He won 50 games against 59 losses in his career and was a member of the 1937 World Champion Yankee team that defeated the Giants in five games. He pitched 5.2 innings in long relief in Game Four after starter Bump Hadley was knocked out early.

He went 13-7 for a Browns club that was 58-94 in 1935 and led the team in WAR.

This card is actually one-fourth of a 1936 Exhibits Four-in-One he shares with Harland Clift, Sammy West & Rollie Hemsley. It's also a good reminder to me that I need to read the fine print even when buying stuff on Net54. I thought it was a full-sized Exhibit until it arrived. Ivy has quite a few cards, postcards, and pins from his playing days as well as some TCMA cards. I'll grab a nicer piece for him one of these days.

This is what the full 4-in-1 looks like.

And finally, we have Jim Andrews. Jim doesn't have any cards or even any pictures that I could find. I am including the drawing that accompanies his Baseball reference page. I'll let his Wikipedia page tell his story.

James Pratt Andrews (June 5, 1865 – December 27, 1907) was an American professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1890 for the Chicago Colts of the National League. He was a native of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.

In 1890, his only Major League season, Andrews was in the starting lineup for the first 2½ months (April 19 – July 4) of the 5½ month season. In 53 games he was just 38-for-202, a batting average of .188. He had 3 home runs, 17 RBI, and scored 32 runs. An average fielder for the era, he handled 90 out of 100 chances successfully for a fielding percentage of .900.

To give some perspective to his value to the team, the Colts were 29-28 during his time with them, and 54-25 after he was gone.

Andrews died at the age of 42 in Chicago of pulmonary tuberculosis, and was laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

And that wraps up (again) the second installment of Big League Guys Named Andrews. One more post, four players, to go!

1969 Baltimore Colts 4 in 1s from Angus

Angus, a frequent commenter*, football fan and blogger (Cleveland Browns-centric Dawg Day Cards) recently knocked two items off my much neglected Baltimore Colts needs list.

These  Topps 1969 inserts called "4 in 1's" are actually stamps which were intended to be separated and placed in the appropriate team folder. They are 'stamps' rather than 'stickers' in that they have moisture (spit!) activated glue on the reverse rather that a peel-and-stick system like the Fleer stickers everyone has stacks of from the 80s.

There were ten Colts issued and many, if not all, use photos that were also used on the 1969 regular issue cards. I think a couple used photos from earlier Topps sets but right now I'm too busy to verify this. You can see more of these in this post from my Baltimore Colts history series.

Johnny Unitas graced the cover of the album which was the same size as the 4 player 'cards', the standard 2" x 3". EDIT: I found this article with more detail on these including a few variations.

Despite of the fact he was the album cover boy (or maybe because of that) he was not one of the two 'Colts Stars' that were featured in the little album's centerfold. 

Angus' swell gift inspired me to go find my final needed stamp card (Willie Richardson) and I snagged it recently. Slowly chipping away at my Colts list will be a fun retirement project.

Angus helped stuff the envelope with this Ray May Action Packed card which I didn't have. Since it was from a 1990s set I hadn't gone after it. But it does picture a BALTIMORE Colt and is intended as a salute to an honor he won with them so I can happily add it to my binder in the miscellaneous Colts card section.

Man, my scanner did a terrible job on this one. Silver foil+embossed surface=multiple attempts to get a usable image. LOL

Angus, thanks so much for the cards, for reading and remarking, and for cranking up your blog again. Maybe the cards I have headed your way will help in a small way to brighten up a lousy Browns season.

*=is that even a word?

1972 Sunoco Sticker 'Updates'

Here's something that won't interest many (any? LOL) but it sure made me happy. The 1972 Sunoco Stamps Baltimore Colts issue was part of a semi-national gas station premium that featured 24 players from each NFL team plus an album.

The initial group of 24 Colts was easy to find in a lot on eBay, as was the album. What was much more difficult were the two 'new player' stickers which were what amounted to an update to the original group.

Back in October I found a seller who had these things. I sent him an offer for the two Colts and then the listing disappeared. But the seller contacted me and said he'd relist them for the price I offered and that was that. It was all sort of weird but in the end I picked up what amounted to a pair of minor 'white whales'. 

Yes, the two new player stickers actually have 'NEW PLAYER' printed on the bottom. Here is the post from early 2015 in which I included these things as part of my Baltimore Colts Card History series. Below are a couple of the regular issue stickers.

EDIT:

Sports Collectors Digest had an article on these stamps earlier in 2017. No mention of the added players but still informative.

Dome Sweet Dome

I saw more games in the Dome than in any other stadium and I had a love/hate relationship with the place. When it was full and the crowd was into the game it was really a rocking atmosphere. But no place I've been to could be as dead as the Dome during a meaningless, sparsely attended game.

A week ago I attended my first meeting of the Houston Chapter of SABR. I've been a member for a few years but never bothered to go to the monthly gatherings. The chapter is named for Larry Dierker and lo and behold he attended this meeting as a guest and I was seated right there with him. He was very cordial. He signed some items that people brought (I hadn't considered doing that for some reason) and participated in the discussions.

One of the items that was passed around at the meeting was the book shown at the top. I had a copy stored away and when I saw the one last week I was reminded of how cool it is. Nearly three hundred pages long it chronicles the short history of the Houston Colts/Astros, the building of the Dome and much, much more.

There is an Astros 'yearbook' incorporated into the thing as well as sections covering the MLB teams, all the NFL teams including a whole Oilers section. This despite the fact that the Oilers were still years away from moving into the Dome. Also in the book are pages covering a wide range of tenants the Dome was hosting including the Billy Graham Crusade, University of Houston football and the Houston rodeo.

It's really a remarkable volume and I wish I could do it justice with scans of more of it but I hate taking a chance of breaking the spine. I'll settle for pics of just a few pages.

I love this feature on the various colors of the seating levels.

I should have fixed this photo but with this and the next photo you get an idea of what the Astros' section looked like.

American League teams got one page each. The NL teams got a two page spread. There is a large baseball records section in there, too.

George Blanda and the Oilers! One of the speakers at the meeting reprised a locally famous quote from Oilers' owner Bud Adams: "The Astrodome may be the 8th Wonder of the World but the ninth wonder is the rent!". It took Roy Hofheinz and Bud Adams until 1968 to agree on a deal to get pro football into the Dome.

Meanwhile the U of H was playing football there. The Cougars get a nice section in the book, nearly a dozen pages. Our big star, Warren McVea is featured.

In the photo below you can see the late Phil Hoffman in the upper right. He was UH President in my first go round as a Coog. I have a funny story that involves him, me and some drunk friends of mine, an open dorm window and a water hose hooked up to a shower. I'll need to check to see if the statue of limitations is up before I get into it though.

And finally here's a page with a nice full color picture of some of the Astros' staff. I'm glad they got rid of those 'H' caps once the season started.

This post just doesn't do the book justice in any way. What a deal it was for just a dollar in 1965. I didn't pay much more than that many years later. You can find them for $10 or less pretty easily. Waaaaaay more entertaining than a Topps Now card at the same price.

The Prodigal BALTIMORE Colt card appears

Back in 2015 I did a long series showcasing the history of BALTIMORE Colts cards and related items. It was the most fun I've had writing this meager blog. Chasing what I needed was a challenge and researching the cards very rewarding. I still lack a few odds and ends and those are listed on a wantlist page linked over in the sidebar.

As I was putting the Colts cards together I had an invaluable tool, a checklist I bought from this company. It was pretty thorough although I found a few small errors which I brought to the attention of the author. As advertised I was sent a free updated list a few weeks ago.

I figured double-checking my cards against the new list would be a good idea. Sure enough, before I even reached the bottom of the first column I hit a snag. My 1955 Bowman Colts group was a card short. I was lacking Tom Keane, card #30.

This card had been left off the original list. I immediately hit eBay and found this copy for $3. And as of Monday all is right with the world, my Colts card collection is back in order.

I love the 'Fake Reverse from Double Wing' play that graces the back of the card. Looks like something we ran at Nutley High in 1965.

Tom Keane attended both Ohio State and West Virginia, played football at both and squeezing a Naval stint in between. From Wikipedia:

Keane was a third round selection and 18th overall pick in the 1948 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams. He played four years with the Rams, where he won the 1951 NFL title. He left the Rams to go play a year for the Dallas Texans. Due to injuries, he started one game at quarterback for the Texans. He then played two years with the Baltimore Colts and finally ending his career with the Chicago Cardinals in 1955. During his career he was selected All-Pro twice and played in the 1953 Pro Bowl.

He later went on to coach for many years in the NFL with the Cardinals, Steelers and Dolphins. He was on the staff of the undefeated 1972 Dolphins squad.

Although he is pictured with Baltimore Keane was already with the Cardinals when this card was issued. I'm glad he's on a Colts card though...it's one more look at the wonderful old school logo that just screams BALTIMORE Colts to me. I'm glad the team that uses this team name in Indiana didn't carry over this sweet logo.

It's Good To Have Friends

Mike McKay from Chicago is a regular reader and frequent contributor to my collection. His latest package came in a couple of weeks ago. As usual he sent me a spare signed card from one of his latest TTM successes. Hall of Famer and Baltimore Colt star Ray Berry has had a reputation of being very fan friendly. Mike sent me a Swell Gum Berry that I didn't have in my collection. It finds a good home in my Colts binder.

Thinking about how good Ray Berry has been with fan requests reminds me of how lucky I was to be a Colts fan. They were such a community oriented club back in the day and players like Berry, Gino Marchetti, Lenny Moore and John Mackey all valued their relationship with the fans. When my Uncle in Baltimore talked to me about the Colts I always got the impression he was talking about family. That was cool.

Next up we have one of two custom cards that Mike sent of the legendary Steve Dalkowski. If you've never heard of Dalkowski I can only urge you to read this Hardball Times article about the Orioles' prospect (suspect) who is acknowledged by many to be the hardest (and wildest) thrower in the history of the game. Trust me it's a wonderful read even if you are familiar with the Dalkowski story. The article contains a blurb from Pat Jordan's Suitors of Spring that's worth the click, trust me.

For more amusement check out his Baseball Reference page. And note his first season as a professional. With Kingsport of the Appalachian League (D level Orioles club) he pitched 62 innings, struck out 121 hitters, walked 128 and compiled an ERA of 8.13 and had a WHIP of 2.43 while uncorking 29 wild pitches. He only gave up one homer which likely confirms the fact that it's hard to hit the ball deep when take your stance with your ass still in the on deck circle.

Here is a 2015 Topps Series Two of Cal Ripken. He recently accepted a job as adviser to the Commissioner on Youth Baseball. It's hard to believe Cal is now 55 years old. 

The best of the other things Mike included was this Memorial Stadium postcard. I can never get enough of the grand old place. Lots of memories there. This was the scene of my first 'blind date'. I'll have to tell that story sometime. It never came to anything but we've been friends and I'm still in touch with her from time to time. So much for that off the wall tangent.

Thanks again Mike. You generosity is very much appreciated. Keep your calendar open for June and maybe I can buy you a brew when I get up there to Chicago.