1976 SSPC '200 Years Of Freedom' set

It's really a wonder that I had no idea that this set existed until a couple of weeks ago. I've been trying to find a SSPC baseball set on the cheap for quite awhile so I pretty regularly scrounged through eBay searching for 'sspc baseball complete'.

Then one day this '200 Years of Freedom' set wiggled it's way through the eBay filters. With my interest in memorabilia items political/presidential related and the fact that it cost just seven bucks I picked it up. I wasn't sure what I was getting exactly other than a sealed 45 card set put out by SSPC to commemorate the '76 Bicentennial celebration. It showed up this past week.

I thought it might breeze trhough the entire 200 years but the focus is the American Revolution. The cards feature heroes, battles and key moments of the war.

The cards have the same 'semi-glossy' look and feel as TCMA's SSPC baseball and the Renata Galasso issues.

The backs especially resemble the Galasso sets in that they share the same red/blue printing.

Two things I noticed right away upon taking off the clear cello wrapper. First of all the cutting or trimming process in producing the cards resulted in them varying in size quite noticeably and many of the cuts were rough resulting in 'fuzzy' edges. Those things are not seen in the scans but are very obvious in hand.

The other thing is that the cards are warped. If you own some of those Bowman Chrome cards you have an idea of what these look like. It may just be how they were stored, I have no way to know. What I do know is that they are tough to scan correctly because the warping makes them sort of 'spin' on the platen no matter how carefully you close the scanner cover.

It's an interesting little set. I'm glad I picked it up but I'm also glad I didn't spend much on it. I saw some listed with an asking price of up to $30.

All the Revolutionary 'superstars' are included.

As are some of the lesser known contributors.

Some of the cards which depict famous scenes are made from better reproductions of paintings than others.

Big George gets two cards.

Here are a few more backs. I'm not up to 'fact checking' these things like I did the Civil War News cards.

Here is the complete checklist:

 1    The Declaration of Independence
 2    The Declaration of Independence
 3    George Washington                         1732-1799
 4    Paul Revere                               1735-1818
 5    Minutemen
 6    Battle of Lexington                       April 19, 1775
 7    Ben Franklin                              1706-1790
 8    Sam Adams                                 1722-1803
 9    Patrick Henry                             1736-1799
10    The Battle of Bunker Hill                 June 17, 1775
11    Thomas Paine                              1737-1809
12    Thomas Jefferson                          1743-1826
13    John Hancock                              1737-1793
14    Nathaniel Greene                          1742-1786
15    Robert Morris                             1734-1806
16    Marquis de LaFayette                      1757-1834
17    Henry Knox                                1750-1806
18    Washington Crosses the Delaware           December 25, 1776
19    Capture of Hessians at Trenton            December 26, 1776
20    Horatio Gates                             1728-1806
21    Alexander Hamilton                        1757-1804
22    Charles Lee                               1731-1782
23    Benedict Arnold                           1741-1801
24    John Paul Jones                           1747-1792
25    Serapis vs. Bonhomme Richard              September 23, 1779
26    Battle of Saratoga
27    Nathan Hale                               1755-1776
28    Benjamin Lincoln                          1733-1810
29    John Adams                                1735-1826
30    Casimir Pulaski                           1748-1779
31    Battle of Princeton                       January 3, 1777
32    Death of Mercer at Princeton
33    Anthony Wayne                             1745-1796
34    Betsy Ross
35    John Stark                                1728-1822
36    Battle of Monmouth                        June 16-July 5, 1778
37    Francis Marion                            1732-1795
38    Valley Forge
39    Frederich von Steuben                     1730-1794
40    Comte de Rochambeau                       1725-1807
41    "We fight, get beat, rise and fight again"
42    Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
43    Resignation of Washington
44    George Washington
45    Spirit of '76

Card #2 shows the Declaration document itself. So if you've ever wondered what the Declaration of Independence looked like at less than 2.5x3.5 inches here 'tis:

All in all it's a neat but totally unnecessary little novelty set. And yes, I did find an SSPC baseball set for a good price. I'll talk about that another day.

1971-72 NFLPA Wonderful World BALTIMORE Colts Stamps

Back when I was doing my rundown of all things BALTIMORE Colts I came across this stamp set which was listed as the NFLPA Wonderful World Set/Album. There were 15 players from each NFL team in the set for a total of 390. The stamps were distributed in packs of 8.  

They albums issued in '71 and '72 have different covers as do the packs. But the stamps are very close to being identical in both year's sets. I had a few stray singles but a month or so ago I came across a listing for the complete Colts set. It was pretty cheap so I picked it up. 

The stamps themselves are very simple with no text on the front and just a minimum ID on the back. A short write-up is found in the box for each players' stamp in the album. I scanned most of the Colts. This being an unlicenced set there are no team logos to be found. 

The great John Unitas. This was just as he was starting to let his hair grow out. No more flattop for Johnny U.

Next is another Hall of Famer, John Mackey. John has those 70's sideburns going for sure.

Badass linebacker Mike 'Mad Dog' Curtis.

Did I mention he was a bad ass?

Below is left tackle Bob Vogel. The logo on his helmet is whited out giving the impression that he's holding a balloon. 

Here is the back of one of the stamps.

Norm Bulaich, the 'Human Bowling Ball'.

Another balloon holder, receiver Eddie Hinton.

Safety Rick Volk.

Ted 'The Mad Stork' Hendricks

Versatile halfback Tom Matte.

And finally the hero of Super Bowl V, Jim O'Brien.

Excuse me just a second as I re-live a great moment:

Anyway I found some photos on eBay of the album and wrappers from both years of this thing.

I spied my high school hero Ben Hawkins on the Eagles page. I may have to track his stamp down. 

Lastly here is what Beckett has to say on these:

This set of 390 stamps was issued in both 1971 and 1972 under the auspices of the NFL Players Association in conjunction with an album entitled "The Wonderful World of Pro Football USA." The album features a photo of Earl Morrall and Mark Washington from Super Bowl V. The stamps are numbered and measure approximately 1 15/16" by 2 7/8". The team order of the album is arranged alphabetically according to the city name and then alphabetically by player name within each team The picture stamp album contains 30 pages measuring approximately 9 1/2" by 13 1/4". The text narrates the story of pro football in the United States. The album includes spaces for 390 color player stamps. The checklist and stamp numbering below is according to the album. There are some numbering and very slight text variations between the 1971 and 1972 issues on some stamps.

It's nice to knock another oddball item off my BALTIMORE Colts wantlist.

Random Vintage Being Random Pt 3

Last installment of card show vintage. I brought home about 35 cards but some are headed out in a PWE and others were not really worth scanning.

A couple more 71's here. I didn't realize I had nabbed as many as I did. Maybe something in my subconscious is urging me to collect it. I doubt that's going to happen though.

First up is Lindy McDaniel out there all by his lonesome on the Yankee Stadium mound. No way to prove it but I'd like to think this shot was taken on the same day as the photo for the '71 Vada Pinson card. I've determined that one was taken on a day I was in the stands. If so I might be pictured somewhere in that crowd beyond McDaniel over near the third base dugout. That's where I was seated that afternoon. 

This is not the most 'action-filled' of the on-field photos in the '71 set. But I like how it gives a sense of the solitude pitchers must feel out there on a big league mound with the game in their hand. 

I believe it is an impossibility to pass up a thirty three cent card showing Walt 'No Neck' Williams and those great 70's 'burns. The fact that Topps did such a lousy and obvious airbrush job on Walt's cap while ignoring his White Sox' uni is just gravy.

Tony Cloninger in that Braves cap. I have a mental block against the guy's correct name. I have always seen/spelled/said it as 'CloLinger'. Tony Clolinger. When I typed it right there it looks so obviously wrong but when I look at the card I see CloLinger. Next you'll tell me that the scan is crooked. Harumph.

John 'Blue Moon' Odom poses with a couple of water towers in the background. This is Spring Training but I'm reminded of the trips my wife and I took along Route 66 this summer through Illinois, Missouri and Kansas and over the winter in Arizona. Those small towns along the way all spout water towers although the old fashioned ones like the ones on this card are rare.

It also just struck me as to how many of the players on the cards I bought have memorable nicknames.....

...like Harry 'The Hat' Walker. Walker was fired as manager of the Pirates about the time I first arrived in Houston in the summer of 1967. He was hired by the Astros about the time we moved back to New Jersey the following June. He was still managing when I returned to attend college here in 1970. He was a major leaguer for 11 seasons but a regular for about half that. He spent two prime years in the service and survived a harrowing stint in WWII with Patton's Third Army in France and Germany.

I bought this card because it shows off the Astros' classic 'shooting star' jersey. They've worn this a few times as a throwback but I wish they had gone to it fulltime when they switched back to the orange and blue color scheme.

And finally there is this nice '61 Topps Jack Sanford. They reused this photo the next year (lightening the sky in the background) but I like the '61 a lot more. This was the best card I bought as far as condition is concerned. A bit off-center but the corners are nice. That, plus Jack Sanford was a badass. He's one of the guys who I've profiled three times over my three vintage Topps set blogs, 1958, 1959 and 1960. With guys like that I feel I 'know' them.

I was pretty happy with what I picked up at the show. I spent less than I usually do and still came away with these and cards to send off to another blogger. I can't wait for the next hotel show.

Random Vintage Being Random Pt 2

Continuing with my vintage pickups from last Saturday. Some of these are also from the 3 for $1 bin but others were in my friend's boxes at up to a dollar each. 

The 1971 Topps set has some great cards. This isn't one of them....

Lee 'Skip' Pitlock looks like he was just told to eat a spider by Willie McCovey. And I know third graders who have better signatures than that. Pitlock pitched for the White Sox a few years after his stint with the Giants and had a career mark of 8-8 in 59 games. He got into real estate and then the mortgage industry after retirement. Here is a short, promotional bio-type video of him with something neat in his pocket.

I think I paid a buck apiece for these two flawed Post Cereal cards. But I couldn't pass up Rocky Colavito even with that mangled airbrush job on his cap.. '61 wasn't a bad year for him: 45/140/.290 with 30 doubles.

I already owned this Brooks Robinson Post from the same year but i can always stick this one into my oddball/food issue Orioles binder.

Johnny Callison was a favorite of mine when he played for the Phillies. I collect his cards and according to my spreadsheet on Dropbox I needed both of these. But I suspect I had them already, at least the '65. I'm seriously behind on updating my PC spreadsheets.

Norm Siebern played for the Orioles just before they became an AL powerhouse in 1966. He played in two World Series with the Yankees before having some good years with the A's. I knew all that.

What I had completely forgotten was that he also played for the '67 'Impossible Dream' Red Sox. He got into Game One against the Cardinals and came up to pinch hit in the bottom of the 7th with two outs and Reggie Smith on first. Smith was immediately caught stealing so Siebern played 1st base and got to bat in the 8th. He singled. If Smith had stolen that base and Siebern then gotten that single who knows how the Series might have turned out.

Mack Jones was second only to Rusty Staub in popularity with the expansion Expos in 1969. I'm a sucker for Braves cards that feature that cap prominently.

Wrapping up with three more '71s. I picked these up strictly for the uniforms that are showcased. Jim Gosger had a long career as a spare outfielder who occasionally was able to grab a starting spot and hold it for awhile. He had an eventful 1969 season. He began it with the Seattle Pilots and his time with them was immortalized in Jim Bouton's Ball Four. Gosger had a great line in the book which I won't spend any time on here.

He was dealt to the Mets that September and played a bit for the Series-bound club down the stretch. He was not eligible to play in the Series but the Mets voted him a share of their winnings amounting to $100.

I believe that the first non-Orioles cap I ever bought was a replica of the iconic Expos one that Gosger is wearing. BTW...I found out thru some googling that Gosger has an interesting Facebook feed. I looked at it briefly and saw that the guy really likes 70's music. For whatever that's worth.

These last two 71's are here simply for the awesome green and gold A's ensemble.

I don't remember how I felt about these uniforms back then. I probably hated them. But now I find them to be very sweet. Sal Bando certainly wears it well.

The Dick Green card is seriously miscut. And scanned at a slight angle. But I'm posting it anyway.

One more collection of card show vintage coming up later this week.

Random Vintage Being Random Pt 1

I spent a few hours on Saturday at the monthly hotel show just north of Houston. I shot the breeze with Daryl, the promoter who also mans a table of nice vintage stuff. I usually spend my money with him but on Saturday I checked out another regular dealer's cards. That guy had a nice box of vintage marked fifty cants a card or three for a buck. I think I spent $8. Here is some of what I came home with. 

1952 Bowman Gene Bearden. That old Brownies' gear is pretty sweet.  This copy is just a bit less than a perfect 10 but hey, for 33 cents I'll take it. BTW... Bearden survived the sinking of his ship, the cruiser USS Helena by the Japanese during WWII. 168 of his 900 shipmates didn't.

1969 All Star 'Sudden' Sam McDowell. I got an up-close look at McDowell's impressive arm one day at Yankee Stadium in the summer of 1970 by sitting behind the Indian's dugout with a friend. We knew a friendly usher who always found us unused seats at mid-week games. We were dutifully impressed with how hard McDowell threw.

Here is the first of a couple of 1957's. I enjoyed discovering Harry 'Suitcase' Simpson when I researched his 1959 Topps card. That's when I learned that he didn't get that nickname from his many team-to-team moves through the years.

I grab any cheap '57 Dodger that shows Ebbets Field in the background. Even one like this that was on the receiving end of some creative editing somewhere along the way. Sal Maglie's nickname was 'The Barber', earned for his habit of moving hitters off the plate with high and inside pitches.

Maglie is the only guy to pitch for the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees when they were all New York franchises.

Next up are a pair of Jim 'Mudcat' Grant cards. Three cool nicknames in a row is just a coincidence. Grant was an interesting guy and an underrated pitcher. He was known for his musical chops and Topps frequently referred to them on the back of his cards.

I remember watching Game Six of the 1965 World Series on the TV in my 8th grade classroom in Nutley, NJ. The nuns at St. Mary's always had us watch the Series on the black and white TVs each classroom had on a tall, wheeled cart. In that Game Six Grant pitched brilliantly and homered to boot. The Dodgers were my NL team back them so I was disappointed but most of the kids I knew were AL fans (thanks, Yankees). Grant's SABR bio is well worth the 10 minute read.

Speaking of the Yankees....

I'm sure I had both of these cards back in the day but I don't remember either one. I'm also sure I saw both of these guys pitch multiple times. I really like the '63 Sheldon. Unusual picture makes it a neat card.

Little known facts about the little known Duke Maas....He was once involved in a trade for Suitcase Simpson...his given name was Duane...he was taken by the Angels in the 1960 expansion draft but was traded back to the Yankees and he died at the age of 47 due to complications of arthritis.

Willie 'The Wisp' Galimore of the Bears died along with a teammate in a one car accident during training camp in July of 1964. Nobody ever talks about Galimore and his numbers won't make your eyes pop but his talent sure did.

This 1960 Topps Galimore was the only non-baseball card I bought Saturday. It's the first Galimore I've had since I was a kid. If I was an NFL runningback I'd want as cool a name as 'Willie Galimore'.

Check out this brief NFL Films feature on Willie the Wisp.