APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 8: DIGGING IN BOXES ON MY WAY OUT THE DOOR

 LAST SHOW I FOUND A NEW SELLER TUCKED AWAY IN THE BACK BOARDROOM WHO HAD TONS OF CHEAP VINTAGE. THE BOARDROOM WAS CLOSED THIS TIME SO HE WAS STUCK OUT IN THE LOBBY. I PLANNED TO CHECK OUT THE LOBBY TABLES ON MY WAY OUT IF UI HAD ANY CASH LEFT FROM MY VINTAGE/DIMEBOX PLANS AND I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THIS SELLER WAS ONE OF THE EXILED. THERE WAS SOME DIFFERENT STUFF THIS TIME AS THE DOLLAR JUNK PACKS WERE NOW TWO DOLLARS, BUT IN CLEAR PACKS SO YOU COULD SEE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLE CARDS. THERE WAS ALSO A LINE OF NEW THREE FOR A DOLLAR BOXES AND YOU KNOW I HIT THOSE HARD. I PICKED UP FIVE BUCKS WORTH AND COULD HAVE EASILY SPENT A TWENTY AS THERE WERE A TON OF COOL INSERTS AND SUCH FROM THE 90S IN THE BOXES. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN FOCUS HOWEVER AND RAIDED THE VINTAGE INSTEAD

I FOUND ONE MORE 1975 TOPPS CARD TO GO ALONG WITH DICK POLE. I WAS A FAN OF THE BULL WHEN I WAS A KID AS HE PLAYED FOR TWO TEAMS I LIKED, THE PHILLIES AND THE WHITE SOX. HE ALSO HIT DINGERS, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD. I WISH I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH THIS PHOTO. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE PLOPPED A HARDWARE STORE OUT IN RIGHT FIELD. I'M SURE SOME SABR MEMBER HAS WRITTEN TWO ARTICLES ABOUT THE TRUE VALUE AT THE PHILLIES SPRING TRAINING FACILITY BUT I'VE SQUINTED AT THE THING THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS FOR LONGER THAN I SHOULD'VE AND MY FEELBLE MIND STILL CAN'T COMPREHEND IT

ONCE AGAIN IT WAS WAY EASIER TO FIND 77S I NEEDED. PARTLY BECAUSE I NEED WAY MORE FROM THAT SET AND BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE COMMONS BECAUSE I REFUSED TO BUY THEM FOR A QUARTER EACH A DECADE AGO THINKING I COULD PICK THEM OUT OF DIME OR EVEN NICKEL BOXES. GOOD LORD I'M A DOPE. IF I DIDN'T HAVE MY LIST I WOULD'VE SWORN I HAD ALL THESE CARDS EXCEPT THE MEDICH. THE CARTOON FROM GEORGE'S 1981 TOPPS CARD IMPRINTED IN MY MIND AT A YOUNG AGE AND I KNOW WHEN I HAVE A DOC MEDICH CARD. THE BURLESON I COULD STILL SWEAR I HAVE A FEW COPIES OF SOMEWHERE, MY OLD BRAINS ARE GETTING MORE SCRAMBLED EVERY DAY. AFTER THESE PICKUPS I'M DOWN TO NEEDING 39 CARDS FOR 1975 AND 62 FOR 1977. I GOTTA HIT ANOTHER SHOW SOON TO GET DOWN TO UNDER A HUNDRED COMBINED

I HAD BASKETBALL ON THE BRAIN FROM THE LAST SET OF BOXES AND MADE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE SMALL BUT EXCELLENT PILE OF VINTAGE HOOPS CARDS. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT 1971-72 CARD. DID YOU KNOW PITTSBURGH HAD A BASKETBALL TEAM? DID YOU KNOW THEY WERE CALLED THE CONDORS? NO ONE TALKS ABOUT HIM NOW BUT STEW JOHNSON IS A LEGEND. HE BROKE THE COLOR BARRIER AT MURRAY STATE AND RECENTLY GOT HIS NUMBER 40 RETIRED BY THE PROGRAM. HIS CAREER LINED UP PERFECTLY WITH THE EXISTENCE OF THE ABA AND HE PLAYED FOR TEN DIFFERNT TEAMS: THE KENTUCKY COLONELS, NEW JERSEY AMERICANS, HOUSTON MAVERICKS, PITTSBURGH PIPERS, PITTSBURGH CONDORS, CAROLINA COUGARS, SAN DIEGO CONQUISTADORS, MEMPHIS SOUNDS, SAN DIEGO SAILS AND SAN ANTONIO SPURS. HE ALSO PLAYED FOR THE BALTIMORE CLAWS BEFORE THEY FOLDED IN PRESEASON! SURE SOME OF THOSE WERE THE SAME FRANCHISE WITH BRANDING CHANGES BUT I DOUBT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO WORE ELEVEN DIFFERENT ABA JERSEYS. STEW WAS ALSO A THREE TIME ALL-STAR AND IS IN THE TOP TEN ALL TIME FOR MULTIPLE ABA STATS. BIG RESPECT TO STEW

LIKE STEW, BOB PLAYED HIS ENTIRE CAREER IN THE ABA. UNLIKE STEW HE WAS ON THE INDIANA PACERS THE WHOLE TIME EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE YEARS WITH THE DALLAS CHAPARRALS/SAN ANTONIO SPURS. BOB WON A COUPLE ABA TITLES WITH INDIANA AND WAS A FOUR TIME ALL STAR. I LEARNED ABOUT BOB FROM THE SUPER 70S SPORTS PODCAST AND I'D STILL LIKE TO TRACK DOWN HIS BOOK SOME DAY. WHILE I TECHNICALLY PREFER THIS 1972-73 CARD DESIGN OVER 71-72 YOU REALLY CAN'T GO WRONG WITH EITHER ONE

THIS CARD IS THE BEST HOOPS PICKUP OF THE DAY THOUGH AS IT'S A STEALTH JULIUS ERVING CARD. I JUST WISH HE HADN'T BEAT MY FAVORITE TEAM THE KENTUCKY COLONELS. THERE'S ALSO A GEORGE MCGINNIS CAMEO ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CARD. GEORGE NEVER GOT ON A SPALDING AD IN COMIC BOOKS BUT HE'S STILL A  HALL OF FAMER. OH WAIT, NEVER MIND, HE DID

I AM IN LOVE WITH EVERY CRAPPY MARKED UP SCRIBBLED ON VINTAGE CHECKLIST I CAN FIND NOWADAYS. THIS ISN'T EVEN THE BEST ONE I FOUND TODAY AND IT'S PRETTY GREAT. THIS KID MARKED OFF HIS CARDS WITH VERY NEAT X'S EXCEPT FOR THIS VERY CHECKLIST CARD WHERE HE SEEMED TO MOCK THE ABSURDITY OF IT ALL WITH A SMILE. I FEEL BAD THAT HE WAS MISSING DUKE SNIDER AND EARLY WYNN BUT HE DID HAVE MAZEROSKI, ORLANDO CEPEDA AND LUIS APARCIO SO IT'S NOT ALL BAD. 61 TOPPS PUT THE MOST RANDOM ACTION PLAYS POSSIBLE ON THEIR CHECKLISTS AND THIS ONE PARTICULARLY LOOKS LIKE AN ACCIDENTAL RENAISSANCE PAINTING. EVERYBODY INVOLVED IS DOING SOMETHING WEIRD IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY THAN EVERYONE ELSE. I ESPECIALLY ENJOY THE UMP'S "GET A LOAD OF THESE GUYS" BODY LANGUAGE 

THE BACK IS EXTRA GOOD AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THE KID HAD THE HANK AARON MVP CARD. TOPPS GOOFED THE NUMBERING ON THE MILWAUKEE BRAVES TEAM CARD AND THIS IS NOTED PROPERLY ON THE BACK. MOSTLY PROPERLY, THE CARD NUMBER IS CORRECT AND MILKWQUK TEQM IS CLOSE ENOUGH

IT HAD BEEN A VERY LONG TIME SINCE I HAD PICKED UP A 1963 TOPPS CARD WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES. THIS IS A NICE LOOKING MANAGER CARD OF BILLY HITCHCOCK WHO WOULD MANAGE THE BRAVES A FEW YEARS LATER IN ATLANTA. I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE 1963 MANAGER CARDS BECAUSE THEY  USE THE COOL OUTLINED LOGOS LAST SEEN IN THE 1960 TOPPS SET. LOOKIT THAT LITTLE BOID

I PICKED UP ALMOST A THIRD OF THE 1964 TOPPS SET CHEAP WHEN I WAS A KID BUT I DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CHEAP COMMONS WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE SO I DON'T EVEN HAVE HALF THE SET NOW. MY CHANCE TO BUILD THE THING HAS PASSED BUT IT'S STILL ONE OF MY FAVORITE 60S SETS SO I'LL HAPPILY TAKE WHAT I CAN GET. I FOUND A TRIO OF A ROOKIE CUP WINNER, A BRAVES LEGEND AND SOME GUY NAMED JIM

THE PETE WARD CARD ALSO HAS A SECRET AUTOGRAPH ON THE BACK! SOME CALL ME... TIM?

I'M PRETTY SURE I HAVE THIS 1966 CARD OF DENNIS MENKE IN MY TEAM SET BUT HOW COULD I PASS UP THAT FLAT TOP. THE 1966 SET MIGHT HAVE THE GREATEST PORTRAIT PHOTOS IN ANY TRADING CARD SET. BONUS FACT: MY GRANDFATHER CONSTANTLY CALLED MARK LEMKE DENNIS MENKE WHEN HE WAS WATCHING BRAVES BASEBALL IN THE 90S. I AM 100% CONVINCED HE DID IT ON PURPOSE TO BE FUNNY

THE LAST CARD OF THE BUNCH IS MAYBE THE BEST. AN EVEN MORE MARKED UP 1968 CHECKLIST WITH THE HEAD OF ORLANDO CEPEDA. NO NEAT X'S THIS TIME, EACH BOX IS AGRESSIVELY MARKED IN PENCIL, THEN PEN, THEN MOST OF THE NUMBERS ARE CROSSED OUT IN RED PEN FOR GOOD MEASURE. I THEORIZE THIS IS SOME SORT OF DOUBLES TRACKER OR WAY TO USE ONE CHECKLIST FOR MORE THAN ONE SET. OR MAYBE THE KID JUST HATED NUMBERS. GET THOSE DANG THINGS OUT OF HERE *SCRIBBLE SCRIBBLE*

I'M A LITTLE SAD I DON'T GET TO VICARIOUSLY ENJOY SOME KID HAVING ONE OF THE BIG '68 ROOKIES ON THIS CARD. I DO ENVY THOSE ALL-STARS,E SPECIALLY AARON. AFTER PICKING OUT FIFTEEN CARDS I STILL HAD A COUPLE BUCKS LEFT. AFTER PASSING ON THE JUNK PACKS AND NOT FINDING ANYTHING COMPELLING IN THE DOLLAR BOXES I FINALLY SETTLED ON A COUPLE 1987 FLEER BOX BOTTOMS WITH DALE MURPHY AND BOB HORNER. BUT I'VE ALREADY PUT THEM AWAY AND I CAN'T FIND THE DAMN PHOTOS ANYWHERE. IT WAS THESE TWO, IF I EVEN FIND THE THINGS I'LL DO ANOTHER POST

THUS ENDETH THE APRIL CARD SHOW. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE TOMORROW, MAYBE I'LL GO AND GET SOME MORE POSTS

More Packs inna mail

Here's some Vintage Repacks from Aardvark Trading Co. that arrived out of nowhere. These are serious high-quality foil packs too! If anyone's interested, pick a number from 1-5 and I'll show off a pack this evening. Heck, I might even be convinced to show off one on A Pack To Be Named Later.

Return of the Son From the Tales of the Quarter Box

Whenever cards start gettin' you down, all you need to do is go sifting through a freshly filled quarter box. Please take note that at twenty-five cents apiece, each one of these cards is cheaper than the per-card price of a card out of a pack of Heritage, Chicle or Bowman. Man were there some doozies in this box...

What the heck is a 1964 Topps Stand-up card doing in a quarter box?!?!!?? And a YANKEE to boot! MADNESS!!! This card isn't in the greatest condition, but it's not even bent in half like many of these kinds of cards. Elston Integrated the Yankees and I've always put him in the 'screw the voters, he's a Hall of Famer to me' category.

DISEMBODIED ZOMBIE CUBBIE HEADS!!! AAAAAAAAH!!! This thing is frightening. Why the heck didn't the Cubs ever do a team picture? It would have looked nice in front of all that ivy.  I'm putting this card on my front door this Halloween to scare away the kids so I get all the candy.

Ok, this one is a little obtuse, but see if you can follow me... If you were to decide that you were going to seriously focus on building the 1972 Topps set, BUT were not even going to fool with the ridiculously tough High Series and just build the rest of the set... #656 Rudy May would be the last card in your truncated '72 Topps set. That idea is as squirrelly as the photo on this card, but it makes sense to me.

There was a small pile of 1963 Fleer cards in ther and I snagged 'em all. '63 Fleer was sort of the 2010 Upper Deck of the day, Fleer looked at Topps' monopoly and said 'screw it, we're doing a set anyway'.  And just like today, Topps had a conniption and the lawyers all smacked down on Fleer hard. It was all Laughlin art cards and logo stickers for a long while after that. Vic Power is a seriously underrated player and was the best of the pile.

There is no way this card should be in a quarter box. No. Way. It's not beat up or anything. My best guess on how it got in there was that the guy sorting the cards couldn't decide whether to put this in the Reds or Red Sox section in the dollar box and just decided not to bother and chucked it in the quarter box. There is no other rational explanation I can come up with.

This is all I have time for today, but just remember that these five cards are far cheaper than one pack of 2010 base Topps. Why am I collecting the new stuff again?

Random Vintage Brave #1

Since baseball is finally here (Well, ESPN baseball at least) but the Braves aren't playing today, here's a random vintage Bravo to get us through the night.

Well, not completely random. Nothing is completely random. Even if I closed my eyes and pulled a card out of a box without looking, I still put all those cards in that box for a reason sometime. The is only random because I haven't posted it before and it was on top of a pile on my desk.

Got it from Collective Troll in that package he sent before things got all sucky. I already had the card for my Braves team set, but this one will go live with the rest of my 1964 cards. Weird thing about me and '64s, I initially didn't like them when I first discovered them as a kid. Mainly because of those atrocious pink backs. Why would you do that to a baseball card? The fronts look good though, and when the 1986 Topps set came out that had the similar team name on top motif I became a fan and picked up a bunch of them. I still have more cards from this set than any other set from the '60s.