my first relic

in a trade that was completed a couple of weeks back, Matt from heartbreaking cards of staggering genius sent me (4) 1970 Topps cards I needed from my want list - I had previously sent him (4) 1971 Topps from his list. However, that was not enough as Matt included a post-it note stating "here are some bonus Cubs for you".

The words "some" and "bonus" do not adequately describe what he sent: about 50 cards from some early eighties (1981 Fleer Jim Tracey; 1983 Donruss Gary Woods and Dave Henderson, and 1985 Donruss Leaf Jody Davis and Keith Moreland) to "modern" cards of today including: 2009 Topps Heritage (a new favorite of mine since they correspond to the Topps 1960's set, my birth year - this set is also on my birthday wish list given to my wife and daughter, birthday being in May). Hopefully they read my blog . . .

and my first A & G Relic bat card: Derrek Lee ! This mini card is in a single screw plastic holder which adds thickness to the scan so that is why it is a little blurry. I like this card, especially the colorful palm tree leaves in the corners (reminds me of my life in Florida especially while I am indoors writing and reading blogs).

All of the other cards Matt sent have now been added to my team sets, year by year binders and greatly appreciated.

Thank you Matt for adding a new definition to the words "some"and "bonus" ! And especially for my first relic card !

Congratulations to Sheffield ? !

Gary Sheffield hit home run # 500, on April 17, 2009 in a NY Met pinch hitting role; becoming just the 25th player to join that once exclusive club. Sheffield hit his first home run on September 9, 1988 as a Milwaukee Brewer.

It was twenty one years ago that Sheffield appeared in a major league uniform, with a gold chain, silver braces and a label of a "future star". Since then he has been mired in controversy and played in an era (steroids) that will be forever tainted. However, he has reached this "milestone" and should be given his due (for at least one day).

A career .292 batting average, over 2600 hits, 1600 RBI's and 450 doubles; 5 silver slugger awards, 9 time all-star, one world series ring (1997 Marlins), a batting title (1992) and now membership in the 500 HR club.

From his little league days to today . . . congratulations are in order for Gary Sheffield . . .Uncle Dwight is proud of you . . . your granddad is smiling and you finally made "the club" . . . now what ? !

Squat, Watch and Wave

In my typical Sunday afternoon attempt to organize and put some cards away these three words were the best I could come up with to describe the following:

SQUAT: 1958 Topps Chuck Tanner

WATCH: 2009 Topps Geovanny Soto

WAVE: 2009 Topps Kosuke Fukudome

Did I mention these three cards were part of the great package of CUBS cards, spanning 51 years, I received last week from Night Owl ? Well now I did - Thanks Night Owl for this squat, watch and wave !

101st post

This is my "official" 101st post since I started my new life as a blogger. I could have "celebrated" my 100th but as a former Chicagoan and always a Cubs fan . . . this is the 101st year since 1908 and . . . well the number "101" is something to celebrate (this year).

I want to first start off by saying THANK YOU to so many of you who have guided me, traded with me, commented on my blog, and continue to help me learn more about a hobby I left long ago. All of your blogs are prominently featured on the right in two places. I have certainly learned so much from all of you - my collection has grown (as my wife says I have reluctantly and finally entered the "modern" era). I still remember and relish the simpleness of the hobby when I was a kid (born in 1960) and am constantly amazed in awe of the hobby of today.

Blogging has taken on a new life for me . . . just a short three months ago my life was "normal". Now with new friends (bloggers), a re-newed passion (some newer cards) and a growing desire to learn more (looking at cards differently); the blogosphere is the first thing I check in the morning and the last ting I do at night (many times I check it during the day as well).

So this being my 101st post in "honor" of the Chicago Cubs. Looking back at some of my entries I see I have had some winners (good seasons like the Cubs of 1945, 1969, 1984) and some not so good (like the early sixties and late seventies). That is what happens over the course of a 101 span of anything.

Maybe the Cubs will repeat as:

Once again I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who read, share, trade, comment, teach, educate, guide, laugh, have fun with and enjoy this hobby and blogging as much as I have grown to after 101 posts.

Maybe this is the year we can escapes all curses and scream:

. . . for me it has been 101 posts . . . for the Cubs 101 years . . . with a bit o' luck the "Cubs will shine in 2009" . . . if not its "wait-til-next-year" . . .

Cubs Baseball Schedule; Pocket size

The 2009 Cubs Baseball Schedule is out and I just received a copy.

This years schedule highlights a celebration photo with McGehee(27), Harden(40) and Dempster(46) the last to arrive in the group. I wonder why this picture was chosen ? Harden and Dempster hopefully will achieve success again in 2009 but McGehee you ask ? McGehee appeared in only 9 games, had 4 hits in 2008 (all after the division was clinched) and wont even be in a Cubs uniform in 2009. He will however be visible forever on many desks, walls and back pockets all year long.

April 6th in Houston can not come soon enough . . . April 13th at Wrigley makes me want to cheer even louder . . . I just might keep it open and not pay much attention to the front.

A "celebration" is better than nothing . . . as in the 1971 version . . .

. . . I never did actually collect these pocket schedules though I do have this one from 1971 that had been saved, for some odd reason.

and 40 years ago the hobby was . . .

. . . much much simpler, to put in mildly. I live by the Winnie-the-Pooh philosophy of "simple brain, simple things"and today's hobby literally overwhelms me.


As so many of the baseball card collecting world is focused on the "new" cards of 2009 (and as I understand the over 300 different sets and subsets to collect), I am resisting all temptation to "get with the times" and am saving my money (as little as that might be these days) to supplement my "vintage" collection.

40 years ago, collecting cards was "pure" . . . little investment required, tremendous joy in finding stars and non-stars and the games we played with these cards. There were no Walmarts or Targets to rush to, no card shops to hound, just the local five and dime to head to after school on our bicycles. The joy we found in opening up packs of cards back then is the same joy felt today by so many . . . however . . .

We played the popular flipping games, competed in "how many cards can we fit in our bicycle spokes" and calculated trades with friends. My best friend back in those days was a White Sox fan and we spent hours trying to make trades that were "fair". We compared batting averages, homeruns, doubles, and triples; era's, strikeout to walk ratios and wins vs losses record. We made trades "fair" based on production on the field not monetary value. Such a idyllic thing to do.

Those were the days . . . here are my favorite Cubs from 1969 . . . just to help me remember the "good ol' days" . . . .

So in fairness, I still "play" with my cards, though "play" now includes, page protectors, top loaders, and blogging.

Above are the three Chicago Cub Hall of Famers (from "those days"), the three backbones of the Cubs from the late sixties and early seventies, the three Cubs who stood tall amongst the rest.

I am still testing my resistance levels . . . 40 years ago life (baseball and card collecting) was so different . . .

Feb 1st Eve

As we "celebrate" the Eve of February 1st (I realize there is no such thing but) there is always something to "celebrate". We embark on the shortest month of the year and the myriad of 2009 cards are starting to come out.

This is a short post to "celebrate" the shortest month with a comment about the shortest baseball player every to make a plate appearance - three foot seven inch Eddie Gaedel in 1951. It was a just one of those media stunts by Bill Veeck the then owner of the St. Louis Browns. Happy February to all !

Who will wear # 9 in 2009 ?

I have been on a uniform number “kick” in a couple of previous posts so I thought I would continue my discussion and ask this question. Who will wear uniform # 9 in 2009 ? To begin with I must confess I have no cards of “proof” for what I am going to tell you though my official source of very reliable information is Cubs by the Numbers

The answer for the 2009 Chicago Cubs will be Reed Johnson, who will proudly wear uniform # 9 in 2009.

From the historical perspective, the Cubs did not have uniform numbers until the 1932 campaign and over the last 77 years only 22 players or coaches ( 29%) have worn the uniform number of the year on the calendar.

So here goes in uniform number order:
Uniform # 1: Augie Ojeda year 2001
Uniform # 2: Sandy Alomar Sr. (coach) year 2002
Uniform #3: Wendall Kim (coach) year 2003
Uniform # 4: Jason DuBois year 2004
Uniform # 5: Nomar Garciaparra year 2005
Uniform # 6: Sonny Jackson (coach) year 2006
Uniform # 7: Mark DeRosa year 2007
Uniform # 8: Mike Quade (coach) year 2008
Uniform # 9: Reed Johnson year 2009
Uniform # 34: Stan Hack year 1934
Uniform # 39: Bob Garback year 1939
Uniform # 41: Vance Page year 1941
Uniform # 43: Bill Nicholson year 1943
Uniform # 44: Phil Cavarretta year 1944
Uniform # 45: Ed Saver year 1945
Uniform # 46: Dom Dallessandro year 1946
Uniform # 47: Peanuts Lowery year 1947
Uniform # 48: Andy Pafko year 1948
Uniform # 53: Johnny Schmitz year 1953
Uniform # 55: El Tappe year 1955
Uniform # 57: Vito Valentinetti year 1957
Uniform # 64: Joe Macko (coach) year 1964

Not a star-studded collection, though any list with Cavarretta and Pafko is not half bad. Even though the 1940’s dominated this list, it is interesting (at least to me) that as of the turn of this century almost every team should have a player wearing the number of the calendar year (aside for those clubs that have retired numbers and of course no one will wear # 42 in the year 1942 or ever).

For those of you and curious about next year already, 2010, no Cubbie will wear uniform #10, it is proudly retired by the Cubs in honor of Ron Santo, along with Banks #14, Sandberg #23 and Williams #26. Maybe in the next few years we will see 1931 (Greg Maddux’s and as I was corrected Ferguson Jenkins uniform #31) eliminated from contention also.

So who will wear uniform # 9 in 2009 for your favorite team ?