welcome to the big leagues

Today in baseball history (1955 that is) Brooks Robinson made his major league debut. Getting two hits on his opening day was a teaser of what was to come. Those actually would be his only two hits in 1955 after appearing in only 6 games and 22 at bats, but his first two of 2848 career hits.

His full time role would not officially start until 1958 playing in 145 games, and from 1960 until 1974 would appear in 15 consecutive all-star games and receive 16 consecutive gold glove awards.

Topps 1960 # 28; my birth year and a real "cool" card

Brooks Robinson began his storied Oriole career today, September 17, 1955; played his entire 23 year career in Baltimore and ended his career in 1977.

A career .267 batting average, 2848 hits, 1357 rbi's and 268 home runs is just the icing on the cake for this "vacuum" at 3rd base. Lee May nicknamed him "Mr Hoover" and it is well known that "while Brooks never had a candy bar named after him, in Baltimore, people named their children after him".

Topps 1969 # 550; a "happy" smiling card

The 1964 AL MVP, two time World Series Champion (1966, 1970), 1970 World Series MVP and Babe Ruth awardee, Robinson was inducted into MLB Hall of Fame in 1983 with 92%.

I remember watching the Orioles back in the late 60's and early 70's, secretly cheering for them (not so secretly, as they were my favorite AL team back in the day). Being a Cubs fan meant being an anti-White Sox fan and the Orioles were going to beat the Mets in 1969, emphasis on were. They sure did have some great pitching and fielding back then.

Brooks Robinson, a childhood "hero" of mine, started his career . . .today !

1970 Topps: card # 10 Yaz

Carl Michaal Yastrzemski, card # 10 in the 1970 set; the first Hall of Famer and true "super star" of this set.

The son of polish immigrants, bi-lingual, raised on a potato farm, star basketball player (yes basketball, attending Notre Dame for a short while on a basketball scholarship), then signing with the Boston Red Sox in 1959 to embark on his historic baseball career.

Historic it was as pressure mounted for Yaz to supplant the great Ted Williams in left field and have to deal with the famed "Green Monster" at Fenway. After a mediocre rookie campaign, batting only .266 in 1961, Yaz made it his mission to improve and improve he did.

(this is one of the first cards that I will upgrade after I complete the set, note the crease bottom right)

From winning he batting title in 1963 with a .321 average, leading the league in doubles and finishing sixth in the MVP voting that year to his Triple Crown {.326 BA, 44 HR, 121 RBIS} and MVP year of 1967, to his first ballot hall of fame induction in 1989 appearing on 94.6 % of ballots, Yaz certainly did not disappoint any.

With so many remarkable moments in his career and career numbers in the top ten in many offensive categories (except homeruns) Yaz spent his entire 23 year career in a Boston uniform (his #8 was retired in 1989 as well). That feat deserves repeating; Yaztrzemski played twenty-three years in the same city, no other player (besides Brooks Robinson of the Orioles) has had a longer career with one team - ever. A record I do not foresee being challenged in today's marketplace.

Yaz was the first player in the AL ever to be a member of the 3000 hit and 400 homerun club, eighteen (18) times an all-star, seven (7) gold gloves and receiving votes for the MVP in 14 different years.
As noted on the back of his 1970's card, Yaz was the only "regular" player to hit .300 or higher in "the year of the pitcher" 1968, winning his third batting title.

Known for holding his unique batting stance, keeping his bat unusually high, giving him a long and powerful arc with added power at the plate, Yaz was able to hit 452 career HR's, with 1844 RBI's, 1157 extra base hits (including 646 doubles) to go along with 1845 walks (ranking 6th all time).

Carl Yastrzemski . . . Topps 1970 card # 10 . . . Boston Red Sock . . . Hall of Famer . . .

Action cards from 1971

Back in the "old" days, action cards were rare. Most photographs of players were posed or portrait style (aside from the few playoff game or world series cards that were featured in many sets).

So, in looking at my 1971 cards (inspired by a fellow blogger Dinged Corners and their "best text found on cards" post), I present the following "action cards from 1971.

There is the solo action card: B. Robinson commits Robbery! # 331

There are two player action cards: Chris Short # 511 (yes that is Pete Rose leading off at second base) and Cookie Rojas # 118 (with Yankee Ron Wood sliding into 2nd too late) and Lee May # 40 guarding first base with an unknown Phillie leading of.

Then there is a three person card: F Robinson shows Muscle #329 (congratulated by an unknown Oriole and the Umpire making sure he steps on home plate.

And a four person action card: Tommie Agee # 310 (looks like he is being called out at second) with two players and an umpire all "in action".

Now with the five person action card: Bud Harrelson # 355; tagging out a runner at second with the close eye of the umpire looking close and Nolan Ryan seems to be signaling him out.

And then the famous group shot of a "celebration" that really is not an "action shot.

So there you have it . . . a few action shots from 1971 . . .

My first card show in 2009

. . . to be perfectly honest, I went to my first card show since 1991 (yes that is right, 17, seventeen years ago). I had been itching to find a local show since I started this blog and finally found one fifteen minutes away in a small hotel.

I did the smart thing and printed out my "needs" list, added a few notes and ventured out. Promising myself to stick to a budget, keep my "needs" in mind and not succumb to buying the latest and greatest. I think I did ok . . .

here is a summary of what I picked up:
a) 5 Topps All-Star Rookie cards from the mid 1970's (all "needs" and set me back just $ 1.00)

b) a starter set of 25 cards from 1991 called Studio 91 of Fleer; not sure how many are in the set but I am looking for 1991's so this was a good find ( $ 2.00 for all 25)

c) in my quest to complete my 1970 set, I found a nice guy who had quite a collection of "vintage" cards - I picked up 17 cards, including a Juan Marichel, Brooks Robinson and the "Seaver Wins Opener" from the NL Playoffs (all for $ 15.00)

d) I saw a box marked 20 cards for $ 1.00 all sorted by team. How could I resist ? ! I picked up 40 Chicago Cubs; including two Andre Dawson ('92 Leaf, '90 UD), a '83 Ferguson Jenkins, a 1995 Flair Sammy Sosa (never heard of Flair before today and really like this card), a 1978 George Mitterwald, a 1979 Dave Rader and a few Maddux's, Sandbergs, Zambrano's, Lee's, Soriano's, and even a Vintage 1963 Mark Grace (1998 Fleer) . . . a great pick up of 40 cards for only $ 2.00 !

I will be scanning several of these finds and sharing more with you but for now I just wanted to let everyone know that I survived my first card show in seventeen years, stuck to my budget and found some real good deals (I think). It is now time for me to put away my "needs" list and tend to the "honey do" list . . .