1943 La Ambrosia Julio Bringuier

It's hard to get any information on amateurs ballplayers from Cuba. All I really know about Julio Bringuier is that he was a catcher with Club Casino Espanol.

I've posted several Cuban cards but this one is quickly becoming my favorite. I tried to read up a little on amateur baseball in Cuba in the 1940s and what I learned is that most of these guys worked regular factory jobs and played baseball to relieve stress and get their minds off the hardships of life.

It wasn't about  fame or money. It really was about the love of the game. Sometimes I think we Americans think we have a monopoly on baseball. But baseball thrives in other parts of the world including the island nation only 90 miles from tip of Florida.

1974 Topps Brooks Robinson

Here's a poor old baseball card I picked up a few weeks ago for $2.63 including the cost of shipping. Come on, you've got more than that under the cushions of your couch.

I'm not sure what attracted me more to this card — the cartoonish Oriole on the cap, the crease through Robinson's head or or that pinhole before the word Baltimore.

Either way, I'd buy this card for under $3 all day long. You do realize Robinson was one of the game's greatest third basemen ever!

A very undrerrated Hall of Famer to say the least.

1962 Post Roberto Clemente

So what if it did come off he side of a cereal box? It's still Roberto Clemente.

Clemente is one of those special names when it comes to baseball cards. I consider any card of the slugging Pirate special. Even if it's badly cut from the side of a cardboard box.

And if you look hard enough, you can get one at an affordable price. This one set me back $5.

If you're lucky you could even get one for free.

(Insert promotion for POBC contest here)

Next week, I will be giving away a 1969 Topps Bob Clemente. Just leave a comment and qualify to win.

This week's giveaway is a 1959 Topps All-Star Warren Spahn. As I write this,  you still have a little more than 6 hours remaining to win Spahn. Again, just make a comment on this blog to win. You must comment by midnight (Pacific time) on May 5th to win Spahn, from midnight tonight to midnight on May 12 for Clemente.

Good luck.

And no, I will not be giving away this 1962 Post card. It's a keeper.

POBC contest cards, Week 1

Let the contest begin...

Here are the five cards I will be giving away over the next five weeks:

1. 1958 All Star Warren Spahn
2. 1969 Roberto Clemente
3. 1973 Willie Mays
4. 1974 Hank Aaron
5. 1975 Reggie Jackson

All you need to do is comment to win. On Monday, May 5th, I will award the Warren Spahn card to my favorite comment during the next week.

In order to win, your user ID you comment with must have an email address associated with it. After notifying the winner via email, the winner has until midnight on the next Sunday (Pacific time) to claim their prize. So the first winner must reply by May 11 to win.

Sorry but you cannot win if you comment anonymously. You can comment on any posting during the life of the blog.

I will also mention the winner via a posting on this blog but winners must contact me via email and not with more comments to claim the prize.

I hope this all makes sense. Any questions feel free to email me at anthtara (at) gmail.com.

By the way, these are all Poor Old Baseball Cards. All original. No reprints. These are real cards made during the player's playing days. And the all have creases, writing, folds and any number of issues that make them poor.

Good luck everyone.

POBC Contest

In May, Poor Old Baseball Cards celebrates its fifth year on the blogosphere. And while it gives me great joy in sharing my collection, it is particularly heartening to read comments about your own POBC moments.

Today, I spent about an hour at my local card shop looking for cards to include in an appreciation contest which begins on May 5th. Beginning that day, I will award a POBC to the best comment left on this blog during the previous week. In all I will award at least five cards during the month of May. At least one card each week.

So far I have found a few cards: Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Warren Spahn, Reggie Jackson, Frank and Brooks Robinson, Duke Snider, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews. All major players during their playing days. Cards from the 1950's, 60's and 70's. No fakes. No reprints. No Heritage (I think that's what they call them nowadays). All are real cards. All are well loved. 

No grading, No mint cards. Not even cards in very good shape. These are poor old baseball cards.

This is the first time I am doing this sort of contest and can use your help on how to conduct it. I really want the entries to be entered as comments. But how would I go about notifying the winners?

Should the entries be limited to that week's posts or to any new comment made that week on the entire blog?

How do I notify someone who does not have an email link on their profile? Does it mean no one can win if they comment annonymously?

Any help out there from my fellow bloggers would be appreciated. Should I include comments to the facebook page?

Thanks everyone for being a part of POBC!

1933 Goudey Fred Leach

Check out that baseball glove in Fred Leach's back pocket.

One of my favorite things about old baseball cards is seeing the differences in uniforms over the years. Before baseball gloves grew to today's enormous size, fielders would simply throw them in foul territory, or better yet, put them in their back pocket.

How cool is that?