Poor Old Baseball Cards

1950 Bowman Roy Campanella

2011-09-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone should have a card of Roy Campanella.

When I saw this on eBay about a week ago, It had a buy it now price of $6.99. I figured, why not? I know, it's a total beater but it's a second-year card of the Dodgers great.

Ever since starting this blog a few years ago, I don't even look for cards in nicer condition. My eyes just gloss over those cards that look like they were just unwrapped, and they especially gloss over their higher price tags.

I'd much rather have this poor old baseball card at a fraction of the price.

1909-11 E90-1 American Caramel Dots Miller

2011-09-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's a funny thing how a player gets a nickname.

Some are easy: Rube, Killer, Pee Wee, Lefty. Some take a little more explaining: Piano Legs, Oyster, Some are plain funny: The Human Rain Delay.

John Barney Miller was a world champion after his rookie season in 1909. The second baseman made his debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 16.

Most baseball fans wouldn't be able to name a single one of his teammates, except one: Honus Wagner.

The Flying Dutchman is arguably one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. An inaugural member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he won eight batting titles.

Technically speaking, even "Honus" was a nickname. His given name was Johannes Peter Wagner. "Honus" was probably a take off Johannes and "The Flying Dutchman" payed homage to his speed and his German (Deutsch) background.

One day, Wagner was asked by someone where his second baseman was.

He replied by pointing in John's direction and saying, in a heavy German accent: "Dots (that's) Miller."

1911 T205 Bill Carrigan

2011-08-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Baseball Card Blog,

I'm sorry I have neglected you. It's been a long time — more than a month since I last paid you any attention. I know it's not an excuse but sometimes life gets in the way. Work. Family. The longer I waited, the harder it got to post again. I had to come up with something good. Something so bad it would justify the title of a poor old baseball card. I think I found something. I'm ready to post again.

Sincerely,
POBC

Okay, that's done with. This Bill Carrigan has all the qualities of a poor old baseball card: Plenty of creases, rounding, chipping and let's not forget that hole. It's great!

It's also a T205. A cousin to the famed T206 that we all know and love. This is my first T205. I haven't been avoiding them, I just never had one. How could I have avoided this beautiful set?

I have a feeling there will be more of these gems in my future. I bet "T205" will be a regular search in my eBay bar.

Oh, and by the way, I hope it won't be another month until my next posting.

1916 M101-4 Sporting News Joe Jackson (Reprint)

2011-07-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, while searching for poor old baseball cards on eBay, this card popped up. The title said: "1900's Shoeless Joe Jackson Strip Card, Rough Card." The starting bid was $1.

Upon further review, the description went on to mention this card was a reprint. Normally I would not look any further, but there was something different about this old card.

I gave the card and good look and wondered if the seller could have been mistaken. The color was right, it had badly rounded corners and several stains and creases.

Again, it was listed as a reprint but it didn't look like it was recently printed. Could it be a really old reprint?

So I took a stab and put in a $1 bid. A few hours later, I won.

I wasn't expecting this to be a $5,000 card but the curiosity of exactly what this card was, was killing me. It arrived a few days later. Needless to say, I wasn't about to retire.

It looks like someone used a photograph of a poor-conditioned card of Joe Jackson and attached it to a piece of cardboard. They even took the steps of rounding the corners and bending the card to produce its deep creases.

To me, that's not a reprint — it's a fake!

On the bright side, it does make a nice bookmark.

1919 W514 Stuffy McInnis

2011-07-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

This card is just plain dirty. I think it may be tar.

Can't you just see this card falling onto the fresh pavement in 1919?

I'm not sure how this gunk got on this card but it's caked on.

Stuffy McInnis is one of those players that you've probably heard of but not sure why?

He was a member of the Philadelphia Athletics' $100,000 infield of the early 1910s. A first baseman, McInnis teamed up with Eddie Collins (2B), Jack Barry (SS) and Frank Baker (3B). Some consider them to be the greatest infield ever.

And by the way, their salary would equal less than $2.5 million today.

Now that's a bargain.

Greatest comment ever!

2011-07-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I'll get an email alerting me of a new comment on this blog. Sometimes it's the highlight of my day.

Yesterday afternoon I got the best comment ever. It was from Reivax and he shared his story of his poor old baseball cards. (If you click on the photo above, you can read it yourself.)

These type of comments are what keep me writing. Thanks for the inspiration!

1953 Topps Connie Marrero

2011-06-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

I read today that the world's oldest-living person died.

The Brazilian woman was closing in on 115 years. The new oldest living person is Besse Cooper, 114 years, 299 days of Monroe, Ga.

So why does this all matter?

Connie Marrero is the world's oldest living Major Leaguer. While the back of this card says Marerro was born on May 1, 1915, his real birthday is April 25, 1911. That makes him 100 years, 1 month, 27 days.

Marrero made his Major League debut in 1950, a few days shy of his 39th birthday. Before that, he played for years in Cuba.

I guess those four years made a difference for the Washington Senators. A 35-year-old rookie is one thing, but 39?

1916 BF2 Ferguson Bakery Felt Pennant John Lavan

2011-06-03T00:20:00.000-07:00

I knew nothing about this pennant before I bought it a few days ago. And there's really not a whole lot out there about it. But here's what I've learned:

• Produced in 1916
• Less than 6 inches in length
• Photo is glued to the pennant
• Same photo (card) used in Sporting News issue of the same era (M101-4)
• Inserted in loaf of five-cent Ferguson bread
• Distributed in Roxbury, Mass.
• Pennants had coupons on back that could be collected and redeemed for a premium (I even read that you could get a larger pennant which is very rare)

I also know that they are fairly rare.This is the first one I've ever held in my hands.

It is also in horrible shape. I think this one was at one time part of a larger quilt. You can still see some of the thread. It's also missing part of its left side.

Still a great poor old baseball card. Okay, so it's not technically a baseball card, but you can't deny that it's pretty cool.

1958 Topps Sam Jones

2011-06-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

It's called "The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book." And on page 45, a 1958 Topps Sad Sam Jones.

I first saw the card when I was a kid, I knew some day I would have it. Even though he looked so sad, he made me smile.

It's not like it's a particularly expensive card. And it's not like I didn't try to get one before this beauty arrived in the mail yesterday.

A few years back I walked into my Local Baseball Card Shop and asked the clerk if he had a 1958 card of Sad Sam Jones. I know he was thinking: who? But he directed me to a box of late-50s commons. After searching for a few minutes, I found good ol' Sam. It was probably in worse condition than this card.

I asked the clerk, "How much?"

He looked into a price guide and said something to the effect of $15. I almost choked.

Needless to say, I didn't get Sad Sam that day. And then I got to thinking: When is the next time someone is going to walk into this store and ask for a 1958 Topps Sam Jones? Answer: Never.

And so I bet Sam is still sitting in that box of commons. I'm sure he'll be there forever. I don't think I ever went back to that shop for a baseball card again.

Fifteen dollars? Are you kidding me.

By the way, this card cost me $1 on eBay. Overpriced? Some may say so. But at least it didn't make me lose my lunch.

1960 Fleer Zack Wheat

2011-06-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

Do you ever buy a card on eBay only to find the shipping cost is more than the card itself? It happens to me all the time.

Lately, I've tried to find a few other cards from the same seller in order to cut down on the price of the card. Does that make sense? In other words, I buy multiple cards from the same buyer taking advantage of combined shipping.

This card is one of those. It was $.25 but the shipping was $3. So I added a 1960 Rookie Star Julio Navarro for $.01, a 1960 Topps Joe Cunningham for $.01, a 1960 Topps Rookie Star Frank Howard for $1.50 and a 1960 Topps Harry Simpson for $.15. Total cost with shipping $4.92.

This is my first 1960 Fleer card and I'm not all that thrilled with its design. It' just plain terrible. But that big piece of tape residue makes it worth while. It's the little things that make a poor old baseball card.

1950 Bowman Chief Petty Officer Bob Feller

2011-05-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

So it's Memorial Day and what better card to post than that of a real hero: Bob Feller.

Feller enlisted in the Navy the day after the attack on Pear Harbor and served aboard the USS Alabama as a gunner. He served from 1941 -1945, missing four prime years of a terrific baseball career.

Feller is not the only player to serve. A special thanks to all who served this country, ballplayer or not.

1952 Topps Ray Boone

2011-05-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the three-year anniversary of my first post here at Poor Old Baseball Cards.

It's been three years since I decided to begin posting baseball cards from my little corner of the collecting world.

Before that first post, I remember asking myself if anyone out there would be interested in seeing my beat-up old cards. And sometime I still wonder. I've gotten a few of e-mails from some of you out there who who share my passion for these old pieces of cardboard. And for those I am grateful.

Sometimes it's hard to get to the computer and add a new entry. Especially when your posts seem to fall on blind eyes and you continue to ask: "Is anyone out there reading this thing?"

But sure enough, someone will give you a hint and tell you it's time for a new entry.

Some of you out there also have blogs. And I don't need to tell you that it can be frustrating when no one comments or when you don't get feedback. I know readers are thinking: "No one cares about what I have to say."

Well I do. If you see a card here you like, let me know. If you see a mistake, let me know. If you have a similar card, let me know. And by all means, hit that comment button. Let me know.

1934 Goudey Leo Durocher

2011-05-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

It arrived yesterday. I had been waiting for nearly a week and it finally made its way into my mailbox.

How cool is this card! I'm a big fan of Goudey in general and this1934 card is a favorite. And a Hall-of-Famer nonetheless. Check out that lime-green and blue coloring. I love how the 1934 Goudey has a little note from the great Lou Gehrig. For the record, cards 80-91 had a quote from Chuck Klein. There are 96 cards in the set.

Durocher is best known as a manager but is shown here as a shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals "Gashouse Gang." His scrappy play helped inspire the nickname as the Cardinals went on to win the World Series in 1934.

He died in 1991 and was inducted into Cooperstown three years later. He has the fifth most career wins as a manager with 2,009. Too bad his induction couldn't come a little sooner.

1914-16 T213-2 Owen Wilson

2011-05-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

It's a good day when I can pick up one of these old pre-war cards.

This is the first card of this set I have ever owned. The T-213 advertised Coupon Cigarettes and this particular sub-set offers 20 cigs for five cents.

Chief Wilson hit 36 triples in 1912, a major league record. He was also the National League leader with 107 RBI in 1911 and hit for the cycle in 1910.

The most remarkable of those numbers is the 36 triples. Ty Cobb hit 24 triples in a season twice. Willie Mays hit 20 in 1957.

If you're looking for a record that may never be broken, you need not look much farther than Owen "Chief" Wilson.

1975 Topps Bob Gibson

2011-05-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

How could you not love this card?

Its bright colors and unique color combination make the 1975 Topps set one of my favorites. And what better two colors to use for Bob Gibson than red and yellow.

If you are a parent, reading this post, do your kids a favor and get them an original card of one of the game's greatest pitchers. I got this one for a little over two bucks.

Gibson was a fierce competitor. Could you imagine him playing in the 2011? There would be quite a few sore players walking around. Hint: After hitting a homer, don't showboat. Put your bat down and run the bases or you may be the recipient of a fastball in the ribs your next time at bat.

Today, both batters and pitchers seem to have no problems showing up their counterparts. Player routinely admire their long fly balls and pump their fists after a strikeout. In the 60s and 70s, Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale would have none of that.

Unless you wanted one in the ear.

1972 Topps Reggie Jackson In Action

2011-05-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's a Reggie Jackson baseball card ... or is it.

As I mentioned before, I could only imagine the disappointment when opening up that wax wrapper and knowing you could get a Reggie Jackson but having to settle for this In Action card.

It's like expecting to see Cinderella but meeting one of her step sisters.

One thing that must have disappointed more is getting no stats on the back. This card actually has a story about Hank Aaron hitting his milestone 600th homer.

But at least it's Reggie, right?

1971 Topps Tom Seaver

2011-05-15T01:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the cards I post look worse than they actually are.

This Tom Seaver card is worse than it looks.

It has so many creases, I can't count. And those black borders don't help.

Some people may wonder where I get these old cards. Since starting this blog nearly three years ago, I actually seek them out. The worse, the better. Believe me, I don't go overboard – at least in my opinion – this card probably cost a few bucks if you include shipping.

Some may take pride in having a perfect card. Even borders. No creases or rounding. Perfect surface.

For me, it's all about finding the worse card out there. The poorest of the poor. If you have a 1971 Topps Tom Seaver that has seen worse days than mine, give me a shout. It may be worth a few bucks.

1943 La Ambrosia Julio Trujillo

2011-05-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

That writing you see across this Julio Trujillo's face is actually on the back of the card. The card is so thin, the writing is poking through.

Sometimes, we think that Baseball is an exclusively American sport. But in 1943, baseball was big in Cuba. This Cuban card features one of many amateur players in this set.

It took me a while to figure it out but it says Cienfuegos across Trujillo's chest. I figured this was a mascot but I was wrong.

Cinefuegos is actually a city on Cuba's southern coast about 150 miles from Havana.

1972 Topps Vicente Romo

2011-05-14T01:50:00.000-07:00

Vicente Romo was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992.

The Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame.

Romo piched with the Indians, Red Sox, White Sox, Padres and Dodgers. He had a 32-33 record with 52 saves and 416 strikeouts in 335 games. Not exactly Hall of Fame numbers.

While researching the righthander, I learned his nickname was "Huevo" or egg. I don't know why but I would venture to guess that his noggin had something to do with it.

Wow! Take a look at that hat.

1955 Bowman Bob Feller

2011-05-14T01:26:00.000-07:00

I met Bob Feller last July while attending the All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif. I stood in line with what seemed to be a thousand others waiting for an autograph.

I remember talking to the guy next to me in line as we were wondering about Feller's age. We recalled how he pitched in the 1930s. He had to be pretty old.

When I got home I realized he was a rookie in 1936. He pitched against Lou Gehrig and just missed playing with Babe Ruth.

He was 91 when I saw him.

Sadly, Feller was in his final days. A month later, he was treated for leukemia before celebrating his 92nd birthday in November. He died in December.

Another one of the game's greats gone.

1923 W572 Pete Donohue

2011-05-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Now this one's pretty bad.

First, it's badly trimmed. But when it comes to these old strip cards you need to be a bit forgiving. Remember they came in strips of ten and had to be cut apart. You rarely find the borders in perfect condition.

But this card is far from perfect.

There is also a raised stain on the card. Is it chocolate syrup? Motor oil? I'm not sure but it's definitely on top of the card. What a mess!

As for Pete Donohue — he had a 12-year career earning a 134-118 record with the Reds, Giants, Indians and Red Sox.

With all its problems, this card till a great old baseball card in my book.

1921 W516-2-2 Jimmy Ring

2011-05-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Ring was probably best known as a member of the 1919 World Champion Cincinnati Reds.

You know, the team that beat the heralded Chicago White Sox. The Black Sox. Eight Men Out.

Ring beat Eddie Cicotte in Game 4 of the World Series 2-0. Cicotte was 29-7 with an 1.82 ERA during the regular season.

When I was younger, these old strip cards provided me with a way to get a card of a star player at an affordable price. I remember getting my first strip cards in the late 1980s. I think I got a Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Rogers Hornsby, George Sisler, Wally Pipp and Jess Barnes for about $50. Good luck getting Wally Pipp alone for under $50 today.

I still enjoy finding these cards on places like eBay. This example set me back about $7 — and it's the rarer W516-2-2 version.

Just in case you were wondering there were three variations of this set. 516-1 were hand lettered and had a normal image, 516-2-1 had a reversed image and typed lettering, 516-2-2 was reversed and hand typed.

It really doesn't matter which variation you get, these old cards are a great addition to any vintage collection.

1959 Topps Billy Martin

2011-02-13T01:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder how my latest acquisition became a poor old baseball card.

In this card's case, I'd guess the culprit was some sort of drink. Kool Aid?

Take a look at the left edge. It's got a pink-like hue that reminds me of the stain made when you spill Hawaiian Punch all over your shirt. Not that I've ever done that.

And what about all those creases?

They've got to be the result of the old back pocket.

I'm not sure how Billy Martin got all his flaws, but it's fun wondering.

1948 Leaf George Vico

2011-02-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

It looks like someone took a bite out of George Vico.

On April 20, 1948 Vico made his Major League debut as a first baseman for the Detroit Tigers.

And on the first pitch he ever saw, Vico hit a homer.

No kidding, a home run on the first pitch.

It had only been done once before in the American League (Bill LeFebvre, 1938) and four times in the National League (Walter Mueller, 1922; Clise Dudley, 1929; Eddie Morgan, 1936 and Clyde Vollmer, 1942).

But what first attracted me to this old card was its vibrant red and blue colors. And the fact that it's from one of the best baseball card sets ever produced.

They just don't make cards the way they used to. Boy, do I sound old!

1971 Topps Merlin Olsen

2011-02-06T02:25:00.000-08:00

I know ... wrong sport.

But hey, today is Super Bowl Sunday and I wanted to do something a little different.

I never really collected football cards. I'm not sure why. I guess they weren't really my thing.

I think it has to do with history. I know my baseball history, I know very little about football's past.

Before things got way out of whack, I knew the importance of 61 and 744. I knew just about every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. I knew about Fred Merkle, Wally Pipp, Moses Fleetwood Walker and the $100,000 infield.

Football is just different.

One thing I do know: Merlin Olsen was pretty good as Jonathan Garvey on "Little House on the Prairie."

1971 Topps Johnny Bench

2011-02-05T02:18:00.000-08:00

So how old does a baseball card need to be to be considered vintage?

When I was a kid, if a card was 20 years old, it was old. There's no doubt about it, to me, it was a vintage baseball card.

But can anyone consider a card made in the 1990s vintage?

Would you consider a card made in the 1970s or 80s vintage?

As far as I'm concerned, anything after 1980 is junk, especially that stuff they made in the 90s.

I know, there's lots of newer cards out there that are worth a whole lot more than this torn up Topps 1970 Johnny Bench. And I know you can't compare today's baseball cards to the junk they made in the 1990s.

But for me, this old Johnny Bench card is one of the last true vintage baseball cards.

CORRECTION: This entry originally stated this was a 1970 Topps, It indeed is from 1971. Thanks to those who pointed out the error.

1952 Topps Vern Stephens

2011-02-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

So while browsing eBay a few weeks ago, I saw this poor old baseball card at a reasonable price.

One man's trash is another's treasure. That day, this 1952 Topps card was my treasure.

It really didn't matter who was on the card. The fact that it was from Topps' premiere and historic set was all I needed to fork over the $3 on a buy-it-now bid.

To my surprise, Vern Stephens turned out to be a pretty good player.

A quick google search provided me with his career stats and a few highlights. Among them:

* Stephens was an 8-time All-Star
* Led the Al in home runs in 1945
* Led the Al in RBI three times
* Was in the Top-10 in batting average three times

Not bad for a nobody on a poor old baseball card.

1960 Topps Vic Wertz

2011-01-16T00:53:00.000-08:00

So you learn something new every day.

Today, I learned that Willie Mays should thank VicWertz. we should allk, Hec thank Vic Wertz.

Why you ask?

It is Wertz that is partly responsible for creating the legend that is Willie Mays.

You see, I consider Willie Mays to be the second greatest baseball player ever. Babe Ruth is tops on my list. And whenever I picture Mays at his greatest, I imagine him making that amazing over-the-shoulder catch at the Polo Grounds during the 1954 World Series.

Guess who hit that ball 460 feet?

That's right, Vic Wertz.

So thank you Willie Mays and thank you Vic Wertz. Thanks for giving baseball "the catch."

1957 Topps Lou Skizas

2010-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

This card really gets around.

Back in May, Chris over at The Vintage Sportscard Blog showed off this Lou Skizas card (the one on the left). He mentioned how he had recently upgraded the card and that the old (three-piece) card was now available. He later posted that he never thought anyone would want the old beater.

But I did.

So I offered Chris a 1951 Topps Ringside card of Lee Savold. He said yes and the trade was made. To my surprise, when the card arrived, it was accompanied by the card on the right.

He would later write: I tossed another card in along with that Lou Skizas, so it wasn't a complete "rip off" trade. Get it, rip-off. Very clever.

I thought it was a great trade. I love both cards but in particular the three-parter. If you look close enough, you may notice the card was at one time both stapled and taped together.

Oh, the stories that card could tell.

1946-47 Propogandas Montiel Larry Baldwin

2010-11-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

This morning I got a new comment on this blog. It was from William and it came to me via e-mail on my iPhone.

It read: Where have you gone? I loved reading this blog!!

So I thought, "Had it really been that long since my last post?" Answer: Nearly five months.

At one time I tried to post something every day. Then it became every other day. I woke up every morning to see if someone had commented on my latest post. Whenever they did, it gave me confidence that at least someone was actually reading this silly thing.

Five months ago, I was an eBay monster searching for poor old baseball cards and spending a good amount of money on them. Today, not as much.

It's been a while since I last bought a baseball card on the Internet.

Does this mean I've grown up and no longer care about these little pieces of cardboard? Nope, I've been collecting since I was a little kid and am not going to stop now.

In fact, William may have given me the boost to post regularly again. Thanks William.

Oh, and about that poor old old baseball card: It's a lovely Cuban card with plenty of creases, dings and even what appears to be a hole that was at one time an insect's lunch.

Just the kind of card I like.

1943 La Ambrosia Jose M. Valdes

2010-07-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

I love it when I find a new set I've never even heard of, let alone seen.

I recently bought a handfull of these Cuban cards and they're all in horrible shape. Perfect for this blog.

As far as I know they contain players from an amateur Cuban league.

What really drew me to post this particular card is it's watercolor-like look. The paper is extremely thin and each card is very delicate.

And check out that moustache on Mr. Valdes.

You wouldn't see a major leaguer wearing one of those in the 1940s.

1953 Topps Whitey Ford

2010-07-11T23:06:00.000-07:00

I've come to the realization that being a baseball card collector has really changed over the years.

And it's all eBay's fault. Really fault is not the right word. I really think things have gotten better because of the Web site. Especially for buyers.

I spent a few hours this afternoon in Anaheim, Calif. for the annual All-Star FanFest. It was pretty cool but I was a bit disappointed with the number of baseball card dealers.

For those of you old enough, this was the type of event where you could expect to find those rare cards your local card shop didn't stock.

And while the show had those cards, they were really expensive.

There was a certain dealer who had some really nice stuff. He even had a few poor old baseball cards. When I explained to him my unique niche, he seemed to have just the card for me: a 1958 Topps Micky Mantle that was pretty trashed.

One problem, it had a price tag of $100.

Was it worth $100?. Yeah, probably.

But not in the day of eBay. He was even willing to let it go for $80, but as an eBay veteran, I thought I would be able to eventually be able to find one cheaper.

Just like this 1953 Whitey Ford. An eBay steal at $7.99.

1952 Topps Robin Roberts

2010-06-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

So I think I have changed my mind.

A few years back I listed my top-5 favorite Topps baseball cards. The list went as follows:

1. 1971 Thurman Munson
2. 1957 Ted Kluszewski
3. 1953 Satchel Paige
4. 1964 Mickey Mantle
5. 1952 Any card in this set

But after getting this beauty in the mail the other day, It's got to be included in the list. It may even be No. 1. I've been a huge fan of Thurman Munson's second-year card for a long time. It's so much better than any other card made in the 1970s.

But I think there's a new (old) sheriff in town. And I think his name is Robin Roberts. How can I go wrong? Not only is this card of a great Whiz Kid, but it's from 1952.

It amazes me how this set continues to gain in popularity.

Maybe it's because it's simply the best set ever made.

So here's my new list:

1. 1952 Robin Roberts
2. 1971 Thurman Munson
3. 1953 Satchel Paige
4. 1957 Ted Kluszewski
5. 1964 Mickey Mantle

There's my list, what's yours?

1953 Topps Enos Slaughter

2010-05-22T00:47:00.000-07:00

While deciding on a card to post, this card stood out. Way out.

Maybe it was the bold colors of this 1953 Topps card. Maybe it was the 1950s feel of the old advertising peeking over Slaughter's shoulder. Maybe it was the fact that it was just plain worn.

This card has some definite mileage. This is my kind of card.

You just know that some kid carried this thing in his back pocket for the entire 1953 season. At least that's what it looks like.

That's half the fun of owning a poor old baseball card. Wondering where it's been.

1954 Dan Dee Wally Westlake

2010-05-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

So not only does Wally Westlake have a giant fold going across his face, but this card is totally slick.

Slick to the touch.

Dan Dees have a wax coating that kept the potato chip grease from penetrating the cardboard.

Sounds odd, but these cards were sold floating in bags of Dan Dee Hylo-ized Potato Chips.

I can just imagine pulling one of these cards for the first time.

I wonder if they had wet wipes in 1954?

1920 W514 Wally Schang

2010-05-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

So they spelled his name wrong.

Schang is probably considered the best catcher during baseball's deadball era. He hit .300 or better six times in a career that included three world championships.

His first title was with Philadelphia A's in 1913.

He moved on to play with Boston in 1918 where he completed the battery with a certain George Herman Ruth.

Yes, Ruth was a pitcher with the Red Sox before becoming the original home run king.

In Boston, Schang would help the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 1918.

He followed Ruth to New York after the 1920 season. Ruth was traded a year earlier by Boston owner Harry Frazee.

He won his final World Series title with the Yankees in 1923.

With those credentials, they could have at least spelled his name right.

1967 Topps Frank Robinson

2010-04-27T00:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you that think that vintage baseball cards of Hall-of-Famers are too expensive, think again.

This card was $1.50.

And of a major player nonetheless.

Frank Robinson is one of those guys every baseball fan should know about. Along with being among the all-time home run leaders, Robinson was the first, and only, to be named MVP in both the National and American Leagues.

He is also a Triple Crown winner.

He really gets little respect and should be considered among the game's best.

1952 Berk Ross Whitey Lockman

2010-04-25T00:59:00.000-07:00

Here's one of those cards I really don't know a whole lot about.

From what I can gather on the Web, Berk Ross cards were produced in 1951 and 1952 by the Berk Ross Corp. of New York City.

I also found that these 1952 cards are larger than those produced in 1951.

Apparently in 1951, the cards were issued in boxes while in 1952 they were included in wrappers.

That's about all I know.

So I'm hoping one of you out there knows more. Like, what was Berk Ross? Was it a candy company? Was it an upstart to compete with Bowman and later Topps? Why only two sets?

If anyone out there knows any of these answers, please share by commenting on this post.

Inquiring minds want to know.

1933 Goudey George Pipgras

2010-04-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

I got my first Goudey in the early 1980s.

I remember thinking how cool it was to have a baseball card that was 50 years old.

Today I have several 1933 Goudys and each time I get a new one, I turn into a little kid again.

This gem arrived in the mail this morning. And after quickly ripping it from it's package, it became a favorite.

No matter the condition, Goudeys impress me every time. I don't think Goudey made a bad baseball card.

Take a look at that color! Not bad for a 77-year-old baseball card.

1920-21 W516-2-2 Grover Alexander

2010-04-23T00:42:00.000-07:00

My guess is termites.

That's what I think got to good ol' Grover Alexander.

I don't exactly remember what I paid for this card but as you can imagine, it wasn't very much. Even if I paid a few dollars, some would argue it was too much.

But as a poor old baseball card, this card is priceless.

Someone commented the other day that he was tracking the Allen & Ginter card I recently posted and decided against it when it reached a certain price. He said he wondered if someone would bid on it because it was sooooooo BAD.

I sometimes wonder — if this was ten years ago, would I be bidding on these trashed cards?

Probably not. But today, I relish these old cards. They're a lot more interesting than those near-perfect pieces of cardboard.

1965 Topps Don Zimmer

2010-04-22T00:46:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, I get most of my cards on eBay.

This 1965 Topps Don Zimmer is no exception.

One bad thing about shopping on eBay is sometimes a seller will charge a little too much in shipping and handling charges. I think you all know what I mean. I think $4 S&H is a little too much for a card you just bought for $2.

So like many of you, I often buy a few more cards from sellers since it usually doesn't cost any more to ship a few extra cards.

In my eyes, that brings the cost of each card down a bit. Make sense?

Anyway, this is one of those extra cards I got to help spread out the cost of that shipping and handling.

When I got this card, the seller was charging $2 for shipping and handling with no extra charge for more cards. That's actually a pretty good deal.

The card I really wanted was a $4 1957 Topps Richie Ashburn. Not only did I get the Ashburn, I also got a few more using the BUY IT NOW option:

1969 Don Drysdale ($1.50)
1967 Frank Robinson ($1.50)
1968 Harmon KIllebrew ($1.50)
1969 Nate Colbert ($1.50)
1975 Randy Jones ($2)
1975 Chris Cannizarro ($1)
1965 Don Zimmer ($1)
Total: $14 + $2 shipping

Not a bad deal for $16.

1887 N28 Allen & Ginter R.L. Caruthers

2010-04-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

So I never thought I could afford an original Allen and Ginter baseball card.

But about a week ago, this card popped up on eBay. It was the worst A&G I had ever seen. First off I had never seen one that had turned brown, they're usually bright white. Even the ones in lesser condition are white.

I had my doubts if this card was real so I wasn't willing to go too high with the bid. I was a winner at a little over $25.

After winning, I contacted the seller to get some background. He said he thought it could have been part of his grandfather's collection, but he wasn't sure.

I figured it was worth the risk.

It arrived today and I have a feeling it's authentic. The card is surely old. The pin holes and cracks really show the card's age. I figure if it were to be reproduced it would be sometime in the 1980s. And this card is way older than 30 years old.

I don't think it's worth having authenticated. I may show it to a few people and see what they think but as far as I'm concerned it's the real deal.

Anyone out there have an opinion?

1967 Topps Hank Aaron

2010-04-14T00:19:00.000-07:00

For about the price of a combo meal, I picked up this 43-year-old classic — a 1967 Topps Hank Aaron.

So it has a little bit of wear —who am I kidding a lot of wear, but I love it just the same.

This same card, a PSA 9, is selling for $1,799.99 or best offer on eBay. I wonder if that card would give me more joy than this poor old baseball card. Sure, it'll always be worth more than my card, but they are both original cards of one of the game's greatest.

At least I can hold mine in my hands. I mean, I can feel the cardboard and smell the old gum residue. The new owner of the PSA 9 card won't be able to do either through the hard plastic case.

But I'm realistic. I know that for some, baseball cards are an investment. And if I had the choice of the two, I would obviously choose the one that is hermetically sealed.

But for the price, I'm happy with what I've got.

1965 Topps Joe Morgan

2010-04-02T00:09:00.000-07:00

I've had this card several months now and it's been sitting near the scanner ready to post.

I thought that even though this is Joe Morgan's rookie card, it seemed rather boring.

Then I took a closer look.

One of the first things I noticed is how little Joe Morgan has changed. He looks the same 45 years later.

I also appreciate the bright yellow Houston flag. It seems to just jump off the card.

I then began noticing the little things like the label on Sonny Jackson's Louisville Slugger and even the orage buttons on the tops of the caps.

And check out those hats. In my opinion the .45s had one of the best logos ever.

It's too bad the smoking guns on the jerseys aren't visible.

It turns out it's not that boring of a card after all.

1954 Red Heart Richie Ashburn

2010-04-01T01:34:00.000-07:00

Richie Ashburn is No. 28 of 33.

In August of 2008, I set out to complete the 1954 Red Heart set. There are only 33 cards in the set and Asburn is the 28th in my collection.

You can follow my quest at redheartcards.com

Five more to go: Fain, Fox, Schoendienst, Slaughter and Spahn stand in the way of completing the set.

I know it's been a long time: two years to collect 33 cards.

While these beautifull cards are not the most difficult to find, they are hard to get at an affordable price. It's also becoming more and more difficult to get them not graded. I hate graded cards.

And while searching eBay earlier tonight for the final five, I was disappointed to see many graded cards and many cards in the $50-plus range.

Not a poor old baseball card in the bunch. I'll just have to keep looking.

1975 Topps Dave Winfield

2010-03-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

In 1975, I was 6 years old and so were the San Diego Padres. They were a young team with no major stars — except Dave Winfield.

As a kid growing up in San Diego, Dave Winfield was the San Diego Padres. Really the first Padre to be considered a superstar.

Sure the Padres had Nate Colbert and later Ozzie Smith and even later Tony Gwynn.

But it was Winfield that I remember growing up.

As far as I was concerned, this was the card to pull in 1975. It was either Winfield or Willie McCovey or Randy Jones.

Even though McCovey spent 2 1/2 seasons as a Padres I always remember him more as a Giant.

Jones is the first Padre to win a Cy Young award. He did so as a member of a terrible team in 1976.

1961 Post Gil Hodges

2010-03-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

So I was looking through a box of beat-up cards and really wanted to pick something different for this post.

This 1961 cereal card is unique enough, and then I realized this is the first mention of Gil Hodges on this blog.

While I am too young to ever remember Hodges as a player, he's one of those guys you'd read about while studying baseball's heyday. I wasn't sure if I remembered him more for his numbers or the fact that he was one of the old "Boys of Summer" Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1950s.

So I took a minute to actually look up his accomplishments:
• 3 time World Series champ
• 3 time gold glove winner
• 8 time all-star
• Lou Gehrig award winner

The numbers aren't bad. But then I learned of his early death at 47 and that he was beloved by teammates.

A nice card of a nice player.

1960 Topps Whitey Ford

2010-03-19T00:52:00.000-07:00

Here's another classic baseball card that has seen better days.

In 1960, Topps included only the previous year and career totals on the back of the card. Not a big fan.

One of the reasons I cherish looking through old baseball cards is comparing stats through seasons.

I would much rather see year-by-year totals. I would rather see how the player has progressed. I would rather see if a players great season was a fluke.

I'm also not a big fan of the horizontal card.

Except for the 1971 Thurman Munson. That's a beautifull baseball card.

1909 T206 Otto Knabe

2010-03-06T23:47:00.000-08:00

So it's been way too long since I last posted a poor old baseball card. Don't worry, I've got plenty, I just needed a little break.

For those of you who are new to this blog, I started it nearly two years ago as a way to share my collection of, let's just say, non-mint baseball cards.

When I was a kid, I always wanted the vintage card of Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays or even Babe Ruth. But as you would imagine, those cards were not cheap.

So in order to afford my first T206 Ty Cobb, I had to buy the one with a pinhole near Cobb's forehead.

Today, those cards I was buying for $20 or $30 in the 1980s are worth a bit more.

To me, It was never about condition. It was more about having that little piece of history. Even today.

And so, the quest continues.

This Otto Knabe card is actually a recent purchase. While Knabe was never in the same class at Walter Johnson or Napoleon Lajoie, he is shown here on what I consider the greatest baseball card set ever made. Plus, it's 101 years old.

So check back regularly, I have many more cards to share.

1961 Topps Mickey Mantle

2010-01-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

Ouch!

All signs of the culprit point to one thing, and only one thing. Tape.

Tape is to the baseball card what kryptonite is to Superman.

It has destroyed far too many cards only to take their value with it.

I bet this was quite the desirable card to have in 1961 with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris taking aim at Babe Ruth's record for homers in a season.

Most wanted Mantle to break the mark. But it was his teammate that would eventually hit number 61.

I could imagine New Yorkers, heck most all baseball fans, choosing sides.

It must have been like Conan O'Brien vs. Jay Leno.

By the way, I'm with Coco.

1909 T206 Heinie Wagner

2010-01-21T01:05:00.000-08:00

So I think I may have found it: The worst-conditioned baseball card in the world.

A few weeks ago I was browsing on eBay and found this 101-year-old beauty that was just begging to be a part of this blog.

The bidding was fierce, but I was able to land it for the price of one cent. Yep, that's right, a penny. You know, that copper coin you won't even bend down to pick up.

But I was thrilled.

It arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon, and when taking it out of its package, one of the first things I noticed was it was super brittle.

In fact it was so bad, when I took it out of its sleeve, I immediately added the major horizontal crease through Heinie's head. It's barely hanging on.

About 20 minutes ago, I figured it was time to post.

So far, so good. Then it happened.

I was pulling the card off the scanner's surface and it split in two.

Just another wrinkle in the life of this poor old baseball card.

1963 Topps Billy Williams

2010-01-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

This card is a mess.

A closer look at this old piece of cardboard reveals rounded corners, fading, heavy creasing and a hole below Williams' chin.

It's even off-center.

It looks as if someone carried it in their hip pocket for the entire 1963 season.

Or maybe it spent a good portion of its life attached to a kid's bicycle spokes.

It could even have been thrown in a trash bin by a mom who thought their child was over collecting cards.

Or maybe .... who knows? It does make you wonder though, doesn't it?

1962 Topps Joe Torre

2010-01-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if it was the big ol' trophy or the big ol' glove that first drew my attention to this baseball card.

I'm partial to the big trophy. I think it's one of the best designs elements Topps came up with for its cards.

As a kid I remember opening up a pack and looking for the trophy. It usually meant a good card of a good player.

And this rookie card of current Dodgers manager Joe Torre doesn't disappoint.

And what about that glove? Torre won a gold glove in 1965 to go along with an All-Star appearance, one of nine he would make as a player.

1909 T206 Al Bridwell

2010-01-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

This baseball cards came with a bonus: a piece of tape that holds Bridwell's head together.

It's not a regular pece of tape, it's more like an old piece of paper that was pasted to the card's back.

I'm glad someone took the time to keep this card together, no matter what it took.

Bridwell played for the New York Giants when this card was produced. But in 1914-15 he was a member of the St. Louis Terriers.

The Terriers played in the third major league. The Federal League lasted only two seasons before it folded. But a few things remain from the old league.

The most famous being a Chicago ballpark located on the corner of Waveland and Sheffield.

That's right, Wrigley Field was home to the Federal Leagues' Chicago Whales.

1958 Topps Tony Kubek

2010-01-10T11:11:00.001-08:00

Before the days of cable television, if you wanted to watch an out-of-market baseball game, your best bet would be to tune in to NBC's Game of the Week on Saturday afternoon.

And one of the things I remember most about those days was the broadcasting of Bob Costas, Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek.

In the summer, Saturdays were all about baseball.

Shows like This Week in Baseball and NBC's Game of the Week were how I got my baseball info. There was no ESPN or MLB Network to feed you a constant diet of scores and analysis.

Now I've got the TWIB theme song stuck in my head. Maybe I should have gone a different direction with this post.

1909 E90-1 Donie Bush

2010-01-09T03:30:00.000-08:00

Before this card arrived, I had no idea who Donie Bush was.

Donie Bush was a darn good baseball player.

In 1914, Bush finished third in the American League MVP voting behind future Hall of Famers - and Detroit teammates - Eddie Collins and Sam Crawford.

The shortstop is also the major league leader in triple plays with nine.

I once saw a triple play during a Spring Training game. That was the only one in my 30-plus years of watching baseball.

To have nine is amazing.

He also holds the Amercan League record for putouts by a shortstop in a season with 425 and chances with 969.

Not bad for a guy I've never heard of.

1945-46 Caramelo Deportivo Lou Knerr

2010-01-08T00:58:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever knew this set existed was when I placed a bid for the card you see on eBay a few weeks ago.

The first time I ever saw one of these cards in person was just the other day when it arrived in the mail.

I'm not sure why but this paper-thin card has several tiny holes. It's like someone took a small hole punch to them. Usually I would think that there may have been some sort of premium involved. With some old issues, cards were collected and sent in to the manufacturer to get a premium sent back. Often times the cards were sent back to the owner with holes so that they could not be redeemed a second time.

But when searching the Internet, I could not find any other examples with holes.

You know what? I could care less.

It's not every day you get a Cuban baseball card from the mid-40s in the mail.

1963 Topps Rookie Stars Mathews, Fanok, DeBusschere, Cullen

2010-01-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

This is one of those baseball cards I picked up at the local baseball card shop a few days ago. It was $1.

A dollar for a baseball card of a Hall of Famer.

Believe it or not Dave DeBusschere is in the Hall of Fame: The Basketball Hall of Fame.

He is one of several baseball players to have also played professional basketball. But as far as I can tell he is the only one to become a Hall of Famer.

As a baseball player, DeBusschere played in two seasons for the Chicago White Sox where he compiled a 3-4 record with a 2.90 ERA.

1952 Topps Larry Doby

2010-01-06T22:01:00.001-08:00

1952 Topps cards are great no matter the condition. It also helps when that card depicts a historic player like Larry Doby.

The first line on the back of this card reads: "Larry came straight from semi-pro ball and became an Indian regular in 1947."

The truth is Doby came straight from the Newark Bears, the 1946 Negro League World Series champions. I'm not sure that you can call that semi-pro.

Doby did become an Indian only 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. Thus, Doby became the first African American to play in the American League.

Doby accomplish another first: In 1948, he became the first African American to hit a home run in a World Series.

A classic player from the classic Topps set.

1976 Topps Pete Rose

2010-01-05T20:47:00.001-08:00

I picked up 20 (new) poor old baseball cards at my local baseball card shop today.

Why is it when I go in with a budget, I always end up spending nearly twice my goal? It's hard for me. It's like being that kid in a candy store.

I picked up this beauty for about $2. Even those staple holes couldn't keep me from including this card in my want pile.

Since starting this blog nearly two years ago, I tend to gravitate to the lesser-condition box. And Henry at the lbcs always obliges with three boxes full of one-of-a-kind examples. Some have staple holes, others are missing corners or heavily creased.

All have character and seem to tell their own stories.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH 1971 Topps Hoyt Wilhelm

2010-01-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

Just sayin'.

I've got a box full of poor old baseball cards that will eventually make their way to this blog.

While thumbing through the cards earlier in the day, this Hoyt Wilhelm caught my eye. Then I started to laugh. I thought to myself: "He's doing the Captain Morgan pose."

About 20 minutes later, with the help of Photoshop, this is what I came up with.

Just sayin'.

1929 E137 Zeenut Art Koehler

2010-01-03T11:38:00.001-08:00

Whenever I get one of these old minor league cards, one of the first thing I do is try and find out a little bit about the player.

Thank God for the Internet.

Art Koehler played 17 seasons of baseball – all in the minor leagues. The catcher played most of those years in the old Pacific Coast League. He hit .344 in 1929 with the Sacramento Senators.

He also hit 13 homers, second on the team behind Hank Severeids' 24. Severeid was ending his career with the Senators after a MLB career that included stints with the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Browns.

Art Koehler never had the chance to play at the next level.

But for some, the old PCL was considered the third major league. Koehler's teammates in 1929 included pitchers Doc Crandall and Ray Keating, first basenan Dolph Camilli and outfielder Irish Meusel.

1948 Leaf Lou Boudreau

2010-01-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

1948 was a big year for Lou Boudreau.

He won the league's MVP award, was named to the All-Star team and won a World Series as player-manager of the Indians. He was even named AP's male athlete of the year.

He also finished second – Ted Williams, .369 – in batting average with a .355 average. He batted .263 in the World Series and led shortstops in fielding for the season with a .975 average.

1948 was also a big year for Leaf as it produced one of the nicest baseball card sets ever.

1954 Red Man Bob Porterfield

2010-01-01T20:48:00.001-08:00

Of the nine Red Man cards I own, this is the only one that has its tab intact.

That little strip below the perforated line is there for a reason: After your dad would pass along this card after buying the pack of chew, the first thing you would do was cut off the tab. After collecting 50 stubs, you would send them in along with the name of your favorite ballclub.

And in 1954, what you would get in return was a baseball cap.

While I was not around in 1954, it would be interesting to hear from someone out there who remembers collecting these old cards.

1960 Topps Al Kaline

2009-12-31T00:02:00.000-08:00

Looked up his stats on Wikipedia and this is what I found:

Career stats: .297 lifetime average, 3,007 hits, 399 homers.
Teams: Detroit Tigers 1953-1974.
Career highlights: 15x All-Star (1955-67, 1971, 1974), 1968 World Series champ, 10x gold glove winner (1957-59, 1961-67), 1973 Roberto Clemente Award (sportsmanship, community team player), 1968 Lou Gehrig Award (character and integrity), 1969 Hutch Award (competitiveness).

Not bad for a guy who you rarely hear mentioned as one of the game's greatest.

What would we be saying of Kaline if he were a Yankee or Dodger?

1954 Red Heart Minnie Minoso

2009-12-26T23:36:00.000-08:00

It feels like it's been forever since I updated redheartcards but I am down to the wire.

Of the 33 cards in the set I have 10 to go.

I noticed that it's becoming difficult to find these old cards in un-graded condition. Of the eBay auctions, it seems like nearly 70% of these cards are graded.

And since they are graded, people want a premium price. Sorry but I am not going to pay $250 for a PSA 8 Ferris Fain.

I'll take the one with the rounded corners for under-$10 any day.

It's finding that card for under $10 that seems to be my challenge.

1923 W515-1 Al Mamaux

2009-12-22T23:02:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you can get really great deals on eBay.

This 1923 strip card of Al Mamaux set me back $5.99. A great deal for a 87-year-old baseball card.

For those of you not familiar with strip cards, they were sold in strips. Several cards joined together and then cut apart. Some with scissors, some with knives. This one looks like it was torn from its neighbor.

As far as I know, the cards were sold for a penny in machines similar to the ones that sell gumballs at the local grocery store.

As a kid I saw my first strip cards in a magazine and later bought my first cards at a national sports card show in Anaheim, Calif. It was at the Disneyland Hotel. It was the 1980s. It was a time when there were baseball card shop on just about every corner. For those of you who are younger think of Starbucks.

I remember buying cards of Rogers Hornsby, Walter Johnson, Wally Pipp, George Sisler, Ty Cobb and even a Babe Ruth. I think they were like $5 each. Ruth may have been $20.

I wanted nothing more than a real Babe Ruth when I was a kid and the one I got that day is still a cherished part of my collection.

So if you want to add a vintage baseball card to your collection consider a strip card. They can usually be had for a fraction of the price of their tobacco cousin.

Just don't expect to find a Babe Ruth for $20. We're not in the 80s anymore.

1961 Fleer Honus Wagner

2009-11-15T00:48:00.001-08:00

So it's not that Honus Wagner. But it is a Honus Wagner nonetheless.

This 1961 Fleer is a definite option for those card collectors out there who would never consider a Wagner from his playing days.

When thinking of the Pittsburgh shortstop, we often only consider his famed T206 card. But I think we must also remember that there were plenty of gum and candy cards made of Wagner – and not all will set you back $1 million.

One of the best buys I ever made was about 10 years ago when I found a 1909 E95 Honus Wagner (look for it in the coming months) in decent shape at a National card show. The card's back has some paper loss and therefore became affordable.

I would never be able to afford that card today, even in its condition.

But this Wagner is just that — affordable.

For about the price of lunch, you too can be the owner of a Honus Wagner baseball card.

1968 Topps Mickey Mantle

2009-11-13T21:23:00.000-08:00

I got an e-mail a few weeks ago from a reader of this blog alerting me to an eBay auction of a 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle.

When I looked up the card, I found this beauty: the same card I had actually been monitoring for a few days. It's like this card was made for this site.

How could I resist – even at $26.09.

When the envelope came in the mail a few days ago, it was postmarked Massachusetts.

Surprised?

I wish I knew the story behind this card.

Was it altered by a disgruntled Red Sox fan? Was it taped to a bedpost reminding its owner of the hated Yankees? Would the original artist have applied his hand if he knew the card would someday be worth a bundle?

All questions I will never know the answers to.

But it's fun wondering, isn't it?

1970 Topps Thurman Munson

2009-11-05T00:40:00.000-08:00

So, it looks like someone went a little crazy with the transparent tape.

Those of you who have followd this blog in the past know that the 1971 Topps Munson card is my favorite card of all time. In my opinion, it's just a beautiful card.

And the funny thing about it is most think the 1971 card is Munson's rookie.

Well, it isn't. This is his rookie card.

Not nearly as attractive, but still a nice card.

What am I saying. This isn't a very nice card at all. Topps' 1970 set offered this boring gray background and forced the future Yankees captain to share his card with Dave McDonald.

Who?

That's what I said. So I looked him up ...

McDonald played a total of 33 major league games with the New York Yankees and Montreal Expos. He had nine hits in 62 at bats.

By the way, that's nine hits more than me.

1962 Topps Yogi Berra

2009-11-03T21:59:00.001-08:00

I'm grateful to Aflac Insurance for keeping Yogi Berra in our minds over the past few years.

If it weren't for them, I wonder how many of the kids out there would have ever heard of the great Yankee catcher.

But sometimes it takes a comical commercial to keep one of the game's greats in the public eye.

I hope today's kids don't just remember him for his kooky sayings.

He is one of four four players to be named MVP in the American League three times. As a manager, he also led both AL and NL teams to the World Series.

But back to his yogisms ...

My favorite: "Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't go to yours."

What's your favorite Yogi quote?

1951 Bowman Sal Maglie

2009-11-02T22:59:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since I posted a new (old) card on this blog.

And while looking through my recent acquisitions I found this beauty. Some of you out there must wonder why anyone would buy this card, especially in it's horrible condition.

But to me, this is the perfect card.

It makes me wonder ...

Who owned this card as a child?

Why are there so many creases?

Was it in the back of someone's pocket?

Did the fading come from someone leaving it out in the sun?

Exactly how old is the tape?

All important questions to ponder when purchasing a poor old baseball card.

1961 Fleer Babe Ruth

2009-09-10T22:17:00.001-07:00

I am lucky enough to own a few Babe Ruth baseball cards. I have four cards of the Babe that were produced during his playing day.

This card was made 13 years after his death.

As far as new Babe Ruth cards go – I'm not so sure this card can be considered new, it's 48 years old — this is a keeper.

I recently rediscovered this set.

I always knew of 1961 Fleers but never really considered collecting them.

The set is full of the game's great players and individual cards can be had at a very affordable price. This card set me back about $20.

Not bad for a card of the game's greatest.

1957 Topps Roy Campanella

2009-09-10T01:22:00.001-07:00

I was pretty excited to open the mailbox the other day.

It was a long holiday weekend and I had a feeling there would be at least one package waiting for me. I was lucky, there were three.

In one was this 1957 Topps Roy Campanella that I had purchased on eBay only a few days earlier. I was expecting this card to arrive later in the week.

But there it was. A beautiful card to say the least.

This is the first card of Campanella in my collection.

It was listed on eBay as being in poor condition and the price was right so I went for it. When I opened up the package I looked at my new card and it looked to be in much better condition than poor.

But upon further review, the card showed its true colors – or should I say folds.

If you look close enough you will see the massive crease that runs across the card. It's kind of hard to see because it's hidden by the base path in the background. But believe me, it's there.

Still, not a bad example of a poor old baseball card.

1940 Play Ball Gabby Street

2009-09-05T01:01:00.001-07:00

From the card's back:

A good catcher in his heyday as a player. Gabby Street will always be remembered as the battery mate of the immortal Walter Johnson. Gabby was also manager of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1930, until July 1933, winning pennants in the first two years, and the World Championship as well in the second. He caught a ball thrown from the top of the Washington Monument in 1908, a remarkable feat. Gabby also managed the St. Louis Browns in 1938. Today, he is doing baseball broadcasting in St. Louis.

Cool!

1954 Topps Ted Kluszewski

2009-09-03T22:41:00.001-07:00

I'll be honest. As far as I'm concerned Topps finished third when it came to baseball card design in 1954.

It's not that Topps' design is all that bad, it's more about Red Heart and Dan Dee's design being better.

For small issues, Red Heart (dog food) and Dan Dee (potato chips) made some sweet-looking cards.

The other problem for Topps in 1954 is that it was missing more than a few stars in its set including: Stan Musial, Bob Feller, Robin Roberts, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese and arguably the most popular player of all – Mickey Mantle.

I know some of you out there disagree.

Some may think that this is one of Topps' better designs. 1952 is far and away the best and 1957 and 1964 are two of my favorites.

While I can't argue that the effort in 1954 may have been in the top-10 overall for Topps, I just think Red Heart and Dan Dee are better.

1964 Topps Harmon Killebrew

2009-08-29T00:19:00.000-07:00

The top-10 things you can get for $2:

10. Two tickets and a chance to win California's Mega Millions jackpot. Someone's gotta win!

9. A McChicken sandwich and fries from McDonald's. I was going to say a McDouble and fries but I had never heard of it.

8. About three-quarters (give or take) of a tank of gas.

7. One of those packaged sandwiches from the vending machine at work. Sometimes that's all you have time for.

6. Half a hot dog from the ballpark. Well, you can't really buy a half of a hot dog but I think you know what I mean.

5. A half-gallon of milk. At least according to the ad I got in the mail this week.

4. A fish taco from Rubio's. It's a San Diego thing.

3. Four postage stamps.

2. Two items from the dollar store. From toothpaste to detergent to USB cords, that place has everything.

1. This 1964 Topps baseball card of Harmon Killebrew.

1967 Topps Bob Gibson

2009-08-26T22:30:00.001-07:00

Remember when you would open up a wax pack and there would either be a piece of gum stuck to a card or gum residue caked on the card's surface?

Well, there must have been a case of gum next to this card. It's a mess!

If I didn't know any better, I would wonder if it were mold growing on the card. But since I've had the card a while now and it hasn't grown any fuzz, I think it's old gum residue.

Come to think of it – it could be orange juice. Maybe it's the dripping of an ice cream or the remnants of a Snickers bar.

Any thoughts?

1933 Goudey Floyd (Babe) Herman

2009-08-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

For about a year and a half now, I've posted pieces of my baseball card collection.

I posted a T206 Walter Johnson with burn marks. I posted a T206 Johnny Evers that was supposedly damaged in Hurricane Katrina. Then there was the 1957 Topps Duke Snider that was practically torn in half and the 1971 Thurman Munson that was graded 5 of 100.

But as far as poor old baseball cards go, this 1933 Goudey Babe Herman may be the best (worst) of them all.

I cannot begin to describe this card's flaws.

Let's just say being run over by a truck would be a bit flattering.

1976 Kellogg's Carl Yastrzemski

2009-08-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

As a kid growing up in the 1970s, a new box of Frosted Flakes in the morning also meant a surprise — a baseball card.

This beauty from 1976 has long lost its 3-D effect, but it still has super-bright color. A nice substitute for the Topps set.

It was sets like Kellogg's and Hostess that brought variety to my baseball card world. Those were the choices back then. No Upper Deck, Fleer, Donruss – or any of the other number of sets available beginning in the mid-1980s.

One thing I remember about these cards it that they had a tendency to curl. I've heard it referred to as the "Kellogg's Curl."

The other thing I remember is that I would never get great players like Yastrzemski in my box of cereal. For some reason I remember getting the likes of Burt Hooten.

1961 Fleer Lou Gehrig

2009-08-13T01:39:00.000-07:00

About two years ago I had a chance to buy a 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig.

I forget the asking price but it was less than I thought and I remember thinking to myself: "I can do this."

But I didn't.

So up until a few days ago I was Gehrig-free. Then I saw this card on eBay. Sure it's not from his playing days but it's a sweet card. It really is.

I think the 1961 Fleer set is underrated and definitely under-appreciated. It's simple design is really classic.

And if you are looking for a card of Lou Gehrig or Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb or Honus Wagner you may want to consider the 1961 Fleer set. Plus, you won't have to take out a loan from your local bank to get it.

I wonder what it was like for a kid in 1961 to pull a Lou Gehrig from the pack.

Did anyone ever utter the words, "I'll trade you my Babe Ruth for your Lou Gehrig and Mel Ott?"

Anyone out there remember collecting this set? I'd like to hear from you.

1911 T201 Mecca Double Folder Fred Clarke / R. Byrne

2009-08-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

This cards is downright cool.

Distributed in packs of cigarettes in 1911, this issue includes two players.

The full panel is of Hall of Famer Fred Clarke. Clarke was a player/manager for four Pittsburgh pennants. He was also a teammate of Honus Wagner.

On the other side of the card is Robert Byrne, Clarke's third baseman.

When you fold the card in half, Byrne's body overlaps Clarke's and the combination of Byrne's top and Clarke's bottom produces its own image.

Pretty smart if you ask me.

1966 Topps Ed Mathews

2009-08-07T01:42:00.001-07:00

No, this is not an early look at the 2010 Upper Deck baseball card design.

In fact, this is Topps' solution to the Braves moving from Milwaukee to Atlanta. It appears that Topps didn't have a photo of Mathews in an Atlanta hat so they decided to just airbrush the old "M" off his cap.

When I first saw this card I thought a kid took an eraser to it. But as I looked closer I realized that Topps did the erasing for him.

It's too bad because it looks ridiculous. I would rather have had him in the Milwaukee cap. I think that if I were a kid in 1966 I would have been able to figure it out.

At the very least this card gives us an idea of how difficult it will be for Upper Deck to make cards of major leaguers without using team logos. Since the company lost its license to use the logos yesterday, it will have to get awfully creative in its design to satisfy today's baseball card buyer.

WANT TO TRADE? 1975 Topps Reggie Jackson

2009-08-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

I'll trade you this poor old baseball card for yours.

Do you have a baseball card that has been run over by a truck? How about chewed up by the dog? Maybe it was used to start up the grill or dropped in the pool?

You get the picture.

Here's your chance to get rid of that old card you are embarrassed to own. You know, the one you were going to just toss because it was never going to be worth anything.

If you want to trade for this 1975 Topps Reggie Jackson, please comment on this link with your offer and e-mail a photo of the card to pooroldbaseballcards@gmail.com. I'll choose the best deal and if and when the trade is completed I will blog about the transaction and post the new (old) card.

It doesn't have to be a Hall-of-Famer but it does have to be a poor old baseball card.

The poorer the better.

1954 Red Heart Cards 21 down, 13 to go

2009-08-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

So as many of you may know, I am trying to complete the 1954 Red Heart set. You can follow my progress at redheartcards.com.

It's a few weeks shy of a year since I posted my first Red Heart on the site. And with only 33 total cards I figured I would have finished the set off in less than a year.

I was able to get the two tough cards out of the way fairly quickly. The Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial were not cheap. I didn't expect them to be. So now all I had to do was find the easy ones, right?

Wrong. They're not so easy to find after all. Especially at a reasonable price.

I purchase four new cards over the weekend and now have 21 of the cards in hand. I'm getting there, only 12 more to go.

1965 Topps Bob Gibson Embossed Insert

2009-07-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

I wasn't around in 1965 so I cannot speak to this card from personal experience but I understand it was part of a set offered as an insert to the regular-issue Topps set.

So basically, when you opened up your pack of cards, one of these embossed beauties was randomly inserted. Did you also get the stick of gum? I guess. I'm really not sure.

By the time I was seriously collecting cards, all I ever got was that stale piece of gum. But that didn't stop me from chomping on it.

I know Topps experimented with several different inserts including posters and I think coins.

This is where I need your help. Do you have a favorite Topps insert? Was was it and from what year?

And someone please answer the question: Was the piece of gum included?

1948 Leaf Joe Gordon

2009-07-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

It's been about a month now that I walked into my local baseball card shop and bought about a dozen 1948 Leaf baseball cards.

Each card seemed to be in worse condition than the next but that was alright with me. The highlight of the lot was a Lou Boudreau that I paid about $15 for.

At least that's what I thought was the highlight.

While looking through the group of cards about a week ago I found this Joe Gordon. It was $5.

Not bad for a card of a man that was elected into Baseball's Hall of Fame earlier today.

When you pick up your newspapers in the morning you will probably read a bunch about Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice. I bet there will be no more than a few paragraphs on good ol' Joe.

From what I know, This is the only card produced of Gordon during his playing days. There may be a few regional-type issues of Gordon but as far as widely-produced cards go, that is if you can call the 1948 Leaf widely produced, this may be the only card ever made for Gordon.

A highlight of a card if you ask me.

1955 Bowman Willie Mays

2009-07-25T01:05:00.001-07:00

I've had televisions on my mind for the past couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago, I called the repairman out to take a look at my 42-inch rear projection HDTV because it was having convergence issues (the colors were not aligning). Since the set was still under the extended warranty, I didn't care how many times the guy would have to come out, I just wanted it fixed.

Well, he tried.

But before leaving for the final time he uttered those words I was longing to hear, "I'm going to have to declare this TV unrepairable."

In other words, the warranty company is sending me a new one!

The set finally arrived on Thursday: A Panasonic, 42-inch plasma HDTV. It's beautiful.

Which brings me back to 1955.

Bowman decided to include the new technology of the color TV in their design that year.

This example features, in my opinion, the second-greatest player ever in Willie Mays. It includes a great photo of a young Mays in his New York Giants uniform.

I wonder what Mays would look like today in high definition?

1909 E90-1 American Caramel Lumley, Mullin, Leach, Dooin

2009-07-21T00:57:00.000-07:00

So I was surfing the Internet a little more than a week ago and found myself gravitating to eBay.

And what was I looking for? Poor old baseball cards.

I quickly found these four 100-year-old cards with a best offer options. After my first offers were quickly denied, my second tries were accepted the next morning. I wonder if me buying all four cards helped.

All four came out to $35.

I think that's a pretty good deal considering ther age and the fact that these are not your run-of-the-mill cards.

When it comes to these old cards It really doesn't matter who the player is. I know I'm not going to find a Hall-of-Famer for less than $10. So part of the thrill is finding out about the player. And boy was I lucky.

Harry Lumley: In 1904, his rookie year, he led the league with 18 triples and nine home runs.

George Mullin: 29 wins in 1909 led the league; pitched the first no-hitter for the Detroit Tigers (1912).

Tommy Leach: The 1902 NL home run champ, he had six - all inside the park.

Red Dooin: Was a player-manager for the Phillies from 1910-1914.

1949 Bowman Harry Walker

2009-07-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

The back of this card says it all:

"Nervous fidgeting with baseball cap earned him his nickname. Began in majors with Cards, then was traded to Phils in 1947. At end of 1948 went to Chicago Cubs. Led NL in hitting while playing with more than one club during same season. In three World Series and on two All-Star teams."

No need to know on base percentage, slugging percentage, stolen bases or doubles. All you need to know is that Walker had one of the best nicknames in the game and that he was a pretty doggone good ballplayer.

Sometimes simple is better.

1934 Goudey Hal Trosky

2009-07-11T01:35:00.000-07:00

I know the 1933 Goudey set is a classic among baseball card purists, but in my opinion the 1934 edition may be even nicer.

Not only do you get the quality and bright colors of the 1933 set, you also get a nice little portrait of Lou Gehrig or in a few cases Chuck Klein.

The card's back also includes the thoughts of Gehrig, or Klein, about the player depicted.

As for Hal Trosky, he was a pretty good player.

He had a few monster seasons including 1934 when he hit .330 with 35 homers with 142 RBI. In 1936 he had his best season while batting .343 with 42 homers and 162 RBI.

Trosky finished his career with 228 homers and 1,012 RBI. Not bad.

1970 Topps Reggie Jackson

2009-07-09T01:50:00.001-07:00

I get a few baseball card catalogs in the mail every so often and one thing I have noticed lately is the price of Reggie Jackson Cards.

With the exception of his 1969 rookie, most all Jackson cards are quite affordable.

While I did not get this second-year card through a catalog, I did pick it up for under $5.

I consider Reggie Jackson to be on of the game's true stars. But the price of his cards seem to reflect that of a middle-tier Hall-of-Famer rather than the icon I believe he is.

I'm not sure why. After all, he was a Yankee.

But that's okay with me if it means I can grab a few of this man's cards for less than the price of lunch.

1975 Topps Robin Yount

2009-07-07T01:23:00.001-07:00

One of the coolest things about having an iPhone is being able to easily check my various e-mail accounts.

So about two weeks ago, between all those nagging messages from Nigerian businessmen, I got a note titled Yount rookie card. It was from Dave R. and it read: Saw this posting on eBay and thought it might be up your alley.

So sure enough there it was, this 1975 Topps Robin Yount rookie in terrible shape. It had a starting bid of $3.99 with free shipping.

I was the only bidder.

So thanks to Dave R. for the heads-up on this great card.

If anyone out there sees a poor old baseball card that you think fits this blog please drop me a line at pooroldbaseballcards@gmail.com. The poorer the better.

You may see it on this blog in the near future.

1962 Topps Bob Clemente

2009-07-06T02:21:00.000-07:00

If you are a serious vintage baseball card collector you should have a few basics, including original cards of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn, Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams among others.

And you definitely need a card of Roberto Clemente.

Cards of Clemente are not cheap, but if you look hard enough, you can find one for under $20. This 1962 example cost me $25.

But you don't have to be a vintage collector to appreciate Clemente. If you are a parent, consider getting your child a baseball card of Roberto Clemente instead of that video game that will be relegated to the back of the sock drawer in a few months.

Get your child a card of the Pittsburgh Pirate great and tell them about his humanitarian efforts. Tell them about how he was elected into the Hall-of-Fame after an untimely death flying goods to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Tell them how he ended his career with exactly 3,000 hits. Tell them about his 12 Gold Gloves and 12 All-Star selections.

They will eventually forget about that video game, but they will always remember the time you bought them that baseball card of one of the game's greatest.

1958 Topps Ed Mathews

2009-07-05T00:39:00.000-07:00

If this baseball card were a movie, I would name it, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

The Good: Ed Mathews was beyond a good baseball player. He was actually a great one. He hit 512 homers and was a nine-time All-Star selection. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. A couple of interesting things about Mathews: 1) He played for the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, the only player to do so. 2) He was the manager of the Braves when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run. 3) He appeared on the first cover of Sports Illustrated.

The bad: The condition of this card is pretty bad. It has lots of creases and the corners are basically gone.

The Ugly: That shade of green is ugly. I'm sorry but there is no better word to describe it.

1967 Topps Pete Rose

2009-07-04T02:44:00.000-07:00

A closer look at this 1967 Topps Pete Rose should give you a good idea as to why it was posted.

It has plenty of creases, paper loss, a little marker pen, what appears to be paint and what I can only determine is glue.

Yet, it is one of the nicest examples of a card of the all-time hits leader.

The back of this card is a bit foretelling.

It reads, in part: "The way Pete is blasting the ball, he is sure to set many club records before hanging up his cleats."

1962 Topps Duke Snider

2009-06-22T22:51:00.000-07:00

Duke Snider was only a part-time player for the Dodgers in 1962. He played in 80 games that year and hit five homers.

But after the season ended he was in fact traded to the New York Mets. That must be when this card's owner marked the transaction on the card.

For some reason or another, there are a lot of poor-condition cards of Snider out there.

Before starting this blog over a year ago, I owned no Snider cards. I now own three. This 1962 Topps, a 1959 Topps and a 1957 Topps – all in pretty-bad shape.

With a little searching on eBay, I can probably find an Ex condition version of this card for about $20.

But I'll take this poor condition card any day. Complete with a kid's scribbles.

1953 Topps Warren Spahn

2009-06-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

Warren Spahn was a 12-time, 20-game winner in the Majors – 1953 being no exception.

In '53, Spahn went 23-7 with a 2.01 ERA. It was the first year for the Braves in Milwaukee. Yet Spahn is wearing his Boston hat in this card.

At least Topps didn't Photoshop his cap – of wait, there was no Photoshop in 1953.

I got a chance to see Spahn about a year before his death. I was in Cooperstown during induction week. He was across the street sitting at a table signing autographs. He was frail and old – unlike the young man in his prime pictured in this card.

I didn't matter, I will always cherish the fact that I once saw, with my own eyes, the greatest lefthander to pitch in the Majors.

1972 Topps Reggie Jackson

2009-06-16T23:41:00.001-07:00

About a week ago I had the urge to go to a local baseball card shop and look around. I figured I might be able to find a few cards I can post on the old blog.

When I walked into the store I explained to the owner that I was looking for poor old baseball cards. I said that I would prefer star players but any old cards would do.

This is usually where the owner looks at me a bit funny and offers to show me a small box of overpriced star players from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

But this store was a bit different. The owner immediately pulled out three boxes of Hall-of-Famers and stars to look through. And each card was in worse condition than the next.

It was heaven. You know that saying about being a kid in a candy store? Well, I was Charlie and this was my Chocolate Factory.

Among the cards I went home with were: two 1971 Thurman Munsons, a 1958 Eddie Matthews, a 1962 Duke Snider, nine 1948 Leafs and this 1972 Reggie Jackson.

By the way, Reggie was $1.

Boy, I am looking forward to the next time I have a sweet tooth.

E90-1 American Caramel Jack Barry

2009-06-14T22:56:00.001-07:00

Jack Barry was the shortstop in Connie Mack's $100,000 infield.

He — along with Stuffy McInnis at first, Eddie Collins at second and Frank Baker at third – were the highest paid teammates of their day.

They were kind of like today's New York Yankees infield except Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira make more like $75 million.

The investment seems to have paid off for the Philadelphia Athletics with World Series championships in 1910, 1911 and 1913. All-in-all, Barry played on seven American League pennant winners in his 11-year career.

After his playing days in the Majors were over, Barry had a distinguished career as the baseball coach at Holy Cross.

He served as coach for 40 years compiling a 616-150-6 career record.