1909 T206 Frank Bowerman (Graded)

If you follow this blog with any regularity you probably know that graded cards are not my thing. I think I own a total of five. The only other one I've written about is here.

I understand why people do it. But by encasing the card, you lose the ability to feel or smell the card. Just holding a 100-year-old piece of history has got to be worth something.

I get that grading keeps the card from deteriorating or gives its owner a universal way of displaying their collection. I also understand there are monetary reasons. But with poor old baseball cards, the practice seems absurd.

I don't need a grader to tell me this card is in poor condition. So why did I recently buy this card? It was an impulse buy. Yeah, I'll admit it.

Do I have second thoughts? Sure, but it's a great old card anyway. And who can stop me if one day Frank Bowerman is freed from his plastic case.

I'm thinking about it.

1948 Leaf Chief Petty Officer Al Evans

It's Memorial Day. And while we honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country, we should not forget those who have served.

Like many ballplayers of the 1940s, Al Evans interrupted his playing career to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Can you imagine a player today taking a break from a promising career in order to serve? It's almost unheard of.

Al Evans might not be a household name when it comes to our national pastime, but it's guys like him we should consider our real heroes.

1960 Topps Frank Howard

Love this card's design. In my opinion, the look of the 1960's rookie subset should have been used for Topps' regular cards. There are only a few players depicted with this design that I have even heard of. The big three: Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Kaat and Frank Howard.

 Howard was a big dude. At 6-foot-6 1/2, 245 lbs. he was an intimidating figure. No wonder he was nicknamed "The Washington Monument" while playing with the Senators.

Howard was also a pretty good player. He was a four-time All Star (68-71) and two-time home run champ (68, 70).

In 1960 he was named the National League Rookie of the Year.

But my memories of Frank Howard are from 1981. As a 12-year-old, Howard took over as manager of my hometown Padres. Do you have any memories of this great slugger?

1951 Bowman Duke Snider

I was pretty excited when this old card arrived in the mail a few days ago. It was purchased from eBay for a buy-it-now price of $20.

That might seem a bit much, but I was happy to pay it for this gem. And this 1951 Bowman really takes you back to what baseball cards were like before Topps came into the picture, in wide circulation, a year later.

Duke Snider was a major player of the 1950s. Some might argue he was a superstar. And when you have a blog called Poor Old Baseball Cards, that vertical crease doesn't hurt this card's appeal. Check out all those creases and the rounded corners. Beautiful. And what about those tape stains? They give this card even more character. There's no doubt this card was well loved.

To a kid in Brooklyn, pulling this must have been like winning the lottery.