Enough Negativity: Post Something Fun!

[Exhibitman]

This place has been as amusing as a morticians' convention lately. Let's get back to fun with this thing of ours. Post something you haven't shown before that makes you smile.

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/miscellaneous4/websize/1957%20Williams_%20Ted%20blank%20back.jpg

"In 1955, there were 77,263,127 male American human beings. And every one of them in his heart of hearts would have given two arms, a leg and his collection of Davy Crockett iron-ons to be Teddy Ballgame."

[gnaz01]

Ruth Wrapper

[begsu1013]

http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/26029/20215298/37jonesA.jpg

and oldest living hof:

http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/26029/24669278/38doerr2.5psadna.jpg

[Runscott]

I brought the popcorn!!!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/14/1d/8f/141d8f5bac538926fc11788918e3ad39.jpg


...

[Leon]

.




("." an empty message won't post)

[z28jd]

I decided to collect the 1951 Bowman Pirates team set, only to make three multi-card purchases and get it over with in less than two weeks(which I'm even including the shipping time to get to me).

I actually started it because I wanted something cheap to collect, which would be easy to finish, but I planned to buy 1-2 at a time so it was fun. It spiraled downhill quickly when I saw a bunch of them for sale 30% off on Ebay and my brother asked me what I wanted for Christmas while I was looking at them. He bought nine of them, then I went back to the sale for six more. Got the rest about a week later.

I at least had the right idea, I probably just needed something a little more expensive, or a bigger set

[bbcard1]

I have not posted this in a pickup thread yet, but it's my happy story of 2016 so far as sportscards go.

When I was a boy back in 1978, I bought a set of 100 Grand Slam baseball cards. They came with an address list and you would write the players, all of whom had agreed to sign the cards. I probably did about 60 of them before I discovered girls, but I got DiMaggio, Musial, Joe Wood, Rube Marquard and tons of other good names.

Last year I was reorganizing my collection and found them. My first though was that it would be fun to complete the set, but I was missing several that were very difficult. I also discovered that a second set of 100 had been issued.

Anyway, I poked around and found a seller of some of them so we corresponded. As there was a decent amount of money involved and autographs are often forged, I decided to do some googling on the seller.

Turned out it was Jack Wallin, former Donruss photographer and original publisher of the set. We have worked out a deal and i will soon have a complete autographed set of 200 in its glorious black and white graininess (including the Walberg and McQuinn, both of whom died shortly after the set came back from the printer) and a reconnection to the days I sat in my room in Dickson, WV, writing letters to baseball legends.

While the set is cool, I have also enjoyed getting to know Jack very much. He has great stories about the players he had photographed and his travels. I suspect we will remain friends for a long time.

Did I pay a little more than I could have? I'll never know. But I am sure that I feel like I got a great value in the friendship I gained through the negotiations.

In our search to acquire small pieces of cardboard, it is often lost that we are also collecting friendships and connections with other collectors. Maybe that's the point.

[ALR-bishop]

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img034.jpg

[dclarkraiders]

A game at Camden Yards puts a smile on my face.

[gregr2]

I bought my 2016 MLB Spring Training tickets the other day. We live on the east coast of Florida so we have the Nationals about 10 minutes away and the Mets about 45 minutes south and we usually go see them. This year I talked my wife into a 3 day weekend on the west coast. We got a hotel in Tampa and on 18 March we're going Orioles vs Yankees, 19 March Phillies vs Toronto and 20 March Tigers vs Braves. My wife is not a baseball fan at all but she is sweet enough to go with me and hang out, as long as I buy her a beer and a pretzel!!

[Runscott]

The only card I saved from my childhood collection:

[brianp-beme]

Until I got the magnifying glass out, I thought I had the world's only T213-2 Coupon of Mike Donlin with a caption reading ".200 hitter 7 years".

Brian

[brian1961]

ADAM, RARELY HAS THERE BEEN SUCH A GOOD SUGGESTION AS YOURS. NOT THAT I'M STICKING MY HEAD IN THE SAND, BUT TRYING TO KEEP OUR HOBBY ON AN EVEN KEEL IS REALLY COMMENDABLE AT THIS MOMENT.

I DON'T HAVE A PHOTO, BUT I HAVE A REASONABLY SHORT YARN TO SHARE.

BACK IN 1981, I WAS IN A MAJOR TRANSITION IN LIFE. I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE COUNTRY TO WORK TOWARDS MY MASTER'S DEGREE. A VERY NICE FAMILY FROM OUR CHURCH HOUSED ME FOR A FEW WEEKS' TIME. ANYWAY, THEY HAD A SON WHO ENJOYED BASEBALL AND COLLECTING CARDS. A REALLY NICE, POLITE, QUIET GUY, HE. I WAS PARING DOWN MY STUFF AND DECIDED TO GIVE HIM A PORTION OF MY CARD COLLECTION. I GAVE HIM SOME OFF-CONDITION STARS LIKE 1960 TOPPS MICKEY MANTLE AND 61 MARIS, AMONG OTHERS. I REALLY TRIED TO INCLUDE CARDS I THOUGHT HE'D GET A BIG KICK OUT OF. I REMEMBER HE REALLY LOVED THE CARDS, AND WAS THRILLED BY ALL THE STARS I INCLUDED.

THIS FAMILY WAS VERY SWELL TO ME AT A CRUCIAL TIME OF NEED. SADLY, A FEW YEARS LATER, THE WIFE DIED OF A SUDDEN ILLNESS. NOT THAT THOSE CARDS WOULD BRING ANY REAL COMFORT, BUT I WAS GLAD I HAD DONE AT LEAST SOMETHING FOR THE FAMILY AT THE TIME I WAS WITH THEM.

GIVING CARDS AWAY IS NOT SOMETHING I'VE DONE VERY MUCH, BUT AM GLAD I MADE THE DECISION THEN. --Brian Powell

[baseball tourist]

Makes me smile every time I see this.

My daughter Millie at 4 months with her Jays hat and "jersey/onesie" this past season.

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q612/Jays9293/Mobile%20Uploads/E2149BD2-06BF-424A-8C9D-083251FDAC5A_zpssi7uazxn.jpg (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/Jays9293/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E2149BD2-06BF-424A-8C9D-083251FDAC5A_zpssi7uazxn.jpg.html)

[Neal]

219983

[mark evans]

I bought my 2016 MLB Spring Training tickets the other day. We live on the east coast of Florida so we have the Nationals about 10 minutes away and the Mets about 45 minutes south and we usually go see them. This year I talked my wife into a 3 day weekend on the west coast. We got a hotel in Tampa and on 18 March we're going Orioles vs Yankees, 19 March Phillies vs Toronto and 20 March Tigers vs Braves. My wife is not a baseball fan at all but she is sweet enough to go with me and hang out, as long as I buy her a beer and a pretzel!!

Lucky guy. My wife is an avid fan but, although I share season tix to the Nats, she limits her watching to the living room couch.

[scooter729]

I took part last year in the Red Sox fantasy camp, which was a fantastic experience. A great aspect of it was getting to play a game on the field at Fenway, which was super cool.

The extra special part of it was that my baseball-loving son turned 3 that day, and he got to celebrate by running around and playing catch and hitting with me on the field at Fenway. It's now 8 months later, and he doesn't remember too many things from that long ago, but he frequently talks about the day he got to play baseball at Fenway Park for his 3rd birthday. This picture is a special one for me, and fits the topic better than any card I own.

[gregr2]

Lucky guy. My wife is an avid fan but, although I share season tix to the Nats, she limits her watching to the living room couch.
Funny thing is my wife won't watch a game on TV, only at a stadium.

[Laxcat]

Two Turkeys in a car. And they aren't my brother & me. This postcard makes me smile.

[ullmandds]

ty is fun

[RichardSimon]

Funniest guy ever.

[pete zouras]

<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/zouraspm/media/zouraspm053/cobb1_zpsqcykxisv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/zouraspm/zouraspm053/cobb1_zpsqcykxisv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo cobb1_zpsqcykxisv.jpg"/></a>

[sycks22]

Here's my favorite little softball player who is 5 months old tomorrow

[tjb1952tjb]

I took part last year in the Red Sox fantasy camp, which was a fantastic experience. A great aspect of it was getting to play a game on the field at Fenway, which was super cool.

The extra special part of it was that my baseball-loving son turned 3 that day, and he got to celebrate by running around and playing catch and hitting with me on the field at Fenway. It's now 8 months later, and he doesn't remember too many things from that long ago, but he frequently talks about the day he got to play baseball at Fenway Park for his 3rd birthday. This picture is a special one for me, and fits the topic better than any card I own.

Your son will treasure this "Fenway photo with dad" forever. GREAT photo!!

[scooter729]

Your son will treasure this "Fenway photo with dad" forever. GREAT photo!!

Thanks Tim - appreciate it!

I took him to a couple of Sox games later in the year after that day, and had to try and explain to him why Dad wasn't out on the field playing in those games. Hopefully he'll be out there playing for real some day!

[tedzan]

I thank GOD that I was born in time to see some of the greatest baseball and baseball players during the 1940's and 1950's.

And, what is presently nice about being my age is that my memory of those years is very clear in my mind.



http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt113/zanted86/aaadimaggio.jpg



TED Z
.

[pokerplyr80]

This picture made me smile. Half way to a t206 Cobb run.

[almostdone]

Only original Graig Kreindler I'll ever have the pleasure of owning. (If you don't know who that is 1. Shame on you and 2. Check out his ongoing thread in the memorabilia section.)
Drew

[ValKehl]

Greg, the difference between my wife and yours is that my wife likes to go to (Nats) games, but I still have buy her a giant pretzel and beer. In fact she is often more enthused to go to games than I am - one big reason being that it is a pain in the butt to get to Nationals Park from the distant VA suburb of DC where we live. So, like Mark's wife, I'm quite happy to watch the games on TV (and save the $$ to purchase baseball cards)! But, we've just come down to FL (Sebastian-Vero Beach area) for 2 months, so we'll be going to see some Nats games at Viera and other locations.
Val

[DaClyde]

People think it odd that I collect Hensley Meulens. Now he's a Hall of Famer!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ETnrtW9WNUE/VrGZMS4CKTI/AAAAAAADfRI/SVbSP54aIeE/s800-Ic42/bambamhof.JPG

[jerrys]

220034

[KCRfan1]

Great thread Adam! I have enjoyed looking at the cards everyone has posted, comments about their wives, pictures of the kids, and their memories of years ago collecting cards or great experiences involving cards.

[iwantitiwinit]

The only card I saved from my childhood collection:

Great choice, one of my favorite cards growing up as well as one of my favorite players.

[53Browns]

Me in front of the little corner store (no longer there) where I bought my first pack of baseball cards and then diligently put together a 1982 Topps set by hand.

[bocca001]

Here's a card from my early days that always makes me laugh.

[Exhibitman]

Good responses, all; keep it going.

My first vintage card. I've had it since I was under 10 years old:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/1952%20Topps%20Dropo.jpg

Hey, let's give up other successful careers and go into boxing:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/Brownqus%20Gastineau%20Rourke.jpg


Chairman: Item six on the agenda, the Meaning of Life. Now Harry, you’ve had some thoughts on this.
Harry: That’s right, yeah. I’ve had a team working on this over the past few weeks, and what we’ve come up with can be reduced to two fundamental concepts. One, people are not wearing enough hats. Two, matter is energy. In the Universe there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person’s soul. However, this soul does not exist ab initio as orthodox Christianity teaches; it has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved owing to man’s unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia.
[Pause.]
Max: What was that about hats again?

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/Adam%20Hats%20Gomez%202.jpg

[TheBig6]

http://photos.imageevent.com/ruckers/1930scards/websize/hornsby.jpg

[SAllen2556]

Posted this before but I think it captures the essence of the thread better than anything

http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz32/sallen2556/DetroitNews_zpsed686ba4.jpg

[ALR-bishop]

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/Istanbul050.jpg

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/Istanbul170.jpg

[arcadekrazy]

Good ole Al looks like he's having some fun

[Rich Klein]

URL="http://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/1989/O-Pee-Chee/327/Dave_Henderson/1944652"]http://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/1989/O-Pee-Chee/327/Dave-Henderson.jpg?id=728181b0-42b7-46f8-8827-7ece1b9afe75&size=original[/URL]
1989 O-Pee-Chee #327 - Dave Henderson
Courtesy of COMC.com (http://www.comc.com)


But he's smiling on almost every card. And more of us need to remember

1) It's only cardboard

2) It's only a game

Rich

[53Browns]

I agree with you Scott, that pic of the boy with the baseball cards in 1955 captured the heart of this thread like no other! - IMHO. :D

[Bob Lemke]

Two of my favorite things . . .

1950s baseball and Yuengling

220080

[cool-vintage]

The Royals won the World Series, and I was able to attend an ALCS and an ALDS game.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l614/cool-vintage/baseball_zpsg4ooglvw.jpg (http://s1126.photobucket.com/user/cool-vintage/media/baseball_zpsg4ooglvw.jpg.html)



Something else that always will put a smile on my face is this card.
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l614/cool-vintage/9c132685-6eea-4fbc-b5b3-b7b900d532b0_zps58addea1.jpg (http://s1126.photobucket.com/user/cool-vintage/media/9c132685-6eea-4fbc-b5b3-b7b900d532b0_zps58addea1.jpg.html)

[ALR-bishop]

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img046.jpg

[tschock]

Does this look like fun?

[djrhanover]

Taylor, that photo is just outstanding!

[jason.1969]

Went to a show in college around 1990 and saw these two Life mags for sale. Couldn't even come close to affording them back then.

Imagined someday being successful enough to buy them for my office. Looking at them when I get to work does more for me than coffee.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160204/35077e926813d78ca0f0016d4f389f29.jpg

[curch]

My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU

[4815162342]

My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!



https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU


Wow, that's awesome!

[midmo]

One of my favorite pics in my office...

http://www.collectingbrooklyn.com/net54/ebbetsfood.jpg

[Rickyy]

In the honor of the original thread starter.... some Exhibits...

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i249/ricardoyo/26%20Lazzeri%20Lindstrom%20and%20Terry_zpshtbo0ysq .jpg

Ricky Y

[brianp-beme]

Sweater Boy don't cotton to any of y'allses frivolities:(

Brian

[curch]

Wow, that's awesome!

Thanks!

[Leon]

Very Very professional. Congrats.....


My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU

[ramram]

My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU

Did you ever find that Bo Jackson head?

[Paul S]

...Which I attended with my Dad...and got Jackie!!

Some info:
https://www.sportsnetla.com/articles/2015/03/28/this-day-in-history-3-28-70-dodger-stadium-hosts-mlk-memorial-march-28-2015.html



How I pulled it off:
My father and I were at field level. Jackie was introduced by the stadium announcer before the game to rousing applause. He was two sections over from me'. Once the game started I went up my aisle and over to his but the usher wouldn't let me down to get to his seat. I went back to my seat, thought a moment, and then cut across the section of seats in a straight line. Most people were nice and not terribly annoyed as I stepped on their feet and explained my mission. Then, there I was, standing right next to his aisle seat with pen and program. "Excuse me Mr. Robinson, can I have your autograph?" He looked up at me, signed it, and said not a word. Up I went back to the top of his aisle, past that mean ol' usher and back to my seat.

[ullmandds]

...Which I attended with my Dad...and got Jackie!!

Some info:
https://www.sportsnetla.com/articles/2015/03/28/this-day-in-history-3-28-70-dodger-stadium-hosts-mlk-memorial-march-28-2015.html



How I pulled it off:
My father and I were at field level. Jackie was introduced by the stadium announcer before the game to rousing applause. He was two sections over from me'. Once the game started I went up my aisle and over to his but the usher wouldn't let me down to get to his seat. I went back to my seat, thought a moment, and then cut across the section of seats in a straight line. Most people were nice and not terribly annoyed as I stepped on their feet and explained my mission. Then, there I was, standing right next to his aisle seat with pen and program. "Excuse me Mr. Robinson, can I have your autograph?" He looked up at me, signed it, and said not a word. Up I went back to the top of his aisle, past that mean ol' usher and back to my seat.

thats awesome!!!!

[sycks22]

My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU

Great video, I remember collecting those as a kid. Never realized they had punters

[Paul S]

thats awesome!!!!

I was young and brazen then. I don't think I'd have the guts to do it again were I my current age back then.

[t206hound]

My little guy...
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160204/c6c7e3fd481ae27c7697a06f183e1e37.jpg

[curch]

Very Very professional. Congrats.....
Thank you! It was a very memorable experience!

Did you ever find that Bo Jackson head?

Never found it. I really don't think it will ever happen. But always gives me something to look for :)

Great video, I remember collecting those as a kid. Never realized they had punters

Only one punter made......for obvious reasons :)

[jason.1969]

My 15 minutes of fame on NFL films presents with my starting lineups!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os4e_u3yBvU

That was super cool! I remember there was a particular figure you mentioned that was the rarest of all. Who was that, and what was the story there?

[curch]

Thanks for watching! Bill Fralic is one of the hardest to find and most sought after Starting Lineup. Reason being is that back when Starting Lineup was released, many figures were only disributated regionally. The 1988 Falcons were not the greatest of teams. So, when it was time to released the 1989 lineup, the Folcons only had 3 players. Chris Miller, John Settle and Bill Fralic. These did not sell well and were only released in the southeast. Sometimes you might see a case wonder to a different part of the country, but rarely happened. Anyway, they didn't sell well and were either sent back to Kenner to be destroyed or just thrown away. Now the 89 Falcons is a very nice, colorful set. Red jersey and helmet, they look great. On top of that the Bill Fralic is in a very popular amungst collectors linemen pose. To make matters even more desirable, the linemen or defensive players were always short packed per case. Now the regional cases were a 24 count case. The assortment is still not know, but rumor has it that Kenner just released cases with the 88 Falcons mixed in. Who knows.

[Exhibitman]

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/miscellaneous5/websize/1959%20Jays%20Maris.jpg

[Tabe]

Last summer, Steve Garvey was in Spokane for the retirement of his jersey. He was advertised as being there for one night but actually showed up to the game the night before. I saw him standing by himself after the game and got a photo with him. Got it printed and brought it back the next night to have it autographed (the pic below).

The rest of the story is that I brought my friend to that second game. He was a HUGE Garvey fan as a kid in Spokane. He mailed Garvey a letter and actually got a response. He's kept that letter all these years and brought it with him to the game to show to Steve. Garvey was THRILLED to see it and you could tell it really made his night seeing it. Both nights, Mr. Garvey could not have been nicer or more pleasant. He was happy to talk to us, sign autographs, take pictures, whatever the heck we wanted. My friend, obviously, was ecstatic over how it all went down.

http://s94991397.onlinehome.us/garvey-smaller.jpg

[irv]

My son's first "A" Championship Hockey Trophy! I was the assistant coach so this was a big win for me as well:)

This is also him, playing a game of Shinny with one of his favorite hockey players; Andrew Shaw from the Chicago Black Hawks.

[Head928]

Get them started early...

[Bob Lemke]

I've put this up a time or two over the years.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r234/goldflamedpt/Custom%20Card%20Creations%201955%20style/Baseball%20Card%20Creations/frank_11.jpg

[mybuddyinc]

Bob,

Now that is a classic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


My brother's Bull Terrier, after spending an evening at my niece's Halloween party:

220282

[Bliggity]

Me, on a leisurely hike today.

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah316/dmblau/Mobile%20Uploads/20160205_143528_zpsqvsbm2zr.jpg

[coolshemp]

You could be a famous silent movie comedian and have your name misspelled as "Seman" on your cigarette card issue! Larry Semon was a top comedian in the 1920's...
http://s15.postimg.org/vmlhctcon/um32124.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/vmlhctcon/)

[HRBAKER]

It's Super Bowl weekend!
Always enjoyed this shot of Lennie Dawson from halftime during SB1.
What me worry?

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s172/hrbaker/Decorated%20images/ilCNNLnlDYdEj_zps7xa5mtm4.jpg