Favorite pickup of 2018
 

I would have to say this is it for me but I would love to see everyone else’s.

From the memorabilia side, it's hard to top these 3. After 25+ years of collecting cigarette packs/boxes, each of these is a first for my collection.

Jeter Game Used Rookie Bat.

I have 2 but they are small....;);)

That Carrigan is neat, never seen it before.

My two faves
 

Really proud to add the following to the collection in 2018
1-Carl Yastrzemski 1973-75 gamer
2-Ted Williams 1961 post career coaches bat

You da man, Al!

1912 French magazine with a full color 11 x 14 supplement of Jim Thorpe.

https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...rpe-supplement

Thanks Clint it is a rare one....

I have had a fairly productive year adding to my collection of 1971 Pirates memorabilia. These two items were my most unusual and gratifying. For some reason the 1971 Rawlings Advisory staff photo is pretty rare. The scalloped silver platter is a presentational award for being named the 1971 Latin Player of the year.

Lois Stewart Vander Meer personal scrapbook from 1937-1943
 

I look forward to this thread every year because you get a chance to see some amazing pickups. Congrats to the other posters.
My favorite pickup from 2018 was certainly the personal scrapbook of Lois Vander Meer (Formerly Lois Stewart) that I was able to acquire in late April.
I never got around to posting this earlier in the year, but I figured I would save my "best of the best" for this thread.

The fact that this scrapbook even found it's way into my hands is a small miracle in of itself. My good friend, author Rob Skead of johnnyvandermeer.com called me to let me know that the personal scrapbook of Lois Stewart, that was Johnny Vander Meer's girlfriend and eventual wife, was about to surface in the hobby for the very 1st time. Several phone calls and e-mails were exchanged before I actually negotiated the outright purchase of the scrapbook in the lobby of a Marriott Courtyard on a business trip to Harrisburg, PA. :cool:
Definitely one of my most unique hobby pickups!

The 60-70 page scrapbook chronicles Johnny and Lois's early courtship and Vandy's early beginnings in baseball including his brush with history when he threw back-to-back no-hitters on 6/11/38 (Boston Bee's) and 6/15/38 (1st night game at Brooklyn Dodgers). The scrapbook is in remarkable shape for being over 80 years old and really well done. It was personally gifted to Lois Stewart's best friend after she got married to Vandy and they moved to Tampa, FL.

Some of the highlights contained in the scrapbook are:

The first rose that Vandy ever gave to Lois.

Lois Vander Meer's actual baseball ticket that she used to watch Vandy hurl the historic 2nd no-hitter in Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. It's important to note that this ticket is a different variation of this stub and is not the typical light bulb die cut version that you occasionally see. To own this particular ticket stub, given it's absolute 100% provenance is especially cool.

Lois Stewart's 1939 Eastern League pass from when Vandy was sent back down to restore this pitching mechanics the year after his historic 1938 season.

Vandy's personal copy of his first Reds Spring Training Roster (1937) and issue of News of the Reds when Vandy, Ernie Lombardi and Warren Giles were honored by the Reds in 1939

Two tickets to the 1939 World Series in NYC (Reds vs. Yankees)

A few photos of the two of them that were taken the day after his 2nd no-hitter and after their wedding.
Anyway, enjoy & I want to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2019!

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...%20Leonard.jpg

Billy Taub (2nd named guy on the upper left) was a clothing store owner in NYC who liked to sponsor dinners and events with sports celebrities. He created advertising materials and postcards from the events, like this PC with Babe Ruth:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...c%20PC%201.jpg

A friend clued me into this one because he knows I collect Benny Leonard and it turned out to be another Taub piece in a format not previously seen.

Scott, that is an awesome find. It still amazes me every time you come up with yet another great Vandy or Ryan find...but I should be used to it by now. LOL. I hope 2019 continues your good fortune.

Ticket stubs
 

These are my favorite pickup of the year. I have been on the lookout for Fed stubs for the past 5 years or so and my only pickups have been paper coupons from a season ticket book to pick up to hard stubs one from 1914 and one from 1915 was a big win for my collection. Thanks to Al and the folks at loce of the game.

Scott - the Vander Meer stuff you unearth continues to amaze! It’s unreal how you continue to add to a collection that seemingly has everything!

You have probably explained before.....but how did you get so focused on JVM?

Thanks Rob!
Good question.
As you know, I collect the no-hitter theme. I began collecting this theme because of Nolan Ryan & his ability to pitch multiple no-hitters.

As I branched out within the no-hit theme I decided to focus primarily on other pitchers that pitched multiple no-hitters including Vander Meer, Bob Feller and Sandy Koufax.

Vander Meer is unique because of the back-to-back no-hitters and was also pretty economical to collect because his popularity is not that of a Sandy Koufax or Nolan Ryan, which are both pricey guys to collect. I also wanted to have a prewar player focus within the collection and Vandy was a good candidate to chase.

Like you, I've always been a completionist sort of collector.
I'm sure you can relate! ;):)

Thanks Mike!
Happy New Year & I wish you the same good fortune in finding things to add to your great collection.

Picked this rare hard to find bobblehead up today

This is undoubtedly the most important item I picked up this season. This is the first contract that Roy Campanella signed with the Dodgers. The exact story is presented differently in different places, but what is clear is that Campanella never played in Danville after there was pushback to the idea of integrating the league. Instead, he ended up playing in Nashua.

Campanella was either the 3rd of 4th African American to sign with a Major League team and certainly the most significant after Jackie Robinson. The story of his signing and the pushback also captures some of the complexity of integration.

I’m a Jim Thorpe collector and picked up quite a few ‘favorites’ this year but this is certainly one of them and probably the most rare. Everybody has some great additions to their collections looks like!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8459e0dda6.jpg


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This ran me $50 off eBay and another $50 to frame. Some might say that was too much but I love the finished product and it looks nice as you enter my home office. From the New York American and dated Sunday, March 31, 2012. There are some neat stories about the upcoming season including notes about new managers (Griffith, Davis, Stahl, Kling, et al) as well as “Birdie” Cree’s threatening to quit baseball if not paid more but the focus is clearly on my man, Hal Chase! Great couple images and and nice write up comparing Chase to Cobb. See below for the article...Chase was obviously held in high esteem...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8c0d0d76ed.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...be979be5a3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...409f57f56a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ef7f5f704c.jpg

I am very lucky to have a fantastic frame guy who takes good care of me and great care with my stuff. If you are in Connecticut, Framed by Kosal is tops!


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Awesome pickup everybody!!!

Scott- what a great Vandy Pickup!!! Amazing how that stuff seems to find your collection.

Not too many pick ups this year, but my favorite has to be the dugout lineup card from Jim Thome’s 300th HR, really like the way it was framed and signed by Thome (thanks Randall).

Attachment 338849

That is really cool! I have maybe 4-5 of the manager lineup cards from games that Thome hit a home run (including homers 503 & 504).

(If they would fit in your collection, feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to work something out)

Few Wheats .

Thanks Jonathan. Your Jim Thome 300th HR dugout card is really cool as well.