This 11X14 Sepia toned photo which includes Al Oliver, Willie Stargell, Steve Blass, Manny Sanguillen, and Roberto Clemente was taken and signed by team photographer Les Banos . It is a birthday present from my wife and kids.

It's a beauty, Mike.
Your wife obviously knows how to pick out a terrific personalized gift. Congrats!

Very nice!

X2.

Nice Birthday present!:)

Looks great!

Happy, belated, birthday!

Nice pickup Mike!

Mike - that Pirates picture is very cool. Happy birthday.

I had buy myself a birthday present, it's a scored program from the major league debut of Nate Colbert. He was a pinch runner, didn't bat, or play in the field, he did get to run from first to second base on a sac bunt. Unfortunately, I don't think that whoever kept score was aware that he came into the game.

Oh, and some other guy made his debut that day, too.

A pitcher for the Dodgers named Sutton. He lost. But, he did get two hits.

Doug

I also picked up my second 4 home run game of the year (I got the Mike Schmidt game in February).

Here is the Adcock game:

Thanks everyone for the positive comments on my Birthday present. I am a very blessed man. My father continued a 47 year baseball card tradition by buying me a pretty1961 Tops Mantle.

My wife and I met at 16 and have been together ever since. 38 years have flown by... at least for me. She has heard about the 1971 Bucs since 1979. She is my best friend and knows me better than I do. I have been blessed to have such an amazing life partner. My oldest daughter works for Alaska Airlines for my birthday she gifted me the Japan USA and USA Puerto Rico WBC games in Los Angeles. The only thing I love more than the silly game of baseball is my family. I am of Mexican heritage and my wife's family comes from Japan. Diversity is terribly important in our life. The 1971 Pirates and the WBC reflect that perfectly.

Doug, I am working on purchasing my own birthday present as I type this. Nate Colbert? Sh!!!!t a yellow and brown uniform coupled with mutton chop side burns and August 1, 1972 he was the man! Nate could have been an extra in Shaft... You see this cat Nate is a bad mother...shut your mouth. But I'm talkin' about Nate (Then we can dig it). He should have been a Buc.

Hey Joey that's another amazing addition to your growing collection.

Mike, what a warm and wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. Bless you and your family. -Joe

Thanks alot mike....btw thats a awesome story

Mike and I have never met, but have done some business and corresponded. He always has an ear and a concern for my negative times. Now, I see this post and KNOW that it is true, that the Good people in life get what they should. What a great story of happiness, devotion and love. God Bless and many more years Mike.

PS. I remember Nate as a kid. a Masher and a "tough cool dude". I can see you would want a uni of his, but how bout a 71 Roberto Gamer? :eek:;)

Latest Pinback pick-up:D

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...psusq911i4.jpg

Every now and then I take a break from baseball and add something out of the ordinary to my collection. Often, as in this instance, I add items that have no value or meaning to anyone but me. At 54 I am an avowed animal lover. However, the 15 year-old version of me was fascinated by the Bull Fights.

I spent many of my formative years living abroad in Europe and the Middle East. My parents traveled endlessly. As result I was introduced to many people and places that had a powerful impact on how I viewed the world then and now. During one of their adventures they took me Madrid’s Plaza de Toros. Comparing that Spanish Monument to our own Yankee Stadium would be an insult in the eyes of Spaniards. The reason for the visit was one of Spain’s most celebrated matadors El Cordobes (Manuel Benitez). In the 1960’s and early 1970s El Cordobes was to bull fighting what Muhammad Ali was to boxing, and what the Beatles were to music. I remember little of the day other than being fascinated with the noise and passion of crowd and the way he moved in the ring.

During my freshman year of high school I was sent to Madrid for boarding school. I spent every Sunday of the bull fighting season at Plaza de Toros. I read everything I could find about bull fighting including Benitez’s biography titled Or I Dress You in Mourning. His rise from a life of poverty, orphanages, and petty crime to become a national hero is a fascinating read.

Although I have no desire to ever attend another bull fight I still remain fascinated by El Cordobes. He was an unconventional matador and a flamboyant risk taker who survived many gorings. He was also a playboy who was said to have fought six bulls in the morning and enjoyed the company of six women at night. Nonetheless, I suppose he is my guilty pleasure. He serves to remind of a great year in my life. I picked up these four news photos of Benitez. Each photo depicts a different stage of his career from 1962 through 1981. Thanks for indulging me.

Great story Mike!

Cool!

Here's a bobbing head doll that shouldn't exist. It is a factory marriage of a Seattle Raniers color base and a green base head. I started another thread of these dolls that were assembled from different parts. Hopefully, you guys have some to add.

Couldn't believe my luck when I found this uber rare Cubs pin on ebay:)

It's believed that these were not for public sale and were given to members of the organization at all levels around 1908-1915.

If anyone has knowledge of this piece, please share:)

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...pszv5vupgh.jpg

I need some of your luck when it comes to finding pins!

Great pin, Congrats Mike! did they give out 1908 of them back then? ;) (that's a joke reference to WS rings thread).

condition looks amazing. any concern that they haven't started to repro these pins in the wake of all the Cubs hype?

Not concerned about this one Joe. I wouldn't put it past someone eventually, but it isn't marked with a date and is pretty obscure. You don't see them, so they aren't out there.

Congratulations that pin is very cool.

Agree... you can easily tell (when holding one of these in person) that it is antique and authentic. Great score!

Here's a cool C. 1930's Babe Ruth Snapshot (4" x 2-1/2")

Love the glove in this one. The Babe looks like he has not stretched and has no intention to. Ha

What's up Ben! I thought the Babe looked super grumpy in this photo.

Original Orioles' lineup card from 09/26/90, where Cal Ripken Jr. hit career HR #224

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ps9m1vlb27.jpg

Great picture, Jeff!

Is that a recent pick up?

Congratulations Mike. Very nice find and pickup. It's a great looking pin.

For my women in baseball collection.

Usually I stay with pro/semi pro type of teams and players, but this one is just...I mean....I am equal parts intrigued and horrified as to just WTF is up with this image.

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/y...psom5omosg.jpg

Tom C

These are a first for me. I never thought I would see a confirmed tintype of an Olympian until I got these two in a lot of items. I have gotten a good group of items in several purchases related to this athlete. A real estate investor purchased his son's home which probably passed in the family. Isidore "Jack" Niflot won a gold medal in wrestling at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. He also competed in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens which the IOC refuses to recognize as Olympic Games. He was an AAU champ and later turned pro. He was a long time wrestling referee and coached at City Athletic Club in New York City, Columbia and Penn. In these two he is standing in one and seated in the middle in the other. The word on the jerseys is Balmers. I do not know what that is.

Picked up this nice JF Hillerich and Son bat. On the handle you can see notches for grip.

Recent pick up Irv, if you like this Ruth you'll love the next snapshot I have coming in the mail!
Jeff

How does he "identify" :)

Picked up this large 1907 UVM vs. Holy Cross game scorecard with three players listed that had distinguished Major League careers:

Jack Barry of Holy Cross (Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox), Ray Collins of UVM (Red Sox), and Larry Gardner of UVM (Red Sox). Barry was part of the Athletic's "$100,000 Infield", and Gardner and Collins featured prominently on Champion Red Sox Teams.

In 1915 Barry, Collins and Gardner played together on the same Red Sox team (with a young Babe Ruth), winning the World Series.

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Rube Marquardt 1916 photo
 

From the BST on net54, just picked up this original 1916 photo of Brooklyn Robins no-hit pitcher Rube Marquard.

Nice pickup. And that is quite the window pane uniform that team wore. Photos from that era are so cool.

I love that plaid uniform too, that is pretty rare to see.

Looking forward to seeing it, Jeff!

Although I mainly collect 52 Topps, a Ruth card/picture is something I would truly love to own!

Phillip Morris Store Sign
 

I was excited to pick up this Phillip Morris Cigarette store sign with the football scene in the background. Unfortunately, it has some water damage on the right side, but it still displays well. I believe it is from the late '30's or early '40's.

1954 Redlegs vs Braves program. Note the Rookie Hank Aaron #5

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/q...pspxo81bci.png

Adding to my small Baseball in London collection, this makes piece number five.

June 10, 1945, program for a US Army services baseball game held at Stamford Bridge soccer stadium in London, England. The two teams – the Whites and the Grays – were made up of minor league and major league players stationed in England. Mostly minor league players, but I have been able to note Paul Campbell, Ted Kleinhans and Dan Carnevale.

The most notable name on the program may be that of Umpire Scotty Robb. Scotty Robb had a pretty distinguished career as an Umpire in both the NL and AL.

Here is the interesting part...two days ago I was contacted by the grandson of Scotty Rob who is interested in selling his grandfather's personal items from him umpiring days. Some nice stuff. I am helping him prepare for sale. Today we spoke for the first time, and then an hour later in the mail I get this Army program. I didn't realize he was the umpire when I bought it. I don't think I even would have noticed he was the umpire in the game if his grandson had not just contacted me.

I think the person I bought this from found a stack of them, because after the ebay auction ended he listed another.

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1st ever game between Jackie and Doby.

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Won this lot the other night in the Hunt Auction

1923 World Series

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1948 Campy Rookie

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Beautiful photos Joey

A bit OT, but we do have tobacco collectors here. Stopped by an estate sale today. A bust, but I did grab a box of 10 Durham Tobacco pouches for $10. These are common, but a bargain at $1 a piece. I only wanted one, so sold the others to a tobacco collector I know to make back my ten and a bit more. Makes a nice addition to displays.

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